Patents by Inventor Harold D. Claytor

Harold D. Claytor has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Abnormal grain growth suppression in Al alloys
    Patent number: 11578395
    Abstract: The present invention provides a process for suppressing abnormal grain growth in friction stir welded aluminum alloys by inserting an intermediate annealing treatment (“IAT”) after the welding step on the article. The IAT may be followed by a solution heat treatment (SHT) on the article under effectively high solution heat treatment conditions. In at least some embodiments, a deformation step is conducted on the article under effective spin-forming deformation conditions or under effective superplastic deformation conditions. The invention further provides a welded article having suppressed abnormal grain growth, prepared by the process above. Preferably the article is characterized with greater than about 90% reduction in area fraction abnormal grain growth in any friction-stir-welded nugget.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AS REPRESENTED BY THE ADMINISTRATION OF NASA
    Inventors: Stephen J. Hales, Harold D Claytor, Joel A. Alexa
  • Abnormal Grain Growth Suppression in Al Alloys
    Publication number: 20190017157
    Abstract: The present invention provides a process for suppressing abnormal grain growth in friction stir welded aluminum alloys by inserting an intermediate annealing treatment (“TAT”) after the welding step on the article. The TAT may be followed by a solution heat treatment (SHT) on the article under effectively high solution heat treatment conditions. In at least some embodiments, a deformation step is conducted on the article under effective spin-forming deformation conditions or under effective superplastic deformation conditions. The invention further provides a welded article having suppressed abnormal grain growth, prepared by the process above. Preferably the article is characterized with greater than about 90% reduction in area fraction abnormal grain growth in any friction-stir-welded nugget.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2018
    Publication date: January 17, 2019
    Inventors: Stephen J. Hales, Harold D. Claytor, Joel A. Alexa
  • Abnormal Grain Growth Suppression in AL Alloys
    Publication number: 20150329948
    Abstract: The present invention provides a process for suppressing abnormal grain growth in friction stir welded aluminum alloys by inserting an intermediate annealing treatment (“IAT”) after the welding step on the article. The IAT may be followed by a solution heat treatment (SHT) on the article under effectively high solution heat treatment conditions. In at least some embodiments, a deformation step is conducted on the article under effective spin-forming deformation conditions or under effective superplastic deformation conditions. The invention further provides a welded article having suppressed abnormal grain growth, prepared by the process above. Preferably the article is characterized with greater than about 90% reduction in area fraction abnormal grain growth in any friction-stir-welded nugget.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2015
    Publication date: November 19, 2015
    Inventors: Stephen J. Hales, Harold D. Claytor, Joel A. Alexa