Bead furnace
AssigneesPANalytical B.V., XRF Scientific Limited
InventorStephen Prossor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A bead furnace has a furnace with a furnace chamber 4 and opening 6. A closure assembly 20 is provided on closure assembly 22. The closure assembly has a blank closure element 26 and an active closure element 32 on different sides of the closure assembly, each matching the opening 6. A crucible holder 44 with a detent for holding a crucible and a mold holder 60 for holding a mold are provided on the active face. The closure assembly moves between two states, a load state with the blank closure element 26 in the furnace opening and an operation state with the active closure element 32 in the furnace opening with the crucible and mold in the furnace. The closure assembly can agitate the crucible contents and then tip the crucible to pour fused contents into the mold.
Claims15
A bead furnace, comprising
- a furnace chamber (4) having an opening (6);
- a closure assembly (20);
- and
- a closure assembly mounting (22) for the closure assembly,
- wherein the closure assembly (20) comprises:
- a closure body (24) having a crucible drive (34);
- a first closure element (26,32) on a first side of the body, the first closure element being adapted to seal the opening with the closure assembly in a load state;
- an active closure element (32) on a second side of the body, the active closure element being adapted to seal the opening with the closure assembly in an operation state;
- a mould holder extending (60) from the active closure element;
- and
- a crucible holder (44) extending from the active closure element and connected to the crucible drive for agitating a crucible held in the crucible holder and pouring contents of a crucible held in the crucible holder into a mould held in the mould holder;
- and
- a closure drive (62,64,66) for driving the closure assembly on the closure assembly mounting between the load state with the blank closure element sealing the opening and the operation state with the active closure element sealing the opening.
A method of operation of a bead furnace comprising:
- loading a crucible (70) containing a sample on the crucible holder (44) and loading a mould on the mould holder (60) with the closure assembly (20) in the load state;
- operating the closure drive (62,64,66) to bring the closure assembly (20) into the operation state with the crucible in the furnace;
- operating the crucible drive (34) to agitate the crucible;
- operating the crucible drive (34) to rotate the crucible at least 90° to pour the sample in a fused state onto the mould to form glass beads;
- and operating the closure drive (62,64,66) to bring the closure assembly (20) into the load state;
- wherein the bead furnace comprises:
- a furnace chamber (4) having an opening (6);
- a closure assembly (20);
- and a closure assembly mounting (22) for the closure assembly, wherein the closure assembly (20) comprises:
- a closure body (24) having a crucible drive (34);
- a first closure element (26,32) on a first side of the body, the first closure element being adapted to seal the opening with the closure assembly in a load state;
- an active closure element (32) on a second side of the body, the active closure element being adapted to seal the opening with the closure assembly in an operation state:
- a mould holder extending (60) from the active closure element;
- and a crucible holder (44) extending from the active closure element and connected to the crucible drive for agitating a crucible held in the crucible holder and pouring contents of a crucible held in the crucible holder into a mould held in the mould holder;
- and
- a closure drive (62,64,66) for driving the closure assembly on the closure assembly mounting between the load state with the blank closure element sealing the opening and the operation state with the active closure element sealing the opening.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.