Method of utilizing heat and pressure to cure flaws in metal pieces

Abstract

Abstract A COMPONENT TO HAVE A PASSAGEWAY OR PASSAGEWAYS THEREIN, FOR EXAMPLE FOR THE FLOW OF COOLING FLUID, IS FORMED IN TWO OR MORE PARTS WHICH FIT CLOSELY TOGETHER SO THAT ONE SURFACE OF ONE PART IS ADJACENT A SURFACE OF THE OTHER PART. AT LEAST ONE OF THE MATING SURFACES HAS GOOVES OR CHANNELS THEREIN WHICH ARE TO FORM THE PASSAGEWAYS FOR THE COOLING FLUID. THEREAFTER THE CHANNELS OR GROOVES ARE EVACUATED AND A VACUUM SEAL PROVIDED. ACCORDING TO ONE PROCESS OR METHOD THE PARTS HAVE EXTENDING LIPS WHICH ARE WELDED OR OTHERWISE JOINED TOGETHER TO FORM A SEAL FOR THE EVACUATED CHANNELS. ACCORDING TO ANOTHER METHOD OR PROCESS, THE TWO PARTS AFTER BEING FITTED TOGETHER ARE ENCLOSED IN A THIN WALLED METAL JACKET OF RESILIENT MATERIAL AND THE JACKET EVACUATED AND SEALED. THE SEALED PARTS ARE THEN SUBJECTED FOR A SUITABLE TIME AND AT A SUITABLE TEMPERATURE, AS BY PLACING IN AN AUTOCLAVE, TO A PRESSURE IN EXCESS OF THAT REQUIRED TO FORCE THE MATING SURFACES INTO INTIMATE CONTACT AND SUFFICIENT TO PRODUCE SOME DEFORMATION, WITH A RESULTING GOOD BOND BUT WITHOUT SO GREATLY REDUCING THE CROSS-SECTIONAL AREA OF THE GROOVES OR CHANNELS AS TO MAKE THEM UNSUITABLE FOR USE AS FLUID FLOW PASSAGEWAYS. ONE PROCESS AFOREDESCRIBED IS ALSO A PROCESS FOR HEALING INTERNAL FLAWS. AFTER THE BONDING IS COMPLETE, THE ASSEMBLY IS COOLED AND REMOVED FROM THE JACKET, OR THE LIPS MACHINED OFF, ACCORDING TO THE PROCESS EMPLOYED. AN ADDITIONAL STEP MAY INCLUDE ANNEALIANG TO PRODUCE FURTHER GRAIN GROWTH ACROSS THE BOUNDARY BETWEEN THE PARTS JOINED TOGETHER. IN A FURTHER PROCESS, THE PASSAGEWAYS IS FILLED WITH AN INERT GAS AT LOW PRESSURE DURING THE AUTOCLAVE RUN. IN AN ADDITIONAL PROCESS, THE PASSAGEWAY CONTAINS A SOLID OR FLUID "GETTER" MATERIAL. IN A STILL FURTHER PROCESS THE PASSAGEWAY OR PASSAGEWAYS ARE CONTINUALLY PUMPED OUT WHILE THE ASSEMBLED PARTS ARE BEING HEATED AND SUBJECTED TO EXTERNAL PRESSURE.

Inventors

• 👤 G Kemeny

Bibliographic Details