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US3689679A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Device for continuous liquefaction of siliceous material
Assignee: Glasrock Products Inc
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Filing: 1971-03-08
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Granted: 1972-09-05
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Expires: 1991-03-08
Abstract
Abstract An apparatus and method for the continuous liquefaction of finely divided raw material capable of forming a highly viscous material when heated to molten condition, the apparatus including a hollow vessel, means for constricting the bottom opening of the vessel, means for adding the finely divided material into the vessel at the same time the viscous material is removed through the bottom opening of the vessel, a pair of horizontally disposed electrodes in the vessel for producing an electrical arc to generate sufficient heat to form a molten viscous melt from the raw material, and means for removing the molten viscous melt from the vessel at substantially the same rate as the melt is formed for maintaining a stable condition within the vessel. The disclosed method continuously forms a viscous extrusion melt from finely divided raw material which is charged into the vessel, the melt being withdrawn by gravity or by rollers and broken or severed periodically. The conversion of silica i.e. sand into fused silica is disclosed.
Inventors
- 👤 Shohei Niwa
- 👤 Kazuo Oki
- 👤 Masaaki Hayashi
- 👤 Yuukichi Morimoto
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 21:47
CPC Classifications
F; F27; F27D; F27D11/00; F27D11/08; C; C03; C03B; C03B17/00; C03B17/04; C03B17/06; C03B5/00; C03B5/02; C03B5/025; C03B5/027; C03B5/0275; C03B5/16; C03B5/26; Y; Y02; Y02P; Y02P40/00; Y02P40/50; Y02P40/57
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 43
Claim 1
Independent Claim
15 words
An apparatus as described in claim 1 wherein means are provided for cooling said vessel.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
29 words
An apparatus as described in claim 1 wherein electrode feeding means are operatively associated with said pair of electrodes for maintaining a preselected gap between said pair of electrodes.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
50 words
An apparatus as describEd in claim 1 wherein said vessel includes a main body, an inwardly and downwardly sloping bottom connected to the lower end portion of said body, said opening being at the lower portion of said bottom and cooling means for applying a coolant adjacent said bottom opening.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
53 words
An apparatus as described in claim 3 wherein said electrode feeding means includes a movable carriage for each electrode, means on said carriage for securing said electrode to said carriage, tracks for supporting said carriage and along which said carriage moves, and means for moving said carriage a predetermined distance along said track.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
22 words
An apparatus as described in claim 1 including means disposed above said vessel for feeding said finely divided material to said vessel.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
23 words
An apparatus as described in claim 1 wherein said vessel further includes a refractory ring on said bottom for defining said bottom opening.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
35 words
An apparatus as described in claim 1 said support means includes an elevator disposed beneath said vessel for successively engaging and supporting the lower portion of said viscous material as it flows from said vessel.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
29 words
The apparatus in claim 1, wherein said heating means includes a pair of electrodes within said vessel in opposed relationship to each other for providing an electrical arc therebetween.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
17 words
The apparatus in claim 1, wherein said receiving and bleeding means is removably attached to said vessel.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
34 words
The apparatus in claim 1, wherein said receiving and bleeding means includes a sleeve having an axial opening therethrough, and further includes means for temporarily stopping the flow of material through said axial opening.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
14 words
The apparatus in claim 1, wherein said receiving and bleeding means includes cooling means.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
25 words
The apparatus in claim 12, wherein said cooling means includes a pair of concentric hollow sleeves attached to each other and forming a chamber therebetween.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
16 words
The apparatus in claim 13, and further including means for circulating a coolant through said chamber.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
10 words
The apparatus in claim 14, wherein said coolant is water.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
25 words
The apparatus in claim 11, wherein said means for stopping the flow is a cap removably attached to the lowermost end of said cooling means.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
21 words
The apparatus in claim 16, wherein said cap includes a cup-shaped member and a gate valve disposed in said cup-shaped member.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
39 words
The apparatus in claim 1, and further including support means disposed below said cooling means for engaging and progressively lowering a column of said viscous material from said vessel at substantially the same rate said viscous material is formed.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
27 words
An apparatus as described in claim 18 wherein said support means includes a pair of opposed extruding rollers engaging opposite sides of said column of viscous material.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
41 words
An apparatus as described in claim 19 wherein said support means further includes a pair of smooth-surfaced rollers disposed beneath said extruding rollers and in alignment along said viscous material for guiding the water from said nozzles onto said viscous material.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
24 words
An apparatus as described in claim 18 wherein said support means includes a conveyor disposed at an incline to said column of viscous material.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
107 words
A method for the continuous liquefaction of finely divided material capable of forming a highly viscous material when heated to a molten condition, including the steps of: introducing finely divided material into a hollow vessel having a constricted bottom opening with a pair of electrodes within said vessel in opposed relationship to each other, providing an electrical arc between said electrodes for generating sufficient heat to continuously form a globe of viscous material, removing a portion of said finely divided material from below said viscous material to produce a column of viscous material emerging from said opening, and thereafter periodically removing the bottommost portion of said column.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method in claim 22, and further including the step of Cooling said viscous material after it flows from said vessel.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method in claim 23, wherein the step of cooling includes applying a cooling fluid directly to said viscous material.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method in claim 23, wherein the step of cooling includes circulating a cooling fluid through a chamber that extends around said viscous material.
Claim 25
Independent Claim
109 words
An apparatus for the continuous liquefaction of finely divided material capable of forming a highly viscous material when heated to a molten condition, comprising a hollow vessel having a bottom opening therein, means for temporarily closing said bottom opening, means for introducing said finely divided material into said vessel, heating means for generating sufficient heat within said vessel to continuously form said viscous material, means for cooling said vessel, said cooling means including a first cooling portion disposed around a portion of the exterior of said vessel, a second cooling portion extending around the bottom opening, and means for cooling said viscous material as it flows from said vessel.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
29 words
The apparatus in claim 26, wherein said heating means includes a pair of electrodes within said vessel in opposed relationship to each other for providing an electrical arc therebetween.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
15 words
The apparatus in claim 26, wherein said first portion is a chamber surrounding said vessel.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
16 words
The apparatus in claim 28, and further including means for circulating a coolant through said chamber.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
10 words
The apparatus in claim 29, wherein said coolant is water.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
16 words
The apparatus in claim 26, wherein said second portion is a chamber surrounding said bottom opening.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
16 words
The apparatus in claim 31, and further including means for circulating a coolant through said chamber.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
10 words
The apparatus in claim 32, wherein the coolant is water.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
25 words
The apparatus in claim 26, wherein said means for cooling said viscous material includes means for applying a cooling fluid directly to the viscous material.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
21 words
The apparatus in claim 26, wherein said means for cooling said viscous material includes cooling means extending around said viscous material.
Claim 35
Independent Claim
119 words
An apparatus for the continuous liquefaction of finely divided material capable of forming a highly viscous material when heated to molten condition, comprising a hollow vessel having a bottom opening therein, means for temporarily closing said bottom opening, means for introducing said finely divided material into said vessel, heating means for generating sufficient heat within said vessel to continuously form said viscous material, and support means for engaging and progressively lowering a column of said viscous material from said vessel at substantially the same rate as said viscous material is formed, said support means including an elevator disposed beneath said vessel for successively engaging and supporting the lower portion of said viscous material as it flows from said vessel.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
29 words
The apparatus in claim 36, wherein said heating means includes a pair of electrodes within said vessel in opposed relationship to each other for providing an electrical arc therebetween.
Claim 37
Independent Claim
82 words
An apparatus for the continuous liquefaction of finely divided material capable of forming a highly viscous material when heated to a molten condition, comprising a hollow vessel having a bottom opening therein, means for temporarily closing said bottom opening, means for introducing said finely divided material into said vessel, heating means for generating sufficient heat within said vessel to continuously form said viscous material, and means for applying a cooling fluid directly to said viscous material as it flows from said vessel.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
29 words
The apparatus in claim 38, wherein said heating means includes a pair of electrodes within said vessel in opposed relationship to each other for providing an electrical arc therebetween.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
11 words
The device in claim 38, wherein the cooling fluid is water.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
23 words
The device in claim 38, wherein said means includes a plurality of nozzles disposed beneath the openiNg in the bottom of the furnace.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
40 words
The device in claim 41, wherein a pair of toothed rolls is disposed beneath said plurality of nozzles, and further including means for clamping the melt between the rolls and turning the toothed rolls at a predetermined rate of speed.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
34 words
The device in claim 42, wherein a second plurality of nozzles is disposed beneath the toothed rolls for applying a cooling fluid directly to the viscous material after it passes between the toothed rolls.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
39 words
The device in claim 43, wherein a pair of rolls is disposed beneath the second plurality of nozzles, and further including means for clamping the melt between the rolls and turning the rolls at a predetermined rate of speed.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-09-05 | 1976-03-06 | 1976-09-05 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-09-05 | 1980-03-06 | 1980-09-05 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-09-05 | 1984-03-06 | 1984-09-05 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |