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US 20140166230Al
(19) United States
(12) Patent Application Publication (10) Pub. No.: US 2014/0166230 A
Eshelman et al. (43) Pub. Date: Jun. 19, 2014
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TOWER PUMP CASTING APPARATUS
ApplicantszLarry Joe Eshelman, Norris, TN (US);
Edna Marie Eshelman, Norris, TN (Us)
Inventors: Larry Joe Eshelman, Norris, TN (US);
Edna Marie Eshelman, Norris, TN (Us)
Appl. No.: 14/089,
Filed: Nov. 25, 2013
Related US. Application Data Provisional application No. 61/736,922, ?led on Dec.
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Publication Classi?cation
Int. Cl.
B22D 25/02 (2006.01)
B22D 35/00 (2006.01)
U.S. Cl. CPC .............. .. B22D 25/02 (2013.01); B22D 35/ (2013.01) USPC ......................................... .. 164/259; 164/ ABSTRACT A casting apparatus having a main chamber connected to at least one casting tower. The main chamber may contain mol ten metal and the temperature Within the main chamber may be maintained by a furnace. A pump may pump the molten metal up the tower and into an upper pool chamber. A feeder nozzle may feed the molten metal from the upper pool cham ber and onto a cooling Wheel, Which may turn the molten metal into metal ?akes.
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US 2014/0166230 A
TOWER PUMP CASTING APPARATUS
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED
APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims the bene?t of priority of
US. provisional application No. 61/736,922, ?led Dec. 13,
2012, the contents of which are herein incorporated by refer ence.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates to casting apparatus
and, more particularly, to a casting apparatus with a tower
pump for elevating and releasing molten metal.
[0003] Casting is a manufacturing process by which a liq
uid material is usually poured from a chamber. To create metal ?akes, the molten metal may be poured on a chiller wheel. Current systems of creating metal ?akes are ine?icient and expansive. The capacity of the devices that contain the liquid metal and the dispensing of the liquid metal are mis
matched, causing disruptions in the process ?ow and thereby
decreases production.
[0004] As can be seen, there is a need for an improved
device used for casting.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] In one aspect of the present invention, a casting apparatus comprises: a main chamber formed to contain a molten metal; a tower having a top end and a bottom end and comprising an upper pool chamber near the top end, wherein the main chamber feeds into the tower; a pump con?gured to pump the molten metal from the bottom end of the tower to the upper pool chamber; and a feeder noZZle connected to the
upper pool chamber, and con?gured to dispense the molten
metal out of the upper pool chamber.
[0006] These and other features, aspects and advantages of
the present invention will become better understood with
reference to the following drawings, description and claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] FIG. 1 is a schematic view of the present invention; [0008] FIG. 2 is a detail top schematic view of the present invention, illustrating the placement of the tower onto the main chamber of FIG. 1; [0009] FIG. 3 is a schematic view of an alternate embodi ment of the present invention; [0010] FIG. 4 is a schematic view of an alternate embodi ment of the present invention; and [0011] FIG. 5 is a schematic view of a plurality of towers attached to the main chamber of FIG. 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0012] The following detailed description is of the best
currently contemplated modes of carrying out exemplary
embodiments of the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose
of illustrating the general principles of the invention, since the
scope of the invention is best de?ned by the appended claims. [0013] Broadly, an embodiment of the present invention provides a casting apparatus having a main chamber con nected to at least one casting tower. The main chamber may contain molten metal and the temperature within the main chamber may be maintained by a fumace. A pump may pump
Jun. 19, 2014
the molten metal up the tower and into an upper pool chamber. A feeder noZZle may feed the molten metal from the upper pool chamber and onto a cooling wheel, which may turn the molten metal into metal ?akes. [0014] The present invention may include a pump and tower assembly that elevates a ?owing column of a ?uid to
gravity fed stations. In particular, the present invention may
be implemented as a casting apparatus. In certain embodi ments, the present invention may be gas enclosed as opposed to a heavy and bulky vacuum chamber. In certain embodi
ments, a single alloy furnace may accommodate multiple
casters. The alloy furnace may be recharged through a charg
ing port using a static mixer. The inert gas enclosure is simple and inexpensive to maintain. The present invention may eliminate an extra chilling and melting cycle from the pro cess. [0015] The casters may be interchangeable and may con tain the same moving parts. The interchangeable casters may be taken off the line for easy repair and maintenance and a
backup caster may be quickly installed. Using the inter
changeable pump and tower assemblies of the present inven
tion, the casting and chilling stations may match the capacity
of the furnace for a quicker and more ef?cient casting process. With the system of interchangeable components, the time to
repair and replace may be drastically reduced and production
may be increased as a result.
[0016] Referring to FIGS. 1 through 5, the present inven
tion may include a casting apparatus. The casting apparatus may include a main chamber 28. The main chamber 28 may contain a molten metal 30, such as molten alloy 30. The casting apparatus may further include a tower 10 having a top end and a bottom end. The top end may include an upper pool chamber 34. The main chamber 28 may feed into the tower
- The present invention may further include a pump 32 that may pump the molten metal 30 up the tower 10 and into the upper pool chamber 34. A feeder noZZle 36 may feed the molten metal 30 from the upper pool chamber 34 and onto a chiller wheel 38, which may convert the molten metal 30 into metal ?akes 46. [0017] The main chamber 28 and the tower 10 of the present invention may be suspended within an inert gas cham ber 16. The inert gas chamber 16 may create an oxygen free environment. However, a hard vacuum may work as well instead of the inert gas chamber 16. The inert gas chamber 16 may suspend the present invention in an argon atmosphere, which is heavier than oxygen and thereby excludes the oxy gen from the casting process.
[0018] In certain embodiments, the present invention may
include an alloy furnace 12. The alloy fumace 12 may melt the alloy and maintain the temperature within the main cham ber 28. The size of the fumace 12 may be any size desired. The alloy fumace 12 may maintain a temperature so that the alloy ?ow is suf?cient to keep the alloy mixed without hot spots.
[0019] In certain embodiments, the present invention may
further include a plurality of chambers. For example, the present invention may include a molten rare earth element chamber 22 which contains molten rare earth elements 24. The present invention may include a molten iron chamber 18 which may contain molten iron 20. The present invention may include a static mixer 26 which may feed from the chambers 18, 22 into the main chamber 28. The static mixer 26 may mix the molten rare earth elements 24 and the molten iron 20 and deposit the mixture into the main chamber 28. The static mixer 26 may mix the molten rare earth elements 24 and
