Abstract: In a self-sharpening blade having a cutting edge, the combination comprising a layered structure, the structure including a relatively harder first layer with relatively higher wear resistance extending to the blade cutting edge, and the structure also including a second layer characterized by relatively lesser hardness and lesser wear resistance and located at one side of the first layer.

Abstract: A multi-purpose folding tool which features inwardly tapered handles to provide external plier jaw storage, thereby leaving greater room for supplemental tool storage inside the handles, a box-beam handle construction for greater strength, downwardly opening handles to facilitate ease of use, a unique supplemental tool locking and release mechanism, and laminated plier jaws which are riveted together for even greater strength and overall integrity.

Abstract: Knife blades having exceptionally sharp cutting edges are formed from wafers of monocrystalline silicon using known semiconductor processing technology. In one embodiment, an elongated ridge having a flat top covered by an etchant mask is etched to undercut the mask and to shape the ridge side walls to inwardly converge towards the ridge tip. The mask is removed and a sharp ridge apex is provided by a series of oxide forming and oxide stripping processes. Individual knife blades of silicon, each comprising a ridge having a sharp cutting edge, are shaped from the wafer. In another embodiment, the silicon wafer is etched entirely through between top and bottom surfaces to form a tapered etched wall intersecting the bottom wall at a highly acute edge. The edge is sharpened by the oxide forming and oxide stripping process to form a cutting edge in the completed blade. In both embodiments, various etch masks and etching procedures are used for providing blades of various shapes.

Abstract: A multi-purpose folding tool which features inwardly tapered handles to provide external plier jaw storage, thereby leaving greater room for supplemental tool storage inside the handles, a box-beam handle construction for greater strength, downwardly opening handles to facilitate ease of use, a unique supplemental tool locking and release mechanism, and laminated plier jaws which are riveted together for even greater strength and overall integrity.

Abstract: A coating material such a TiN, Ti(CN), or (TiAl)N is deposited onto the blade edge region of a steel knife blade blank by a cathodic arc process using linear deposition sources with simultaneous heating and rotation of the blade blank relative to the deposition sources. The blade edge region may be sharpened or unsharpened prior to deposition of the coating material. If the blade edge region is unsharpened prior to deposition, it is thereafter sharpened, preferably on one side only.

Abstract: A preform element, such as a cutting element for a drag-type drill bit, includes a facing table of superhard material having a front cutting face, a peripheral surface, and a rear surface bonded to a substrate which is less hard than the superhard material. The rear surface of the facing table is integrally formed with a plurality of protuberances, such as ribs or studs, which project into the substrate. The depth to which the protuberances project into the substrate varies in irregular manner across the facing table, so as to inhibit the propagation of cracks across the substrate to the rear of the facing table.

Abstract: A method of fabricating rotary bits for subterranean drilling by layering techniques such as are employed in rapid prototyping technology. Thin layers of powder may be sequentially deposited and fused or otherwise bonded to define the bit body, or thin sheets of material may be stacked, bonded and cut. Bit body components may also be formed by the method and subsequently assembled with other components made in like manner or by other methods to produce a bit body. Bits fabricated according to the method are also disclosed.

Abstract: A metal cutting insert is made by sintering an insert body and coating the sintered insert body with a conventional coating. Subsequently, a supporting surface of the insert is ground smooth while removing the coating therefrom. The supporting surface of the insert is thereby formed by an uncoated, smoothly ground surface of the sintered body.

Abstract: A method of producing laminated plastic tooling suitable for use in forming sheet material by techniques such as stretch forming, hydroforming, etc. The detailed overall method comprises the steps of designing the desired tool configuration (typically by computer-aided design), machining a suitable tool baseplate, cutting plastic boardstock into suitably sized boards, trial stacking the boards to the general tool configuration, determine that stack has the correct dimensions, unstacking and cleaning the board surfaces, restacking with an adhesive between all abutting boards with clamping as necessary, curing the adhesive, machining the stack to the required configuration under numerical control, sand the shaped tool to the desired surface smoothness, check the tool with a coordinate measuring machine and coat the tool with any desired surface coating, such as an anti-chafe coating. The resulting tool is highly accurate and is capable of long-term production use.

Abstract: A method of making a structure having a plurality of serrations on a surface is provided wherein each serration is positioned at a specific location along the surface, has first and second sides with specific lengths, and has effectively zero radius internal and external corners. In detail, the method comprising the steps of: providing a plurality of sheets of material having opposed principal surfaces, each said sheet having a thickness equal to the specific thickness of one of the first sides of the serrations; stacking said plurality of sheets of material in a staggered relationship such that said thicknesses of said sheets of material are in an order corresponding to the order of the first sides of the serrations and the distance between the ends of the adjacent ends of said sheets of material are in an order corresponding to the second sides of the serrations; and joining said stacked plurality of sheets of material together forming a joined stack with at least one end having a serrated surface thereon.

Abstract: This invention is directed to a dieboard comprising a rigid core of a plastic material, such as polyurethane, having a polyurea-cellulose composite secured to its opposed major surfaces. The polyurea-cellulose composite imparts substantial dimensional stability to the laminated dieboard. A layer of a liquid impermeable material, such as a film, can be secured to the outer major surfaces of the dieboard. By making this outer layer of a light color, such as white, the projection of CAD or hand-drawing slotting templates onto the dieboard surface is facilitated.

Abstract: A rotary diamond tool for truing a grinding wheel, comprising one or two circular vapor-deposited base plates each having a thin diamond layer formed by a vapor deposition process such as electron assisted chemical vapor deposition or direct current plasma chemical vapor deposition. The diamond truing tool is further provided with a pair of backup plates brazed on both side surfaces of the one or two circular vapor-deposited base plates so that the stiffness of the diamond truing tool is increased.

Abstract: A process for manufacturing tooling, e.g., molds, from individual laminations which when stacked in the proper sequence and bonded together define a forming surface. In producing a mold, cut-outs are made by a 4 or 5-axis cutting means in the individual laminations to provide the shaping surface and optionally passageways adjacent the surface through which a heat transfer medium can be made to circulate. Also, selected ones of the laminations may be spaced in the thickness dimension of the mole to provide communication between the mold cavity and a source of pressurized air or vacuum, or the atmosphere.

Abstract: A method of making replicas of a master stamping die having a master die pattern in relief comprises first making a negative mold of the master stamping die. The mold has a negative mold cavity pattern corresponding to said master die pattern. One or more layers of die forming material is electrodeposited on the negative mold to create a replical die electroform having a cavity pattern like the mold cavity pattern. A thin electrically insulative shield is formed which has a opening pattern having generally the outline of the electroform cavity pattern. The shield is laminated on the replica die electroform with the opening pattern aligned with the electroform cavity pattern. A die material is electrodeposited into the electroform cavity pattern through the opening pattern in the shield to fill the electroform cavity pattern.

Abstract: A steel rule die is disclosed having strengthening layers bonded to the die board to stiffen the die board against flexing during handling, while alleviating the tendency to loosen the steel rule during handling and enhancing the durability of the die. KEVLAR graphite fiber fabric is impregnated and bonded to either face of the die board with epoxy resin.

Abstract: The invention relates to a blank for a tool die, made of compound steel with a core of high speed steel and a surrounding ring of a different steel, said ring bringing about a prestress in the core. According to the invention, the prestress is due to the fact that the core consists of a high speed steel powder which has been compacted to full density, that the ring consists of a steel alloy, the residual austenite transformation to martensite and consequent volume increase of which is zero or considerably less than the residual austenite transformation to martensite of the high speed steel after the same heat treatment, and that the blank has been hardened and tempered to create in the core a compression stress as a result of the obstruction by the surrounding ring of the volume increase of the core.The invention relates also to a method for manufacturing such blanks. A high speed steel powder is filled into a thick-walled pipe, said pipe consisting of a steel different from high speed steel.

Abstract: A shaper cutter includes a conical body having teeth formed around its periphery and further includes a thin wafer disposed against the face of the body and formed with peripheral cutting teeth which lie against the teeth of the body, the teeth of the wafer serving to cut a workpiece and being backed by the teeth of the body. The wafer is bonded to the face of the body by a high strength adhesive which may be heated to destroy the bond and enable removal and replacement of the wafer when the cutting teeth thereof become worn. As a result of bonding the wafer directly to the body, there are no clamps creating axial interference ahead of the wafer and, in addition, lateral deflection of the wafer teeth during cutting is reduced.

Abstract: Metal-working dies which are typically made of steel are provided with substantially enhanced life by receiving a plasma-sprayed refractory metal coating which is subsequently compacted under conditions of minimum shear stress. The number of working cycles which can be obtained from a die before it is necessary to rework the die can be improved by as much as 3500%.

Abstract: A forming tool made from resins and fillers for the cold forming of sheet metal and especially suitable for forming short runs of sheet metal parts with drop hammers, hydraulic presses or mechanical crank presses, the filler being a mixture of iron filled resin and an aggregate; the aggregate being a lightweight by-product of the steel making process.

Abstract: The cutting edge for a sheet material dispensing carton has a plastic portion bonded to the paperboard material forming the carton. When the carton blank is formed, the plastic and paperboard are cut concurrently to form one edge of the blank. The paperboard and plastic material forming the teeth of the cutting edge are compressed to increase the sharpness of the cutting edge teeth.

Abstract: An improved band saw blade for crafting the interior of a workpiece without defacing its periphery. A planar blade is provided having mating ends. Means located in the mating ends of the blade allow the blade to be threaded through the interior of the workpiece then joined to achieve a belt-like operational configuration.