Abstract: A powdered material and a process for producing the material are disclosed. The powdered material consists essentially of refractory metal based spherical particles and is essentially free of elliptical shaped material and elongated particles having rounded ends. The process for making the spherical particles involves mechanically reducing the size of a starting material to produce a finer powder which is then entrained in a carrier gas and passed through a high temperature zone at a temperature above the melting point of the finer powder to melt at least about 50% by weight of the powder and form the spherical particles of the melted portion. The powder is then directly solidified.

Abstract: A powdered material and a process for producing the material are disclosed. The powdered material consists essentially of titanium based spherical particles which are essentially free of elliptical shaped material and elongated particles having rounded ends. The material has a particle size of less than about 50 micrometers. The process for making the spherical particles involves mechanically reducing the size of a starting material to produce a finer powder which is then entrained in a carrier gas and passed through a high temperature zone above the melting point of the finer powder to melt at least about 50% by weight of the powder and form spherical particles of the melted portion. The powder is then directly solidified.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for producing fine spherical powder particles. The process involves forming a relatively uniform admixture of a starting powder material and a flowability aid, the flowability aid being non-reactive with and coarser than the starting material, entraining the admixture in a carrier gas and passing the admixture through a high temperature zone at a temperature above the melting point of the starting material to melt at least about 50% by weight of the starting material, resolidifying the resulting high temperature treated material, and separating the flowability aid from the balance of the high temperature treated material.

Abstract: A powdered material and a process for producing the material are disclosed. The powdered material consists essentially of light metal based spherical particles which are essentially free of elliptical shaped material and elongated particles having rounded ends. The process for making the spherical particles involves mechanically reducing the size of a starting material to produce a finer powder which is then entrained in a carrier gas and passed through a high temperature zone above the melting point of the finer powder to melt at least about 50% by weight of the powder and form spherical particles of the melted portion. The powder is directly solidified.

Abstract: Methods of, and equipment for, protecting selected parts of a component against overheating while the component is being thermally treated.

Abstract: A powdered material and a process for producing the material are disclosed. The powdered material consists essentially of iron group based and chromium based spherical particles. The material is essentially free of elliptical shaped material and elongated particles having rounded ends. The material has a particle size of less than about 20 micrometers. The process for making the spherical particles involves mechanically reducing the size of a starting material to produce a finer powder the major portion of which has a particle size of less than about 20 micrometers. The finer powder is entrained in a carrier gas and passed through a high temperature zone at a temperature above the melting point of the powder to melt at least about 50% by weight of the powder and form the spherical particles of the melted portion. The powder is then directly solidified.

Abstract: A method and a bath agent for forming a carbide or diffusion layer on the surface of an article to be treated by immersing the article in a molten salt bath. The salt bath comprises borax, at least one oxide of a surface layer forming element (SFE) selected from the group consisting of an oxide of a Va-Group element of the Periodic Table and an oxide of chromium, and aluminum. The amounts of the SFE-oxide and of aluminum to the whole amount of the bath are 9.5 to 21.5 wt% and 4 to 7.5 wt%, respectively. The treating method provides the extended life of the bath, the facilitation of washing off the bath agent adhered to the treated article, etc.

Abstract: A process for surface hardening a ferrous article such as an aircraft engine rocker lever shaft includes the steps of creating a nitrocarburized oxide layer atop the ferrous core, and subsequently creating a nitrogen enriched case between the oxide layer and the ferrous core. The article is exposed at a first elevated temperature to a mixture of an inert carrier gas, ammonia, carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide, and thereafter exposed to the carrier gas and ammonia at a second elevated temperature higher than the first temperature. The article formed by the process has a ferrous core covered by a case of nitrogen enriched, institially hardened steel over the core, and a complex nitrocarburized oxide layer atop the case. The complex nitrocarburized oxide layer includes a lower portion comparable to a conventional epsilon nitride or white layer, and an upper porous oxide zone. The upper porous oxide zone is preferably infused with an extreme pressure oil or a liquid polytetrafluoride material.

Abstract: A process for preventing transverse displacement of metal strip comprises correcting a shape of metal strip into flat form prior to the travel of the metal strip into a continuous annealing furnace when continuously annealing the metal strip in the furnace under a condition of LSD.gtoreq.100 (representing a product of line speed and strip gauge).

Abstract: This invention relates to a composite material comprising an in-situ precipitated second phase in an intermetallic matrix, and to the process for making such a composite.

Abstract: This invention relates to a process for making composite materials involving the in-situ precipitation of second phase particles in a metal matrix, and the products thereof. The process involves the use of initial compound materials as a source of second phase-forming reactants in the production of metal-second phase composites. The composites produced may comprise distributions of either single or multiple second phase materials. Exemplary initial compound precursors include boron nitride, boron carbide, boron oxide, aluminum nitride, aluminum carbide, aluminum boride, iron oxide and copper oxide.

Abstract: A method for improving residual stress in a circumferential weld zone of a piping and the like which includes preventing deformation of the weld zone, and causing a local expansion or contraction of a portion of the piping axially spaced from the weld zone thereby effecting a plastic working so as to increase or decrease the diameter of piping. The method can effectively be applied to apparatus and pipe system which are used in a corrosive environment and under action of a static or dynamic outer load.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for the direct heat treatment of a medium- to high-carbon steel rod in which the formation of martensite is prevented, even if the starting billet contains segregation. A hot-rolled rod is transported on a conveyor in the form of a sequence of non-concentric rings. The rod is then subjected to controlled cooling in a coolant so that the greater part of any austenite in the entire length of the rod is substantially uniformly transformed to a fine pearlite structure. The sequence of non-concentric rings of the rod is next held at a temperature of 450.degree.-630.degree. C. for a period of 60-300 seconds, with the pitch between each ring being made smaller than at the inlet of the conveyor. Accordingly, a pearlite transformation is effected of any residual austenite.

Abstract: Process in which there are injected a carrier gas and a hydrocarbon capable of producing, at conventional carburizing temperatures, an atmosphere of predetermined composition having a nominal concentration of carbon monoxide, a door of the furnace being opened with a given periodicity to permit the passage of a charge to be carburized, the opening of this door resulting in particular in an increase in the concentration of the oxidizing species in the atmosphere of the furnace. According to the invention, the concentration of carbon monoxide of the atmosphere injected into the furnace is increased with the same periodicity so as to compensate for the increase in the concentration of the oxidizing species of the furnace and thus maintain the carbon potential of the carburizing atmosphere of the furnace substantially constant throughout the duration of the carburization of the workpieces of the charge.

Abstract: A nitride layer is formed on the surface of a shaped article of titanium by a method which comprises bringing nitrogen gas into contact with the shaped article of titanium in a heated state. The nitrogen gas, en route to the site of contact with the shaped article of titanium, is preparatorily caused to come into contact and react with small particles of titanium so as to be deprived of such extraneous components as hydrogen and oxygen and consequently converted into pure nitrogen gas. This pure nitrogen gas is introduced into contact with the shaped article of titanium in a heated state to effect the nitriding of the surface of the shaped article. An apparatus to be used in effecting the nitriding treatment by the method of this invention is also disclosed.

Abstract: Steel wires W are `patented` by heating in a furnace 6 to the austenitization temperature and then cooled to a range in which austenite is transformed into pearlite by passing the wires through a water cooling device 1. This cooling device comprises a tank 2 through which very pure water is continuously circulated at a temperature of at least 85.degree. C. The high purity of the water permits very stable film boiling conditions to occur on the surface of the wire resulting in a soft pearlite structure of excellent drawability.

Abstract: A process for producing a Ti-containing Nb.sub.3 Sn composite superconductor which comprises working a composite composed of a Cu matrix, a Sn core placed centrally of the matrix and Nb cores disposed around the Sn core and heat-treating the worked composite, said Sn core containing 0 to 30 atomic % of Ti and said Nb cores containing 0.1 to 5 atomic % of Ti on an average.

Abstract: An injection apparatus for introducing fluid material, such as a reactive element to a molten metal bath while resisting undesired oxidation. The injection apparatus consists of a body assembly having a chamber defined therein, and inlet and outlet passageways communicating with the chamber which cooperate to define a passageway therethrough. The lower end of the outlet extends below the surface of the molten metal bath. Purging gas is introduced through a gas inlet and provide a substantially purged atmosphere throughout the molten metal passageway. The atmosphere in the passageway is purged in order that the fluid material can be safely introduced into the molten bath. The injection apparatus is readily assembled and disassembled by means of a unique clamping device employed with the body assembly.

Abstract: The invention is an oxalloy consisting essentially of about 5 to about 57 weight percent magnesium or aluminum and about 0.5 to about 10 weight percent of one or more alloying materials selected from the group consisting of B, Al, Si, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Ge, As, Zr, Nb, Mo, Ru, Rh, Pd, Ag, Cd, Ga, In, Sn, Sb, Hf, Ta, W, Re, Os, Ir, Pt, Au, Tl, Pb, Bi, Th, and rare earths; and the remainder oxygen.The invention also includes a method for forming the above oxalloys and a substrate coated with the oxalloys of the present invention.

Abstract: A layer of a nitride or carbonitride containing at least one of chromium, Group Va elements, titanium and zirconium is formed on the surface of an iron alloy material which has been nitrided. The layer is formed by heating the iron alloy material at a temperature not exceeding 700.degree. C. with a material containing at least one of chromium, Group Va elements, titanium and zirconium and a treating agent. It is a dense layer bonded tightly to the iron alloy material. As a low temperature not exceeding 700.degree. C. is employed, no large amount of heat energy is required, nor is any thermal strain produced in the iron alloy material.