Abstract: The invention is a weld metal for welding of a titanium alloy member to a ferrous based alloy member as an intermediate transition zone between such members so as to overcome the metallurgical imcompatability of each such member, and which consists of a vanadium metal, titanium and iron and inconsequential amounts of brittle intermetallic compounds. The preferred weld metal is vanadium rich and contains no more than 50% combined weight of titanium and such a weld metal is produced in accordance with our invention by fusion welding, particularly capacitor discharge welding, which because of its inherent but heretofore unrecognized extremely fast quench or freeze rates will produce a fusion weld between these two metallurgically incompatible alloys which is free of brittle intermetallic compounds. It is also part of our invention that such a weld metal of the aforesaid composition will have independent use as a welding alloy, particularly when fabricated in sheet form.

Abstract: A method for joining individual pieces of material together includes the steps of heating the pieces to be welded together, at least one of which consists of a metal matrix with a relatively low melting point and a reinforcement material distributed therein, the reinforcement having a relatively high melting point. The other piece may be a similar metal matrix composite, or may be a metal or alloy which is to be joined to the first piece. The pieces are heated to a temperature which is above the melting points of the metals and below the melting point of the reinforcement. The pieces so heated are brought into contact with one another and then cooled to a temperature below the melting points of the metals. One technique for practicing the method of the invention is that of capacitor discharge welding.

Abstract: A method for electroslag welding of railroad rails under field conditions employs a special mold bottom member and a special guide tube structure. The mold bottom member includes a metallic insert which is supported by heat-insulating means, e.g. ceramic material in a cavity in a bottom copper block. The ceramic effectively heat insulates the insert from the copper block so when arcing takes place at the start of the welding, the heat is retained by the insert, which forms part of the weld. The guide tube structure is flared toward the bottom and guides two continuously fed electrodes. The structure includes wing-like members near its bottom end. The bottom of the structure is designed wth sharp corners, so that when arcing takes place some of the guide structure metal melts to form a uniform layer of molten metal, which aids in the melting of flux into a slug bath of uniformly distributed temperature.