Control of stresses during shock-aided hydrostatic extrusion

Claim 1

APPARATUS FOR EXTRUDING AN OBJECT COMPRISING, MEANS DEFINING A CONTAINER FOR SAID OBJECT WHICH INCLUDES CLOSED WALLS AND A TOP DIE MEANS AT ONE END OF SAID CONTAINER MEANS, MEANS TO SUBJECT SAID OBJECT TO A PRESSURE SUFFICIENT TO PRODUCE EXTRUSION THEREOF FROM SAID CONTAINER MEANS THROUGH SAID DIE MEANS ONCE SAID EXTRUSION HAS BEEN INITIATED, A SHOCK PRESSURE GENERATOR RESPONSIVE TO ACTUATION THEREOF TO SUBJECT SAID OBJECT TO A SHOCK-WAVE OF PRESSURE SUPPLEMENTING SAID FIRST NAMED PRESSURE AND ACTING IN CONJUNCTION THEREWITH TO INITIATE SAID EXTRUSION OF SAID OBJECT, AND MEANS INCLUDING A MEMBER POSITIONED BETWEEN SAID CLOSED WALLS OF SAID CONTAINER MEANS AND SAID GENERATOR AND DEFLECTABLE BY THE SHOCK-WAVE OF PRESSURE FOR ABSORBING AT LEAST A PORTION OF THE ENERGY OF SAID SHOCK-WAVE OF PRESSURE AND REDUCING THE AMOUNT OF ENERGY ACTING ON THE WALLS OF SAID CONTAINER MEANS.