Heated blades for wax melting

Abstract

A wax tree assembly heating system for heating wax on the surface of a wax component is provided. The system includes an elongated bar of heat conducting material, having a heating surface, and a heating element for heating the heating surface. The heating surface is configured to contact a wax component, such as a wax runner or a gate of a wax pattern, and has a space for retaining molten wax when the heating surface contacts a surface of the wax component. In another embodiment, the wax tree assembly heating system has a plurality of raised heating surfaces that are configured for producing molten wax on a plurality of areas on one or more surfaces of at least one wax component. Additionally, an electrical circuit is provided which includes a heating element and a temperature controller to control the temperature at which wax is melted.

1 . A wax tree assembly heating system for heating a wax surface comprising: 
 an elongated bar of heat conducting material having a heating surface configured to contact at least one of a pattern gate and a wax runner, said heating surface having a space for molten wax to be retained when the heating surface contacts a wax surface of the at least one of the pattern gate and the wax runner; and    means for heating the heating surface.    
   
   
       2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the heating surface comprises a recessed area for retaining molten wax.  
   
   
       3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the recessed area comprises a concave surface.  
   
   
       4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the heating surface comprises at least one groove.  
   
   
       5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein a width of a cross section of the at least one groove becomes smaller at a greater depth of the at least one groove.  
   
   
       6 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the at least one groove has a v-shaped cross section.  
   
   
       7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the means for heating the heating surface comprises an electrical heating element.  
   
   
       8 . A wax tree assembly heating system for producing molten wax on a plurality of areas on one or more surfaces of at least one wax component comprising: 
 an elongated bar of heat conducting material having a plurality of raised heating surfaces configured to contact at least one of a pattern gate and a wax runner; and    means for heating the raised heating surfaces.    
   
   
       9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein at least one of the raised heating surfaces comprises a recessed area for retaining molten wax when the raised heating surfaces contact the at least one of the pattern gate and the wax runner.  
   
   
       10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the recessed area comprises a concave surface.  
   
   
       11 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein at least one of the raised heating surfaces comprises at least one groove for retaining molten wax when the raised heating surfaces contact the at least one of the pattern gate and the wax runner.  
   
   
       12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein a width of a cross section of the at least one groove becomes smaller at a greater depth of the at least one groove.  
   
   
       13 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one groove has a v-shaped cross section.  
   
   
       14 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the means for heating the raised heating surfaces comprises an electrical heating element.  
   
   
       15 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein at least one of the raised heating surfaces conforms to a shape of the pattern gate to be fused to the wax runner in assembling a wax tree.  
   
   
       16 . The system of  claim 8  further comprising a temperature controller for controlling the means for heating.  
   
   
       17 . The system of  claim 16  further comprising a temperature sensor, wherein the temperature sensor provides a signal indicating a temperature of the elongated bar to the temperature controller.  
   
   
       18 . A method of heating wax on a surface of a wax component using a wax tree assembly heating system having a heating surface in preparation for fusing the wax component to another wax component in assembling a wax tree, wherein the method comprises: 
 providing an elongated bar having a heating surface configured to provide a space for molten wax to be retained when the heating surface contacts a wax component;    heating the heating surface; and    temporarily positioning the heating surface of the elongated bar in contact with the wax component.    
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the heating surface comprises a plurality of raised areas configured to provide spaces for molten wax to be retained when the heating surface contacts the wax component.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the wax component comprises one of a wax runner and a wax pattern, and at least one of the plurality of raised areas conforms to a shape of a gate of the wax pattern to be fused to the wax runner.