Copper-based spinodal alloy bearings

Claim 2

A sealed bearing rotary cone rock bit comprising: a rock bit body, at least one leg depending from said body, a journal shaft on said leg, a roller cutter cone adapted to be rotatively secured to said journal shaft, and bearing surfaces formed by said journal and said cone, one of said bearing surfaces having a corrosion resistant bearing material disposed thereon, said bearing material consisting of copper-based spinodal alloys of about 38 Rockwell C hardness and having a tensile ductility of at least four percent, the other of said bearing surfaces being formed of a material harder than said spinodal alloys.

Claim 3

The invention as set forth in claim 1 wherein said copper-based spinodal alloys consist of copper-nickel-tin.

Claim 4

The invention as set forth in claim 2 wherein said copper-nickel-tin spinodal alloy contains about 1 percent by weight sulfur.

Claim 5

The invention as set forth in claim 2 wherein said copper-nickel-tin spinodal alloy contains a fourth metal selected from the group consisting of iron, zinc, niobium, magnesium, zirconium, chromium, aluminum.

Claim 6

The invention as set forth in claim 4 wherein said copper-nickel-tin spinodal alloy contains up to 15 percent by weight of said fourth metal.

Claim 7

A sealed bearing rotary cone rock bit comprising: a metal rock bit body, at least one leg depending from said body, a journal shaft depending from said leg, a metal roller cutter cone adapted to be rotatively secured to said journal shaft, and a corrosion resistant bearing material consisting of copper-nickel-tin spinodal alloys, said bearing material being metallurgically bonded to a cavity formed by said cone, said material having about 38 Rockwell C hardness and having a tensile ductility of at least four percent, said material forming a bearing surface within said cone, said journal shaft consisting of a metal harder than said spinodal alloy.

Claim 8

A sealed bearing rotary cone rock bit comprising: a metal rock bit body, at least one leg depending from said body, a journal shaft depending from said leg, a metal roller cutter cone adapted to be rotatively secured to said journal shaft, and a corrosion resistant bearing material consisting of copper-nickel-tin spinodal alloys, said bearing material being metallurgically bonded to a cavity formed by said cone, said material having about 38 Rockwell C hardness and having a tensile ductility of at least four percent, said material forming a bearing surface within said cone, said journal shaft consisting of a metal harder than said spinodal alloy.