Casting Apparatus Including A Gas Driven Molten Metal Injector And Method

Patent · Tue Jun 17 00:00:00 EDT 2003

OSTI ID:879676

Trudel, David R ^[1]; Meyer, Thomas N ^[2]; Kinosz, Michael J ^[3]; Arnaud, Guy ^[4]; Bigler, Nicolas ^[5]

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1. Westlake, OH
2. Murrysville, PA
3. Apollo, PA
4. Morin Heights, CA
5. Riviere-Beaudette, CA

The filtering molten metal injector system includes a holder furnace, a casting mold supported above the holder furnace, and at least one molten metal injector supported from a bottom side of the casting mold. The holder furnace contains a supply of molten metal. The mold defines a mold cavity for receiving the molten metal from the holder furnace. The molten metal injector projects into the holder furnace. The molten metal injector includes a cylinder defining a piston cavity housing a reciprocating piston for pumping the molten metal upward from the holder furnace to the mold cavity. The cylinder and piston are at least partially submerged in the molten metal when the holder furnace contains the molten metal. The cylinder or the piston includes a molten metal intake for receiving the molten metal into the piston cavity when the holder furnace contains molten metal. A conduit connects the piston cavity to the mold cavity. A molten metal filter is located in the conduit for filtering the molten metal passing through the conduit during the reciprocating movement of the piston. The molten metal intake may be a valve connected to the cylinder, a gap formed between the piston and an open end of the cylinder, an aperture defined in the sidewall of the cylinder, or a ball check valve incorporated into the piston. A second molten metal filter preferably covers the molten metal intake to the injector.

• DOE Contract Number: 86X-SU545C
• Assignee: Alcoa Inc. (Pittsburgh, PA)
• Patent Number(s): US 6,578,620
• Application Number: 09/711667
• OSTI ID: 879676
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English