Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
29 words
A method of claim 1 in which the step of continuously and substantially completely solidifying a molten copper-base metal solidifies said molten copper-base metal in a substantially closed mold.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 1 in which said molten copper-base metal is solidified in a temporarily closed mold.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 1 in which said cast metal is hot-formed into a rod for subsequent drawing into tough pitch copper wire.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 1 in which said any of a plurality of temperatures is maintained by controlling the period of time between the first and the second of said steps.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 1 in which said any of a plurality of temperatures is varied within said range of temperatures to obtain a particular temperature of said cast metal.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method of claim 1 in which said molten copper-base metal is solidified in an elongated mold having a longitudinal axis by substantially uniform cooling of said molten copper-base metal about said longitudinal axis of said mold.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 7 in which said molten copper-base metal progressively moves along said longitudinal axis of said mold as it solidifies.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
109 words
A method of producing a hot-formed copper-base product having uniformly dispersed copper oxide inclusions comprising the steps of solidifying a molten copper-base metal in a temporarily closed mold to obtain cast metal having a dendritic structure, initiating the hot-forming of said cast metal while said cast metal is in substantially that condition in which solidification of said cast metal from a molten metal occurred by continuously maintaining said cast metal at a temperature which is within a range of temperatures for hot-forming said cast metal until hot-forming of said cast metal is initiated, and hot-forming said cast metal to substantially completely destroy said dendritic structure of said cast metal.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 9 in which said method includes feeding said cast metal to a means for hot-forming substantially immediately after said cast metal passes from a means for casting.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
117 words
A method of producing a hot-formed copper-base product having uniformly dispersed copper oxide inclusions, said method comprising the steps of continuously and substantially completely solidifying a molten copper-base metal in a substantially closed mold to obtain a cast metal having a dendritic structure, and of hot-forming said cast metal into a product, said hot-forming being initiated while said cast metal is in substantially that condition in which it solidified by continuously maintaining said cast metal between solidification of said cast metal and initiation of said hot-forming at a temperature which is within A range of temperatures for hot-forming said cast metal, and said hot-forming being such as to substantially destroy said dendritic structure of said cast metal.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
115 words
A method of producing a hot-formed copper-base product having uniformly dispersed copper oxide inclusions and a relatively uniform fine grain structure, said method comprising the steps of solidifying a molten copper-base metal to obtain a cast metal which has a dendritic structure and which is at a temperature within a range of hot-forming temperatures for said cast metal, of initiating the hot-forming of said cast metal while said cast metal is in substantially that condition in which it solidified, said condition being provided by continuously maintaining said cast metal substantially within said range until said hot-forming is initiated, and of subsequently hot-forming said cast metal to substantially destroy said dendritic structure of said cast metal.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
90 words
A method of producing a hot-formed copper-base product having uniformly dispersed copper oxide inclusions comprising the steps of continuously solidifying a molten copper-base metal in a temporarily closed mold to obtain a cast metal which has a dendritic structure and which is at a temperature in a range of hot-forming temperatures for said cast metal, of initiating the hot-forming of said cast metal before the temperature of said cast metal has decreased below said range of hot-forming temperatures and of hot-forming said cast metal to substantially destroy said dendritic structure.