Sinter molding apparatus

Claim 2

Apparatus for forming a member from comminuted sinterable material, comprising a hollow form having an inside surface corresponding to a desired configuration of said member; drive means for rotating said hollow form about a horizontal axis of rotation, deposition means movable into and out of said hollow form for directing a free falling stream of said material substantially vertically downwardly generally along a plane passing through said axis of rotation toward said surface simultaneously along substantially the full axial length of said form for depositing all of said material in said stream on said inside surface for causing deposition of said material progressively on and about said surface as said hollow form is rotated by said drive means, and heating means for heating said form to a temperature sufficient for causing substantially instantaneous incipient sintering of said material as it is deposited on said form.

Claim 3

Apparatus as defined in claim 1 including a plurality of said forms, carrier means for carrying said plurality of forms, indexing means operatively associated with said carrier means for indexing said carrier means relative to a deposition station, support means on said carrier means at each of a series of form locations for rotatably supporting respective ones of said forms, motor means carried with each said support means for rotating an associated one of said forms about its own axis, means for associating said deposition means with each said form in turn for depositing some of said material in said forms at said deposition station during rotation of the related form about its own axis.

Claim 4

Apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein said heating means includes burner elements located at said deposition station and extending along a line in a plane through the axis of a form located at said deposition station.

Claim 5

Apparatus as defined in claim 2, including a tunnel oven located adjacent to said deposition station and providing a post-heating station along the path of said carrier means for heating each said form in turn subsequent to deposition of said material therein at said deposition station.

Claim 6

Apparatus as defined in claim 4 further including preheating means located adjacent to said deposition station for preheating each said form in turn advance of said deposition station along the path of said carrier means.

Claim 7

Apparatus for forming a member from comminuted sinterable material, comprising a form having a surface corresponding to a desired configuration of said member; deposition means for directing said material substantially vertically downwardly toward said surface simultaneously along substantially the full axial length of said form for depositing said material on said surface, drive means for rotating said form about a horizontal axis for causing deposition of said material progressively on and about said surface, and heating means for heating said form to a temperature sufficient for causing substantially instantaneous incipient sintering of said material as it is deposited on said form, said apparatus including a plurality of said forms, carrier means for carrying said plurality of forms, indexing means operatively associated with said carrier means for indexing said carrier means relative to a deposition station, support means on said caRrier means at each of a series of form locations for rotatably supporting respective ones of said forms, motor means carried with each of said support means for rotating an associated one of said forms about its own axis, means for associating said deposition means with each said form in turn for depositing some of said material in said forms at said deposition station during rotation of the related form about its own axis; a tunnel oven located adjacent to said deposition station and providing a post-heating station along the path of said carrier means for heating each said form in turn subsequent to deposition of said material therein at said deposition station, further including preheating means located adjacent to said deposition station for preheating each said form in turn in advance of said deposition station along the path of said carrier means, and cooling means located at a cooling station adjacent said tunnel oven for cooling each said form in turn subsequent to post-heating of said form at said post-heating station, and control means associated with said motor means for effecting rotation of each said form while at said preheating, deposition, post-heating and cooling stations, and second control means for inactivating said motor means as to each of said forms in turn at a stripping station for facilitating removal of said member from the respective form.

Claim 8

Apparatus for forming a member from comminuted sinterable material, comprising a form having a surface corresponding to a desired configuration of said member; deposition means for directing said material substantially vertically downwardly toward said surface simultaneously along substantially the full axial length of said form for depositing said material on said surface, drive means for rotating said form about a horizontal axis for causing deposition of said material progressively on and about said surface, and heating means for heating said form to a temperature sufficient for causing substantially instantaneous incipient sintering of said material as it is deposited on said form, said apparatus including a plurality of said forms, carrier means for carrying said plurality of forms, indexing means operatively associated with said carrier means for indexing said carrier means relative to a deposition station, support means on said caRrier means at each of a series of form locations for rotatably supporting respective ones of said forms, motor means carried with each of said support means for rotating an associated one of said forms about its own axis, means for associating said deposition means with each said form in turn for depositing some of said material in said forms at said deposition station during rotation of the related form about its own axis; a tunnel oven located adjacent to said deposition station and providing a post-heating station along the path of said carrier means for heating each said form in turn subsequent to deposition of said material therein at said deposition station, further including preheating means located adjacent to said deposition station for preheating each said form in turn in advance of said deposition station along the path of said carrier means, and cooling means located at a cooling station adjacent said tunnel oven for cooling each said form in turn subsequent to post-heating of said form at said post-heating station, and control means associated with said motor means for effecting rotation of each said form while at said preheating, deposition, post-heating and cooling stations, and second control means for inactivating said motor means as to each of said forms in turn at a stripping station for facilitating removal of said member from the respective form.

Claim 9

Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said deposition means includes a plurality of discrete units operable for concurrent deposition, and means associated with each of said discrete units for independently varying the deposition rate thereof.

Claim 10

Apparatus as defined in claim 1 including locating means for inserting and retracting said deposition means into and out of the hollow form between a fixed deposition position within said hollow form and a retracted position clear of said hollow form.

Claim 11

Apparatus as defined in claim 8 wherein said deposition means includes a metering slot extending along the underside thereof for directing a stream of said material downwardly for deposit upon said inside surface of said form.

Claim 12

Apparatus as defined in claim 9 wherein said form comprises a substantially cylindrical sidewall surface and an end surface connected thereto remote from said open end, said deposition means including a first deposition unit for depositing a first portion of said material along said sidewall surface and a second deposition unit carried by said first deposition unit for depositing a second portion of said material along said end surface, and means for simultaneously operating said first and second units.

Claim 13

Apparatus for forming a member from comminuted sinterable material, comprising a form having a surface corresponding to a desired configuration of said member; deposition means for directing said material substantially vertically downwardly toward said surface simultaneously along substantially the full axial length of said form for depositing said material on said surface, drive means for rotating said form about a horizontal axis for causing deposition of said material progressively on and about said surface, and heating means for heating said form to a temperature sufficient for causing substantially instantaneous incipient sintering of said material as it is deposited on said form; said form being hollow and having an open end, locating means for inserting and retracting said deposition means into and out of the hollow form between a fixed deposition position within said hollow form and a retracted position clear of said hollow form, said deposition means including a metering slot extending along the underside thereof for directing a stream of said material downwardly for deposit upon an inner surface of said form, said form comprising a substantially cylindrical side wall surface and an end surface connected thereto remote from said open end, said deposition means including a first deposition unit for depositing a first portion of said material along said side wall surface and a second deposition unit carried by said first deposition unit for depositing a second portion of said material along said end surface, and means for simultaneously operating said first and second units; said metering slot being formed in said first deposition unit, said second deposition unit including spray means for spraying said second portion of material in a zone spanning the radius of said end surface and overlapping with said first portion of material.

Claim 14

Apparatus for forming a member from comminuted sinterable material, comprising a form having a surface corresponding to a desired configuration of said member; deposition means for directing said material substantially vertically downwardly toward said surface simultaneously along substantially the full axial length of said form for depositing said material on said surface, drive means for rotating said form about a horizontal axis for causing deposition of said material progressively on and about said surface, and heating means for heating said form to a temperature sufficient for causing substantially instantaneous incipient sintering of said material as it is deposited on said form; said form being hollow and having an open end, locating means for inserting and retracting said deposition means into and out of the hollow form between a fixed deposition position within said hollow form and a retracted position clear of said hollow form, said deposition means including a metering slot extending along the underside thereof for directing a stream of said material downwardly for deposit upon an inner surface of said form, said form comprising a substantially cylindrical side wall surface and an end surface connected thereto remote from said open end, said deposition means including a first deposition unit for depositing a first portion of said material along said side wall surface and a second deposition unit carried by said first deposition unit for depositing a second portion of said material along said end surface, and means for simultaneously operating said first and second units; said metering slot being formed in said first deposition unit, said second deposition unit including spray means for spraying said second portion of material in a zone spanning the radius of said end surface and overlapping with said first portion of material.

Claim 15

Apparatus for forming a member from comminuted sinterable material, comprising a form having a surface corresponding to a desired configuration of said member; deposition means for directing said material substantially vertically downwardly toward said surface simultaneously along substantially the full axial length of said form for depositing said material on said surface, drive means for rotating said form about a horizontal axis for causing deposition of said material progressively on and about said surface, and heating means for heating said form to a temperature sufficient for causing substantially instantaneous incipient sintering of said material as it is deposited on said form; said form being hollow and having an open end, locating means for inserting and retracting said deposition means into and out of the hollow form between a fixed deposition position within said hollow form and a retracted position clear of said hollow form; said deposition means including a metering slot extending along the underside thereof for directing a stream of said material downwardly for deposit upon an inner surface of said form; said form comprising a substantially cylindrical side wall surface and an end surface connected thereto remote from said open end, said deposition means including a first deposition unit for depositing a first portion of said material along said side wall surface and a second deposition unit carried by said first deposition unit for depositing a second portion of said material along said end surface, and means for simultaneously operating said first and second units; wherein said form includes an annular flange, said deposition means including a third deposition unit carried with said first and second units and operable for depositing a third portion of said material along said flange concurrently with deposition of said first and second portions.

Claim 16

Apparatus for forming a member from comminuted sinterable material, comprising a form having a surface corresponding to a desired configuration of said member; deposition means for directing said material substantially vertically downwardly toward said surface simultaneously along substantially the full axial length of said form for depositing said material on said surface, drive means for rotating said form about a horizontal axis for causing deposition of said material progressively on and about said surface, and heating means for heating said form to a temperature sufficient for causing substantially instantaneous incipient sintering of said material as it is deposited on said form; said form being hollow and having an open end, locating means for inserting and retracting said deposition means into and out of the hollow form between a fixed deposition position within said hollow form and a retracted position clear of said hollow form; said deposition means including a metering slot extending along the underside thereof for directing a stream of said material downwardly for deposit upon an inner surface of said form; said form comprising a substantially cylindrical side wall surface and an end surface connected thereto remote from said open end, said deposition means including a first deposition unit for depositing a first portion of said material along said side wall surface and a second deposition unit carried by said first deposition unit for depositing a second portion of said material along said end surface, and means for simultaneously operating said first and second units; wherein said form includes an annular flange, said deposition means including a third deposition unit carried with said first and second units and operable for depositing a third portion of said material along said flange concurrently with deposition of said first and second portions.