Apparatus for casting metal filaments through an aerosol atmosphere

Claim 1

In an apparatus for producing metallic filaments wherein a melt of molten metal is extruded to form a molten stream, the improvement comprising means for causing solidification of the stream of molten metal comprising an environment containing an aerosol of a vaporizable substance, means for providing circulation of said aerosol in a continuous path and directing means for causing flow of said aerosol across said stream of molten metal to increase the heat transfer coefficient of said stream, said means for providing circulation of said aerosol being positioned beneath the portion of the apparatus from which the stream of molten metal is extruded and the path defined by said circulation providing means including first and second generally vertical portions interconnected by upper and lower generally horizontal portions, and said directing means comprising first and second atomizing nozzles, said first atomizing nozzle producing an aerosol spray along said upper horizontal portion of said path and across said stream of molten metal in a first direction and said second atomizing nozzle producing a second aerosol spray across said stream of molten metal and along a lower horizontal portion of said path in a second, opposite direction, said first and second atomizing nozzles cooperating to provide continuous circulation of said aerosol.