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A pump for pumping molten metal includes a pump base comprised of non-metallic, heat resistant material. The pump base comprises an inlet opening, a wall that forms a pumping chamber, a passageway that communicates the inlet opening with the pumping chamber, and an outlet opening that communicates w

A pump for pumping molten metal includes a pump base comprised of non-metallic, heat resistant material. The pump base comprises an inlet opening, a wall that forms a pumping chamber, a passageway that communicates the inlet opening with the pumping chamber, and an outlet opening that communicates with the pumping chamber. A piston comprising non-metallic, heat resistant material is disposed in the pumping chamber. The wall comprises non-metallic, heat resistant material. A connecting member is fastened to the piston. A valve permits and restricts flow of molten metal in the pump base. An actuator is connected to the metal connecting member, the actuator being adapted for effecting reciprocal movement of the piston in the pumping chamber. The piston has a coefficient of thermal expansion and configuration effective to enable it to expand into contact with the wall during its reciprocal movement in the pumping chamber. When used in a die casting apparatus, also featured is a shot chamber disposed near the discharge opening for receiving molten metal discharged from the conduit. A ram is disposed in the chamber for injecting the molten metal in the chamber into a die for casting the molten metal.

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1. A pump for pumping molten metal comprising:a pump base comprised of non-metallic, heat resistant material, said pump base comprising an inlet opening, a wall forming a pumping chamber, a passageway that communicates said inlet opening with said pumping chamber, and an outlet opening that communic

1. A pump for pumping molten metal comprising:a pump base comprised of non-metallic, heat resistant material, said pump base comprising an inlet opening, a wall forming a pumping chamber, a passageway that communicates said inlet opening with said pumping chamber, and an outlet opening that communicates with said pumping chamber;a piston made of non-metallic, heat resistant material disposed in said pumping chamber;a connecting member fastened to said piston;a valve that permits and restricts flow of molten metal in said pump base; andan actuator connected to said connecting member, said actuator being adapted for effecting reciprocal movement of said piston in said pumping chamber;wherein said connecting member has a coefficient of thermal expansion and configuration relative to said piston effective to enable said connecting member to expand said piston into contact with said wall. 2. The pump of claim 1 wherein said wall comprises ceramic material. 3. The pump of claim 1 wherein said wall comprises material selected from the group consisting of silicon carbide, silicon nitride and alumina. 4. The pump of claim 1 wherein said piston comprises ceramic material. 5. The pump of claim 1 wherein said piston comprises a material selected from the group consisting of silicon carbide, silicon nitride and alumina. 6. The pump of claim 1 wherein said connecting member comprises metal. 7. The pump of claim 1 wherein said piston and said connecting member are comprised of nonmetallic, heat resistant material. 8. A pump for pumping molten metal comprising:a pump base comprised of non-metallic, heat resistant material, said pump base comprising an inlet opening, a wall forming a pumping chamber, a passageway that communicates said inlet opening with said pumping chamber, and an outlet opening that communicates with said pumping chamber;a piston made of non-metallic, heat resistant material disposed in said pumping chamber:a connecting member fastened to said piston;a valve that permits and restricts flow of molten metal in said pump base; andan actuator connected to said connecting member, said actuator being adapted for effecting reciprocal movement of said piston in said pumping chamber;wherein said piston has a coefficient of thermal expansion and configuration effective to enable said piston to expand into contact with said wall during said reciprocal movement of said piston in said pumping chamber,further comprising a gasket comprising non-metallic, heat-resistant material disposed in said pumping chamber. 9. A pump for pumping molten metal comprising:a pump base comprised of non-metallic, heat resistant material, said pump base comprising an inlet opening, a wall forming a pumping chamber, a passageway that communicates said inlet opening with said pumping chamber, and an outlet opening that communicates with said pumping chamber;a piston made of non-metallic, heat resistant material disposed in said pumping chamber;a connecting member fastened to said piston;a valve that permits and restricts flow of molten metal in said pump base; andan actuator connected to said connecting member, said actuator being adapted for effecting reciprocal movement of said piston in said pumping chamber;wherein said piston has a coefficient of thermal expansion and configuration effective to enable said piston to expand into contact with said wall during said reciprocal movement of said piston in said pumping chamber;wherein said wall comprises an upper annular sleeve comprising non-metallic, heat-resistant material disposed along a path of travel of an upper surface of said piston and a lower annular sleeve made of non-metallic, heat resistant material disposed below said upper sleeve in said pumping chamber, and wherein a gasket comprised of non-metallic, heat-resistant material is disposed between said upper sleeve and said lower sleeve. 10. An apparatus for die casting molten metal comprising:a pump for pumping molten metal comprising:a pump base c omprised of non-metallic, heat resistant material, said pump base comprising an inlet opening, a wall forming a pumping chamber, a passageway that communicates said inlet opening with said pumping chamber, and an outlet opening that communicates with said pumping chamber;a piston made of non-metallic, heat resistant material disposed in said pumping chamber;a connecting member fastened to said piston;a valve that permits and restricts flow of molten metal in said pump base; andan actuator connected to said connecting member adapted to effect reciprocal movement of said piston in said pumping chamber;wherein said connecting member has a coefficient of thermal expansion and configuration relative to said piston effective to enable said connecting member to expand said piston into contact with said wall;a conduit extending from said outlet opening to a discharge location outside said base;a shot chamber that receives molten metal pumped from said conduit at the discharge location; anda ram disposed in said shot chamber and adapted to direct molten metal in said shot chamber to a die for casting said molten metal. 11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said conduit is spaced from said shot chamber at the discharge location. 12. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said conduit is connected to said shot chamber at the discharge location. 13. A pump for pumping molten metal comprising:a pump base comprised of non-metallic, heat resistant material, said pump base comprising an inlet opening, a pumping chamber, a passageway that communicates said inlet opening with said pumping chamber, and an outlet opening that communicates with said pumping chamber;a piston comprising non-metallic, heat-resistant material disposed in said pumping chamber, said piston comprising an opening in an upper surface thereof;a sleeve comprising non-metallic, heat-resistant material disposed in said pumping chamber around said piston;a metal connecting member disposed in the opening in said piston and connected to said piston;a valve that permits and restricts flow of molten metal in said pump base; andat least one actuator connected to said connecting member adapted for effecting reciprocal movement of said piston in said pumping chamber;wherein said connecting member and said piston have relative coefficients of thermal expansion and configurations effective to enable said connecting member to expand said piston into contact with said sleeve during said reciprocal movement of said piston in said pumping chamber. 14. The pump of claim 13 wherein said piston moves along a predetermined axial region of said pumping chamber and said metal connecting member engages said piston proximate to said region. 15. The pump of claim 13 wherein said base comprises graphite, and said sleeve and said piston comprise a material selected from the group consisting of silicon carbide, silicon nitride and alumina. 16. An apparatus for die casting molten metal comprising:a pump for pumping molten metal comprising:a pump base comprised of non-metallic, heat resistant material, said pump base comprising an inlet opening, a wall forming a pumping chamber, a passageway that communicates said inlet opening with said pumping chamber, and an outlet opening that communicates with said pumping chamber;a piston made of non-metallic, heat resistant material disposed in said pumping chamber;a connecting member fastened to said piston;a valve that permits and restricts flow of molten metal in said pump base;an actuator connected to said connecting member adapted to effect reciprocal movement of said piston in said pumping chamber; anda gasket comprising non-metallic, heat-resistant material disposed in said pumping chamber;wherein said piston has a coefficient of thermal expansion and configuration effective to enable said piston to expand into contact with said wall during said reciprocal movement of said piston in said pumping chamber;a conduit extending from said outlet opening to a discharge location outside said base;a shot chamber that receives molten metal pumped from said conduit at the discharge location; anda ram disposed in said shot chamber and adapted to direct molten metal in said shot chamber to a die for casting said molten metal. 17. The apparatus of clam 16 wherein said wall comprises an upper annular sleeve comprising non-metallic, heat-resistant material disposed along a path of travel of said piston in said pumping chamber and a lower annular sleeve made of non-metallic, heat resistant material disposed below said upper sleeve in said pumping chamber, wherein said gasket is disposed between said upper sleeve and said lower sleeve.