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:
Sep. 25, 2001
Filed:
Aug. 31, 2000
Mark Gilbert Benz, Burnt Hills, NY (US);
Michael Francis Henry, Niskayuna, NY (US);
William Thomas Carter, Jr., Galway, NY (US);
Bernard Patrick Bewlay, Schenectady, NY (US);
General Electric Company, Schenectady, NY (US);
Abstract
A VAR process is conducted in an apparatus characterized by a crucible wall that provides a stable shelf anchor. The VAR apparatus includes a furnace chamber, a consumable electrode formed of a material to be remelted within the furnace chamber and a crucible within the furnace chamber. The crucible has a wall that forms a vessel to collect melt material from the consumable electrode. At least part of the wall is textured to provide area for mechanical stabilization of the shelf as the underside of the shelf melts and the upperside of the shelf forms. In a vacuum arc remelting process, a consumable electrode is loaded into a furnace chamber above a cooled crucible having a textured wall that forms a vessel to collect melt material from the consumable electrode. The process includes striking a direct electric current between the electrode and a bottom of the crucible to cause melting of material from a tip of the electrode. Melt material is collected from the tip in the crucible. The melt material is cooled to form an ingot characterized by a shelf of solidified material forming adjacent the textured section of the crucible wall in advance of a lower boundary of solidifying material.