The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Nov. 23, 1993
Filed:
Feb. 11, 1992
Richard G Menzies, Wyoming, OH (US);
Joseph Hopkins, Maineville, OH (US);
Joseph J Jackson, Topsfield, MA (US);
Richard W Lober, Cincinnati, OH (US);
David P Mourer, Danvers, MA (US);
Robert G Zimmerman, Jr, Morrow, OH (US);
General Electric Company, Cincinnati, OH (US);
Abstract
Apparatus for producing a metal powder includes a cooled hearth structure in which a metallic alloy is melted and a heat source above the hearth positioned to heat the melt in the hearth. The cooling of the hearth causes a protective hearth skull to form between the melt and the hearth itself. The hearth is placed within an environmental control chamber. A supply structure provides a continuous supply of the metallic alloy to the hearth structure from the exterior of the chamber. A metal powder producer is positioned to receive molten metal from the hearth, and a continuous stream of the molten alloy from the hearth is transferred to the metal powder producer. The transfer is accomplished by tipping the hearth or by teeming through an opening in the bottom of the hearth. The hearth structure can utilize two individual hearths, controllably arranged so that molten metal is drawn from one hearth while the other is recharged.