US3326415A

US3326415A - Method and apparatus for melting solid material and for dispensing the melt

Info

Publication number: US3326415A
Application number: US567476A
Authority: US
Inventors: Roger S Estabrooks
Original assignee: International Shoe Machine Corp
Current assignee: International Shoe Machine Corp
Priority date: 1965-03-15
Filing date: 1966-07-25
Publication date: 1967-06-20
Anticipated expiration: 1984-06-20

Description

June 20, 1967 R. s. ESTABROOKS 3,325,415

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MELTING SOLID MATERIAL NG THE MELT AND FOR DISPENSI Original Filed March 15, 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR Roger 5. Esfobroo/rs BY fi, j.

ATTORNEY .Fune 20, 1967 R. s. ESTABROOKS 3,

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MELTING SOLID MATERIAL AND FOR DISPENSING THE MELT Original Filed March 15, 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet June 20, 1967 R. s. ESTABROOKS 3,326,415

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MELTING SOLID MATERIAL AND FOR DISPENSING THE MELT Original Filed March 15, 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 United States Patent O 4 Claims. (Cl. 222-1) This invention relates to method and apparatus for melting a solid material and thereafter dispensing it. The instant application is a division of pending United States application Ser. No. 439,661 filed Mar. 15, 1965.

Among the objects of this invention is to provide an improved method and apparatus for melting thermoplastic or other meltable material, other objects and advantages being apparent from the foregoing specification.

In practicing this invention, solid thermoplastic adhesive or similar material capable of being rendered fluid by means of application of heat is loaded into a melting tank where a heating element at the base of the tank causes the adhesive to liquefy. The surface of the base of the tank has grooves and troughs formed therein which serve to increase the effective heat transfer area of the interior of the melting tank and direct the flow of the molten adhesive to an outlet formed on the tank.

In the accompanying drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevation of the apparatus incorporating the instant invention;

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of the apparatus incorporating the instant invention as seen from line 22 of FIG- URE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view of the melting tank taken along the line 3-3 of FIGURE 2; and

FIGURE 4 is a side elevation of the melting tank as seen from line 4-4 of FIGURE 3.

Referring to FIGURE 1 a melting tank is mounted on a platform 12 the melting tank being fabricated from aluminum or other heat conductive material. The melting tank 10 has a base 14 upon which the solid thermoplastic adhesive 16 rests as indicated in FIGURE 3. The tank 10 may be provided with a cover 18. Centrally located in the base 14 is an orifice 20 which leads into another concentric orifice 22 of a smaller diameter, the bottom of the smaller orifice forming a valve seat which accommodates a ball check valve 24 (see FIGURE 3). The ball 24 is restricted to substantially vertical motion by four pins 26 which are mounted on the underside of the base 14 and lie on the circumference of a circle which is concentric with the orifice and the base 14. The vertical movement of the ball 24 is accomplished by means of a float arm 28 upon which the ball freely rests, the float arm being pivotally mounted with a float 30 being attached to one extremity of the float arm 28 and a counter weight 32 being slidably connected to the other extremity. The bottom of the ball 24 rests on the float arm at a point intermediate the float arm pivot 34 and the float 30. A float chamber 36 located underneath the melting tank base 14 houses the float valve mechanism 38 and receives the molten adhesive as it flows through the orifii 20 and 22 past the ball check valve 24. As the level of adhesive rises within the float chamber the float 30 will similarly rise causing the float arm 28 to swing about the float arm pivot 34 thereby imparting an upward movement to the ball check valve 24 to thereby obstruct the orifice 22 and preclude further flow of adhesive therethrough. The level of adhesive at which the ball check valve 24 may obstruct the orifice 22 may be varied by varying the position of the counter weight 32 on the float arm 28.

Heat is supplied to the melting tank by means of an annular electric heating element 40 embedded in the melting tank base 14. The upper surface 42 of the melting tank base upon which the solid adhesive rests is flat with the exception of a plurality of radial troughs 44 which are inclined downwardly from the periphery of the melting tank base 14 to the center of the melting tank base 14 where the troughs terminate in the larger orifice 20. There is also an annular trough 46 at the periphery of the melting tank base 14 which is in communication with the radial troughs 44.

These

troughs

44 and 46 serve a dual purpose in that they facilitate the gravitation of the molten adhesive to and through the orifii 20 and 22 and that they cause a more rapid rate of melting of the solid adhesive due to the increased surface area of the melting tank base 14.

I claim:

1. A method of melting a solid material and dispensing the resulting melt comprising:

placing the solid material directly upon a heat conductive platform having a centrally located orifice, a peripheral trough disposed below the level of the upper surface of said platform and a plurality of radial troughs interconnecting said peripheral trough and said orifice, said radial troughs being inclined downwardly from said peripheral trough to said orifice;

and applying heat to said platform whereby said heat may be transferred to said solid material, thereby melting it, said melted material gravitating to and through said orifice by means of said troughs.

2. A method of melting a solid material and dispensing the resulting melt comprising:

placing the solid material directly upon a heat conductive platform having a centrally located orifice and a plurality of radial troughs, each of said radial troughs being in communication with said orifice and inclined downwardly from the periphery of said plat form to said orifice;

3-. An apparatus for melting a solid material comprising:

a melting tank having a base in which is formed a centrally located orifice, a trough located at the periphery of said base and being disposed below the level of said base and a plurality of radial troughs interconnecting said peripheral trough with said orifice, said radial troughs being inclined downwardy from said peripheral trough to said orifice whereby said solid material may be placed directly upon said base and thus be melted, said melted material gravitating towards and through said orifice by means of said troughs;

and means for heating said base. 7

4. An apparatus for melting and dispensing a solid material comprising:

a melting tank having a base in which is formed a centrally located orifice, a trough located at the periphery of said base and a plurality of radial troughs interconnecting said peripheral trough with said orifice, said radial troughs being inclined downwardly from said peripheral trough to said orifice whereby said solid material may be placed directly on said base and thus be melted, said molten material gravitating towards and through said orifice by means of said troughs;

means for heating said base;

3 4 a chamber disposed below said base so as to form a fice to thereby preclude the flow of molten material receptacle for said molten material as it flows therethrough until the level of said material within through said orifice; said chamber recedes. a float located within said chamber and having a portion thereof disposed below said orifice, said float 5 References Cited being moveable heightwise in response to a change UNITED STATES PATENTS of level of molten material within said chamber; and 1 109 832 9/1914 Graham et a] X a valve member supported on said portion of said float 4 4/1961 Kamborian and being moveable heightwise therewith so as to 3011042 11/1961 Kamborian X be engageable with said orifice in blocking and un- 10 blocking relation therewith whereby as the level of FOREIGN PATENTS molten material rises Within said chamber said 33 299 7 1933 France.

heightwise movement of said float may bring said valve member into blocking relation with said Ori- RAPHAEL M. LUPO, Primary Examiner.

Claims

2. A METHOD OF MELTING A SOLID MATERIAL AND DISPENSING THE RESULTING MELT COMPRISING: PLACING THE SOLID MATERIAL DIRECTLY UPON A HEAT CONDUCTIVE PLATFORM HAVING A CENTRALLY LOCATED ORIFICE AND A PLURALITY OF RADIAL TROUGHS, EACH OF SAID RADIAL TROUGHS BEING IN COMMUNICATION WITH SAID ORIFICE AND INCLINED DOWNWARDLY FROM THE PERIPHERY OF SAID PLATFORM TO SAID ORIFICE; AND APPLYING HEAT TO SAID PLATFORM WHEREBY SAID HEAT MAY BE TRANSFERRED TO SAID SOLID MATERIAL, THEREBY MELTING IT, SAID MELTED MATERIAL GRAVITATING TO AND THROUGH SAID ORIFICE BY MEANS OF SAID TROUGHS.