Support tooling for porous preforms to be infiltrated and oven using such a tooling

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12098884-B2
Application number	US-202017436800-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 12, 2020
Priority date	Mar 19, 2019
Publication date	Sep 24, 2024
Grant date	Sep 24, 2024

Abstract

A support tooling for porous preforms intended to be infiltrated by a molten metal includes a rack including two suspension bars each extending longitudinally along a first direction, the suspension bars being held spaced apart from one another along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction; a plurality or porous preform supports removably mounted on the suspension bars, each support including a first portion connected to one of the suspension bars by a connection sliding along a third direction perpendicular to the first and second directions and a second portion extending from the first portion and including support elements which are able to hold a porous preform by point or linear contact.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A support tooling for porous preforms intended to be infiltrated by a molten metal, the tooling comprising:
a rack comprising two suspension bars each extending longitudinally along a first direction, said two suspension bars being held spaced apart from one another along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction;
a plurality of supports for the porous preforms removably mounted on the suspension bars, each support comprising a first portion connected to one of the suspension bars by a connection sliding along a third direction perpendicular to the first and second directions and a second portion extending from the first portion and comprising support elements which are able to hold a porous preform by point or linear contact,
wherein the first portion of each support includes two lugs extending along the third direction, at least one lug being engaged in a groove present on one of the suspension bars and extending along the third direction, each lug including at its free end an oblong hole in which is housed a suspension shaft resting on one of the suspension bars.

2. The tooling according to claim 1 , wherein each suspension bar comprises one or more V shaped notches which are able to receive a suspension shaft.

3. The tooling according to claim 1 , wherein the second portion of each support comprises two longitudinal arms extending along the third direction, each arm including one or more clamping members which are able to cooperate with openings present on a porous preform.

4. The tooling according to claim 3 , wherein each longitudinal arm of the second portion of each support includes one or more bosses on its face facing the other arm.

5. The tooling according to claim 1 , wherein the second portion of each support comprises two transverse arms extending along the second direction, each transverse arm including a projection extending along the first direction, each projection being able to cooperate with a notch present on the porous preform.

6. The tooling according to claim 5 , wherein the second portion of each support comprises an anti-rocking screw.

7. The tooling according to claim 5 , wherein the second portion of each support comprises an adjustable stop present in the lower portion of the second portion.

8. An oven intended to be used for infiltrating porous preforms by a molten metal, the oven comprising:
support tooling according to claim 1 , at least several supports of the plurality of supports of said tooling being located with a porous preform,
a mass measurement device to which the support tooling is connected,
a crucible having an intemal volume intended to contain a molten metal, and
a movement device which is able to move the crucible or the support tooling relative to one another between a first configuration wherein the porous preforms are outside the internal volume of the crucible or at a distance from one or more drains in communication with the internal volume of the crucible and a second configuration wherein the porous preforms are at least partially present in the internal volume or in contact with said one or more drains.

9. A method of infiltrating a plurality of porous preforms by a molten metal, the infiltration being accomplished in an oven according to claim 8 , the method comprising:
charging a plurality of porous preforms on support tooling, placing porous preforms in direct contact or via one or more drains with the molten metal,
infiltrating porous preforms by molten metal,
measuring the mass of the porous preforms during infiltration, and
separating the porous preforms from the molten metal when the measured mass of the preforms reaches a predetermined value.

10. A support tooling for porous preforms intended to be infiltrated by a molten metal, the tooling comprising:
a rack comprising two suspension bars each extending longitudinally along a first direction, said two suspension bars being held spaced apart from one another along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction;
a plurality of supports for the porous preforms removably mounted on the suspension bars, each support comprising a first portion connected to one of the suspension bars by a connection sliding along a third direction perpendicular to the first and second directions and a second portion extending from the first portion and comprising support elements which are able to hold a porous preform by point or linear contact,
wherein the second portion of each support comprises two longitudinal arms extending along the third direction, each arm including one or more clamping members which are able to cooperate with openings present on a porous preform.

11. The tooling according to claim 10 , wherein each longitudinal arm of the second portion of each support includes one or more bosses on its face facing the other arm.

12. An oven intended to be used for infiltrating porous preforms by a molten metal, the oven comprising:
support tooling according to claim 10 , at least several supports of the plurality of supports of said tooling being located with a porous preform,
a mass measurement device to which the support tooling is connected,
a crucible having an internal volume intended to contain a molten metal, and
a movement device which is able to move the crucible or the support tooling relative to one another between a first configuration wherein the porous preforms are outside the internal volume of the crucible or at a distance from one or more drains in communication with the internal volume of the crucible and a second configuration wherein the porous preforms are at least partially present in the internal volume or in contact with said one or more drains.

13. A method of infiltrating a plurality of porous preforms by a molten metal, the infiltration being accomplished in an oven according to claim 12 , the method comprising:
charging a plurality of porous preforms on support tooling,
placing porous preforms in direct contact or via one or more drains with the molten metal,
infiltrating porous preforms by molten metal,
measuring the mass of the porous preforms during infiltration, and
separating the porous preforms from the molten metal when the measured mass of the preforms reaches a predetermined value.

14. A support tooling for porous preforms intended to be infiltrated by a molten metal, the tooling comprising:
a rack comprising two suspension bars each extending longitudinally along a first direction, said two suspension bars being held spaced apart from one another along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction;
a plurality of supports for the porous preforms removably mounted on the suspension bars, each support comprising a first portion connected to one of the suspension bars by a connection sliding along a third direction perpendicular to the first and second directions and a second portion extending from the first portion and comprising support elements which are able to hold a porous preform by point or linear contact,
wherein the second portion of each support comprises two transverse arms extending along the second direction, each transverse arm including a projection extending along the first direction, each projection being able to cooperate with a notch present on the porous preform.

15. The tooling according to claim 14 , wherein the second portion of each support comprises an anti-rocking screw.

16. The tooling according to claim 14 , wherein the second portion of each support comprises an adjustable stop present in the lower portion of the second portion.

Assignees

• Safran Ceram

Inventors

• Bouvier Rémi Pierre Robert
• Leleu Charles
• Mecuson Gautier

Classifications

• C22C1/1036

  starting from a melt · CPC title

• C23C2/00322

  Details of mechanisms for immersing or removing substrate from molten liquid bath, e.g. basket or lifting mechanism · CPC title

• F27D5/00

  Supports, screens or the like for the charge within the furnace · CPC title

• F27B2014/0887

  Movement of the melt · CPC title

• F27B14/20

  Arrangement of controlling, monitoring, alarm or like devices · CPC title