Mac Valves, Inc.

La-Z-Boy Incorporated

Gilles Beaulieu

Kevin C Williams

A crust breaker bath detection system includes a cylinder defining a piston chamber. A piston is slidably displaced within the piston chamber by a pressurized fluid. A crust breaker rod connected to the piston is displaced through a crust layer into a bath having a bath voltage when the piston is displaced in the cylinder in a piston drive direction. A controller is in electrical communication with the cylinder. A conductive member is retained by and in electrical contact with the piston and in continuous contact with the cylinder. The conductive member defines a portion of a bath detection circuit including the crust breaker rod, the piston, the conductive member, the cylinder and the controller. The bath detection circuit is closed when the crust breaker rod contacts the bath such that the bath voltage is communicated to the controller by the bath detection circuit.

Crust breaker aluminum bath detection system

A pneumatic system controlling a bath crust breaker includes a cylinder defining a piston chamber. A piston is slideably displaced within the cylinder by pressurized fluid directed to either a piston chamber first portion with respect to the piston or a piston chamber second portion oppositely positioned about the piston. A pneumatic valve system includes a first control valve aligned between first control valve first and second positions, the first control valve first position aligned with the first portion, and in the first control valve second position is aligned with the second portion. A second control valve is aligned between second control valve first and second positions. An orifice between a pressure source and first control valve is sized to control fluid flow rate so a pressure reached in either the first or second portion during a crust breaking cycle is less than a pressure source maximum pressure.

Pneumatic system for controlling aluminum bath crust breaker

A piston rod and cylinder seal device includes a cylinder defining a piston chamber extending between first and second cylinder heads. The second cylinder head has a spud receiving bore, a pressure passage communicating with the spud receiving bore, and a bore supply/vent passage. A first piston is disposed in the piston chamber. A piston rod is connected to the piston, the piston rod having a piston rod spud extending beyond the first piston and including a blind shaft receiving bore. A second piston slidably disposed in the blind shaft receiving bore has a seal member connected thereto. A contact member connected to the second cylinder head in the spud receiving bore has a central passage extending therethrough in communication with the bore supply/vent passage. The seal member when contacting the contact member acts to seal the central passage.

Piston rod and cylinder seal device for aluminum bath crust breaker

A piston rod and cylinder seal device includes a cylinder defining a piston chamber extending between first and second cylinder heads. The second cylinder head has a spud receiving bore, a pressure passage communicating with the spud receiving bore, and a bore supply/vent passage. A piston is disposed in the piston chamber. A piston rod is connected to the piston having a piston rod spud including a shaft receiving bore. A tubular shaft connected to the second cylinder head in the spud receiving bore has a passage communicating with the bore supply/vent passage. The shaft is sealingly received in the shaft receiving bore when the piston rod spud is received in the spud receiving bore preventing pressurized air in the bore supply/vent passage from entering the spud receiving bore. The shaft is positioned outside the shaft receiving bore when the piston rod spud is outside the spud receiving bore.

An electrical contact device for controlling operation of an aluminum processing bath includes an electrically insulating body and a first bore having a first diameter. The first bore opens into a through second bore having a second diameter smaller than the first diameter. The second bore opens into a third bore having a third diameter greater than the first and second diameters. A fastener received in the body includes a shank having a male threaded portion and a male threaded head. A conductive biasing element has a connecting end engaged with the male threaded head. The connecting end and the male threaded head are slidably received in the first bore, and the shank is slidably received in the second bore. The male threaded portion extends into the third bore. A nut positioned in the third bore engages the male threaded portion coupling the fastener and tubular body.

Pneumatic system electrical contact device

An electrical circuit operating system for controlling operating of an aluminum processing bath includes an electrical contact device. The electrical contact device includes a tubular body of an electrically insulating material, the body including at least one circumferential slot receiving a seal member. A fastener is disposed in the tubular body. A conductive biasing element has a compressed connecting end engaged with the fastener, and an extending portion axially protracting from the compressed connecting end. A piston forms a portion of an electrical circuit. The electrical circuit is closed when the conductive biasing element is contacted by the piston. A piston rod is connected to the piston and is displaceable with the piston, the piston rod operable to break a crust of the aluminum processing bath.

Growing community of inventors

Trois-Rivieres, Canada

Gilles Beaulieu