Abstract: An aluminum torpedo piston is provided with a piston head fabricated from a etal matrix composite material composed of aluminum and silicon carbide fibers that are integrally joined by an inertial welding technique. A 23% weight of silicon carbide fibers to powdered aluminum was selected. Resistance to intense heating which would otherwise cause melting and erosion of the piston is avoided to permit longer, high speed runs.

Abstract: An improved method is provided for producing mechanically alloyed powders on a commercial scale comprising milling the components of the powder product in a gravity-dependent-type ball mill to produce a powder having a characteristic apparent density. Powder so produced will have reached an acceptable processing level and will meet one criterion for determining whether it will be suitable for further processing to the end product.

Abstract: A camshaft is prepared from separately formed cams and a shaft. The cams may for example be formed by sintering. The cams are provided with holes which are under-sized and are provided with serrations. They are located on a correspondingly shaped dummy shaft in their required relative orientations and angular positions. Next, the cams are clamped in these positions and the dummy shaft removed. The cams are then heated to red heat and the serrated holes in them broached to bring them to their final size and to concentricity. Finally, a shaft having an exterior profile corresponding to the shape and size of the broached profile of the holes, at ambient temperature, is introduced into the holes and the cams are then cooled so that they shrink fit on to the shaft so ensuring that they are accurately positioned on the shaft. The cams are then released from the jig to give a finished camshaft.

Abstract: A method of making preforms from brittle metals for brazing or hardfacing consists of pulverizing the metals into a powder, mixing the powder with a liquid vehicle to form a paste, passing the paste through a coated screen having an opening in the coating with the size and shape of the desired preform, depositing the output of the screen onto a substrate and thereby making the preform, heating the preform to evaporate the liquid vehicle, and removing the preform from the substrate. The opening in the screen coating is made by exposing a photo-sensitive film to light through a photographic negative or similar mask having the image of the preform and chemically removing a portion of the film to form an opening having the shape of the preform, the film being mounted on the screen either before or after such exposure.

Abstract: In a press (10) for briquetting loose ceramic powders into cohesive compacted articles, a shuttle (24) and shoe (26) is employed for receiving an inflow of loose powders and adapted for filling the die cavity with powder. Simultaneously the shoe (26) displaces an ejected briquetted article. The characteristics of the longitudinal movement of the shuttle (24), including its range, speed, and phase of movement, are controlled by a power shaft having a crank shaft (50) coupled to the power shaft through an adjustable plate (39). The adjustable plate (39) is angularly adjusted, and the pivot connection (48) between the crank shaft (50) and the center (54) of the adapter plate (39) is radially adjusted. The described adjustments regulate the range, speed, and phase of movement of the shuttle (24). Between the crank shaft (50) and the shuttle (24) is a rocker shaft (60), rocker arms (66, 68) and struts (76).