Zone-melting apparatus

Claim 2

IN A ZONE MELTING APPARATUS THAT INCLUDES A CYLINDERICAL SAMPLE-HOLDING CONTAINER, HEATING AND COOLING ALTERNATELY ADJACENT ONE ANOTHER SURROUNDING THE CONTAINER, AND MEANS FOR PROVIDING LONGITUDINAL RELATIVE MOTION BETWEEN THE CONTAINER AND SAID HEATING AND COOLING ELEMENTS, WHEREBY AT LEAST ONE MOLTEN ZONE IS FORMED IN A NORMALLY SOLID SAMPLE CONTAINER IN SAID CONTAINER AND MOVES LONGITUDINALLY IN SAID CONTAINER WITH SAID HEATING AND COOLING ELEMENTS, THE IMPROVEMENT WHICH COMPRISES: A PLURALITY OF THERMALLY CONDUCTING MEMBERS RADIALLY DISPOSED WITHIN THE CONTAINER, SPACED AT FIXED POSITIONS ALONG THE LENGTH THEREOF AND EXTENDING INTO THE SAMPLE, AT LEAST SOME OF SAID MEMBERS BEING INDEPENDENTLY ROTATABLE STIRRED MEMBERS WHILE IN THE MOLTEN ZONE OF THE SAMPLE, AND MEANS TO ROTATE SAID ROTATABLE STIRRER MEMBERS WHILE IN SAID MOLTEN ZONE SAID SAMPLE HOLDING CONTAINER BEING SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTAL AND SAID THERMALLY CONDUCTIVE MEMBERS BEING PERFORATE DISCS SPACED ALONE AN AXIAL ALIGNING TUBE, IN SAID CONTAINER AT LEAST SONE OF SAID DISCS BEING STIRRER MEMBERS HAVING WEIGHTS ATTACHED UNSYMMETRICALLY THERETO WHEREBY SAID STIRRER MEMBERS OSCILLATE IN AN ARC WHILE IN A MOLTEN ZONE ON ROTATION OF SAID CONTAINER.

Claim 3

Apparatus of claim 1 wherein said discs are of wire mesh.

Claim 4

Apparatus of claim 2 wherein alternate discs are stirrer discs.

Claim 5

In a zone melting apparatus that includes a cylindrical sample-holding container, heating and cooling elements alternately adjacent one another surrounding the container, and means for providing longitudinal relative motion between the container and said heating and cooling elements, whereby at least one molten zone is formed in a normally solid sample container in said container and moves longitudinally in said container with said heating and cooling elements, the improvement which comprises: a plurality of thermally conducting members radially disposed within the container, spaced at fixed positions along the length thereof and extending into the sample, at least some of said members being independently rotatable stirrer members while in the molten zone of the sample, and means to rotate said rotatable stirrer members while in said molten zone, said thermally conductive members being perforate discs spaced along an axial aligning tube in said container and at least some of said discs having magnets attached thereto, a shaft disposed lengthwise in said axial aligning tube, and means to rotate the said shaft, said shaft having magnets mounted thereon in juxtaposition to the magnets on said discs whereby on rotation of said shaft the discs bearing magnets rotate while in a molten zone.

Claim 6

In a zone melting apparatus that includes a cylindrical sample-holding container, heating and cooling elements alternately adjacent one another surrounding the container, and means for providing longitudinal relative motion between the container and said heating and cooling elements, whereby at least one molten zone is formed in a normally solid sample container in said container and moves longitudinally in said container with said heating and cooling elements, the improvement which comprises: a plurality of thermally conducting members radially disposed within the container, spaced at fixed positions along the length thereof and extending into the sample, at least some of said members being independently rotatable stirrer members while in the molten zone of the sample, and means to rotate said rotatable stirrer members while in said molten zone, said thermally conductive members being perforate discs spaced along an axial aligning tube in said container and at least some of said discs having magnets attached thereto, a shaft disposed lengthwise in said axial aligning tube, and means to rotate the said shaft, said shaft having magnets mounted thereon in juxtaposition to the magnets on said discs whereby on rotation of said shaft the discs bearing magnets rotate while in a molten zone.