Arc welding electrode and process for stainless steel

Claim 2

The invention according to claim 1 in which said fluoride comprises from 95 to 0 weight percent calcium fluoride.

Claim 3

The invention according to claim 1 in which said metal derivative has a basic or amphoteric molten oxide form, the combination of the molten oxide from said metal derivative and the molten form of said slag-forming component being basic or amphoteric.

Claim 4

The invention according to claim 1 in which said filler includes an additional derivative of a metal, different from said first mentioned derivative of metal, having a basic or amphoteric oxide form when molten whereby to impart to said slag-forming material, at the temperature of weld formation, a freezing temperature no higher than the freezing temperature of said weld, and whereby the molten form of said slag-forming material is basic or amphoteric.

Claim 5

The invention according to claim 1 in which said slag-forming first component comprises titanium dioxide and said metal derivative comprises manganese dioxide.

Claim 6

The invention according to claim 1 in which said slag-forming first component comprises titanium dioxide and said metal derivative comprises zirconium dioxide.

Claim 7

The invention according to claim 6 in which said filler includes zirconium dioxide as an additional metal derivative.

Claim 8

The invention according to claim 6 in which said filler includes calcium carbonate as an additional metal derivative.

Claim 9

An arc welding electrode comprising a hollow tube of steel, said electrode being formulated with one or more alloying metals in amount sufficient to form a stainless steel weld of desired composition, said tube having as filler: slag-forming material including a slag-forming first component and, as a second component, a derivative of metal having an oxide form when molten different from said first component and soluble in said slag; said steel tube having a diameter of 0.045 to 0.30 inches, the weight ratio of said filler to said steel tube being 0.2/1 to 1.5/1 and the weight ratio of said slag-forming to said alloying metals being 0.15/1 to 0.65/1; the components of said filler being chosen so that said filler, or fusion or decomposition derivative thereof has an equilibrium moisture content at 70* F and 90 percent relative humidity of less than 2.0 weight percent; said filler including a fluoride, or a fusion or decomposition derivative thereof, in at least an amount corresponding to the level of moisture content of said filler as defined by the line A-B of FIG. 2 in the accompanying drawing, said fluoride comprising 5-100 weight percent of a compound selected from lithium fluoride, sodium fluoride, barium fluoride, magnesium fluoride, aluminum fluoride, potassium silicofluoride, sodium silicofluoride, and combinations thereof.

Claim 10

The invention according to claim 10 in which said slag-forming material is fused into vitreous particles.

Claim 11

The invention according to claim 10 in which said metal derivative has a basic or amphoteric molten oxide form, the combination of the molten oxide from said metal derivative and the molten form of said slag-forming component being basic or amphoteric.

Claim 12

The invention according to claim 10 including an additional derivative of a metal, different from said first mentioned derivative of metal, having a basic or amphoteric oxide form when molten whereby to impart to said slag-forming material, at the temperature of weld formation, a freezing temperature no higher than the freezing temperature of said weld, and whereby the molten form of said slag-forming material is basic or amphoteric.

Claim 13

The invention according to claim 10 in which said slag-forming first component comprises titanium dioxide and said metal derivative comprises manganese dioxide.

Claim 14

The invention according to claim 10 in which said slag-forming first component comprises titanium dioxide and said metal derivative comprises zirconium dioxide.

Claim 15

The invention according to claim 14 including zirconium dioxide as an additional metal derivative.

Claim 16

The invention according to claim 14 including calcium carbonate as an additional metal derivative.

Claim 17

The invention according to claim 10 in which said fluoride comprises from 95 to 0 weight percent calcium fluoride.