US2640860A

US2640860A - Apparatus for melting titanium to form ingots

Info

Publication number: US2640860A
Application number: US122717A
Authority: US
Inventors: Schuyler A Herres
Original assignee: Allegheny Ludlum Steel Corp
Current assignee: Allegheny Ludlum Steel Corp
Priority date: 1949-10-21
Filing date: 1949-10-21
Publication date: 1953-06-02
Anticipated expiration: 1970-06-02

Description

June 2, 1953 s. A. HERRES 2,640,860

APPARATUS FOR MELTING TITANIUM TO FORM INGQTS Filed Oct. 21, 1949 6 Sheets-Sheet l Schuyler AHerres BY 3% 6% FOR Green, McCa/hlsferGMi/Ier H/S ATTORNEYS June 2, 1953 s. A. HERRES APPARATUS FOR MELTING TITANIUM TO FORM INGOTS 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 21, 1949 11 iss & F195 m o b c l l u a 9 n m 0 ra n 5 w m w u 4 u w 2 a u 0 I: a 3 O I w b I: 4 5 5 4 6 O. o 4 -m 1 5 5/ 9- 2 2 2 w m u u M m n .8 r m. u N A m I r M h pg 0 W. e M. u. 5 m 8 Hi m 3 Y 6 2 B R b 0 7 F I o 6 4 /////////////A/ I c m M g H mg AT romvz rs 6 Sheets-Sheet s S. A. HERRES mil APPARATUS FOR MELTING TITANIUM To FORM INGOTS 1 llll June 2, 1953 Filed Oct. 21, 1949 IN VEN TOR.

' Schuyler A. Hones BY 7 mm, FOR Grun, McCaI/Isfer 8 Miller HIS ATTORNEYS June 2, 1953 s. A. 'H'ERRES 2,640,860

APPARATUS FOR MELTING TITANIUM To FORM INGOTS Filed Oct. 21, 1949 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 i ,INVENOR.

\ Schuyler A. Harms 1 FOR Group, Mace/liver 8 Miller HIS AT T DRIVE Y5 June 2, 1953 s. A. HERRES 2,640,860

APPARATUS MELTING TITANIUM TO FORM INGOTS Filed Oct- 21, 1949 s Shets-Sheet 5 lOOb INVENTOR. Schuyler A. Herres "m mm FOR Green, McCaI/isfer 8 Miller H/S ATTORNEYS June 2, 1953 s. A. HERRES APPARATUS FOR MELTING TITANIUM TO FORM INGOTS Filed Oct. 21, 1949 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 FOR Green, McCal/ister 8 Miller HIS ATTORNEYS Patented June 2, 1953 APPARATUS FOR MELTING: TITANIUM T FOR-M INGOTS Schuyler A. Herres, Albany, N. Y., assignor to Allegheny Ludlum Steel Corporation, Brackenridge, Pa., a, corporation of Pennsylvania Application October 21, 1949, Serial No. 122,717

8 claims. 1

This invention pertains to iinnrovcrl proce dure and apparatus for melting titaniu n metal and titanium base metal. One phase of my invention pertains particularly to the employment of, a consumable electrode of titanium metal or titanium base alloy metal in an arc furnace or crucible.

In accordance with my invention, a consuma able electrode is made by pro-forming titanium powder or titanium spon e metal up to one inch in particle size at a pressure of approximately 1.5 tons per sq. in. to form sticks of convenient length and cross section. The pressing is pref cmbly carried out at room temperature and addi tions of other metals or compounds he in cornorated in the stick, to rovide alloy ingots of any desired composition. That is, the desired percentages of metal elements such as iron, chromium, molybdenum, tungsten, manganese, nickel and other alloying elements may be initial- 1y proportioned to, the titanium powder or sponge metal and ground to suitable particle sizes up to one inch, mixed with the titanium powder or sponge metal, and. then press-formed with the latter into the sticks. If gaseous elements such as oxygen and nitrogen are to be employed as alloying elements, relatively small proportions of oxides or nitrides of the alloyin metals may be employed instead of the pure metals, provided that the electrical conductivity of the sticks is not appreciably affected. For this purpose, the core may he titanium metal With the metallic compounds as a surface layer thereabout.

The prc-formed sticks are continuously and progressively fed endwise as electrodes into on arc-melting furnace or crucible at a rate depending upon the rate of melting, to thereby build up an ingot. The rate of feed is preferably adjusted. to provide an arc voltageof about 30 volts; the rate of melting is regulated within Wide limits by the are amperage. Either A. C. or D. C. may be used for the arc current. Although I have joined the preformed s hs together by mechanical fcstenings, l1 lire to secure them by an auxiliary flash welding circuit they are being fed towards or into the furnace; threaded sticks, electric resistance welding, etc. also be employed.

Also, in accordance with my invention, nddh tional titanium metal, alloying clcments (metals and may be introduced directly into the furnace the electrode melting operation and the metal elements melted along with a, con sumahlc titanium electrode or a plurality of electrodes, ii usod. An ambient atmosphere is :raintcincd about th titanium basc sticks, as "at-ell as witl'lin the furnace and about a delivery end thereof that is non-contaminatin 0f t titanium. Gases which are inert to titanium,

such as argon, helium and neon. 01, a, vacuum nay be employed for this purpose.

When the ingot has. been built up, t0 a, sumcient depth or length, the arcing current may be turned off, the, electrode iced stonped, the cot.- tom of the furnace removed, the solidified ingot, dropped, and the complete ingot, removed or a major portion thereof severed from a, portion retained in the furnace 0.17 a ain nitiating 3 melting arc. I provide meansv for sawing on: the ingot within an airlock chamber and for pcriodically delivering the, sawedwfi ingot, imrough an airlock when it has cooled Sufiiciently to he non-reactive with atmospheric ases.

In the structural, arrangements, for illustrating the principles of my invention, Figure 1 is a top plan View of a melting and ed a aratus constru ted in a corda ce wi h my invent on;

Fi ur 2 is a sid sectional v w in devotion taken along the line III-11 of Figure 1 and also showing additional appa atus for suppl ing; W lding curr nt, arc current, and fo removing ingots that have been formed;

Figure 3 is a side sectiqnal View in elevation taken along the line. Illsill of Figure 1 and also showin fluid mean or actuat n sti kfeoding mechanism;

Figure 4 is a, s ti a detail f a port on the. feedin m chanism o Figure showing t n an inoperative or raised position as mparcd to the operative or lowered position of figure 3;

F g 5 is a h r o ta sectional view taken along the line V--V of Figure 3;

' mechanism, as provided by a pair of dr ven rolls;

Figure 7A s a z n al se tion View t ken alon he. line 'VXIA VIIA. f Figure 2;

Figure 8 is a horizontal se tion taken a ng the li V I -Vl .I o 2 an i lus rat s a pair of; idler rollers for guiding the sticks;

Fi ure. 9 is a ction s mil r to th t o Figure '1. but illustrat s. modified typ of fcedn mechanism for r u d s icks;

Figures 10 and il are vertical sectional views somewhat diagrammatically illustrating a mothod of forming the Sticks;

Fi ure 12 is a v rtical ctional detail le vstion t u h a o r p rtion of he s ructure of Figure l, taken a o he l ne X I- 3 1 I Fi m 13 an sh wing a lowered position o o hot= tom wall of the furnocfi as effected by a swing arm, prior to removing an ingot; in Figure 3, the iumc e bottom wall. is s 1 nv a d co ition incident to an arwm li ns cp i on; '1

Fi ure is a hor nta sect on l iew tak n through a top portion of an enclosure for the bottom of the furnace of Figure 2 and illustrating the operation of the furnace bottom wall swing arm of Figure 12 and of a swingablc arm carrying an ingot-cutting saw mechanism;

Figure 14 is a vertical sectional view in elevation taken along the line XIVXIV of Figure 13;

Figure 15 is a vertical sectional View showing details of the structure employed within the enclosure for the bottom of the furnace and taken along the line XVXV of Figure 13:

Figure 16 is a horizontal sectional view taken along the line XVIXVI of Figure 15 and showing ingot delivery structure; and,

Figure 17 is a somewhat diagrammatic view in elevation illustrating a circuit that may be employed for simultaneously operating three consumable electrodes in separate furnaces or in a common furnace; this view illustrates how threephase A. C. current may be employed for supplying current to a plurality of electrodes.

Referring particularly to Figure 2 of the draw ings, I have shown a crucible or furnace I provided with a jacketed cooling chamber A and defined by inner walls Ila, outer walls llb, a top wall l2a and a bottom wall lzb. Cooling fluid, such as water, may be circulated through the chamber A by means of an inlet Ho and an outlet lld. The inner wall lla is preferably of copper, while the outer wall llb may be of steel or a suitable alloy.

A top cover plate member l4 is securely mounted on the top wall I20, by means of bolt and nut assemblies l5. The cover plate member I4 is insulated from the top wall l2a by an insulating and fluid-sealing-ofi gasket l3 located therebetween and by insulating sleeves l3a about the bolt and nut assemblies l5.

A central melting chamber is defined by the inner or lining walls lla and may be evacuated of contaminating gases through a passageway Mu, in the cover member l4 and an outlet Mb. Ii, as also contemplated, the melting chamber is to be supplied with a non-contaminating gaseous atmosphere of asuitable gas such as argon, helium, or neon, a pair of passageways Ma and connections Mb may be provided, one for introducing the non-contaminating gas and the other for exhausting partially contaminated gas.

The top cover member E4 is also shown provided with an enclosure I! about a center feed opening l6 therethrough that carries gasket material IE to prevent the introduction of ethics pheric gases into the iurance l I! to, if desired,

seal off the furnace chamber from a superimposed feed enclosure 2020'. An outwardly and upwardly sloped feed pipe I9 is shown extendin through the top or cover plate member l4. and is provided with a threaded cap lac and a gasket l9b for closing it off from the atmosphere. The pipe l9 may be used to introduce alloying metals or elements, or such elements with a noncontaminating gas.

Above the top of the melting furnace or crucible I0, I have shown the two-part feed chamber enclosure 20-2ll which may be evacuated through a connection 20a or may be provided with a flow of non-contaminating gas by a pair of such connections. The bottom part 20 of the enclosure may be secured as by welding to the top plate member Hi. The upper part 29 of the enclosure has a top closure wall 3i provided with a central feed opening therethrough; the latter is defined by a rectangular feed or guide flange 32 (if the sticks are oi rectangular cross-secticn or by a circular or annular fee" and guide flange 32 (if the sticks are of rounded section, Figure 9). The flange 32 extends vertically into the feed chamber. It will be noted that the flange 32 at its top has a coneshaped opening to permit easy introduction of a sticiz, such as B" and terminates in a port 1. of uniform and lesser diameter (slight clearance is provided with the stick) which holds the sticlz in a vertically aligned relationship as it fed therealong. Upper and lower roll pairs 2 la- SSE 2.) and 2 l a2l'l; are located in a vertically spacedapart relationship within the chamber def led by the enclosure 2i!2il to rec-ive sticks and guide them into the crucible The upper set. as shown in Figures 3 and 6, are idler rolls and the lower set, as shown in Figures 3 and '7, positive feed rolls.

The upper part 20 of the enclosure has a bot tom rim flange Zilb and the lower part 2E has a top rim flange Zllb that abut on an electrical insulating and fluid sealing gasket 200 that is interposed therebetween. Insulating sleeves 2001 extend through the flanges 29b, 2H), and the gasket Zllc and are adapted to receive nut and bolt assemblies Zlle for securing the rim flanges together.

Referring particularly to Figures 3 and 'Z, the illustrated lower pair of rolls El'a and 2lb have spaced-apart flanges 22 for guiding a stick of square or rectangular cross-section and shafts that are journaled at their opposite ends by bearings 23' and 24. The bearings 23' and 2:1 are mounted on cross pieces or members 33' that are secured at their ends to the enclosure part 20. Insulating material 33's is interposed between the bearings and the pieces 33 to, like the motor gear 26, prevent current supplied line 12a from being shorted. The feed rcll Zlu. has a spur gear 25a splined or secured thereon; the feed roll 2lb has a similar spur gear 2% secured or splined thereon. It will be noted that the spur gears 25a and 252) mesh with each other and are driven by motor gear 28 (of Micarta or other suitable non-conducting or electrical insulating material) wh ch meshes with one of the spur gears 25b and is isfi'v'fld on a shaft 27 of a speed reduction unit 28. The unit 28 is actuated through a coupling or connection 29 by the drive shaft of a motor 30. It will thus be seen that the rolls 2la and 2lb may be positively driven at relatively slow speed to continuously feed a consumable electrode to the furnace It. In Figure 9, I have shown a slightly modified construction wherein the feed rolls 2Ic and 2l'd are of concave shape to feed a circular stick or electrode Br.

As shown in Figure 8, the upper pair of rolls (idler) 2la and Zlb are of similar design and mounting to the lower or feed rolls 2 l 'a and 2 l '7), except that they are not provided with means for positively driving them. Their

bearings

23 and 24 are mounted in a similar manner by means of insulating material 33a and cross pieces 33 on the upper enclosure part 20. The rolls Zla and 2lb are connected through bearings 23 to electrical line Ila.

In figures 10 and 11 I have somewhat diagrammatically shown a press 5 having a removable bottom 8 and a plunger 1 for compacting sponge or powdered titanium 8, etc. into a stick B In Figures 1, 2 and 3 to 6, inclusive, I have shown a carrier wheel or magazine 38 provided with radially-extending spaced-apart compartments 38a for carrying individual electrode sticks, and means for feeding the sticks from a com partment that is in alignment with. the feed flange 32 of the enclosure part The compartments 384; preferably have a shape corresponding to the shape of the sticlzs to be carried therein. In accordance with my invention, the electrode sticks which may be of any suitable cross section, but are preferably rectangular, are pressformed (see Figures 1.0 and 11), delivered to the compartments sea of the carrier 38 (see Figure 5) through an airlock delivery chute 55 (see Figure 3), and are then intermittently pushed through the feed flange 32.

I have provided an enclosure 35 that is superimposed on the feed enclosure part Eli and that encloses the carrier wheel 33 which is adapted to be rotated intermittently. The carrier wheel 38 is splinecl or secured on a central, vertical shaft 39 which at its lower end is jeurnaled within bearings Ma mounted. in an offset or depressed portion 31a of the top wall 3! of the feed enclosure part 20. At its other the shaft 39 is journalecl within a bearing :1?) which is carried by a bearing box Ml mounted on a top wall 3'! of the enclosure It will be noted that the cylindrical side wall or shell of the enclosure 35 extends in a spaced-apart relationship about the rotatable carrier feed wheel or casting 38 and is secured. on the top well ill of the feed enclosure part Zll by colt nut assemblies 34.

As shown particularly in Figures 1,. 2 and sprocket wheel 41. is keyed on a top end of the shaft 39 and is driven a chain t3 and a sprocket wheel M. The sprocket wheel 4% is splinecl 01: secured to a drive shaft 5 5 of an actuating motor 46. The motor #55 is provided with a slip coupling Mia between two parts of its shaft 45, so that the wheel 3%! will rotate until of the sticks in one of its compartments 38c aligns with the feed. and falls or is through a feed hole in the bottom of the enclosure 535 to stop the rotation. of the wheel. At such time, the coupling 35.; slips and. permits the motor Gfi to continue to rotate. Such stick is then forcefed. downwardly between the upper pair of feed rolls 2M. and. 2th by a piston pusher head. 49b. The rotation of the wheel is not resumed until the stick has 1 fully fed out of its compartment 38aand the piston pusher head 4912 has been drawn upwardly out of the compartment into offset portion Ella of the top wall. 31. At this time. the wh el 38 is, again slowly rotated. to position ne t compartment 33a in an enrlwise aligned feeding position with the feed flange 32, and the oneration continued.

shown in Pictures 3. 5 and 6. plate member 80 is operably positioned DGJWESFJ' slotted to face 3!?) of the wall ill of enclosure part 26 and a bottom edge of the side wall 35 of the enclosure The member so is thus adapted to slide along th it (ill; in Wall 3! to cover its feed openin it is used toprevent any sticks from drop enclwise into the feed flange 32 when the compartments of the carrier wheel 33 are beingpreliminarily filled with sticks. A E2 secured to the wall 365 to extend fully around the slot 3th and depres- ,t file in t o f e of the wall (it et material. sealing oil the joint provided with the member 6%. As shown in Figures 5 and 6, the shoe member has an operating handle. 6!. An offset abutment portion 6M cooperates with a pin 31d that ex- 6. tends upwardly from the wall it to limit the maximum outward movement of the slide member The wheel of Figure 5 will receive eight sticks;

1 the selected number of compartments 38a will depend: on the desired size of ingot to he built up in the furnace Ill. That is, I contemplate refilling the carrierwheel 38 while a iormed ingot is being dropped and severed at the bottom of the furnace.

Referring particularly to Figures" 2., 3, 4, 5 and 6, a piston cylinder or chamber wall 5c of a fluid motor is secured a by bolts 48 to the top wall 31 of the enclosure 35? and carries a piston head Ma that ismounted on an upper end of a, piston rod The pusher head 49b is mounted on the lower end of the rod 4%. It Will benoted that the piston head Ma adapted: to slide up and down within the chamber defined by the cylinder wall an and that the pusher head 49b is adapted to slide no and clown within a periodically aligned compartment 3630:. The head 49?; is adapted to be withdrawn or out of the. compartment- 38a into the ofiset portion 37a in the top Wall 3'! of the enclosure 35;. A top wall 5! is secured over the cylinder 5% and carries a pressure relief and safety valve 5211.; a second. valve 521) of the same type is mounted: in the lower end of the cylinder 56.

The cylinder to provided with a passageway Ella into itsunper end and a passageway 5!?) into its lower end for supplying hydraulic or any suitablepressure to opposite ends of the piston its to moveit up and down within the chamber: 01!? the cylinder. The passageway 5m conheated: to line 53 and the passageway 5!?) is connected to line 54. A dual-acting control valve fili lgnctuated to shut oil flow through boththe

lines

53 and 55 when the piston 49a is in its upper position and the slide plate 63 has moved to its inner position. When the slide plate Si is moved to its outer position, it presses an op erating arm 56 of the valve 55 to an open po sition against the tension of its spring, thus permitting fluid. to flow along both of the

lines

53 and 54. Packing Ella is positioned within the lower of the cylinder 58 and about the rod is to seal oh? the piston chamber.

A- doubleacting line-reversing valve 5? is positionecl in the fluid. lines 53 li tbeyond the valve 55. 'Ih-e valve 5? is actuated by an arm 58 to either cause a positive flow through line 53 by connecting it to supply line lite and, a return now through line fill by connecting it to return line 51m. or to cause a positive flow through line 54 by connecting it to supply line 53a and a re turn. flow throush line 53 by connecting it to the By reversing the valve 51', the

or his to push. on enclwise-alignecl stick out tluoue the feed flange 32, withdraw the pusher see, p. it the carrier 33 to rotate one step and present the next successive stick, and then push it endwise through feed flange 32 and he tween the upper pair of guide rolls 2 la 2th.

The carrier 38 is slowly rotatedv while the sticks are fed into the compartments we, through a chute (see Figure The chute 55 extends upwardly from the top wall 3-! of the enclosure 35 and; is normally closed by cover lid that is hinged at 51' and locked in position by a thumbnut and. pivot pin assembly at. The 69 is pivoted at W to the chute and is adapted to extend into an open-end slot 66s of the lid M. A gasket 68 seals off the cover 66 when it is in its closed position. During the filling of the compartments 38a, the pusher 49b is raised to its extreme upper position to clear the carrier 38, the closure plate 60 is moved inwardly to close up the opening in the bottom of the chamber of the enclosure 35, the valve 55 is shut off, and the carrier 38 is rotated by the motor 46 to progressively present each of the compartment openings 38a to the feed chute.

Referring to Figure 2 of the drawings, the bottom of the furnace I is closed off by a bottom plate or wall IE that is carried by a swing arm member I and is secured as by brazing within the wall portions of an opening I50. therethrough. The opening a corresponds in diameter to the inner diameter of the wall Ila of the furnace II) that is closed off at its top by the bottom. plate 75 (preferably of copper). A plate ll (preferably of ferrous metal) is secured as by welding on a bottom face of the member I5 to close oil the bottom of the opening 75a and to, with the plate 16, define a cooling chamber I) through which cooling fluid such as water is circulated by inlet and outlet connections Ila and 11b.

In Figure 2 I have indicated starting metal in the furnace i0 by C, a small portion of which may be inserted therein to start the operation and which will then build up as the electrode sticks B, B, B", etc. are melted down. After an ingot I of suitable size has been built up, the arm member I5 may be lowered and swung out of position and the ingot removed or cut off, as shown in Figures 14 and 15, Within a bottom, sealed-off enclosure 90. lhe enclosure 90 has a connection 00a that may be employed to apply a vacuum, or may have a pair of such connections for supplying and exhausting an inert gas.

The construction of the swingable arm member 75 which carries the bottom wall I6 of the crucible or furnace, is shown particularly in Figures 2, 12

and 13. It will be noted that it is positioned vertically by a pair of fluid-actuated motors 88 that are secured to extend upwardly from floor stands BI and are actuated by inlet and outlet connections 88a and 88b to raise and lower their pistons 89 and to thus raise and lower the member I5 on a vertical pivot pin I9. A threaded-on nut 19a serves as a stop to limit the maximum extent of the upward movement of arm member 15 on the pin I9. A bearing sleeve 80a extends through the arm member 75 and about the pin 79.

A swing pin 5?. extends upwardly through a bearing sleeve 8% in an end of the arm I5 and is reduced and threaded at its lower end for mounting on a piston rod 83 of a fluid-actuated motor 84. A nut 82a secures a reduced and threaded end of the pin 8?. on the rod 83. It will be noted that the arm member I5 is free to move vertically up and down on the pins 19 and 82 when the fluid motors 88 are operated. In this manner, the bottom wall 18 of the furnace can be raised and lowered out of position with respect to the inner wall I Ia thereof. The motor 84 which operates to swing the arm I5 is actuated by

fluid connections

84a and 84b and its integral end portion I is mounted on a standard 81 by a pin or bolt 86 which extends through a bifurcated portion of the standard 81. As shown particularly in Figure 13, the arm member I5 can be swung from a normal position E in alignment with the bottom of the furnace I0 to a side position F when an ingot is to be removed or sawed ofi.

Referring particularly to Figures 13, 14, 15 and 16, I have shown a saw mechanism which like the arm member I5 and its associated mechanism is mounted within the enclosure 00. The saw mechanism has a rotating saw blade I0! provided with a shaft I08 splined thereto (see Figure 14). The shaft I08 is journaled on a swing arm I I I and carries a sprocket wheel I09 which is secured on its lower, reduced, threaded end I08a by a mounting nut IIO. A chain I I6 meshes with the sprocket I09 and is driven by a sprocket I I5 that is splined or secured on an actuating shaft H2. The shaft II2 also has a second sprocket wheel I I1 secured thereto and driven by a chain I I8 and a sprocket III! of a gear reduction unit I20. The shaft of an electric motor I2 I is coupled to the unit I20. The shaft H2 is journaled at its lower end in a mounting H3 and at its upper end Illa is reduced, threaded, and journaled within the swing arm III. A nut and washer assembly II4 holds the swing arm I I I pivotally in position on the reduced end I I2a of the drive shaft I I2.

An opposite end of the arm I I I is actuated by a swing link pin I22 which extends through a bifurcated end I24a of a piston rod I24 which is actuated by a fluid motor I25. Actuating fluid is introduced and exhausted from the motor I25 by connections I25a and I25b. The motor I25 has an integral extension I26 that is secured within the bifurcated portion of a standard I28 by a pin or bolt I21. As shown particularly in Figure 13, the arm III and its associated saw I01 is adapted to be moved from an inoperative position G to a sawing position H when the bottom Wall 16 of the furnace or crucible has been lowered by the arm member I5 and swung to outer position F of Figure 13. The fluid motors 84 and I25 are of a double-acting type, so that they can be moved positively in either direction. The motors 83 may be of either a singleor doubleacting type.

To support the build-up ingot I when the bottom I6 of the furnace has been removed, see Figures 14 and 15, I have provided a fluid motor I 04 which has a piston rod I05 and a support head I05a that is adapted to move through an opening I000. in a delivery chute I 00. Fluid is supplied to and exhausted from the motor I04 by connections I04a and I04b and it is preferably double-acting. As shown in Figure 14, the motor I04 supports the bottom of the ingot I, after its weight moves it out of the furnace I0 and into a sawing position. The length of ingot which is out can thus be governed by the vertical position of the head I05a of the motor I04. As shown in Figure 15, the major portion or length I of the ingot is supported by the vertically movable head or table I05a during the sawing-off operation. The remainder of the ingot I is of relatively short length and thus of relatively slight weight and is free to move vertically-upwardly within the guiding walls of the crucible or furnace I0. The table I05a is preferably lowered slightly during the operation to ease off the lower ingot portion I. Thus, no difficulty is encountered from the standpoint of a binding of the saw during the cutting-off operation.

After an ingot I has been sawed off, as shown particularly in Figures 15 and 16, the head I05a can be lowered, as shown by the dot and dash lines of Figure 15, and the cut-off ingot I will fall into the delivery chute I00 and move to the full line position shown, to the right of this figure.

The inclined chute I00 is mounted on a standard I03 at its upper end and on a standard IOI at its lower end. As shown particularly in Figure 16, it is provided with side walls I00b, an upper closure 90.

rolls Zia-fill),

haying primary taps T and prim 9 end well we and a a tment end wa l I .112 for guidin and po onin th cut=ofi in ot A s emental airloc ham er is p ov d d at the delivery end of the enclosure 90 and is defined by an enclosure 9|, see Figures 15 and 16. An opening 90a through a vertical Wall of the enclosure 90 permits ingots to be delivered to the airlock chamber of the enclosure 9|. It will be noted that the inclined chute Hi0 also rests upon a lower portion of the wall $901) of the en- A door 96 having a handle 96a is slidably mounted on the wall of the enclosure 90 by flanges 97 and sealing-off gasket material 98 to normally close off the opening etc, This door .96 is raised when an ingot I is to be de- H ings, I have shown a pair of motor-generator sets 10a and 10b that are connected in parallel for supplying I). C. current for welding adjacent sticks, such as B and B" together. The set 10b also provides arcing current for the furnace Hi.

The motor generator set 10a on its positive side is connected through a line "Ha, switch 13a, and bearings 23 (see Figure 8') to the upper pair of its negative side is connected by a line lilac to the negative side i229 of 'th other set lilb and through bearings 23 *2) to the lower pair of feed rollers din- 2 i h. positive side of the motor generator set connected by a line 1 lb, switch 13c, and a l" cable lib to the arm "Hi, and time, tothe bottom "it. It will thus be app potential will be supplied. to the unitary electrode B'--B" and arcing current oi opposite potential will be supplied to the metal (3 thrci h the furnace bottom l6. Thus an will be established between C and B of Figure 2.

When an upper electrode stick, such as B" is to be secured (as by ii-ash we d' a) to a lower stick such as B, it is ied into an odwise abutting relationship with the lower stick (see Figure 3) by the pusher 4305, is aligned n such position by the idler guide rolls illa iib, current of one potential is then supplied through the line Ha to the stick B" by closing the switch "its. Current of opposite potential applied to the other stick B through line 12a. After the welding operation, the switch its is opened.

The pusher 49a keepsthe stick B" in welding abutment with the stick 3 during the welding operation, although the latter being adwaneed slowly into the furnace is! hy the driven is rolls 2! 'a andilb. After the welding operation, the pusher 49a may be raised and the welded sticks will then be fed as unitary electrode by the rolls 2 I 'a and 2 l "-b.

In Figure 1'? I have disclosed a uti three-phase alternating current for s pplyire; energy to a plurality of consumable electrodes. In this diagram P1, and P3 primaries for the various phases of an A. C. transformer, while S1, S2 and S3 are cor spcndi e secondaries there of. Switches S and 1 vid a1 phase transformers on daries Pie-S4, Pe -S and Pi --56, respectively,

a e sh n The secon aries 5 and S6 a connected thr h switches r to the u per ol pa rs m a d Z for fi eti s a weldi g op rati n b tween ad c t elect od stick Sw tch SW1 are ocat d one l ad o a h phase s c n ary to tu n the c-pr d c r e for each electro e wh n d ir e other d of ach phase S cond y i con c ed o the l w set of feed ro'ljls 2|d.- 2i"b. Although I have shown a plurality of furnaces or crucibles ill actuated by the three-phase A. C. circuit, it will be apparent that a single furnace or crucible may be used and provided with a plurality of feed openings for feeding a plurality of sticks, ii. a larger size of ingot is to be produced. As wn, the number of transformers used will dep. -d upon the number of phases of the A. 0. current source.

Although it has been customary to employ a direct current source ()1 energy where a nonconsumable electrode is used and to connect its negative lead to the electrode to minimize its deterioration, alternating current has heen i'ouncl to be suitable where the electrode is of a consumable type. As shown in Figure I prefer to connect the positive lead of a direct current source to a consumable electrode to increase its melting rate.

What I claim is:

i *1 apparatus of the character described for metal ingots in a furnace crucible utiliza consumable electrode made up of preformed sticks of air-sensitive metal, the c0rn-hination oi a carrier provided with a series of stick-=- recei'ving compartments therein, sealing-off enclosure for said carrier, a second sealing-off enclosure positioned beneath firstanentioned enclosure and on the furnace crucible over an opening therein, an opening through the top of said second enclosure into said first enclosure, guide means positioned within said second enclosure in alignment with the top opening therein and having portions to guide sticks through the opening of and into the furnace crucible, means actuating said carrier to periodically and progressively align each of its compartments with the top opening said second enclosure, and

operably positioned within said first errclosu-re to advance a stick from an aligned compartment of said carrier through the top opening of said second enclosure into engagement with said guide means.

2. In an apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein, said last-mentioned means is a pusher operably positioned for movement along an aligned compartment of said carrier and operably con.- nected to a'fluid motor.

3. In apparatus as defined inclaim 2 where.- in said guide means has a pair of pass-defining, posi sly-driven feed. rolls; said pusher is adapted to he periodically actuated by said fluid r at a faster rate than the rate of feed of d rolls to move a second stick from a recon compartment of said carrier into endw e abutment with the first-mentioned stick that within the pass of said pair of feed rolls, and means positioned within said second enclosure to weld the abutting sticks together into unitary electrode.

4. In apparatus of the character described for making metal ingots in a furnace crucible utilizing a consumable electrode made up of preformed sticks of air-"sensitive metal, the combination of a carrier provided with a series of stickreceiving compartments therein, a sealing-cit enclosure for said carrier, a second sealing-off enclosure positioned beneath said first-mentioned enclosure and on the furnace crucible over an opening therein, an opening through the top of said second enclosure into said first enclosure, means actuating said carrier to periodically and progressively align each of its compartments with the top opening of said second enclosure, means operably positioned within said first enclosure to advance a stick endwise from an aligned compartment of said carrier through the top opening thereof into said second enclosure, guide means operably positioned in said second enclosure to receive successive sticks from pe riodically aligned compartments of said carrier and advance them into the furnace crucible, and electric welding means operably associated with said guide means and positioned in said second enclosure in alignment with the path of movement of the sticks therethrough and having portions connected to welding current of opposite potential to weld abutting edges of a pair of sticks together into a unitary electrode before they are introduced into the furnace crucible.

5. In apparatus of the character described for making metal ingots in a furnace crucible utilizing a consumable electrode made up of preformed metal sticks, the combination of a carrier provided with a series of stick-receiving compartments therein, a sealing-oil enclosure for said carrier, a second sealing-oil enclosure positioned beneath said first-mentioned enclosure and on the furnace crucible over an opening therein, an opening through the top of said second enclosure into said first enclosure, means actuating said carrier to periodically and progressively align each of its compartments with the top opening of said second enclosure, means operably positioned within said first enclosure to advance a stick endwise from an aligned compartment of said carrier through the top opening thereof into said second enclosure, guide means operably positioned in said second enclosure to receive successive sticks from periodically aligned compartments of said carrier and advance them into the furnace crucible, said guide means comprise an upper pair of rolls in operative engagement with one of the sticks to be welded, and a lower pair of rolls in operative contact with the other of the sticks to be welded; a source of current of one potential adapted to be connected to intermittently supply said upper pair of rolls, a source of current of opposite potential continuously connected to supply said lower pair of rolls, means connecting the source of current of one potential to the furnace crucible, and the current of opposite potential connected to said lower pair of rolls being supplied by its source to the electrode provided by the welded sticks for effecting the arc melting operation within the furnace crucible.

6. In an apparatus as defined in claim wherein, means is provided for actuating said lower pair of rolls to advance the welded electrode into the furnace crucible, and said means for advancing a stick from an aligned compartment of said carrier has means for reciprocating it to advance a stick therein into abutment with a preceding stick that is being advanced by said lower pair of rolls and to Withdraw and advance another stick into abutment with the second stick.

7. In an arc melting furnace apparatus of the character described for making ingots from preformed composite consumable electrode sticks of an air-sensitive metal, the combination of a rotatable carrier wheel provided with a series of radially-positioned stick-receiving compartments, an enclosure about said wheel, means rotatably mounting said wheel within said enclosure, a feed chute mounted on said enclosure for feeding sticks into the compartments of said wheel as it is rotated, said feed chute having an airlock for normally excluding contaminating gases from said enclosure, a pusher means operably mounted on said enclosure above the path of movement of the compartments of said wheel, a feed opening through the bottom of said enclosure, means for periodically moving said pusher means into and along each of the compartments of said wheel to push a stick out through the opening in the bottom of said enclosure, a. second enclosure about the bottom of said first-mentioned enclosure and having a feed portion open to and in alignment with the feed opening in said first-mentioned enclosure, vertically spacedapart pairs of rolls operably mounted in said second enclosure in an aligned-stick-feeding relationship with respect to each other, said pusher means having a path of operative movement suflicient to push a stick from each compartment of said wheel into a pass formed by an upper pair of said rolls, a lower pair of said rolls having a spaced relationship with respect to said upper pair that is shorter than the length of a stick being fed, said second-mentioned enclosure being mounted on the arc-melting furnace and having an opening through a bottom thereof into the furnace, and means for actuating said lower pair of rolls to advance a stick through the opening in the bottom of said second enclosure into the furnace to provide an electrode therefor.

8. In an apparatus as defined in claim 7 wherein, said upper pair of rolls is positioned to guide a second stick into abutment with a stick within the pass of said lower pair of rolls, and means is provided for supplying electric current of opposite potential to said upper and lower feed roll pairs to weld the abutting sticks together to form a unitary electrode for the furnace.

SCHUYLER A. HERRES.

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