Patents Assigned to Usinor
  • Publication number: 20020169060
    Abstract: Roller designated for the transfer of a metal strip within a continuous annealing furnace, consisting of a driving shaft encased in a collar which bears the strip, characterized in that at least the collar is manufactured of a composite material such as carbon-carbon fiber (CCF) or silicon carbide-silicon carbide (SiC—SiC).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 6, 2002
    Publication date: November 14, 2002
    Applicant: USINOR
    Inventor: Herve Dietsch
  • Patent number: 6454861
    Abstract: The coating plant includes a device for running a sheet to be coated along a traveling path past a window for the evaporation or sublimation of elements A an B, sources for the evaporation or sublimation of elements A and element B placed successively in a direction parallel to the traveling path so as to emit elements A and B through the window and a screen for reducing the angle of emission from the source of element B below the limit represented by an entry edge of the window, the screen being mounted so as to move translationally perpendicular to the traveling path and to move along the traveling path between the source of element A and the source of element B so as to obtain either a -A-AB-A- or a -B-AB-B- coating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2002
    Assignee: Usinor
    Inventors: Daniel Chaleix, Patrick Choquet, Alain Lamande, Colin Scott, Christophe Olier
  • Patent number: 6447590
    Abstract: An aqueous composition containing at least 2% by weight of pregelatinized starch and, as an emulsion, at least 1% or vegetable wax or oil, preferably chosen from carnauba wax, jojoba oil and candelilla wax. Also a process for applying a layer of this composition and in drying it so as to obtain a dry film having; a surface density of between 1 and 2.5 g/m2. Treating a metal surface with the composition provides temporary corrosion protection and prelubrication.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2002
    Assignee: Usinor
    Inventors: Ronald Kefferstein, Lothaire Scherer
  • Patent number: 6419004
    Abstract: A mold for hot-top vertical continuous casting of metals includes a feed head (8) made of a thermally insulating refractory material which surmounts a cooled copper crystallizer (9) and is internally aligned with a cooled copper element (14) of the cooled copper crystallizer (9) in order to define a calibrating passage for the cast metal. The copper element (14) is formed by an assembly of plates, some of which, termed “large walls”, are each held against a reinforcing backplate (16) to which it is rigidly fastened by a clamp (22), the shape of which is elongate in the width direction of the large wall and which goes over the top of the large wall and its associated backplate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2002
    Assignee: Usinor
    Inventors: Jean-Marc Jolivet, Roger Kraemer, Hervé Morand, Cosimo Salaris, Jacques Barbe
  • Publication number: 20020079050
    Abstract: Process for manufacturing metallic strip for packaging comprising strip steel covered on at least one of its faces with a coating containing a sub-layer of tin and an external film of polymer, according to which:
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2001
    Publication date: June 27, 2002
    Applicant: USINOR
    Inventor: Daniel Fousse
  • Patent number: 6398286
    Abstract: Motor-vehicle bonnet having a torsional strength greater than or equal to 5 N/mm and a flexural strength greater than 55 N/mm, comprising: an external shell (1; 1′; 1″) made of laminated composite sheet comprising two external facings made of steel sheet and a core of uniform thickness made of polymer material; internal reinforcing means (2; 3, 3′; 8) fastened to the said shell, the weight of which is less than 40% of the total weight of the bonnet. Bonnet which is at once lightweight, strong and inexpensive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2002
    Assignee: Usinor
    Inventors: Jean-Marc Devin, Francis Schmit, Olivier Brun, Pascal Deprez
  • Patent number: 6387535
    Abstract: Sheet having a multilayer structure, called a sandwich sheet, composed of two rolled metal skins which are joined together by a core, in which sheet the core contains a stainless steel wool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2002
    Assignee: Usinor
    Inventor: Marc Mantel
  • Patent number: 6374902
    Abstract: The process is characterized in that, before starting casting, an initialization position is determined for the stopper rod control actuator when the stopper rod is resting on its seat under its own weight and after having filled the tundish equipped with this stopper rod, the actuator is operated to place it in a controlled superclosed position and, to start casting, the actuator is driven according to an imposed movement versus time law, time (t1) for start of casting being determined from this law and the control actuator continues to be driven in opening direction to enable the metal to flow into the ingot mould.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2002
    Assignees: Usinor, Thyssen Stahl Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Luc Vendeville, Yann Breviere, Georges Mercier, Gilles Fellus, Michel Abi Karam, Yves René Leclercq
  • Patent number: 6361677
    Abstract: The plant comprises: an electrolysis cell (1″) having a soluble anode (2″1) and an insoluble cathode (3″) without an interposed membrane, means for introducing the bath into the cell and for removing the bath from the cell, means for maintaining an appropriate bath density gradient in the said cell so that, if D1 is the density of the bath in the vicinity of the cathode and if D2 is the density of the bath in the vicinity of the anode, (D2−D1)>100 g/l. Associated process. By virtue of the densitometric separation, the dissolved metal is not redeposited on the cathode and the overall dissolution yield is improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2002
    Assignee: Usinor
    Inventors: Bernard Fritzinger, Marc Sardoy
  • Patent number: 6358338
    Abstract: The invention relates to a process for producing strip made of an iron-carbon-manganese alloy, in which: a thin strip, having a thickness of 1.5 to 10 mm, is cast directly on a casting machine from a liquid metal of composition, in percentages by weight: C ranging between 0.001 and 1.6%; Mn ranging between 6 and 30%; Ni≦10% with (Mn+Ni) ranging between 16 and 30%; Si≦2.5%; Al≦6%; Cr≦10%; (P+Sn+Sb+As)≦0.2%; (S+Se+Te)≦0.5%; (V+Ti+Nb+B+Zr+rare earths)≦3%; (Mo+W)≦0.5%; N≦0.3%; Cu≦5%, the balance being iron and impurities resulting from the smelting; the said strip is cold rolled with a reduction ratio ranging between 10 and 90% in one or more steps; and the said strip undergoes recrystallization annealing. The invention also relates to a strip that can be produced by this process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2002
    Assignee: Usinor
    Inventors: Nicolas Guelton, Michel Faral, Odile Faral
  • Patent number: 6354363
    Abstract: The invention concerns an ingot mould comprising in succession, in the direction for extracting the metallic product to be cast (7): a preheater (5) made of noncooled refractory material acting as reservoir for the melting metal to be cast and a standard cooled tubular metal element (6) for solidifying the metal. A slot (18) for injecting the shearing gas (for example Ar) is arranged between the preheater (5) and the metal clement (6) so as to emerge on the ingot mold internal periphery. The injection slot comprises means (17) for reducing the gas flow in each of the ingot mold angles, preferably formed by obstructing elements. The invention enables to reduce, even eliminate, defects encountered along the edges of the solidified cast products.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2002
    Assignees: Usinor, Societe Anonyme des Forges et Acieries de Dilling
    Inventors: Eric Perrin, Gèrard Perrin, Cosimo Salaris, Howard Weisseldinger
  • Publication number: 20020007556
    Abstract: Process for producing a motorized land vehicle wheel, in general having a wheel disk and an essentially cylindrical rim, the wheel disk being obtained from a blank plate of specific thickness subjected to several shaping operations, and composed of an essentially flat central part having an opening that serves to center and attach the wheel to the vehicle's axle hub, an essentially conical interior riser, another inverted conical part that defines, with the interior riser, a curved tip that has a large radius of curvature, the inverted conical part terminating in a flanged edge used to join the disk to the rim, a process characterized in that during the forming operation of the flanged edge, the plate is laminated in such a way as to preserve or reduce the thickness of the base plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2001
    Publication date: January 24, 2002
    Applicant: USINOR
    Inventors: Guy Marron, Alain Sbroggio
  • Patent number: 6328826
    Abstract: The invention provides a method of fabricating “TRIP” steel in the form of thin strip, wherein: a strip from 1.5 to 10 mm thick, preferably from 1 to 5 mm thick, is cast directly from liquid steel having the composition (in weight percent) C % from 0.05 to 0.25, (Mn+Cu+Ni) % from 0.5 to 3, (Si+Al) % from 0.1 to 4, (P+Sn+As+Sb) % not greater than 0.1, (Ti+Nb+V+Zr+rare earths) % less than 0.3, Cr % less than 1, Mo % less than 1, V % less than 1, the remainder being iron and manufacturing impurities; said strip is hot rolled on-line in one or more passes at a temperature higher than the Ar3 temperature of said steel and with a reduction ratio from 25 to 70%; first forced cooling of said strip is carried out at a cooling rate from 5 to 100° C./s; the strip remains at temperatures from 550 to 400° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2001
    Assignee: Usinor
    Inventors: Thierry Iung, Odile Faral, Michel Faral, Michel Babbit, Christophe Issartel
  • Patent number: 6148901
    Abstract: A plant for the continuous casting of metal strip (13) between two, internally cooled, counterrotating rolls (1, 1') with horizontal axes, the surfaces (2, 2') of which define a casting space (3) which is closed off laterally by two refractory side walls (4, 4') provided with means for pressing them, at least intermittently, against the ends (5, 5', 5", 5'") of said rolls (1, 1'), and having a shroud (6) which overhangs the casting space (3), horizontal clearances ".epsilon." being provided between said side walls (4, 4') and said shroud (6), wherein said side walls and/or said shroud include means for reflecting, throughout the casting run, the radiation emanating from the portions (16) of said liquid metal (9) which lie in the immediate vicinity of said side walls (4, 4') back onto the surface (8) of the liquid metal (9) present in said casting space (3), preventing said radiation from penetrating said horizontal clearances ".epsilon.".
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2000
    Assignees: Usinor, Thyssen Staiti Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Jean-Michel Damasse, Paul Victor Riboud
  • Patent number: 6106638
    Abstract: The subject of the invention is a process for manufacturing ferritic stainless steel strip, in which a strip of a ferritic stainless steel, of the type containing at most 0.12% of carbon, at most 1% of manganese, at most 1% of silicon, at most 0.040% of phosphorus, at most 0.030% of sulfur and between 16 and 18% of chromium, is solidified, directly from liquid metal, between two close-together, internally-cooled, counterrotating rolls with horizontal axes, wherein said strip is then cooled or left to cool so as to avoid making it remain within the austenite to ferrite and carbides transformation range, wherein said strip is coiled at a temperature of between 600.degree. C. and the martensitic transformation temperature Ms, wherein the coiled strip is left to cool at a maximum rate of 300.degree. C./h down to a temperature of between 200.degree. C. and ambient temperature and wherein said strip then undergoes box annealing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2000
    Assignee: Usinor
    Inventors: Philippe Paradis, Philippe Martin
  • Patent number: 6096441
    Abstract: An austenoferritic stainless steel with high tensile elongation includes iron and the following elements in the indicated weight amounts based on total weight:carbon<0.04%0.4%<silicon<1.2%2%<manganese<4%0.1%<nickel<1%18%<chromium<22%0.05%<copper<4%sulfur<0.03%phosphorus<0.1%0.1%<nitrogen<0.3%molybdenum<3%the steel having a two-phase structure of austenite and ferrite and comprising between 30% and 70% of austenite, whereinCreq=Cr %+Mo %+1.5 Si %Nieq=Ni %+0.33 Cu %+0.5 Mn %+30 C %+30 N %and Creq/Nieq is from 2.3 to 2.75, and whereinIM=551-805(C+N)%--8.52 Si %--8.57 Mn %--12.51 Cr %--36 Ni %--34.5 Cu %--14 Mo %,IM being from 40 to 115.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2000
    Assignee: USINOR
    Inventors: Jean-Michel Hauser, Herve Sassoulas
  • Patent number: 6092700
    Abstract: The subject of the invention is a nozzle (1) for introducing a liquid metal into a mold for the continuous casting of metals, of the type comprising a tubular first part (2), one end of which is intended to be connected to a vessel containing said liquid metal and the other end of which emerges in a hollow second part (4) of elongate shape, at least one portion of the internal space (3) of which is oriented approximately perpendicular to said tubular first part (2), said hollow part (4) having an outlet (5, 6) at each of its ends, as well as one or more outlet orifices (7-17) provided in its bottom (18) and/or its lateral walls, a bar provided with holes (22, 22', 23-34) being placed in the internal space (3) of said hollow part (4) so that the liquid metal necessarily passes via said holes (22, 22', 23-34) before passing through said outlet orifices (7-17), wherein said bar (19, 38, 39, 41, 43) includes, on at least one portion of the width of its upper face, a raised part (20, 37, 42, 44) whose top lies alo
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2000
    Assignees: Usinor, Vesuvius France
    Inventors: Fabienne Orihel, Bernard Goncalves, Laurent Gacher, Frederic Descaves, Johan Richaud
  • Patent number: 6086689
    Abstract: Process for manufacturing a foil of ferritic stainless steel having a high aluminum content, which can be used in particular for a catalyst support in a motor-vehicle exhaust, wherein a ferritic stainless steel sheet of the following composition:0.005%<carbon<0.060%10%<chromium<23%0.1%<aluminum<3%0.003%<nitrogen<0.030%0.1%<manganese<2%0.1%<silicon<2%rare-earth elements in a proportion of between 0.03% and 0.15%, is subjected to:plating between two sheets of aluminum in order to obtain a laminate, rolling the laminate to a thickness of 0.03-0.25 mm to form a foil, static diffusion annealing the foil in a hydrogen atmosphere, and finish rolling greater than 20%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2000
    Assignee: Usinor
    Inventors: Herve Sassoulas, Jean-Marc Herbelin, Jean-Michel Hauser, Frederic Moser
  • Patent number: 6082437
    Abstract: A side wall is provided for closing off the casting space of a plant for the continuous casting of metal strip between two counterrotating rolls which define a nip area and have horizontal axes, of the type including an upper edge, a lower edge, and a face that defines part of a casting space. The wall includes a lower part for preventing cracking in the side wall adjacent to the nip area that includes a recess filled with a refractory. Preferably, the refractory enclosed by the recess is a material having a lower hardness than the refractory forming the balance of the wall, and high thermal insulation properties.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2000
    Assignees: Usinor, Thyssen Stahl Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Jean-Michel Damasse, Dominique Themines, Paul-Victor Riboud, Christophe Ganser
  • Patent number: RE37214
    Abstract: A side dam assembly for a continuous casting apparatus for continuously casting thin steel strips between casting rolls. The side dam assembly has a side dam for bearing directly against the rolls of the casting apparatus for preventing leakage of molten metal therebetween. The side dam is attached by a pair of belts to an insulating refractory plate which is carried by a cooled panel. To allow axial motion, one of the belts is not rigidly affixed to either the insulating refractory plate or the side dam. The cooled panel is carried by a thrust plate and is urged toward the rolls by biasing elements which preferably comprise a plurality of pistons urged outwardly from the thrust plate by springs. Preferably, the biasing elements are constructed and arranged so that they are distributed over a zone of shape corresponding to that of the side dam and are capable of exerting on the side dam thrust forces independently of one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2001
    Assignees: Usinor, Thyssen Stahl Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Jacques Barbé, Luc Vendeville, Pierre Delassus