Abstract: Billets and methods for manufacturing them are disclosed. The billets include a cladding member including an alloy selected from the group including stainless steel, nickel-chrome, nickel-copper, and copper-nickel alloys, and a steel body that is positioned so that it has an interface with the cladding member, the steel body having a formation in which the scavenging metal is located and elements being provided for separating the scavenging metal from the cladding member at the interface.

Abstract: A method is disclosed of producing a billet which can be heated and rolled or otherwise worked with conventional equipment to form a product with a steel core and a cladding of an alloy including stainless steel, nickel-chrome, nickel-copper or copper-nickel. For a product such as corrosion resistant reinforcing bar, the billet includes a solid steel core inserted in a tube of the alloy on which swaging operations are carried out, decreasing the transverse size of discrete portions of the tube. The part of the tube interfacing with the steel body may be swaged, increasing the length of the tube and decreasing the transverse size of the steel body at the interface. To prevent oxidation of chrome and other metals in the tube, one or more briquettes of scavenging metal are inserted in the parts of the tube that project clear of an end of the core.

Abstract: A billet includes a solid steel body and an alloy cladding. The cladding may include a square tube in which the body is inserted with an interface at which the cladding becomes bonded to the body when the billet is heated and rolled or otherwise worked into a ferrous product. At least one element composed of a mass of finely divided scavenging aluminium, titanium or magnesium, is placed in the tube adjacent the body and separate from the interface. The elements are advantageously compressed into briquettes which scavenge oxygen from residual air at the interface to prevent oxidation of the cladding at the interface. The tube may be closed to prevent gases outside the billet from penetrating to the interface. Alternatively, reliance may be placed on the briquettes to scavenge oxygen from the residual air and also from atmospheric air and furnace gases before they can penetrate to the interface.

Abstract: A billet includes a solid steel body and an alloy cladding. The cladding may include a square tube in which the body is inserted with an interface at which the cladding becomes bonded to the body when the billet is heated and rolled or otherwise worked into a ferrous product. At least one element composed of a mass of finely divided scavenging aluminum, titanium or magnesium, is placed in the tube adjacent the body and separate from the interface. The elements are advantageously compressed into briquettes which scavenge oxygen from residual air at the interface to prevent oxidation of the cladding at the interface. The tube may be closed to prevent gases outside the billet from penetrating to the interface. Alternatively, reliance may be placed on the briquettes to scavenge oxygen from the residual air and also from atmospheric air and furnace gases before they can penetrate to the interface.

Abstract: A method is disclosed of producing a billet which can be heated and rolled or otherwise worked with conventional equipment to form a product with a steel core and a cladding of an alloy including stainless steel, nickel-chrome, nickel-copper or copper-nickel. For a product such as corrosion resistant reinforcing bar, the billet includes a solid steel core inserted in a tube of the alloy on which swaging operations are carried out, decreasing the transverse size of discrete portions of the tube. The part of the tube interfacing with the steel body may be swaged, increasing the length of the tube and decreasing the transverse size of the steel body at the interface. To prevent oxidation of chrome and other metals in the tube, one or more briquettes of scavenging metal are inserted in the parts of the tube that project clear of an end of the core.

Abstract: A billet includes a solid steel body and an alloy cladding. The cladding may include a square tube in which the body is inserted with an interface at which the cladding becomes bonded to the body when the billet is heated and rolled or otherwise worked into a ferrous product. At least one element composed of a mass of finely divided scavenging aluminium, titanium or magnesium, is placed in the tube adjacent the body and separate from the interface. The elements are advantageously compressed into briquettes which scavenge oxygen from residual air at the interface to prevent oxidation of the cladding at the interface. The tube may be closed to prevent gases outside the billet from penetrating to the interface. Alternatively, reliance may be placed on the briquettes to scavenge oxygen from the residual air and also from atmospheric air and furnace gases before they can penetrate to the interface.

Abstract: Methods (and products produced by the methods) are disclosed for sealing the cut end of a concrete reinforcing bar or other long product that comprises a core of mild steel or other corrosion susceptible metal and a cladding of stainless steel or other corrosion resistant metal bonded to an axially extending outer face of the core. The methods include the steps of providing a cap of corrosion resistant material, and shaped for mounting on the cut end of the long product with the exposed portion of the core enclosed by the cap. The cap has a skirt that overlies the cladding adjacent the cut end. A seal is formed in various ways between the skirt and the cladding. The seal may be formed by filling the space between the cut end and the cap with resinous sealant inserted in the cap before it is mounted over the cut end.

Abstract: A method of producing a corrosion resistant ferrous product is disclosed. The product is produced by rolling a heated billet which comprises a mass of mild steel swarf in a stainless steel jacket. Two reducing agents are present in the jacket when the billet is heated. The first reducing agent is in the form of powdered aluminum, titanium turnings or other metal having a greater affinity for oxygen than chrome and which promotes the formation of CO rather than CO2 from air or oxygen which enters or evolves in the billet above about 800° C. The second reducing agent is in gaseous or vapour form substantially below that temperature. The second reducing agent may be provided by premixing with the swarf such substances as ammonium chloride or urea, which dissociate to form reducing gases when heated. Alternatively, the billet can be heated in a reducing furnace and the gas in the furnace may act as the second reducing agent.

Abstract: A method is disclosed of producing a corrosion resistant product from a billet comprising a core of finely divided ferrous swarf compacted into briquettes in a stainless steel jacket and in which the billet is heated to a temperature at which it becomes sufficiently plastic to be worked into a finished or semi-finished product by an operation such as rolling. An additive is pre-mixed with the swarf which, when the billet is heated, reacts to form an atmosphere inside the jecket which displaces or prevents the formation of carbon dioxide and/or other gases which at elevated temperatures would oxidise the stainless steel to form chrome oxides at the interface between the jacket and the core. The additive is preferably in powder form. Examples of suitable additives include urea and ammonium chloride.