Apparatus for melting material by means of a flame of elevated temperature

Claim 1

IN APPARATUS FOR MELTING POWDERED MATERIAL BY MEANS OF A FLAME OF ELEVATED TEMPERATURE AND FOR PRECIPITATING SAID MOLTEN MATERIAL IN THE FORM OF A ROD, INCLUDING A BURNER COMPRISING TWO CONCENTRIC TUBES, MEANS TO SUPPLY COMBUSTIBLE GAS TO THE OUTER OF SAID TUBES, MEANS TO SUPPLY OXYGEN TO THE INNER OF SAID TUBES, POWDER DOSING MEANS INCLUDING A CLOSED CHAMBER, CONDUIT MEANS HAVING AN INLET END IN COMMUNICATION WITH SAID CLOSED CHAMBER AND AN OUTLET END IN COMMUNICATION WITH SAID INNER BURNER TUBE, A CATCHING SURFACE FOR PRECIPITATED MATERIAL ADJACENT SAID BURNER AND POSITIONED IN VERTICAL AXIAL ALIGNMENT THEREWITH, MEANS TO MOVE SAID CATCHING SURFACE AWAY FROM THE BURNER IN A VERTICAL DIRECTION AT A CONSTANT RATE, MEANS TO SUPPLY OXYGEN UNDER PRESSURE TO THE CLOSED CHAMBER OF THE POWDER DOSING MEANS, POWDER SUPPLY MEANS WITHIN SAID CLOSED CHAMBER, A TROUGH-SHAPED POWDER-CARRYING CHANNEL MEANS CONTAINED WITHIN SAID CHAMBER AND OPEN ALONG ITS LENGTH TO SAID POWDER SUPPLY, SAID CHANNEL MEANS TERMINATING IN A DISCHARGE PORTION HAVING GRADUALLY REDUCED POWDER-CARRYING CAPACITY, SAID DISCHARGE PORTION BEING POSITIONED ADJACENT THE INLET END OF SAID CONDUIT MEANS TO CAUSE POWDER TO BE INJECTED INTO SAID CONDUIT MEANS BY THE FLOW OF SAID OXYGEN UNDER PRESSURE INTO SAID INLET END TO SUPPORT COMBUSTION AT SAID BURNER, MEANS TO MOVE POWDER INTO SAID CHANNEL MEANS AND TOWARD SAID DISCHARGE PORTION, AND MEANS TO VARY RATE OF SAID INJECTION OF POWDER.