Aluminum Company of America

Virgil T Butrum

Chester L Zuber

Jeffrey B Gorss

Manford E Rydholm

A method of charging relatively large briquettes of metal scrap to a melting system at a substantially constant feed rate is disclosed. The method comprises providing a pumping bay, a charging and melting bay, and a molten metal furnace from which molten metal is recirculated from the furnace through the pumping bay to the charging and melting bay. The briquettes are transferred onto a first conveyor adapted to store and convey a controlled weight of briquettes to a second conveyor. The briquettes are conveyed from the first conveyor to a second conveyor mounted on load cells which intermittently stops the first conveyor to maintain a controlled weight in the second conveyor. The briquettes are transferred from the second conveyor to a third conveyor where they are aligned and accumulated. The briquettes are then discharged individually at a substantially constant rate into the melting bay.

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Boonville, IN, United States of America

Virgil T Butrum