Walter L Winterbottom

Title: Walter L. Winterbottom and His Patents in Semi-Solid Metal Forming.

Introduction

Walter L. Winterbottom is an inventor associated with Jackson, Tennessee, and Brunswick Corporation. His patent work focuses on producing metallic slurry and semi-solid materials for forming shaped parts. He is credited with 2 patents.

Latest Patents

Winterbottom’s listed patents address methods and equipment for preparing metal alloys for semi-solid forming.

“Apparatus for Producing a Metallic Slurry Material for Use in Semi-Solid Forming of Shaped Parts” describes a forming vessel and thermal jacket designed to control heat transfer as metallic slurry is prepared. Grooves in the vessel or jacket limit heat transfer in selected areas. One embodiment also uses a stator to apply electromagnetic stirring to the slurry.

“Apparatus for and Method of Producing Slurry Material Without Stirring for Application in Semi-Solid Forming” describes heating an alloy, transferring a measured amount of melt into a vessel, and controlling nucleation and cooling to produce rounded solid particles dispersed in a liquid metal matrix. One version uses a temperature-controlled shot sleeve with independently controlled heat-transfer zones. A ram can then discharge the semi-solid material directly into a die to form a near-net-shape part.

Career Highlights

Winterbottom’s patent contributions center on controlling the thermal conditions and material structure involved in semi-solid metal forming. The inventions describe approaches both with electromagnetic stirring and without stirring, offering different ways to prepare slurry for shaping.

Collaborations

Jian Lu and George Spiller are identified as Winterbottom’s coworkers. His company affiliation is Brunswick Corporation.

Conclusion

Walter L. Winterbottom’s patents describe practical equipment and processes for producing metallic slurry and semi-solid materials, with the aim of supporting controlled and efficient formation of shaped metal parts.