Patents Assigned to Crucible Inc.
  • Patent number: 4374075
    Abstract: A method for producing atomized metal particles, particularly of titanium-base alloys and superalloys, that are free from contamination by foreign material; this is achieved by providing a rod of the metal to be atomized and contacting an end portion of the rod with a plasma arc gas jet which simultaneously melts and atomizes the metal from the rod to form the atomized particles and preventing contamination of the particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 1981
    Date of Patent: February 15, 1983
    Assignee: Crucible Inc.
    Inventors: Charles F. Yolton, Thomas S. Cloran, Thomas W. Sloan
  • Patent number: 4359210
    Abstract: Apparatus for controlling furnace temperature particularly in an annealing furnace used for annealing elongated product, such as pipe and tubing, on a continuous basis. The apparatus includes a pyrometer used to produce an electrical signal proportional to the temperature of the workpiece immediately after heating by an induction coil in the furnace, means for comparing this electrical signal to a set point signal proportional to the desired temperature of the workpiece and if these signals differ a control signal is produced to either increase or decrease the power input to the induction coil to correspondingly increase or decrease the temperature of the workpiece to the desired temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 1981
    Date of Patent: November 16, 1982
    Assignee: Crucible Inc.
    Inventor: Curtis P. Peterson
  • Patent number: 4330912
    Abstract: A roll especially adapted for supporting alloy pipe and tubing during travel through an annealing furnace; the roll has a roll body constructed of at least one refractory casting mounted on a cooled shaft and having a reinforcing binder distributed substantially evenly throughout the refractory and a metal surface portion in surface contact with the pipe or tubing; there is no metal-to-metal contact between the cooled shaft and the metal surface portion of the roll body so that said surface portion is maintained at substantially the same temperature as the annealing furnace.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 1980
    Date of Patent: May 25, 1982
    Assignee: Crucible Inc.
    Inventor: Velvin E. Harris
  • Patent number: 4309159
    Abstract: An improved refractory nozzle for use with a tundish in the atomization of molten metal to produce metal particles for powder metallurgy applications. The nozzle is constructed from refractory material and has a metal sleeve surrounding the nozzle bore near the discharge end thereof but offset a distance from the bore. The metal sleeve minimizes cracking caused by the thermal gradient resulting from molten metal passing through the nozzle to heat the nozzle interior to a temperature higher than the nozzle exterior at the tip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 1980
    Date of Patent: January 5, 1982
    Assignee: Crucible Inc.
    Inventor: John F. Holic
  • Patent number: 4301991
    Abstract: A vertical, open-ended ingot mold assembly including a mold stool having a relieved portion machined in its base which machined relieved portion has a cavity therein produced by erosion during casting. The useful life of the mold stool is prolonged by providing a quantity of metal particles to fill the cavity and having a plate positioned over the cavity and metal particles, which plate is secured within the cavity by a ring that is within the relieved portion of the mold stool. This ring protects the periphery of the machined relieved portion from erosion during casting and also prevents the plate and metal particles from mingling with the cast metal. For each successive casting operation, the eroded cavity is filled with metal particles and a new plate is positioned thereover. Alternately, the use of metal particles may be avoided by using only a plate of a thickness sufficient to protect the remainder of the mold stool from erosion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 1979
    Date of Patent: November 24, 1981
    Assignee: Crucible Inc.
    Inventor: William M. Hyams
  • Patent number: 4276087
    Abstract: A powder-metallurgy produced, vanadium-containing, tungsten-type high-speed steel wherein hardness at elevated temperature is achieved without resorting to conventional, high cobalt contents. This is achieved by providing a critical amount of tungsten and/or molybdenum above that conventionally used in combination with vanadium and carbon in an amount sufficient to combine with the vanadium present and with an excess carbon to provide matrix strengthening. The high hardness and wear resistance at elevated temperature is imparted to the steel by the carbides of vanadium, tungsten and/or molybdenum. Columbium may be substituted for a portion of the vanadium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 1979
    Date of Patent: June 30, 1981
    Assignee: Crucible Inc.
    Inventors: Walter T. Haswell, William Stasko, F. Robert Dax
  • Patent number: 4249945
    Abstract: A powder metallurgy tool steel article for use in applications requiring high wear resistance having a carbide content of 10 to 18 volume percent of substantially all MC-type vanadium carbides, which carbides are substantially spherical and uniformly dispersed; the carbon content of the article is balanced relative to the carbide formers vanadium, chromium and molybdenum to provide an amount of carbon in the matrix of the article sufficient to permit the article to be heat treated to a hardness of at least 56 R.sub.c.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 1978
    Date of Patent: February 10, 1981
    Assignee: Crucible Inc.
    Inventors: Walter T. Haswell, August Kasak
  • Patent number: 4219357
    Abstract: This is a powder metallurgy method for producing fully dense compacted articles from powder charges of hydride-forming alloys, preferably titanium base alloys. The powder is hydrided, sealed in a collapsible container, heated to an elevated temperature and then hot compacted to produce a substantially fully dense article, which is then dehydrided, reheated and again compacted to remove any voids formed during dehydriding. The final article is characterized by relatively fine grain size and excellent formability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 1978
    Date of Patent: August 26, 1980
    Assignee: Crucible Inc.
    Inventors: Charles F. Yolton, Francis H. Froes
  • Patent number: 4140528
    Abstract: A nickel-base superalloy compacted fully dense article, produced by a powder metallurgy technique from prealloyed powder, said article being characterized by the absence of thermal induced porosity when heated at temperatures of at least 2200.degree. F and exhibiting improved superplastic behavior during forming operations, such as forging.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 1977
    Date of Patent: February 20, 1979
    Assignee: Crucible Inc.
    Inventors: John C. Hebeisen, Vernon R. Thompson
  • Patent number: 4139393
    Abstract: Compacted articles, such as molds and dies, may be produced by compacting an alloy particle charge of a composition from which it is desired to make the mold and die against a ceramic core having a configuration corresponding generally to the desired configuration of the article; the ceramic core of the invention is constructed from an admixture comprising rounded refractory oxide particles and a colloidal silica as a binding agent; preferably the rounded refractory oxide particles are zircon sand. Cores in accordance with the invention are readily cast into precision shapes required for mold and die manufacture and also are easily removable from the compacted alloy such as molds or dies to expose the mold or die cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 1977
    Date of Patent: February 13, 1979
    Assignee: Crucible Inc.
    Inventor: Vijay K. Chandhok
  • Patent number: 4126447
    Abstract: A high-temperature steel of chromium, nickel and tungsten modified with a lanthanum addition and balanced compositionally to provide a combination of good oxidation resistance and high temperature strength; chromium is present within the range of 19 to 22%, nickel is present within the range of 30 to 45%, tungsten is present within the range of 1 to 4% and lanthanum is present within the range of 0.02 to 0.25% with the lanthanum addition providing the oxidation resistance and the combination of elements being balanced to achieve structural stability and thus high strength at elevated temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 1977
    Date of Patent: November 21, 1978
    Assignee: Crucible Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas M. Costello, Jerome P. Bressanelli
  • Patent number: 4119765
    Abstract: A stainless steel welded article with excellent corrosion resistance, formability and notch toughness, such as welded tubing and the like, made from a columbium and/or titanium stabilized substantially fully ferritic stainless steel consisting essentially of, in weight percent, below 0.04 carbon, below 0.04 nitrogen, the sum of the carbon and nitrogen contents being above 0.006 and below 0.07, up to 1.0 manganese, up to 1.0 silicon, 23.0 to less than 28.0 chromium, 2.00 to 4.75 nickel, 0.75 to 3.50 molybdenum, and the balance iron and incidental impurities. When carbon plus nitrogen is in the range of 0.006 to 0.04, columbium in the amount of 0.05 to 0.70 may be used alone, but the columbium content must be at lest equal to eight times the carbon plus nitrogen content. When carbon plus nitrogen is in the range of 0.02 to 0.07, titanium in the amount of 0.12 to 0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 1977
    Date of Patent: October 10, 1978
    Assignee: Crucible Inc.
    Inventors: Kenneth E. Pinnow, Jerome P. Bressanelli
  • Patent number: 4094672
    Abstract: A method and container for hot isostatic compacting of powder metallurgy charges in a sealed container wherein the container may be both easily removed from the charge after compacting and preserved for subsequent reuse; this is achieved by providing a separating medium between the container interior and the powdered metal charge to prevent bonding during hot isostatic compacting, and removing the compacted charge from the container by introducing fluid under pressure to the container interior to expand the same away from the compacted charge and then providing an opening in the container, preferably at the end thereof, through which the compact is withdrawn.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 1975
    Date of Patent: June 13, 1978
    Assignee: Crucible Inc.
    Inventors: James N. Fleck, Richard C. Palmer, Charles L. Ruffner
  • Patent number: 4032337
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for the rapid, high-capacity pressurization of hot-isostatic pressing vessels, specifically of the type adapted for the hot-isostatic pressing of alloy shapes from powder metallurgy alloy charges. This is achieved by pressurizing with argon gas which is obtained by pumping cryogenic liquid argon at relatively low pressure to a relatively higher pressure and vaporizing said pumped liquid argon to produce said gas, which gas after use in the vessel for compacting is reclaimed and reliquefied for reuse.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 1976
    Date of Patent: June 28, 1977
    Assignee: Crucible Inc.
    Inventor: Charles B. Boyer
  • Patent number: 4009025
    Abstract: A stable, nonmagnetic austenitic alloy steel having extremely low magnetic permeability especially in the unannealed condition, and consisting essentially of, in percent by weight, carbon 0.35 to 0.45, manganese 14 to 16.5, phosphorus 0.05 max., sulfur 0.07 to 0.12, silicon 0.55 to 1.15, nickel 3.5 to 5.5, nitrogen 0.12 max., chromium, 0.50 max. and the balance iron and incidental impurities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 1976
    Date of Patent: February 22, 1977
    Assignee: Crucible Inc.
    Inventor: Robert T. Morelli
  • Patent number: 4009233
    Abstract: A method for producing metal and alloy particles from an article thereof wherein the article is first diffused with a source of gas, such as hydrogen, and then subjected to localized heating to melting temperature. Upon localized melting the diffused gas within the article is liberated to produce an atomizing effect upon the melted material. This atomized material is then cooled sufficiently rapidly to form discrete particles which are then collected for further use, such as in powder metallurgy applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 1976
    Date of Patent: February 22, 1977
    Assignee: Crucible Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas S. Cloran, Vernon R. Thompson, Russell C. Buehl
  • Patent number: 3992200
    Abstract: A method and assembly for producing compacted powder metallurgy articles wherein powdered metal of a composition corresponding to that desired in the article is introduced to a porous mold corresponding generally to the desired configuration of the article, the mold is placed in a container sealed against the atmosphere and having a secondary pressure media in solid, particle form therein and surrounding the mold. This assembly is heated to elevated temperature for compacting and compacted by the application of pressure to the assembly. The improvement of the invention comprises mixing with the secondary pressure media a reactive metal selected from the group consisting of titanium, zirconium, hafnium and mixtures thereof, which acts as a getter for impurities, such as oxygen and nitrogen, present in the secondary pressure media. This prevents oxide and nitride formation in the final compacted article.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 1975
    Date of Patent: November 16, 1976
    Assignee: Crucible Inc.
    Inventor: Vijay K. Chandhok
  • Patent number: 3992202
    Abstract: Method for producing a powder-metallurgy article having at least one aperture therein; the article is produced by providing a dense, nondeformable core having a configuration corresponding to the desired configuration of the aperture in said article; the core is placed in a particle charge having a composition corresponding to that desired in the article; the position of the core within the particle charge corresponds to the desired position of the aperture within the final compacted product. The core has a coefficient of thermal expansion greater than that of said article, whereby after compacting removal of the core from the article to create the aperture is facilitated. A separating medium may be used between the core and the powder. The asembly constituting the container, core and powder is hot isostatically compacted, and upon cooling the container and core are removed from the densified article.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 1974
    Date of Patent: November 16, 1976
    Assignee: Crucible Inc.
    Inventors: Edward J. Dulis, James N. Fleck, Joseph W. Powell
  • Patent number: 3957544
    Abstract: The present invention relates to high chromium ferritic stainless steels and more particularly to improving their chloride stress corrosion cracking resistance and weldability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 1974
    Date of Patent: May 18, 1976
    Assignee: Crucible Inc.
    Inventors: Kenneth E. Pinnow, Jerome P. Bressanelli
  • Patent number: 3940268
    Abstract: The production of rotor discs by bonding a plurality of fully dense, preformed blades to a hub of compacted alloy powder. The blades are embedded in the uncompacted powder and by the use of hot isostatic compacting the powder is compacted to full density to form the hub and the blades are bonded thereto simultaneously.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 1973
    Date of Patent: February 24, 1976
    Assignee: Crucible Inc.
    Inventor: John P. Catlin