Patent ID: 6129951
Filing Date: 2000-10-10
Classification: C23C

Abstract:
A physical vapour deposition apparatus for pre-coating fibres of a reinforcement material with a predetermined thickness of matrix metal prior to consolidation to yield a metal matrix composite material, the apparatus comprising:at least one evaporation crucible;a heater for heating a charge of metal in the at least one evaporation crucible to a temperature at which an appreciable vapour pressure is generated and a flux of metal vapour is evolved;a powered take-up device for drawing the reinforcement through the apparatus, anda guide mechanism for guiding the reinforcement repeatedly through the vapour flux, the guide mechanism including rollers to effect twisting of the reinforcement about its longitudinal axis after each successive pass through the vapour flux by an amount which is a fraction of 180.degree., thereby exposing a different aspect of the reinforcement to the vapour flux during each pass,wherein the guide mechanism comprises a pair of multi-pass transfer rollers each transfer roller having a surface with a multiplicity of concentric fibre-receiving grooves, said transfer rollers being positioned above the evaporation crucible or crucibles and spaced apart from each other with their rotational axes parallel, at least one of said transfer rollers being comprised of a plurality of independently-rotatable sub-rollers sharing the same axis of rotation.