Patents by Inventor David R. Trudel

David R. Trudel has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 6578620
    Abstract: The filtering molten metal injector system includes a holder furnace, a casting mold supported above the holder furnace, and at least one molten metal injector supported from a bottom side of the casting mold. The holder furnace contains a supply of molten metal. The mold defines a mold cavity for receiving the molten metal from the holder furnace. The molten metal injector projects into the holder furnace. The molten metal injector includes a cylinder defining a piston cavity housing a reciprocating piston for pumping the molten metal upward from the holder furnace to the mold cavity. The cylinder and piston are at least partially submerged in the molten metal when the holder furnace contains the molten metal. The cylinder or the piston includes a molten metal intake for receiving the molten metal into the piston cavity when the holder furnace contains molten metal. A conduit connects the piston cavity to the mold cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2003
    Assignee: Alcoa Inc.
    Inventors: David R. Trudel, Thomas N. Meyer, Michael J. Kinosz, Guy Arnaud, Nicolas Bigler
  • Publication number: 20020084054
    Abstract: The injector includes a cylinder defining a piston cavity housing a reciprocating piston for pumping molten metal from a holder furnace and injecting the molten metal into the mold cavity of a casting mold. The piston defines a molten metal intake for receiving molten metal into the piston cavity. A check valve is positioned in the molten metal intake defmed by the piston. The check valve is preferably a ball check valve. The cylinder further defines a fill conduit in fluid communication with the piston cavity. The fill conduit extends through a top wall of the cylinder and extends along an axis substantially parallel to the piston.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2002
    Publication date: July 4, 2002
    Inventors: David R. Trudel, Thomas N. Meyer, Michael J. Kinosz, Guy Arnaud, Nicolas Bigler