Super strength steel alloy composition and product and process of preparing it

Claim 1

THE METHOD OF ANISOTROPICALLY STRENGTHENING AN ALLOY STEEL ARTICLE TO IMPART MAXIMUM STRENGTH IN A PRESELECTED DIRECTION OF SAID ARTICLE WITH RETENTION OF GOOD DUCTILITY, SAID ARTICLE BEING MADE OF A STEEL CONSISTING ESSENTIALLY OF ABOUT 0.35-0.6% CARBON, 3-7% NICKEL, 0.2-0.5% CHROMIUM, UP TO 2% EACH OF MANAGANESE AND SILICON, UP TO 0.5% MOLYBDENUM, UP TO 0.2% VANADIUM, UP TO 5% COBALT, UP TO 1% ALUMINUM, AND THE BALANCE SUBSTANTIALLY ALL IRON, SAID METHOD COMPRISING THE STEPS OF AUSTENITIZING SAID STEEL ARTICLE AT TEMPERATURE ABOVE 1400*F. AND THEREUPON QUENCHING AND TEMPERING AT ABOUT 350-600*F., THEREUPON PRESTRAINING SAID ARTICLE IN SAID PRESELECTED DIRECTION TO IMPART THERETO A PERMANENT DEFORMATION IN SAID DIRECTION OF ABOUT 1-6% OF THE ORIGINAL LENGTH OF SAID ARTICLE IN SAID DIRECTION, AND THEREAFTER STRAIN-AGING SAID ARTICLE BY HEATING AND HOLDING AT ELEVATED TEMPERATURE NOT SUBSTANTIALLY HIGHER THAN THE TEMPERATURE AT WHICH SAID ARTICLE WAS TEMPERED AND FOR A PERIOD REQUIRED TO IMPART A PRESELECTED COMBINATION OF STRENGHT AND DUCTILITY.

Claim 2

THE METHOD OF ANISOTROPICALLY STRENGTHENING AN ALLOY STEEL ARTICLE TO IMPART MAXIMUM STRENGTH IN A PRESELECTED DIRECTION OF SAID ARTICLE WITH RETENTION OF GOOD DUCTILITY, SAID ARTICLE BEING MADE OF A STEEL CONSISTING ESSENTIALLY OF ABOUT 0.35-0.6% CARBON, 3-7% NICKEL, 0.2-0.5% CHROMIUM, UP TO 2% EACH OF MANAGANESE AND SILICON, UP TO 0.5% MOLYBDENUM, UP TO 0.2% VANADIUM, UP TO 5% COBALT, UP TO 1% ALUMINUM, AND THE BALANCE SUBSTANTIALLY ALL IRON, SAID METHOD COMPRISING THE STEPS OF AUSTENITIZING SAID STEEL ARTICLE AT TEMPERATURE ABOVE 1400*F. AND THEREUPON QUENCHING AND TEMPERING AT ABOUT 350-600*F., THEREUPON PRESTRAINING SAID ARTICLE IN SAID PRESELECTED DIRECTION TO IMPART THERETO A PERMANENT DEFORMATION IN SAID DIRECTION OF ABOUT 1-6% OF THE ORIGINAL LENGTH OF SAID ARTICLE IN SAID DIRECTION, AND THEREAFTER STRAIN-AGING SAID ARTICLE BY HEATING AND HOLDING AT ELEVATED TEMPERATURE NOT SUBSTANTIALLY HIGHER THAN THE TEMPERATURE AT WHICH SAID ARTICLE WAS TEMPERED AND FOR A PERIOD REQUIRED TO IMPART A PRESELECTED COMBINATION OF STRENGHT AND DUCTILITY.