US3614079A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and apparatus for melting metal chips
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1968-10-16
•
Granted: 1971-10-19
•
Expires: 1988-10-16
Abstract
Abstract Method and apparatus for melting oil-contaminated brass chips comprises a reverberatory furnace and a melter tube that projects through the side of the furnace and into the bath of metal therein. Oil-contaminated metal chips are repeatedly charged into the tube by a plunger. The tube is perforated to expose the chips to the liquid metal of the bath and to the combustion chamber of the furnace. The chips are heated by the bath, vaporizing the oil and expelling it into the combustion chamber for burning and thereby maintain the chips and bath subjected to a reducing atmosphere. The heat of the bath melts the chips, the liquid metal from the melted chips flowing out of the tube.
Inventors
- 👤 George Harrison
- 👤 Nelson K Harrison
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 11:53
CPC Classifications
C; C22; C22B; C22B7/00; C22B7/001; C22B7/003; C22C; C22C3/00; Y; Y02; Y02P; Y02P10/00; Y02P10/20
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
122 words
A method of decontaminating and melting metal comprising providing a furnace with a combustion chamber to which the surface of a melt of the metal is exposed and heating the combustion chamber to maintain the melt in the molten condition, introducing a mass of contaminated metal into said furnace and providing communication between said mass and said combustion chamber, exposing the contaminated metal to sufficient heat within the furnace to vaporize the contaminant and expel the contaminant from the mass of metal and into said combustion chamber for at least partial combustion in the furnace and at the same time maintain a reducing atmosphere around said mass of metal as it is being decontaminated, and introducing the decontaminated metal into the melt.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
122 words
A method of decontaminating and melting metal comprising providing a furnace with a combustion chamber to which the surface of a melt of the metal is exposed and heating the combustion chamber to maintain the melt in the molten condition, introducing a mass of contaminated metal into said furnace and providing communication between said mass and said combustion chamber, exposing the contaminated metal to sufficient heat within the furnace to vaporize the contaminant and expel the contaminant from the mass of metal and into said combustion chamber for at least partial combustion in the furnace and at the same time maintain a reducing atmosphere around said mass of metal as it is being decontaminated, and introducing the decontaminated metal into the melt.
Claim 3
Independent Claim
135 words
A method of decontaminating and melting metal comprising providing a melt of metal in a furnace and with the surface of the melt being exposed to an atmosphere of a chamber of the furnace which is above the melt, providing a tube that extends through said surface and has a discharge opening therebelow and a zone of the tube that is perforated above said surface for providing communication at said perforated portion of said zone between the interior of said tube and said chamber atmosphere, introducing contaminated metal into said tube to bring said metal to said zone and by heat comprising heat from said melt expelling said contaminant from said metal and through the perforated portion of said zone and into said chamber, and introducing decontaminated metal into the melt at said discharge opening.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
135 words
A method of decontaminating and melting metal comprising providing a melt of metal in a furnace and with the surface of the melt being exposed to an atmosphere of a chamber of the furnace which is above the melt, providing a tube that extends through said surface and has a discharge opening therebelow and a zone of the tube that is perforated above said surface for providing communication at said perforated portion of said zone between the interior of said tube and said chamber atmosphere, introducing contaminated metal into said tube to bring said metal to said zone and by heat comprising heat from said melt expelling said contaminant from said metal and through the perforated portion of said zone and into said chamber, and introducing decontaminated metal into the melt at said discharge opening.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method according to claim 2 including providing at said zone communication through the wall of the tube between said contaminated charge and said melt.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
121 words
Apparatus for decontaminating and melting metal comprising a furnace with a combustion chamber, means for containing a melt of liquid metal with the surface thereof exposed to said combustion chamber, means for heating the combustion chamber to maintain the melt in a molten condition, means for providing communication between a mass of contaminated metal and the combustion chamber, means for exposing the contaminated metal to sufficient heat within the furnace to vaporize said contaminant and expel the contaminant from the metal and into said combustion chamber for at least partial combustion in the furnace and at the same time maintain a reducing atmosphere around said metal as it is being decontaminated, and means for introducing the decontaminated metal into the melt.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
121 words
Apparatus for decontaminating and melting metal comprising a furnace with a combustion chamber, means for containing a melt of liquid metal with the surface thereof exposed to said combustion chamber, means for heating the combustion chamber to maintain the melt in a molten condition, means for providing communication between a mass of contaminated metal and the combustion chamber, means for exposing the contaminated metal to sufficient heat within the furnace to vaporize said contaminant and expel the contaminant from the metal and into said combustion chamber for at least partial combustion in the furnace and at the same time maintain a reducing atmosphere around said metal as it is being decontaminated, and means for introducing the decontaminated metal into the melt.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
38 words
Apparatus according to claim 4 having a tube that has a discharge opening below said surface and a zone at which contaminant is expelled from the metal, and said tube zone is perforated above and below said surface.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
105 words
Apparatus for melting metal comprising a for maintaining a melt of liquid metal, a tube extending through the surface of said melt and having an intake end above said surface and a discharge and below said surface, said tube also having a gas outlet zone within the container and above said surface for discharging into said container gases generated in said tube, and means For introducing solid metal into said tube from said intake opening to said zone for heating of the solid metal thereat by heat from the melt and for conveying being-melted metal in the tube from said zone toward said discharge opening.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
105 words
Apparatus for melting metal comprising a for maintaining a melt of liquid metal, a tube extending through the surface of said melt and having an intake end above said surface and a discharge and below said surface, said tube also having a gas outlet zone within the container and above said surface for discharging into said container gases generated in said tube, and means For introducing solid metal into said tube from said intake opening to said zone for heating of the solid metal thereat by heat from the melt and for conveying being-melted metal in the tube from said zone toward said discharge opening.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
25 words
Apparatus according to claim 6 in which said zone is also below the level of melt and is perforated thereat to pass liquid metal therethrough.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
24 words
Apparatus according to claim 6 in which said tube projects laterally of the portion of the container that defines the periphery of the melt.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
41 words
Apparatus according to claim 8 in which said container has a well at a peripheral portion thereof and said discharge end has a flange above the discharge opening at said end, said flange extending substantially to the region of said well.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2300141A
Cited
US2265284A
Cited
US2343337A
Cited
US2402498A
Cited
US2446637A
Cited
US2624565A
Cited
US3202408A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-10-18 | 1975-04-19 | 1975-10-19 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-10-18 | 1979-04-19 | 1979-10-19 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-10-18 | 1983-04-19 | 1983-10-19 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |