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US4493451A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Filling fissures in metal articles

Assignee: Rolls Royce PLC
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Filing: 1982-10-05
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Granted: 1985-01-15
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Expires: 2002-10-05
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Abstract

Abstract Superalloy components which have defects such as pits, machining errors or any other `lack of metal` condition can be repaired using a braze stabilized sinter process. The invention includes filling the defect with a mixture of base super-alloy powder mixed with a low temperature braze alloy. A higher temperature alloy is overlayed and the component subjected to a vacuum furnace cycle that includes a dwell between the melting points of the two braze alloys. This dwell allows the lower temperature alloy to melt and isothermally solidify by the process of diffusion. This effectively `stabilizes` the sinter which is porous. On further heating, the higher temperature braze alloy melts and flows into the interstices of the sinter, forming a pore-free solid mass. The higher temperature braze alloy can also be diffused by holding at elevated temperatures. This increases the remelt temperature of the repair should further thermal cycling be required.

Inventors

  • 👤 Stephen D. Clark
  • 👤 Philip S. Wood
  • 👤 Peter J. Fell

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-09 09:48
CPC Classifications
B; B23; B23P; B23P6/00; B23P6/04; B23P6/045; B23K; B23K1/00; B23K35/00; B23K35/22; B23K35/24; B23K35/30; B23K35/3033; B23K35/304; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T29/00; Y10T29/49; Y10T29/49718; Y10T29/49746

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim 151 words
A method of filling a fissure in an article made from a superalloy including the steps of: placing a powdered mixture of a superalloy, which is the same as the superalloy of the article, and a first brazing alloy of a given melting point in the fissure; superimposing a further powdered brazing alloy thereon, said further brazing alloy having a higher melting point than the given melting point of the first brazing alloy of the powdered mixture; heating the whole to a predetermined temperature and for a time period sufficient for melting the first brazing alloy of the powdered mixture so as to effect diffusion brazing of the powdered mixture of the superalloy and firt brazing alloy to provide a sinter with interstices; and then further raising the temperature to effect melting of the further brazing alloy and filling therewith the interstices of the sinter which resulted from said diffusion brazing.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 151 words
A method of filling a fissure in an article made from a superalloy including the steps of: placing a powdered mixture of a superalloy, which is the same as the superalloy of the article, and a first brazing alloy of a given melting point in the fissure; superimposing a further powdered brazing alloy thereon, said further brazing alloy having a higher melting point than the given melting point of the first brazing alloy of the powdered mixture; heating the whole to a predetermined temperature and for a time period sufficient for melting the first brazing alloy of the powdered mixture so as to effect diffusion brazing of the powdered mixture of the superalloy and firt brazing alloy to provide a sinter with interstices; and then further raising the temperature to effect melting of the further brazing alloy and filling therewith the interstices of the sinter which resulted from said diffusion brazing.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 38 words
A method of filling a fissure as claimed in claim 1 including the step of half filling the fissure with said powdered mixture of superalloy and first brazing alloy and completing the fill with said further brazing alloy.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 31 words
A method of filling a fissure as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 including the step of mixing the powdered super alloy and first brazing alloy in the ratio 85:15.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 45 words
A method of filling a fissure as claimed in claim 3 including the step of performing diffusion brazing of the powdered mixture of the superalloy and the first brazing alloy and article and the melting of the further brazing alloy, in a continuous heating cycle.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 31 words
A method of filling a fissure as claimed in claim 3 or claim 4 including the step of achieving the respective diffusion brazing and brazing alloy melting in a vacuum furnace.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 42 words
A method of filling a fissure as claimed in claim 5 including the steps of partially cooling the article in said vacuum furnace, further cooling the article by blowing with an inert gas and finishing the cooling of the article in aatmosphere.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3425116A Cited
US3737978A Cited
US3882596A Cited
US4008844A Cited
US4050133A Cited
US4110887A Cited
US4285459A Cited
US4381944A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1988-01-15 1988-07-16 1989-01-15 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1992-01-15 1992-07-16 1993-01-15 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1996-01-15 1996-07-16 1997-01-15 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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