Flame cutting method

Claim 1

IN A METHOD OF FLAME WORKING A HEAT SPALLABLE MINERAL BODY, THE STEPS WHICH INCLUDE INTRODUCING INTO A CONFINED CHAMBER A MIXTURE OF FUEL AND AN OXIDIZING COMPONENT GAS WHICH INCLUDES AN OXIDANT AND AN INERT GAS, BURNING THE MIXTURE OF FUEL AND OXISIZING COMPONENT GAS IN THE CONFINED CHAMBER WHILE MAINTAINING A CHAMBER PRESSURE AT THE POINT WHERE THE BURNING IS INITIATED IN THE RANGE OF 3 TO 12 POUNDS PER SQUARE INCH GAUGE, AND RELEASING THE PRODUCTS OF COMBUSTION THROUGH AN ORIFICE TO FORM A SUBSONIC JET HAVING A VELOCITY OF AT LEAST 800 FEET PER SECOND AND AN APPRECIABLY REDUCED NOISE LEVEL AS COMPARED WITH A SUPERSONIC JET, CONTINUOSLY REGULATING THE THERMAL INTENSTIY AND MOMENTUM OF THE FLAME JET WITH MEASURE AMOUNTS OF THE INERT GAS FURNISHED AS A COMPONENT PART OF THE FLOW OF OXIDANT AND OCCURING IN AN AMOUNT WHICH IS SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL TO THE PERCENT OF INERT GAS NORMALLY FOUND IN ATMOSPHERIC AIR, AND DIRECTING THE FLAME JET INTO CONTACT WITH AN EXPOSED SURFACE OF THE SUBSTANTIAL MINERAL BODY TO INDUCE A THERMAL GRADIENT OF SUBSTANTIALLY CONSTANT PRESETERMINED MINERAL STRESSING CAPABILITY WHEREBY A CONTROLLED SPALLING TAKES PLACE.