US 12,145,197 B2
Tilting melting hearth system and method for recycling metal
Paul Meese, Healdsburg, CA (US); Matthew Charles, Cloverdale, CA (US); Sonia Zacher, Cloverdale, CA (US); Daniel Mendez, Healdsburg, CA (US); and Jeff McIntire, Castro Valley, CA (US)
Assigned to Continuum Powders Corporation, Cloverdale, CA (US)
Filed by Continuum Powders Corporation, Cloverdale, CA (US)
Filed on Oct. 29, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/976,755.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/273,291, filed on Oct. 29, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2023/0139976 A1, May 4, 2023
Int. Cl. B22D 41/06 (2006.01); B22D 17/02 (2006.01); B22D 41/01 (2006.01); B22D 41/04 (2006.01); B22D 46/00 (2006.01); B22F 9/08 (2006.01)
CPC B22D 41/06 (2013.01) [B22D 17/02 (2013.01); B22D 41/01 (2013.01); B22D 41/04 (2013.01); B22D 46/00 (2013.01); B22F 9/08 (2013.01)] 14 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A tilting melting hearth system comprising:
a tilting melting hearth having a melting cavity and a heat source configured to melt a metal into a molten metal and a pour notch configured to pour the molten metal from the melting cavity;
a central processing unit (CPU) having a program configured to select a hearth tilt profile, to control a hearth tilt angle of the tilting melting hearth and to maintain the hearth tilt profile to provide a uniform pour rate;
an actuator in signal communication with the central processing unit (CPU) coupled to a linkage connected to the tilting melting hearth, the actuator and the linkage configured to support and move the tilting melting hearth to a desired hearth tilt angle to maintain the hearth tilt profile and the uniform pour rate; and
a weight measuring device connected to the actuator in signal communication with the central processing unit (CPU) configured to measure a weight of the molten metal in the tilting melting hearth and to provide information to the central processing unit (CPU) to maintain the hearth tilt profile and the uniform pour rate.