Melting crucible and method

Abstract

A melting method and a melting crucible assembly involve positioning a disposable (non-reusable), self-supporting refractory liner body in a refractory host crucible and melting a metallic charge in the liner residing in the host crucible. The melted metallic charge is poured from the refractory liner body, and the used refractory liner body is removed from the host crucible for discarding and replaced with a clean, new (unused) refractory liner body in the host crucible for melting the next metallic charge therein.

We claim  
     
         1 . A method of melting and pouring successive metallic charges, comprising positioning a metallic charge in a disposable, self-supporting refractory vessel, melting the metallic charge in said vessel under vacuum or a protective atmosphere, pouring the melted metallic charge from said vessel, discarding said vessel, and melting a next metallic charge in a clean, new refractory vessel under a vacuum or protective atmosphere.  
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the metallic charge comprising a nickel base superalloy or a cobalt base superalloy is melted in a melting chamber section in said liner body.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the melted metallic charge is poured from a pouring chamber section communicated to said melting chamber section in said liner body at a location below a melt level of the melted metallic charge in said liner body.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said metallic charge is melted by energizing an induction coil disposed about said vessel.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the melted metallic charge is melted under a protective atmosphere selected from inert gas or nitrogen.  
     
     
         7 . A method of melting and pouring a metallic charge, comprising positioning a metallic charge in a disposable refractory liner body residing in a refractory host crucible, melting the metallic charge in said liner body, pouring the melted metallic charge from said liner body, removing said liner body from said host crucible, and placing a clean, new refractory liner body to melt the next metallic charge.  
     
     
         7 . The method of claim  6  wherein the metallic charge comprising a nickel base superalloy or cobalt base superalloy is melted in a melting chamber section in said liner body.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7  wherein the melted metallic charge is poured from a pouring chamber section communicated to said melting chamber section in said liner body at a location below a level of the melted metallic charge in said liner body.  
     
     
         9 . The method of claim  6  wherein said metallic charge is melted by energizing an induction coil disposed about the host crucible.  
     
     
         10 . The method of claim  6  wherein the melted metallic charge is poured into a mold.  
     
     
         11 . A melting crucible assembly comprising a refractory host crucible, and a disposable, self-supporting refractory liner body disposed in the host crucible and in which a metallic charge is melted, said liner body including a partition wall that forms a melting chamber section and a pouring chamber section communicated to one another at a location disposed below a melt level of a melted metallic charge in said liner body such that melted metallic charge below said level flows from the melting chamber section to the pouring chamber section when said crucible assembly is tilted.  
     
     
         7 . The assembly of claim  6  including an induction coil about the host crucible.  
     
     
         8 . The assembly of claim  6  wherein said host crucible resides in a bed of refractory grog particulates.  
     
     
         9 . The assembly of claim  6  wherein said liner body is received in said host crucible with clearance that allows said liner body to be removed from said host crucible after said metallic charge has been melted and poured.  
     
     
         10 . The assembly of claim  6  wherein said liner body has a cylindrical tubular shape.  
     
     
         11 . The assembly of  claim 10  wherein said liner body has an outer diameter that is less than an inner diameter of a cylindrical side wall of said host crucible.  
     
     
         12 . The assembly of claim  6  wherein said partition wall extends downwardly in said liner body when it is oriented in an upstanding position.  
     
     
         13 . The assembly of  claim 12  wherein said partition wall terminates at its lowermost end a distance above a bottom wall of said liner body such that a passage is formed between said melting chamber section and said pouring chamber section for flow of clean melted metallic material from said melting chamber section to said pouring chamber section.  
     
     
         14 . The assembly of claim  6  wherein said partition wall is configured to form a recess along a side thereof facing said melting chamber section.  
     
     
         15 . The assembly of  claim 14  wherein said recess is adapted to receive and position a cylindrical ingot or billet of said metallic charge material.  
     
     
         16 . The assembly of claim  6  wherein said liner body includes a cover that is connected to the uppermost end of said partition wall, said cover including an opening through which melted metallic charge in said pouring chamber section is poured when said crucible assembly is tilted.  
     
     
         17 . The combination of a melting vessel in a chamber having a vacuum or a protective atmosphere therein, comprising a disposable, self-supporting refractory vessel in which a metallic charge comprising a nickel base superalloy or cobalt base superalloy is melted, said vessel including a partition wall that forms a melting chamber section and a pouring chamber section communicated to one another at a location disposed below a melt level of melted metallic charge in said vessel such that melted metallic charge below said level flows from the melting chamber section to the pouring chamber section when said vessel is tilted.  
     
     
         18 . The combination of  claim 17  wherein said vessel is received in said host crucible with clearance that allows said vessel to be removed from said host crucible after said metallic charge has been melted and poured.  
     
     
         19 . The combination of  claim 17  wherein said partition wall extends downwardly in said liner body when it is oriented in an upstanding position.  
     
     
         20 . The combination of  claim 19  wherein said partition wall terminates at its lowermost end a distance above a bottom wall of said liner body such that a passage is formed between said melting chamber section and said pouring chamber section for flow of clean melted metallic material from said melting chamber section to said pouring chamber section.  
     
     
         21 . The combination of  claim 17  wherein said partition wall is configured to form a recess along a side thereof facing said melting chamber section, said recess being adapted to receive and position a cylindrical ingot or billet of said metallic charge material.  
     
     
         22 . The combination of  claim 17  wherein said vessel includes a cover that is connected to the uppermost end of said partition wall, said cover including an opening through which melted metallic charge in said pouring chamber section is poured when said crucible assembly is tilted.