US3907550A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method of making same composite billets
Assignee: Airco Inc
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Filing: 1973-03-19
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Granted: 1975-09-23
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Expires: 1993-03-19
Abstract
Abstract Composite billets that function as starting stock for superconducting wire are produced by immersing an assembly of rods of a superconductor alloy or rods of a metal which is capable of forming a superconductor into a molten bath of normal material, thereby encasing the assembly within normal material, allowing the molten bath to solidify and form a rough as-cast billet and thereafter zone-melting the billet so as to remove all vestiges of shrinkage cracks, surface imperfections and internal inhomogeneities.
Inventors
- 👤 Philip R Critchlow
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 23:37
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10N; H10N60/00; H10N60/01; H10N60/0128; B; B22; B22D; B22D7/00; B22D7/02; C; C30; C30B; C30B13/00; C30B29/00; C30B29/10; C30B29/52; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S505/00; Y10S505/80; Y10S505/815; Y10S505/818; Y10T; Y10T29/00; Y10T29/49; Y10T29/49002; Y10T29/49014
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
138 words
A METHOD FOR PRODUCING COMPOSITE BILLETS TO BE USED AS STARTING STOCK FOR SUPERCONDUCTING WIRE COMPRISING THE STEPS: A. SUSPENDING METALLIC RODS OF MATERIAL CLASSIFIED AS OR FORMING ONE COMPONENT OF A SUPERCONDUCTING MATERAL BETWEEN INERT CAPS SO AS TO FORM AN ASSEMBLY, B. LOWERING SAID ASSEMBLY INTO A MOLTEN BATH OF NORMAL MATERIAL SO AS TO TOTALLY ENCASE SAID RODS, C. ALLOWING SAID BATH TO SOLIDIFY THEREBY FORMING A CAST COMPOSITE BILLET, AND D. ZONE-MELTING SAID BILLET IN AN INERT ATMOSPHERE BY PREGRESSIVELY HEATING THE BILLET ALONG ITS LENGTH UNTIL THE ENTIRE BILLET IS PROGRESSIVELY REMELTED IN SEGMENTS TO A MAXIMUM TEMPERATURE EXCEEDING THE MELTING TEMPERATURE OF SAID NORMAL MATERIAL AT WHICH WETTING TAKES PLACE BETWEEN SAID NORMAL MATERIAL AND SAID RODS, THEREBY PROVIDING A CAST BILLET WITH IMPROVED ADHERENCE BETWEEN SAID RODS, AND SAID NORMAL MATERIAL.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
138 words
A METHOD FOR PRODUCING COMPOSITE BILLETS TO BE USED AS STARTING STOCK FOR SUPERCONDUCTING WIRE COMPRISING THE STEPS: A. SUSPENDING METALLIC RODS OF MATERIAL CLASSIFIED AS OR FORMING ONE COMPONENT OF A SUPERCONDUCTING MATERAL BETWEEN INERT CAPS SO AS TO FORM AN ASSEMBLY, B. LOWERING SAID ASSEMBLY INTO A MOLTEN BATH OF NORMAL MATERIAL SO AS TO TOTALLY ENCASE SAID RODS, C. ALLOWING SAID BATH TO SOLIDIFY THEREBY FORMING A CAST COMPOSITE BILLET, AND D. ZONE-MELTING SAID BILLET IN AN INERT ATMOSPHERE BY PREGRESSIVELY HEATING THE BILLET ALONG ITS LENGTH UNTIL THE ENTIRE BILLET IS PROGRESSIVELY REMELTED IN SEGMENTS TO A MAXIMUM TEMPERATURE EXCEEDING THE MELTING TEMPERATURE OF SAID NORMAL MATERIAL AT WHICH WETTING TAKES PLACE BETWEEN SAID NORMAL MATERIAL AND SAID RODS, THEREBY PROVIDING A CAST BILLET WITH IMPROVED ADHERENCE BETWEEN SAID RODS, AND SAID NORMAL MATERIAL.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method as recited in claim 1 wherein step (a) further comprises selecting metallic rods from the group consisting of niobium, vanadium, niobium:titanium alloy and niobium:zirconium alloy.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method as recited in claim 1 wherein step (b) further comprises selecting a normal material from the group consisting of aluminum, cadmium, lead, indium, tin, copper, gallium-bronze or tin-bronze.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
183 words
A method for producing composite billets to be used as starting stock for superconducting wire wherein the composite constituents have substantial differences in melting points and mechanical properties comprising the steps: a. forming an assembly by suspending metallic rods of a material selected from the group consisting of niobium, vanadium, niobium : titanium alloy and niobium : zirconium alloy between inert caps; b. immersing said assembly into a molten metallic bath of normal material so as to totally encase said rods, said normal material being selected from the group consisting of aluminum, cadmium, lead, indium, tin, copper, gallium-bronze, or tin-bronze; c. allowing said bath to solidify thereby forming a cast composite billet; and d. passing said billet in an inert atmosphere through an induction coil which progressively heats said billet along its length until the entire billet is progressively remelted in segments to a maximum temperature exceeding the melting temperature of said normal material at which wetting takes place between said normal material and said metallic rods thereby providing a cast billet with improved adherence between said metallic rods and said normal material.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
183 words
A method for producing composite billets to be used as starting stock for superconducting wire wherein the composite constituents have substantial differences in melting points and mechanical properties comprising the steps: a. forming an assembly by suspending metallic rods of a material selected from the group consisting of niobium, vanadium, niobium : titanium alloy and niobium : zirconium alloy between inert caps; b. immersing said assembly into a molten metallic bath of normal material so as to totally encase said rods, said normal material being selected from the group consisting of aluminum, cadmium, lead, indium, tin, copper, gallium-bronze, or tin-bronze; c. allowing said bath to solidify thereby forming a cast composite billet; and d. passing said billet in an inert atmosphere through an induction coil which progressively heats said billet along its length until the entire billet is progressively remelted in segments to a maximum temperature exceeding the melting temperature of said normal material at which wetting takes place between said normal material and said metallic rods thereby providing a cast billet with improved adherence between said metallic rods and said normal material.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method as recited in claim 4 wherein steps (a) and (b) further comprise forming an assembly of niobium:titanium rods and immersing said rods into a bath of molten aluminum.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
50 words
A method as recited in claim 5 further comprising passing said billet vertically through a heated induction coil, said coil being maintained at a temperature above the melting point of aluminum so as to remelt the billet in segments until the entire billet is remelted after passage through said coil.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method as recited in claim 4 wherein steps (a) and (b) further comprise forming an assembly of vanadium rods and immersing said rods into a bath of molten gallium-bronze.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
50 words
A method as recited in claim 7 futher comprising passing said billet vertically through a heated induction coil, said coil being maintained at a temperature above the melting point of gallium-bronze so as to remelt the billet in segments until the entire billet is remelted after passage through said coil.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method as recited in claim 1, steps (a) and (b) wherein said metallic rods comprise one component of a superconducting material, and said molten metallic bath comprises a reactant forming a superconducting material with the material of said rod.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-09-22 | 1979-03-24 | 1979-09-23 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-09-22 | 1983-03-24 | 1983-09-23 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-09-22 | 1987-03-24 | 1987-09-23 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |