Apparatus for forming rigid porous metal body

Claim 1

APPARATUS FOR CONTINUOUSLY FORMING A RIGID POROUS METAL BODY FROM RAW MATERIAL COMPRISING LOOSE METAL PELLETS OR FINE PARTICLES, SAID APPARATUS COMPRISING: A MEANS FOR STORING AND CONTINUOUSLY DISCHARGING SAID RAW MATERIAL, B. AN ELONGATE SUBSTANTIALLY TUBULAR MOLD HAVING OPPOSITE OPEN ENDS CONSTITUTING INLET AND OUTLET OPENINGS REPECTIVELY SAID INLET END BEING OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO SAID STORING AND DICHARGING MEANS WHEREBY SAID MOLD CONTINUOUSLY RECEIVES SAID RAW MATERIAL FROM SAID STORING AND DICHARGING MEANS, C. HEATING MEANS SURROUNDING SAID MOLD AND EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY THE LENGTH THEREOF FOR HEATING SAID RAW MATERIAL WITHIN SAID MOLD TO A PREDETERMINED TEMPERATURE WHEREBY SAID RAW MATERIAL IS CONTINUOUSLY FORMED INTO A RIGID POROUS METAL BODY, D. AN ELONGATE SUBSTANTIALLY TUBULAR COOLING JACKET HAVING A COOLING MEDIUM CIRCULATING CHAMBER THEREIN, SAID JACKET BEING OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO SAID MOLD OUTLET OPENING WHEREBY SAID RIGID BODY PASSES DIRECTLY FROM SAID MOLD INTO SAID COOLING JACKET AND IS COOLED THEREIN, AND E. MEANS FOR INTRODUCING A PROTECTIVE NON-OXIDIZING ATMOSPHERE THROUGH SAID COOLING JACKET AND INTO SAID MOLD.