Metal scrap packages and methods and apparatus capable of being used therewith

Abstract

The present invention relates to a material package comprising a housing, at least one piece of scrap material contained in the housing, wherein the weight of the housing is from 1 to 5% of the weight of said scrap material, and the housing and the scrap material have melting points that are greater than about 300° F. The present invention further relates to associated methods and products employed with material packages as well as meltable housings, per se.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A material package comprising: 
 a housing,    at least one piece of scrap material contained in said housing, wherein the weight of said housing is from 1 to 5% of the weight of said scrap material, and said housing and said scrap material have melting points that are greater than 300° F.    
     
     
         2 . A material package according to  claim 1 , wherein said housing comprises a mesh basket.  
     
     
         3 . A material package according to  claim 2 , wherein said mesh basket comprises aluminum.  
     
     
         4 . A material package according to  claim 2 , wherein said scrap material comprises aluminum.  
     
     
         5 . A material package according to  claim 2 , wherein both said scrap material and said mesh basket comprise aluminum.  
     
     
         6 . A material package according to  claim 5 , wherein said scrap material comprises Al—Li.  
     
     
         7 . A method for recycling scrap material comprising loading said scrap material in a housing, optionally drying said scrap material and said housing to remove residual contaminates and/or moisture, optionally loading virgin material having a composition that is substantially the same as said scrap material into said housing, and subjecting said scrap material and said housing to a treatment sufficient to melt said scrap material and said housing.  
     
     
         8 . A method according to  claim 7 , wherein said housing comprises a mesh basket.  
     
     
         9 . A method according to  claim 8 , wherein said mesh basket comprises aluminum.  
     
     
         10 . A method according to  claim 8 , wherein said scrap material comprises aluminum.  
     
     
         11 . A method according to  claim 8 , wherein both said scrap material and said mesh basket comprise aluminum.  
     
     
         12 . A method according to  claim 11 , wherein said scrap material comprises Al—Li.  
     
     
         13 . An aluminum alloy wherein at least 5% thereof was prepared from a material package according to  claim 1 .  
     
     
         14 . An aluminum alloy comprising recycled material, wherein said aluminum alloy was prepared according to a method of  claim 7 .  
     
     
         15 . A housing capable of recycling metal comprising two sheets, optionally formed of mesh, said sheets being transposed with respect to each other to form a basket structure, wherein edges of said sheets are interwoven at an angle ranging from 80 to 110 degrees.  
     
     
         16 . A material package comprising a housing according to  claim 15  and scrap material therein.  
     
     
         17 . A housing according to  claim 15  comprising aluminum alloy AA 3003 mesh material.  
     
     
         18 . A material package according to  claim 16 , wherein said scrap material comprises aluminum.  
     
     
         19 . A material package according to  claim 18 , wherein said scrap material comprises aluminum lithium.  
     
     
         20 . A material package according to  claim 1 , wherein the gauge of said housing is about 0.11.  
     
     
         21 . A method for forming an alloy comprising placing at least two different materials in a meltable housing and subjecting the housing containing said materials to a temperature sufficient to melt said housing and said materials.