Claims
- 1. Apparatus for dip forming process, comprising:a hollow receptacle that is open at both ends; a bottom chamber housing a core material that is a metal or alloy wire or rod to be coated where said bottom chamber is positioned below and fastened to said hollow receptacle; a solid source block of metal coating material positioned inside said hollow receptacle said solid block of metal coating material having a hole machined therein of a size and shape to closely fit said core material to be coated and where said core material extends directly from said bottom chamber into the hole machined in said solid block of metal coating material; a means for securing said solid block of metal coating material within said receptacle; a means for heating an upper portion of said receptacle such that an upper portion of said solid block of metal coating material therein will become molten while a lower portion of said solid block of metal coating material; will intentionally remain solid; and a means for moving said core material from said bottom chamber into said hole machined within said solid block of metal coating material.
- 2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said means for heating an upper portion of said receptacle is an induction coil.
- 3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said means for heating an upper portion of said receptacle is an electron beam.
- 4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said means for heating an upper portion of said receptacle is a plasma heating device.
- 5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said means for moving said core material is a single or variable speed pinch roll.
- 6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said means for moving said core material is a single or variable speed drum assembly.
- 7. The apparatus described in claim 1 wherein the means for securing said solid block of metal coating material within said receptacle is a plate shelf having a hole defined therethrough and aligned with said machined hole in said solid block of metal coating material ; anda groove surrounding a lower end of said solid block of metal coating material where said groove is coupled to a bracket located on said plate shelf.
- 8. The apparatus described in claim 7, further comprising:a roller assembly to collect said core material at the top of said receptacle after said core material has been processed.
- 9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said roller assembly is a pinch roller system or drum assembly.
- 10. The apparatus described in claim 1 wherein the means for securing said solid block of metal coating material is a smaller upper receptacle perimeter or circumference relative to the perimeter or circumference of said solid block of metal coating material.
U.S. GOVERNMENT RIGHTS
The United States government has rights in this invention pursuant to the employer-employee relationship of the Government to the inventors as U.S. Department of Energy employees at the Albany Research Center.
US Referenced Citations (3)
Number |
Name |
Date |
Kind |
3978815 |
Carrara |
Sep 1976 |
A |
3995587 |
Carrara |
Dec 1976 |
A |
3995679 |
Brinkman et al. |
Dec 1976 |
A |