US2052714A - Alloy and method of making the same - Google Patents

Description

Patented Sept. 1, 1936 .."-T'-f:, 1 wn-Es "ST-Ares PATENT OFFICE.

ALLOY AND 'METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME Friedrich Kempka, New York, N. Y., assignor of one-half to Edward VanHoofstadt, North ValleyStreani, Long Island, N. Y.

No' Drawing. Application April 10, 1934,

Serial No. 719,852

2 claims. (01. 148-2) Thisinventiomrelatesprimarily to an alloy of ample, as mild steels, nickel steel, tool steel or cast iron and a metal-derived from or containing practically any other steel or other alloy which iron, and especially usef l inpatching or repairmay be considered best suited forthe particular ing othertmetalszderived from or containing iron. purpose for which the alloy is to be used. I have 5 One object of the invention is to provide an found,however, that very satisfactory results can 5' 'all'oy which maybe worked conveniently at relabe had'b'y' using a cheap mild steel in the interest tivlyLlow temperatures and'may be-applied to of economy. Thus I may take, e. g., one-half wornicr brokenparts'insucnmanner as to form pound of mild steel. This together with onean economical repair, so constituted that the half ounce of borax and preferably one-quarter repair thus provided is more durable than the ounce of copper are fused together in the same 10 original material and'canibe accomplished for a manner as the first step of the process and the relatively small fraction of .thecost of a replacemolten material is permitted to fall in the form ment part. of drops or globules into the water as before to One practical illustration of the method of form the product of the second step of this forming the alloy of this invention :is as follows. process. 15 As a:first step, apply sufficient temperature to Having obtained separately and independently say, one pound of cast iron, in the presence of two distinct products from the first and second one ounce of borax, .tocause the cast iron to flow steps of the process, these two products are meltsufiiciently to bring about a fusing together of ed together with the addition of an appropriate the boraxand cast iron. The iron 'used ingrayflux, say, one ounce of borax in a crucible or in 0 iron castings works very well for this purpose. any other suitable manner and to a temperature The temperature applied should be sufficient to wherein they will thoroughly admix with one ancause this fusing, but should be maintained as other. During this third step of the method, I low as possible while still bringing about this repreferably employ accompanying agitation of the sult. I have obtained very satisfactory results mass in order to get a thorough admixture of the 5 through the use of an acetylene flame applied to constituents. This agitation may be obtained by the iron and borax in such manner that, as the a flame ormechanically, as may be desired, but heatmelts the iron and fuses it with the borax, in this third step of the method, 'as well as in the fused mass drops out of the zone :of the the prior steps, the temperature must be kept as 0 flame, so that there is not -a too prolonged or low as possible, for if too high a temperature is 3'0 excessive heating. The fused mass is permitted used, the resulting end product becomes so hard to drop into water and forms :globules or drops that it cannot be worked and'cannot be softened of different sizes, although, in practice, the heatexcept by prolonged annealing.

ing may be carried'on in an electric or other fur- After the constituents of the first and second nace, so controlled as to cause the fusing restepsare thoroughly admixed in the third step, 3 ferred to without excessive heating andthe fused as'stat'ed, theresulting admixture is run out into material may be removed in a-crucible or othersuitable molds for the purpose of forming the wise, and thereafter poured into 'water. The endproductof the process. The resulting alloy purpose of dropping the fused material into material is hard and brittle and can .be shaped 40 water is primarily to eliminate impurities from by tools only after heat treatment to soften the 40 the material and this may be accomplished in same. any other equivalent way known to the art if I have expressly referredto the employment of desired. 1 copper and'have described aproportion of aboutB The globulesor drops obtained when dropped per cent, by weight, of the mildsteel used, i. e.,

into water may be in difierent sizes or may be between. 1 and 2 per cent of the entire mass. 45 reheated and cast in appropriate molds, if pre- This copper I prefer to employ because I fin'd'that ferred, but it-is'thoroughly satisfactory and conit assists in making the resulting alloy free'fiowvenient to leave them in the condition in which i'ngand that the alloy works better with the copthey are initially formed for further use. They per therein. 3 per cent copper, as stated, gives constitute the basis of .the alloy of this invention, an economical composition and a thoroughly sat- 50 and are the product'of the first step of the isfactory one in practice. I'may, however, use process. less or dispense with the copper :entirelyif a very As a second stepin the process, I fuse together hard brittle alloy is desired, or I may use slightly in substantially the same maner as in the first more copper than stated, but as the percentage step the materials which are tobe alloyed with of copper is increased, there is a decrease'in the 55 the product of the first step. These materials hardness of the final product and if too much may vary without departing from the invention, copper is added, the copper tends'to separate durbut they embody in every instance a metal deing'the welding operation and accumulate .as a rived from or containing iron. A wide variety surface shell for the resulting weld. The copper of such metals may be employed, such, for extherefore should be kept down to a point beyond the manner described not use as a material for the which this formation of a shell will not occur if a hard surface is desired in the'final product.

The alloy of the present invention resulting from the novel steps hereinbefore enumerated may be used in various ways, but is particularly useful as a patching material. As such, it may be applied to worn or broken parts through'the em-' ployment of an acetylene torch or any other suitable source of heat, following substantially the technique of the welding artwith certain'exceptions. That is to say, the material is used like ordinary welding rod and is applied in the same manner. It is built up to the desired extent over the part to be repaired or patched and at temperatures sufiicient to produce a proper weld,'but not so high as to overheat. In other words, the material should be heated no more than necessary to obtain a proper weld. After the alloy has been applied, as stated, the assembled parts should be permitted to slowly cool. The cooling should be relatively slow and should not be speeded up. It is preferably accomplished in the absence of drafts and if desired may be controlled by ovens or otherwise, so that return to room temperature is slowly brought about. When thus cooled, the alloy material added is relatively soft. It can be worked with tools, files, cutters, etc., and thus shaped and proportioned to the desired form and dimensions.

raised to a temperature of approximately cherry red and immediately quenched, preferably in Water. My experience has shown that the higher the temperature the harder the product and thus the temperature during this step will be used as desired. During this last heating and quenching step, there is practically no deformation or distortion of the metal, so that if parts have been properly machined to shape and size, they will remain so through the last mentioned step. After hardening as stated, the material is so hard that it cannot be worked with file or tools although it may be polished with appropriate polishing materials if desired. Nevertheless it is of appreciably greater hardness than any of the separate materials which have entered into its manufacture and will withstand wear and vibration almost indefinitely. It is notable, however, that the material does not possess, in finished hardened form, any appreciable degree of ductility. It has a tendency to fracture if stretched above a relativelylow elastic limit. It commends itself particularly for use in patching and like manufacturing or repair operations because of the economy of its manufacture and application and by reason of the remarkable hardness and resistance to wear of the finished job.

The alloy of the present invention does not possess any great degree of inherent tensile strength and is thus not intended primarily for manufacture of small parts. If the parts are relatively large and rugged, however, the alloy may be so used, but I have found in practice that where the material in my invention is backed up or used upon a foundation of some other metal, from which it can derive its inherent strength, it is highly satisfactory for manyuses and particularly those where a high resistance to wear is of primary importance.

I have applied the alloy of this invention in only to cast iron, but

stated, a very after the alloy etc., for it is V to readily permit of efficient shaping in this way. For example, the alloy made up of cast iron, mild steel and copper in the proportions hereinbefore to a wide variety of steels and'irons and I have found that when applied to these other metals or alloys by welding operations, as hereinbefore satisfactory bond is obtainable.

I have hereinbefore referred to the fact that of this invention has been applied to another metal and allowed to cool slowly, that it can be readily worked with cutting tools, files, of a sufficient degree of softness stated has been found, when in such relatively soft workable condition, to have, as shown by various tests, a Rockwell hardness (C scale) of between 35 and 45, whereas when hardened and in its final form for use as a wear resistant, it has been found to possess a Rockwell hardness of from 51 to 57.- When it is borne in mind that the well known Stellite has a 57 Rockwell hard ness, some indication maybe hadof the remarkable hardness of which the alloy of this invention is capable in its finished condition and this accounts largely for its great ability to withstand wear. I

In the foregoing detailed description, I have set forth the preferred manner of practising the present invention. I have set forth the various steps of the process whereby the alloy is com-' pounded. I have described the alloy and I have described a method whereby said alloy may be used to produce wear resisting parts of a high degree. The invention embodies the foregoing aspects severally, as well as collectively, and is to be understood as fully commensurate with the appended claims;

Having thus fully described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters 1 Patent is:

1. The process which consists in the following steps, utilizing substantially the proportions state-d; namely, fusing togetherone pound of cast iron and 1 ounce of borax to form one product, fusing together 1/ pound of mild steel and ounce of borax to produce. a second product, then fusing together the first and second products with an additional 1 ounce of borax, and permitting the combined product to cool to room temperature, thereafter welding a quantity of this combined product to an independent metallic body in the presence 'of a borax flux to add to said body a massof said combined product and allowing said mass to slowly cool to room temperature, thereafter machining the applied mass to the desired shape and size, thereafter heating said applied mass to a hardening temperature and thereupon quenching the said applied mass.

2. The herein described process which consists in fusing together cast iron and borax, separately fusing together mild steel and boraX, then'fusing together the resulting two products with the addition of further borax to provide a combined product, thereafter welding a quantity of the combined product to a separate metallic body to form a mass of said combined product thereon and allowing the same'to slowly cool to room temperature, thereafter working the applied mass to the desired shape and dimension with appropriate tools, thereafter raising the temperature 'of the thus worked applied mass to a hardening