Method of producing a ferrous metal article infiltrated with a cuprous infiltrant

Claim 1

THE METHOD OF PRODUCING A COMPOSITE FERROUS METAL ARTICLE OF HIGH STRENGTH WHICH COMPRISES COMPACTING AND FORMING FERROUS PARTICLES CONTAINING LESS THAN ABOUT .25% CARBON INTO A SHAPED SINTERED POROUS SKELETON HAVING A SUFFICIENTLY LOW CARBON CONTENT SO THAT WHEN SAID SKELETON IS QUENCHED FROM A RAISE TEMPERATURE IT EXHIBITS A RELATIVELY HIGH DEGREE OF SOFTNESS AND IS READILY GIVEN THE DESIRED SHAPE, INFILTRATING SAID SKELETON WITH A CUPROUS INFILTRANT CONTAINING AT LEAST 90% COPPER AND HAVING A MELTING TEMPERATURE LOWER THAN 1250* C., MAINTAINING THE SKELETON AND INFILTRANT AT A TEMPERATURE IN THE RANGE FROM ABOUT 1100* C. TO ABOUT 1250* C. AND ABOVE THE MELTING TEMPERATURE OF THE INFILTRANT FOR A PERIOD FROM ABOUT ONE TO SIX HOURS TO CAUSE DIFFUSION BETWEEN THE INFILTRANT AND THE SKELETON AND PENETRATION OF A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF CONSTITUENTS OF THE INFILTRANT SUBSTANTIALLY THROUGHOUT THE SKELETON PARTICLES, THEREAFTER COOLING THE INFILTRATED BODY AT A QUENCHING RATE TO GIVE SAID BODY A RELATIVELY HIGH DEGREE OF SOFTNESS, AND THEREAFTER HEATING THE QUENCHED BODY AT A TEMPERATURE BETWEEN ABOUT 300* AND 600* C. FOR A PERIOD FROM ABOUT ONE HOUR TO THREE HOURS FOR CAUSING INFILTRANT CONSTITUENTS DIFFUSED INTO THE SKELETON TO PRECIPITATE AND THEREBY MATERIALLY INCREASE THE STRENGTH OF SAID BODY.

Claim 2

THE METHOD OF PRODUCING A COMPOSITE FERROUS METAL ARTICLE OF HIGH STRENGTH WHICH COMPRISES COMPACTING AND FORMING FERROUS PARTICLES CONTAINING LESS THAN ABOUT .25% CARBON INTO A SHAPED SINTERED POROUS SKELETON HAVING A SUFFICIENTLY LOW CARBON CONTENT SO THAT WHEN SAID SKELETON IS QUENCHED FROM A RAISE TEMPERATURE IT EXHIBITS A RELATIVELY HIGH DEGREE OF SOFTNESS AND IS READILY GIVEN THE DESIRED SHAPE, INFILTRATING SAID SKELETON WITH A CUPROUS INFILTRANT CONTAINING AT LEAST 90% COPPER AND HAVING A MELTING TEMPERATURE LOWER THAN 1250* C., MAINTAINING THE SKELETON AND INFILTRANT AT A TEMPERATURE IN THE RANGE FROM ABOUT 1100* C. TO ABOUT 1250* C. AND ABOVE THE MELTING TEMPERATURE OF THE INFILTRANT FOR A PERIOD FROM ABOUT ONE TO SIX HOURS TO CAUSE DIFFUSION BETWEEN THE INFILTRANT AND THE SKELETON AND PENETRATION OF A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF CONSTITUENTS OF THE INFILTRANT SUBSTANTIALLY THROUGHOUT THE SKELETON PARTICLES, THEREAFTER COOLING THE INFILTRATED BODY AT A QUENCHING RATE TO GIVE SAID BODY A RELATIVELY HIGH DEGREE OF SOFTNESS, AND THEREAFTER HEATING THE QUENCHED BODY AT A TEMPERATURE BETWEEN ABOUT 300* AND 600* C. FOR A PERIOD FROM ABOUT ONE HOUR TO THREE HOURS FOR CAUSING INFILTRANT CONSTITUENTS DIFFUSED INTO THE SKELETON TO PRECIPITATE AND THEREBY MATERIALLY INCREASE THE STRENGTH OF SAID BODY.