Apparatus for preparing pellets by means of beams of charged particles

Claim 2

Apparatus for preparing pellets by melting of a starting material by means of a beam of charged particles in a vacuum or under a protective gas and by subsequently solidifying individual drops of the melt on a cooling surface, comprising at least one electron beam generator, a material feeding device, a melt container with dripping arrangement, and a cooling surface arranged below the drip-pin arrangement, said cooling surface being arranged predominantly in the radiation shadow of said melt container relative to said electron beam acting on the melt.

Claim 3

Apparatus, according to claim 1, characterized in that pivoted masses are freely movable relative to the cooling surface and are associated with the same and transmit energy supplied to them to the cooling surface by abutting engagement.

Claim 4

Apparatus, according to claim 2, characterised in that the freely movable masses constitute falling weights pivotally connected to pivot pins parallel to the axis of rotation of the cooling surface by linking rods.

Claim 5

Apparatus, according to claim 3, characterized in that the melt container is provided with a plurality of dripping arrangements associated with a common beam generator with means for beam deflection, said dripping arrangements having a counting arrangement means for the formed pellets, and the output of the counting arrangement being connected to a control device for varying the radiant energy output, said control device being adapted to supply radiant energy to the area of influence, said dripping arrangement being increased relatively if pellet formation at the dripping arrangement relatively lags.