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US 7,418,993 B2Granted
Method and apparatus for production of a cast component
AssigneeROLLS-ROYCE plc
InventorsDonald J. Frasier, M. Eric Schlienger, Guy Allen Brady, Matthew T. Kush, Patrick A. Vessely
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system for producing cast components from molten metal. One form of the present invention includes a system for the precision pouring of molten metal within a casting mold. The precision pouring system is driven by a pressure differential.
Claims31
An apparatus for pouring a molten metal, comprising:
- a crucible having a bottom wall member with an aperture formed therethrough;
- an upstanding first tube positioned within said crucible and having a first end located around said aperture and coupled to said bottom wall member and another second end that is closed, said first tube having at least one entrance for allowing the passage of molten metal from said crucible to said first tube;
- an upstanding second tube located within said first tube and having one end coupled to said bottom wall member and in fluid communication with said aperture and another end defining an inlet from said first tube, said second tube has a first cavity adapted for receiving a volume of molten metal therein;
- and
- a passageway extending along said second tube for the passage of the molten metal from said at least one entrance to said inlet.
2 more elements
An apparatus, comprising:
- a mechanical housing;
- a crucible adapted to receive a metal material therein, said crucible positioned within said housing;
- a heater positioned adjacent said crucible for heating the crucible and melting the metal received within said crucible;
- and
- a pressure controlled precision pour assembly positioned within said crucible, said pour assembly has an outer cavity with at least one entrance for the passage of melted metal material from said crucible to said outer cavity and an exit for the passage of melted metal material to an inner metering cavity, and wherein said pour assembly has a first state wherein said inner metering cavity receives melted metal material from said outer cavity until said inner metering cavity is full and a second state wherein the flow of melted metal material to said inner cavity is stopped and the melted metal material within said inner metering cavity is discharged.
2 more elements
The apparatus of 18, wherein a difference in area between said nozzle outlet and said at least one entrance allows the volumetric flow rate of molten metal through said at least one entrance to be substantially greater than the volumetric flow rate of molten metal through said outlet.
An apparatus for dispensing a molten metal, comprising:
- a mechanical housing having a first chamber with a first pressure and a second chamber with a second pressure;
- a crucible positioned within said first chamber of the mechanical housing and adapted to receive a stock of unmelted metal material therein;
- a heater positioned adjacent said crucible and adapted for heating the crucible and at least a portion of the unmelted metal material therein to a molten metal state, wherein said crucible holds the volume of molten metal melted by the heater therein;
- a tube having a first end and a second end with a flow communication passageway therebetween, said first end positioned beneath a surface of the volume of molten metal within said crucible and a second end positioned in fluid communication with said second chamber and defining a discharge aperture;
- and
- a pressure differential device within said first chamber and acting on the volume of molten metal to increase the pressure thereof and cause molten metal to flow through said passageway and out of said second end, said pressure differential device is defined by at least a portion of the unmelted metal material.
3 more elements
An apparatus for pouring a molten metal, comprising:
- a mechanical housing with a bottom wall member and an interior volume adapted to hold a molten metal;
- and
- a molten metal delivery member having a first molten metal inlet end adapted to receive molten metal from below the surface of the molten metal within the interior volume and a second molten metal outlet end with a passageway therebetween, at least a portion of said delivery member positioned within said mechanical housing, said passageway has a first passageway portion and a second passageway portion and a inflection portion wherein the direction of molten metal flow changes, in a first discharge mode a first direction of molten metal flow within said first passageway portion is from said molten metal inlet to said inflection portion and from said inflection portion through said second passageway portion in a second direction to said outlet.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.