Self-lubrication bearing member

Claim 2

A SELF-LUBRICATING BEARING MEMBER COMPRISING A POROUS METALLIC BASE MATERAL SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF A METAL, A METAL ALLOY, A METAL CARBIDE, A METAL NITRIDE, AMETAL BORIDE, A METAL SILICIDE, A METAL OXIDE, AND MIXTURES THEREOF HAVING A POROSITY OF BETWEEN ABOUT 1 AND ABOUT 40 PERCENT BY VOLUME AND A HARDNESS OF BETWEEN ABOUT 200* AND ABOUT 2,400* VICKERS, THE PORES OF WHICH ARE FILLED WITH LUBRICANT HAVING A COEFFICIENT OF FRICTION OF BETWEEN ABOUT 0.002 AND AOUT 0.300 AND VISCOSITY OF AT LEAST 1.5* ENGLER AT THE TEMPERAURE OF USE.

Claim 3

The bearing member of claim 1 which also includes a metal soap.

Claim 4

A bearing member according to claim 1, in which the base material is an alloy of iron, nickel and molybdenum.

Claim 5

A bearing member according to claim 1 in which the base material is an alloy of copper and beryllium.

Claim 6

A bearing member according to claim 1 in which the base material is composed of tungsten carbide, aluminum oxide and cobalt metal.

Claim 7

METHOD FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF A SELF-LUBRICATING BEARING MEMBER COMPRISING THE STEPS OF: A. FORMING A HOMOGENEOUS MIXTURE OF A METALLIC BASE MATERIAL SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF A METAL, A METAL ALLOY, A METAL CARBIDE, A METAL NITRIDE, A METAL BORIDE, A METAL SILICIDE, A METAL OXIDE, AND MIXTURES THEREOF AND A METAL SOAP, THESE COMPONENTS BEING IN A PULVERULENT STATE; B. COMPRISING THE MIXTURE OF METALLIC BASE MATERIAL AND METAL SOAP AT A PRESSURE BETWEEN ABOUT 2 AND ABOUT 15 METRIC TONS PER SQUARE CENTIMETER; C. SUBJECTING THE COMPRESSED MIXTURE TO A THERMAL TREATMENT IN AN INERT ATMOSPHERE AT A TEMPERATURE BETWEEN AOUT 1,200* AND ABOUT 1,800*C FOR A SUFFICIENT PERIOD BOUF TIME TO IMPART THERETO A POROSITY OF BETWEEN ABOUT 1 AND ABOUT 40 PERCENT BY VOLUME; ; D. INTRODUCING A LUBRICANT INTO THE PORES OF THE PRODUCT OF STEP (C); AND E. SHAPENING THE PRODUCT INTO A BEARING MEMBER.

Claim 8

METHOD FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF A SELF-LUBRICATING BEARING MEMBER COMPRISING THE STEPS OF: A. FORMING A HOMOGENEOUS MIXTURE OF A METALLIC BASE MATERIAL SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF A METAL, A METAL ALLOY, A METAL CARBIDE, A METAL NITRIDE, A METAL BORIDE, A METAL SILICIDE, A METAL OXIDE, AND MIXTURES THEREOF AND A METAL SOAP, THESE COMPONENTS BEING IN A PULVERULENT STATE; B. COMPRISING THE MIXTURE OF METALLIC BASE MATERIAL AND METAL SOAP AT A PRESSURE BETWEEN ABOUT 2 AND ABOUT 15 METRIC TONS PER SQUARE CENTIMETER; C. SUBJECTING THE COMPRESSED MIXTURE TO A THERMAL TREATMENT IN AN INERT ATMOSPHERE AT A TEMPERATURE BETWEEN AOUT 1,200* AND ABOUT 1,800*C FOR A SUFFICIENT PERIOD BOUF TIME TO IMPART THERETO A POROSITY OF BETWEEN ABOUT 1 AND ABOUT 40 PERCENT BY VOLUME; ; D. INTRODUCING A LUBRICANT INTO THE PORES OF THE PRODUCT OF STEP (C); AND E. SHAPENING THE PRODUCT INTO A BEARING MEMBER.

Claim 9

The method of claim 6 in which the particle size of the metallic base material is in the range of about 0.5 to about 6 microns.

Claim 10

The method of claim 6 in which said lubricant has a coefficient of friction of between about 0.002 and about 0.300 and a viscosity of at least 1.5* Engler at the temperature of use.

Claim 11

The method of claim 6 in which said lubricant is a silicone oil.

Claim 12

The method of claim 6 in which the metal soap is zinc stearate.

Claim 13

The method of claim 6 in which the lubricant is a thermoplastic resin.

Claim 14

The method of claim 6 in which the lubricant is a thermosetting resin.

Claim 15

The method of claim 6 in which the bearing member is subjected to high energy radiation after formation to increase the hardness of the surface layer thereof.