US1828701A - Method of improving metals, and product thereof - Google Patents

Description

I Patented OcLZO, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE S. FISHER, OF SALT'LAKE CITY, UTAH, ASSIGNOR To UTAH METALS FLUX PANY, OF SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH, A CORPORATION OF UTAH METHOD OF IMPROVING METALS, AND PRODUCT THEREOF 1\To Drawing. Application filed June 25,

'- The invention relates to methods of improving metals, and particularly to treatments in which substances are either added for this purpose to a fusedbath of the metal 5 or applied. tothe solid metal while at a substantially elevated temperature.

More particularly my invention relates, to the improving of metals by the action of cer- I tain naturally occurring deposits which have been found to not only purify metals but positively to impart to the same desirable mechanical characteristics.

I have found that there are certain deposits of shale which possess the property of effecting the improvements mentioned. One

such deposit is in the northern central portion of Emery County, Utah, south of the Price River and Desert Lake. This shale, which is to be distinguished from the blue or blue-gray variety found in the neighborhood, is a highly laminated carbonaceous or. bituminous shale varying in color from dark brown or almost black through brown to brick-red, with frequently a yellowish tint on the surfaces of the laminae.

The shale is susceptible of quite varied use in metallurgical operations, but I shall. confine the present description mainly to certain of the uses which have been thoroughly tried out and the products of which have proved thoroughly satisfactory.

' If from 1 to 10 percent by weight of this shale is cooked with scrap iron, even poor grades of cast iron, there results from the melt a product which is clean, solid, and malleable and the tensile strength of the same is enormously increased. Castings made directly from the bath are clean, more free from fins than ordinary castings, and readily workable, and may be machined at much higher speed than customarily can be employed in working cast iron. Castings may be made much lighter than heretofore on account of the strength of the product and its highly dense and fibrous nature.

Cast iron treated according to my method may be welded without the use of a flux, and in this manner distinguishes greatly from ordinary forms of cast iron. Using sticks 1924. Serial No. 722,409.

or the like made of the treated iron as welding rods enables cast iron pieces to be welded together without the use of other fluxing media. In either case the welds are not hardened and are as machinable as the original pieces. On many tests, the weld prove stronger than the original pieces.

I find in general that an addition of from 1 to about 6 percent of the shale to the molten bath softens and toughens the product, while higher proportions of the shale have a hardening effect. 3

' A somewhat similar effect is produced in the treatment of copper, except that in the case of copper-treatment from 1 to 5 .percent of the shale has been found to be sufficient. Castings made from copper thus treated are remarkably clean, free from blow-holes, pittings and the like and are considerably hardened. They are easily worked. Copper treatedas described is very much more dense than ordinary cast copper, and can be cast entirely solid without the usual addition of tin or other alloys. The copper castings are noticeably high in electrical conductivity.

It has been found that the addition of percentages of the shale to molten baths of alloys makes it possible to produce permanent alloys of much improved character and makes possible the production of alloys of metals which it has been impossible or exceedinglydifiicult heretofore to alloy. For example,

a mixture of approximately 60 percent copper and 40 percent lead if molten and treated 35 with from 5 to 15 percent of the shale,,produces a permanent alloy which is quite suitable for bearings and bushings. One of such bearings was tested without lubricant .under a load of} several hundred pounds to the square inch, at 350 R. P. M. WVhen the shafting smoked and cold water was applied,

the bearing did not freeze to the shaft and tions.

the following values were obtained at intervals of fifteen minutes, as indicated.

' Coefii- Tem R. P Load Load cient pera- M on 9? of ture of ournal sq..1n. ournal friction journal Pounds F. 15 minutes 208 2, 500 357 18. 9 .0076 138 15 minutes 209 3, 000 429 18. 25 0061 145 15 minutes 208 3, 500 v 500 16. 9 0047 161 15 minutes 208 4, 000 571 '27. 4 0009 174 15 minutes 207 4, 500 1 643 42. 5 0094 180 Desirable efiects are produced with almost any practical proportions of copper and lead; and, if desired, proportions of other metals may be added to impart specific properties, such as hardness in the case of antimony. i v

Copper alloys prepared as describedare not readily attacked by ammonia and are therefore suitable for bearings and other parts in ammonia and refrigerating plants. They also resist attack by weak acid solumelting scrap brass with proportions of the shale within the ranges mentioned,

products cast therefrom are not only materially strengthened but are capable of withstanding high water-pressure.

The use of the substance referred to as an addition agent in the preparation of leadcopper alloys not only enables these metals easily to be alloyed, but the alloys are permanent, that is, the metals will not segregate on re-melting.

Successive re-melt ngs have no separatlng effect on the alloyed condition of the component metals; in fact such re-meltings have proved beneficial.

Another useful application of my invention is in cupola practice. I have found that the addition of from 1 to 15 percent by weight tothe charge of iron, for example, and coke or other fuel in the cupola furnace not only produces the improvements and characteristics referred to above with regard to plain melting of scrap iron or the like in the batch to which the shale has been directly added, but that the effect of the flux or agent permeates the superincumbent charges toan appreciable extent; so much so that the foundrymen will recognize the product at once on casting and machining. The vapors evolved in the heating process therefore carry to some extent the active substance of the shale, although of course the effect is most noticeable in the portion of the charge to which the flux has been directly added. The cupola treatment softens the texture, fiber or grain of the metal, toughens the same and strengthens the casting, producing in effect a casting similar to a wrought or malleable iron; at the same time practically eliminating and freeing the 'same from any oxygen, nitrogen or other deleterious elements, thus producing a solid, sound casting free from blowholes or other imperfections.

Relative to the extent to which the treatment described improves the metal, I may state that the average transverse strength of good cast iron is in the neighborhood of from 2500 to 2900 pounds, whereas cast iron made in accordance herewith tests from 3600 to 4500 pounds per square inch transverse strength.

The improvements noted as to treated cast iron are equally obtained in the treatment of steel.

It has also been found that the use of this particular species of shale as a flux in tempering and welding operations has decidedly advantageous effects. For instance, it has been found that the presence of some of this material in tempering steel materially toughens the metal. contacted with from one to five percent of the shale as heretofore described for uses in welding metals such as brass to brass and copper to copper produces a joint which is a true weld, without the use of any other flux, and which is strong and smooth.

Molten cast iron when contacted with from four to six percent vof'the shale as heretofore described for uses in welding cast iron to cast iron produces, without the use of any other flux, a'joint which is exceptionally strong and easily machined and which. is practicallyfree from pittings or gas holes.

It is possible that the shale may be used to produce alloys of difiicultly alloying metals other than those mentioned, and it is also undoubtedly possible to weld other metals than those mentioned by proceeding in a similar manner. The examples given herein are believed to be sufficiently illustrative.

By employing from 5 to 10 percent of the shale in the preparation of lead alloys the melting point of the latter is materially increased.

I do not know at the present time exactly What tlhxafl'ect is due to, but I believe that it results from a compound reaction between certain of the constituents and possibly the isolation of some unknown material which acts, perhaps catalytically, to ho-mogenize and condense the metal in its presence.

An average analysis of tliis'shale shows its composition to be about as follows:

Molten copper when It is possible that the shaleof other deposit's which will efiect the results mentioned will vary considerably inproportions in the majority of ingredients mentioned, but the above is an average analysis of the particular shale in the region described.

The Various analyses which have been made show losses on ignition varying from 15 to 31 percent. It is possible that some of the substances thus lost on ignition play an important partin the mechanism of the reaction which occurs. This theory is borne' out in part by the fact that the upperdayers of the charge in a cupola orsimilar-furnace undergo improvement which is quite noticeable, although the shale itself is added and confined to the lowermost portion of the charge.

Of course the slag which is formed upon melting is removed before or upon pouring.

Metals, particularly impure scrap iron,

when treated as described, lose weight to some extent, probably due to the scavenging l. The method of improving metals which comprises contacting the same in heated state with a composition substantially identical with the carbonaceous shale found in the northern central portion of Emory County,

Utah, south of Price River and Desert Lake. 2. The method of improving metals which comprises contacting the same in molten state ,with a composition substantially identical with the carbonaceous shale found in the northern central portion of Emery County, Utah, south of Price River and Desert Lake.

3. The method of improving metals which comprises melting the same and introducing thereinto a composition substantially identi cal with the carbonaceous shalefound in the northern central portion of Emery County, Utah, south of Price River and DesertLake. 4. The method of improving alloys which comprises contacting the same in molten state with a composition substantially identical with the'carbonaceous shale found in the northern central portion of Emery County,

v northern central portion of Emery County,

Utah, south of Price River and Desert Lake. 6. The method of improving copper alloys which comprises contacting the same in molten state with a composition substantially identical with the carbonaceous shale found in the northern central ortion of Emery County, Utah, south of Price River and Desert Lake.

7. The method of improving alloys of copper and lead which comprises contacting the same in molten state with a composition sub- .stantially identical with the carbonaceous shale found in the northern central portion of Emery County, Utah, south of Price River and Desert Lake. I

8. The method of improving copper or copper alloys which comprises contacting the same in molten state with about from 1 to 15% byweight of a composition substantially identical with the carbonaceous shale found in the northern central portion 0 Emery County, Utah, south of Price River and Desert Lake. I

9. The method of improving copper or copper alloys which comprises melting the same and introducing thereinto from about 1 to. 15% by weight of a composition substantially identical with the carbonaceous shale. found in the northern central portion of Emery County, Utah, south of Price River and Desert Lake. 1

10. The method of per-paring permanent alloys in which the component metals will not segregate on remelting which "comprises contacting the same in molten'state with about from-"5 to 15% by weight of a composition substantially identical with the carbonaceous shale. found in the northern central portion of Emery County, Utah, south of Price River and Desert Lake' 11. The method of making bearings or the like which comprises contacting the component metals inmolten state with a composition substantially identical with the carbonaceous shale found in the northern.cen-

tral portion of Emery County, Utah, south of Price River and Desert Lake, and casting the metal into shape in suitable dies.

12. The method of making hearings or the like which comprises preparing a molten bath of copper and lead, introducing thereinto a composition substantially identical with the carbonaceous shale found in the northern central portion of Emery County, Utah, south of Price River and Desert Lake and casting the metal into shape in suitable dies.

13. The method of making self-lubricating hearings or the like which comprises contacting a body of copper and lead in molten state with a composition substantially identical with the carbonaceous shale found in the northern-central portion of Emery County, Utah, south .of Price River and Desert Lake, introducing thereinto graphite, and

casting the metal into shape in suitable dies.

14:. A dense, strong, hard, tough, tenacious,

bendable, highly electrically conductive and machinable cupriferous product prepared by contacting scrap or inferior copper-containing metal in molten state with from about 1 to 15% by weight of a composition substantially identical with the carbonaceous shale found in the northern central portion of Emery County, Utah, south of Price River and Desert Lake.

15. As a new product, casting copper exhibiting the physical characteristics of wrought metal, produced by subjecting molten casting copper to the influence of a heated composition substantially identical with the carbonaceous shale found in the northern central portion of Emery County,-Utah, south of Price River and. Desert Lake.

16. The method of raising the melting point of alloys of copper and lead which comprises contacting the metal in molten state with about from 5 to 15% by weight of a composition substantially identical with the carbonaceous shale found in the northern central portion of Emery County, Utah, south of Price River and DesertLake.

17. The method of materially hardening scrap or commercially pure copper which comprises contacting the same in molten state with about from 5 to 15% by weight of a composition substantially identical with the carbonaceous shale found in the northern central portion of Emery County, Utah, south of Price River and Desert Lake.

18. An alloy consisting essentially of lead and copper, the copper being present in excess of the lead, and containing a small residue of shale such as is found in the northern central portion of Emery County, Utah, south of Price River and Desert Lake, said residue resulting from the contacting of said shale with molten metal during the formation of the alloy. I

19. A lead-copper alloy containing approximately forty per cent by weight of lead, sixty per cent by weight of copper, and a small residue of shale suc I as is found in the northern central portion of Emery County, Utah, south of Price River and Desert Lake, said residue resulting from the contacting of such shale with molten metal during. the formation of the alloy.

20. The method of improving copper or copper alloys which comprises contacting the same in molten state with about 2 to 15% by weight of a composition substantially identical with the carbonaceous shale found in the northern central portion of Emery County, Utah, south of Price River and Desert Lake.

21. As new products, improved metals and alloys produced by subjecting metals and alloys in heated state to the influence of a composition substantially identical with the carbonaceous shale found in the northern central portion of Emery County, Utah, south of Price River and Desert Lake.

22. As new products, improved metals and alloys produced by contacting metals and alloys in molten state with a composition subf, I affix my signature.

er s. FISHER.