Apparatus for withdrawing samples from molten metal baths

Claim 1

AN APPARATUS FOR WITHDRAWING SAMPLES FROM MOLTEN METAL, COMPRISING A SAMPLING TUBE OF HEAT-RESISTANT MATERIAL HAVING A FIRST END INSERTABLE INTO MOLTEN METAL AND A SECOND END; AND ADJUSTABLE PRESSURE REDUCING MEANS CONNECTED WITH THE SECOND END OF SAID TUBE FOR EVACUATING AIR THEREFROM AND FOR THEREBY CAUSING MOLTEN METAL TO PENETRATE INTO THE TUBE WHEN SAID FIRST PRESSURE REDUCING INTO A SUPPLY OF MOLTEN METAL, SAID PRESSURE REDUCING MEANS COMPRISING A FIRST CYLINDER, A SECOND CYLINDER LOCATED WITHIN AND COAXIAL WITH SAID FIRST CYLINDER AND COMMUNICATING WITH THE SECOND END OF SAID TUBE, AN ANNULAR PISTON RECIPROCABLY RECEIVED IN SAID FIRST CYLINDER AND SURROUNDING SAID SECOND CYLINDER, A PLUNGER RECIPROCABLE IN THE INTERIOR OF SAID SECOND CYLINDER, A HOLLOW PISTON ROD SLIDABLY GUIDED ON SAID SECOND CYLINDER AND CONNECTING SAID PISTON AND SAID PLUNGER, A SOURCE OF COMPRESSED GAS, A PAIR OF CONDUIT MEANS RESPECTIVELY PROVIDING COMMUNICATION BETWEEN SAID SOURCE OF GAS AND OPPOSITE ENDS OF SAID FIRST CYLINDER, AND VALVE MEANS IN SAID CONDUIT MEANS FOR CONTROLLING THE FLOW OF A FLUID INTO AND FROM SAID FIRST CYLINDER TO THEREBY MOVE SAID PLUNGER WHEREBY THE PLUNGER EVACUATES AIR FROM SAID TUBE WHILE MOVING IN A GIVEN DIRECTION, SAID VALVE MEANS COMPRISING A MANUALLY OPERABLE VALVE MEMBER NORMALLY ASSUMING A FIRST POSITION IN WHICH IT PERMITS COMPRESSED GAS TO FLOW FROM SAID SOURCE THROUGH ONE OF SAID CONDUIT MEANS TO SAID FIRST CYLINDER AND TO COMPEL SAID PISTON TO MOVE IN A DIRECTION COUNTER TO SAID GIVEN DIRECTION, SAID VALVE MEMBER BEING MOVABLE TO A SECOND POSITION IN WHICH THE FLUID FLOWING FROM SAID SOURCE THROUGH THE OTHER OF SAID CONDUIT MEANS TO SAID FIRST CYLINDER COMPELS THE PLUNGER TO ADVANCE IN SAID GIVEN DIRECTION, AND ADJUSTABLE THROTTLING MEANS IN SAID OTHER CONDUIT MEANS FOR THROTTLING FLOW OF COMPRESSED GAS THERETHROUGH TO REGULATE THE SPEED OF MOVEMENT OF SAID PLUNGER IN SAID GIVEN DIRECTION IN DEPENDENCE ON THE ADJUSTMENT OF SAID THROTTLING MEANS.

Claim 2

AN APPARATUS FOR WITHDRAWING SAMPLES FROM MOLTEN METAL, COMPRISING A SAMPLING TUBE OF HEAT-RESISTANT MATERIAL HAVING A FIRST END INSERTABLE INTO MOLTEN METAL AND A SECOND END; AND ADJUSTABLE PRESSURE REDUCING MEANS CONNECTED WITH THE SECOND END OF SAID TUBE FOR EVACUATING AIR THEREFROM AND FOR THEREBY CAUSING MOLTEN METAL TO PENETRATE INTO THE TUBE WHEN SAID FIRST PRESSURE REDUCING INTO A SUPPLY OF MOLTEN METAL, SAID PRESSURE REDUCING MEANS COMPRISING A FIRST CYLINDER, A SECOND CYLINDER LOCATED WITHIN AND COAXIAL WITH SAID FIRST CYLINDER AND COMMUNICATING WITH THE SECOND END OF SAID TUBE, AN ANNULAR PISTON RECIPROCABLY RECEIVED IN SAID FIRST CYLINDER AND SURROUNDING SAID SECOND CYLINDER, A PLUNGER RECIPROCABLE IN THE INTERIOR OF SAID SECOND CYLINDER, A HOLLOW PISTON ROD SLIDABLY GUIDED ON SAID SECOND CYLINDER AND CONNECTING SAID PISTON AND SAID PLUNGER, A SOURCE OF COMPRESSED GAS, A PAIR OF CONDUIT MEANS RESPECTIVELY PROVIDING COMMUNICATION BETWEEN SAID SOURCE OF GAS AND OPPOSITE ENDS OF SAID FIRST CYLINDER, AND VALVE MEANS IN SAID CONDUIT MEANS FOR CONTROLLING THE FLOW OF A FLUID INTO AND FROM SAID FIRST CYLINDER TO THEREBY MOVE SAID PLUNGER WHEREBY THE PLUNGER EVACUATES AIR FROM SAID TUBE WHILE MOVING IN A GIVEN DIRECTION, SAID VALVE MEANS COMPRISING A MANUALLY OPERABLE VALVE MEMBER NORMALLY ASSUMING A FIRST POSITION IN WHICH IT PERMITS COMPRESSED GAS TO FLOW FROM SAID SOURCE THROUGH ONE OF SAID CONDUIT MEANS TO SAID FIRST CYLINDER AND TO COMPEL SAID PISTON TO MOVE IN A DIRECTION COUNTER TO SAID GIVEN DIRECTION, SAID VALVE MEMBER BEING MOVABLE TO A SECOND POSITION IN WHICH THE FLUID FLOWING FROM SAID SOURCE THROUGH THE OTHER OF SAID CONDUIT MEANS TO SAID FIRST CYLINDER COMPELS THE PLUNGER TO ADVANCE IN SAID GIVEN DIRECTION, AND ADJUSTABLE THROTTLING MEANS IN SAID OTHER CONDUIT MEANS FOR THROTTLING FLOW OF COMPRESSED GAS THERETHROUGH TO REGULATE THE SPEED OF MOVEMENT OF SAID PLUNGER IN SAID GIVEN DIRECTION IN DEPENDENCE ON THE ADJUSTMENT OF SAID THROTTLING MEANS.