| CPC F04B 43/084 (2013.01) [F04B 15/00 (2013.01)] | 14 Claims |
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1. A pump capable of pumping liquid metal, the pump comprising:
an actuator comprising a drive rod;
a first plate supporting the actuator;
a second plate defining an intake port and a discharge port;
guide rods extending between and coupled to the first plate and the second plate;
a traveling stage slidable along the guide rods intermediate the first plate and the second plate, the traveling stage operatively coupled to the drive rod;
a bellows extending between and hermetically sealed to the second plate and the traveling stage to define a bellows chamber, wherein the actuator is configured to slide the traveling stage toward the first plate to a first position to expand the bellows chamber and cause a liquid to flow through the intake port and into the bellows chamber, and wherein the actuator is configured to slide the traveling stage toward the second plate to a second position to contract the bellows chamber and cause the liquid to flow out of the bellows chamber and through the discharge port;
a first spring disposed about the bellows intermediate the second plate and the traveling stage to bias the traveling stage to the first position;
second springs disposed about the guide rods intermediate the first plate and the traveling stage to counteract a force applied to the traveling stage by the first spring, and
stops removably disposed about the guide rods intermediate the second plate and the traveling stage, wherein the bellows chamber has a first volume when the traveling stage is in the first position and a second volume when the traveling stage is in the second position, wherein a stroke volume of the pump is defined based on a difference between the first volume and the second volume, and wherein the stops control the stroke volume by preventing the traveling stage from sliding beyond the second position toward the second plate.
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