Patents by Inventor Scott P. Crafton
Scott P. Crafton 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).
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Patent number: 11408062Abstract: A method for heat treating cast aluminum alloy components that includes obtaining a casting formed from an aluminum alloy having a silicon constituent and at least one metal alloying constituent, and heating the casting to a first casting temperature that is below but within 10° C. of a predetermined silicon solution temperature at which the silicon constituent rapidly enters into solid solution. The method also includes increasing the rate of heat input into the casting to raise the temperature of the casting to a second casting temperature that is above but within 10° C. of a predetermined alloying metal solution temperature at which the at least one metal alloying constituent rapidly enters into solid solution, maintaining the casting at the second casting temperature for a period of time that is less than about 20 minutes, and then quenching the casting to a temperature less than or about 250° C.Type: GrantFiled: November 19, 2019Date of Patent: August 9, 2022Assignee: Consolidated Engineering Company, Inc.Inventors: Scott P. Crafton, Shanker Subramaniam, Paul Fauteux
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Patent number: 11035016Abstract: A quench system for applying cooling air to one or more hot metallic components that are supported on a component support having a substantially open construction. The quench system includes a housing having sidewalls that define a cooling chamber with peripheral portions proximate the sidewalls and a center portion spaced inwardly from the sidewalls. The quench system also includes a conveyance system that is configured to carry the component support into the center portion of the cooling chamber, as well as a forced air fan that generates a bulk flow of cooling air through the cooling chamber. The quench system further includes a plurality of nozzle baffles extending inwardly from the plurality of sidewalls to define a narrowing region within the housing between the forced air fan and the conveyance system, whereby, during operation of the fan, cooling air flowing through the peripheral portions of the cooling chamber is redirected into the center portion of the cooling chamber.Type: GrantFiled: April 25, 2019Date of Patent: June 15, 2021Assignee: Consolidated Engineering Company, Inc.Inventor: Scott P. Crafton
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Publication number: 20210140004Abstract: A facility with an annealing system including one or more (typically a plurality of) autonomous vehicles, e.g., shuttles, cars, etc., which autonomous vehicles each receive sheet metal coils, e.g., one, two, or more sheet metal coils, and move the sheet metal coils about the facility. The sheet metal coils generally include aluminum coils, though other sheet metal coils, such as brass, copper, steel, etc. coils, can be used without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. The annealing system also can include a stationary unit or component, or a plurality of stationary units, configured to dock with the autonomous vehicles to facilitate annealing of the coils on or within the autonomous vehicles.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 5, 2020Publication date: May 13, 2021Inventor: Scott P. Crafton
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Publication number: 20200190648Abstract: A method for heat treating cast aluminum alloy components that includes obtaining a casting formed from an aluminum alloy having a silicon constituent and at least one metal alloying constituent, and heating the casting to a first casting temperature that is below but within 10° C. of a predetermined silicon solution temperature at which the silicon constituent rapidly enters into solid solution. The method also includes increasing the rate of heat input into the casting to raise the temperature of the casting to a second casting temperature that is above but within 10° C. of a predetermined alloying metal solution temperature at which the at least one metal alloying constituent rapidly enters into solid solution, maintaining the casting at the second casting temperature for a period of time that is less than about 20 minutes, and then quenching the casting to a temperature less than or about 250° C.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 19, 2019Publication date: June 18, 2020Inventors: Scott P. Crafton, Shanker Subramaniam, Paul Fauteux
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Patent number: 10684075Abstract: A system for supporting castings during thermal treatments, such as solution heat treatment, quenching and aging, that includes a tray defining a horizontal base plane and having a plurality of tray openings therethrough, and a fixture extending over one or more of the tray openings. The fixture is formed by a plurality of support plates oriented vertically with lower portions extending across the tray opening and top edges extending above the tray opening with shaped profiles along the lengths thereof. The plurality of support plates form an open lattice having a plurality of top edges that together define an open support surface that is substantially complementary with an underside surface of a casting and configured to loosely support the casting atop the lattice and align the casting in space above the tray opening.Type: GrantFiled: November 29, 2018Date of Patent: June 16, 2020Assignee: Consolidated Engineering Company, Inc.Inventors: Scott P. Crafton, Shanker Subramaniam, Paul Fauteux, Andrew Turner
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Publication number: 20190382858Abstract: A quench system for applying cooling air to one or more hot metallic components that are supported on a component support having a substantially open construction. The quench system includes a housing having sidewalls that define a cooling chamber with peripheral portions proximate the sidewalls and a center portion spaced inwardly from the sidewalls. The quench system also includes a conveyance system that is configured to carry the component support into the center portion of the cooling chamber, as well as a forced air fan that generates a bulk flow of cooling air through the cooling chamber. The quench system further includes a plurality of nozzle baffles extending inwardly from the plurality of sidewalls to define a narrowing region within the housing between the forced air fan and the conveyance system, whereby, during operation of the fan, cooling air flowing through the peripheral portions of the cooling chamber is redirected into the center portion of the cooling chamber.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 25, 2019Publication date: December 19, 2019Inventor: Scott P. Crafton
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Publication number: 20190323773Abstract: A system for supporting castings during thermal treatments, such as solution heat treatment, quenching and aging, that includes a tray defining a horizontal base plane and having a plurality of tray openings therethrough, and a fixture extending over one or more of the tray openings. The fixture is formed by a plurality of support plates oriented vertically with lower portions extending across the tray opening and top edges extending above the tray opening with shaped profiles along the lengths thereof. The plurality of support plates form an open lattice having a plurality of top edges that together define an open support surface that is substantially complementary with an underside surface of a casting and configured to loosely support the casting atop the lattice and align the casting in space above the tray opening.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 29, 2018Publication date: October 24, 2019Inventors: Scott P. Crafton, Shanker Subramaniam, Paul Fauteux, Andrew Turner
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Patent number: 10385413Abstract: A quench system includes an enclosure defining a quench chamber sized to receive hot castings, and bulk air fans in fluid communication with the quench chamber and configured to establish a bulk flow of cooling air that surrounds and extracts heat from the hot castings at a first cooling rate. The quench system also includes a pressurized cooling system in fluid communication with a plurality of nozzles within the quench chamber and configured to spray a plurality of a directed flows of cooling fluid onto the hot castings to extract heat at a second cooling rate. The quench system further includes a programmable controller configured to sequentially activate the bulk air fans to cool the casting at the first cooling rate for a first predetermined period of time, and then activate the pressurized cooling system to cool the casting at the second cooling rate for a second predetermined period of time.Type: GrantFiled: March 16, 2018Date of Patent: August 20, 2019Assignee: Consolidated Engineering Company, Inc.Inventor: Scott P. Crafton
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Publication number: 20190240727Abstract: A casting mold with a multi-functional chill, a multi-functional chill, and a casting process facilitated by the multi-functional chill are disclosed herein. In addition to affecting the cooling rate of a casting inside the mold, the multi-functional chill may support and/or index the mold during handling and/or conveyance. The present invention allows for conveyance and/or handling of the mold or casting, with or without the mold, and allows for easy indexing and easy interaction with conveying and handling devices during and after heat treatment.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 29, 2019Publication date: August 8, 2019Inventor: Scott P. Crafton
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Patent number: 10308993Abstract: A quench system for applying cooling air to one or more hot metallic components that are supported on a component support having a substantially open construction. The quench system includes a housing having sidewalls that define a cooling chamber with peripheral portions proximate the sidewalls and a center portion spaced inwardly from the sidewalls. The quench system also includes a conveyance system that is configured to carry the component support into the center portion of the cooling chamber, as well as a forced air fan that generates a bulk flow of cooling air through the cooling chamber. The quench system further includes a plurality of nozzle baffles extending inwardly from the plurality of sidewalls to define a narrowing region within the housing between the forced air fan and the conveyance system, whereby, during operation of the fan, cooling air flowing through the peripheral portions of the cooling chamber is redirected into the center portion of the cooling chamber.Type: GrantFiled: June 9, 2016Date of Patent: June 4, 2019Assignee: Consolidated Engineering Company, Inc.Inventor: Scott P. Crafton
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Patent number: 10174999Abstract: A system for supporting castings during thermal treatments, such as solution heat treatment, quenching and aging, that includes a tray defining a horizontal base plane and having a plurality of tray openings therethrough, and a fixture extending over one or more of the tray openings. The fixture is formed by a plurality of support plates oriented vertically with lower portions extending across the tray opening and top edges extending above the tray opening with shaped profiles along the lengths thereof. The plurality of support plates form an open lattice having a plurality of top edges that together define an open support surface that is substantially complementary with an underside surface of a casting and configured to loosely support the casting atop the lattice and align the casting in space above the tray opening.Type: GrantFiled: September 19, 2016Date of Patent: January 8, 2019Assignee: Consolidated Engineering Company, Inc.Inventors: Scott P. Crafton, Shanker Subramaniam, Paul Fauteux, Andrew Turner
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Publication number: 20180237884Abstract: A method for improving the thermal treatment of castings that includes obtaining a plurality of untreated castings of a given design, capturing three dimensional surface measurements of the untreated castings to determine a baseline shape, obtaining a first support fixture having a first support profile configured to support the castings during thermal treatment, and then applying a thermal treatment protocol to a first casting while supported on the first support fixture. The method further includes capturing a three dimensional surface measurement of the first casting to determine its post-treatment shape, comparing the baseline shape with the post-treatment shape of the first casting, and identifying a dimensional distortion that is the result of inadequate support or positioning during the thermal treatment protocol.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 19, 2018Publication date: August 23, 2018Inventor: Scott P. Crafton
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Publication number: 20180202013Abstract: A quench system includes an enclosure defining a quench chamber sized to receive hot castings, and bulk air fans in fluid communication with the quench chamber and configured to establish a bulk flow of cooling air that surrounds and extracts heat from the hot castings at a first cooling rate. The quench system also includes a pressurized cooling system in fluid communication with a plurality of nozzles within the quench chamber and configured to spray a plurality of a directed flows of cooling fluid onto the hot castings to extract heat at a second cooling rate. The quench system further includes a programmable controller configured to sequentially activate the bulk air fans to cool the casting at the first cooling rate for a first predetermined period of time, and then activate the pressurized cooling system to cool the casting at the second cooling rate for a second predetermined period of time.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 16, 2018Publication date: July 19, 2018Inventor: Scott P. Crafton
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Patent number: 9951396Abstract: A quench system includes an enclosure defining a quench chamber sized to receive hot castings, and bulk air fans in fluid communication with the quench chamber and configured to establish a bulk flow of cooling air that surrounds and extracts heat from the hot castings at a first cooling rate. The quench system also includes a pressurized cooling system in fluid communication with a plurality of nozzles within the quench chamber and configured to spray a plurality of a directed flows of cooling fluid onto the hot castings to extract heat at a second cooling rate. The quench system further includes a programmable controller configured to sequentially activate the bulk air fans to cool the casting at the first cooling rate for a first predetermined period of time, and then activate the pressurized cooling system to cool the casting at the second cooling rate for a second predetermined period of time.Type: GrantFiled: September 16, 2015Date of Patent: April 24, 2018Assignee: Consolidated Engineering Company, Inc.Inventor: Scott P. Crafton
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Publication number: 20170082365Abstract: A system for supporting castings during thermal treatments, such as solution heat treatment, quenching and aging, that includes a tray defining a horizontal base plane and having a plurality of tray openings therethrough, and a fixture extending over one or more of the tray openings. The fixture is formed by a plurality of support plates oriented vertically with lower portions extending across the tray opening and top edges extending above the tray opening with shaped profiles along the lengths thereof. The plurality of support plates form an open lattice having a plurality of top edges that together define an open support surface that is substantially complementary with an underside surface of a casting and configured to loosely support the casting atop the lattice and align the casting in space above the tray opening.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 19, 2016Publication date: March 23, 2017Inventors: Scott P. Crafton, Shanker Subramaniam, Paul Fauteux, Andrew Turner
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Publication number: 20160362758Abstract: A quench system for applying cooling air to one or more hot metallic components that are supported on a component support having a substantially open construction. The quench system includes a housing having sidewalls that define a cooling chamber with peripheral portions proximate the sidewalls and a center portion spaced inwardly from the sidewalls. The quench system also includes a conveyance system that is configured to carry the component support into the center portion of the cooling chamber, as well as a forced air fan that generates a bulk flow of cooling air through the cooling chamber. The quench system further includes a plurality of nozzle baffles extending inwardly from the plurality of sidewalls to define a narrowing region within the housing between the forced air fan and the conveyance system, whereby, during operation of the fan, cooling air flowing through the peripheral portions of the cooling chamber is redirected into the center portion of the cooling chamber.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 9, 2016Publication date: December 15, 2016Inventor: Scott P. Crafton
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Publication number: 20160319411Abstract: A method for heat treating cast aluminum alloy components that includes obtaining a casting formed from an aluminum alloy having a silicon constituent and at least one metal alloying constituent, and heating the casting to a first casting temperature that is below but within 10° C. of a predetermined silicon solution temperature at which the silicon constituent rapidly enters into solid solution. The method also includes increasing the rate of heat input into the casting to raise the temperature of the casting to a second casting temperature that is above but within 10° C. of a predetermined alloying metal solution temperature at which the at least one metal alloying constituent rapidly enters into solid solution, maintaining the casting at the second casting temperature for a period of time that is less than about 20 minutes, and then quenching the casting to a temperature less than or about 250° C.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 28, 2016Publication date: November 3, 2016Inventors: Scott P. Crafton, Shanker Subramaniam, Paul Fauteux
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Publication number: 20160083813Abstract: A quench system includes an enclosure defining a quench chamber sized to receive hot castings, and bulk air fans in fluid communication with the quench chamber and configured to establish a bulk flow of cooling air that surrounds and extracts heat from the hot castings at a first cooling rate. The quench system also includes a pressurized cooling system in fluid communication with a plurality of nozzles within the quench chamber and configured to spray a plurality of a directed flows of cooling fluid onto the hot castings to extract heat at a second cooling rate. The quench system further includes a programmable controller configured to sequentially activate the bulk air fans to cool the casting at the first cooling rate for a first predetermined period of time, and then activate the pressurized cooling system to cool the casting at the second cooling rate for a second predetermined period of time.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 16, 2015Publication date: March 24, 2016Inventor: Scott P. Crafton
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Publication number: 20150343531Abstract: A system and method for forming and heat treating metal castings is provided with a vertical heat treatment unit positioned adjacent and downstream from a pouring station at which a series of molds are filled with a molten metal to form the castings. The vertical heat treatment unit includes a vertically oriented furnace chamber in which the castings are received, and which has a reduced footprint to reduce the manufacturing floor space required for the vertical heat treatment unit, and to enable the vertical heat treatment unit to be positioned in close proximity to the pouring station.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 9, 2015Publication date: December 3, 2015Inventors: Scott P. Crafton, Paul M. Crafton, Ian French, Volker Knobloch
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Publication number: 20140261904Abstract: A system and method for formation and processing of pressurized die cast metal articles or components includes an injection or casting station in which a series of cast metal articles are formed within a series of dies by the introduction of a metal material into the dies. The dies are then moved to a retention area where the metal material is permitted to solidify to form the castings, after which the dies are opened and the castings removed therefrom, and subsequently are transferred to a short cycle solution heat treatment station. The castings are conveyed through the short cycle solution heat treatment station with the castings maintained within a series of fixtures to dimensionally support and stabilize the castings during solution heat treatment thereof.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 10, 2014Publication date: September 18, 2014Applicant: Consolidated Engineering Company, Inc.Inventors: Scott P. Crafton, Volker R. Knobloch, Paul M. Crafton, Shanker Subramaniam