US4708739A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Grain refining metals
Assignee: London and Scandinavian Metallurgical Co Ltd
•
Filing: 1986-09-29
•
Granted: 1987-11-24
•
Expires: 2006-09-29
Abstract
Abstract The invention provides a grain refinement method for copper-based metals, which method can be applied to a range of different types of such metals. In accordance with the method, one arranges that a melt of the metal to be grain refined contains each of the following components: (a) titanium and/or zirconium; (b) at least one of: lithium, sodium, potassium, beryllium, magnesium, calcium, strontium and barium; (c) at least one of: scandium, yttrium, titanium, zirconium, hafnium, vanadium, niobium, tantalum, chromium, molybdenum, tungsten, manganese, technetium, rhenium, iron, ruthenium, osmium, cobalt, rhodium, iridium, nickel, palladium, platinum, silver, gold, zinc, cadmium, mercury and the rare earth elements; and (d) at least one of: aluminium, gallium, indium, silicon, germanium, tin, lead, phosphorus, arsenic, antimony, bismuth, sulphur, selenium and tellurium; and solidifies the melt to produce grain refinement of the copper-based metal, at least one of components (a) to (d) being introduced into the melt by means of a powder which comprises one or more of the components (a) to (d). The invention also provides grain refiners for practicing the method.
Inventors
- 👤 James L. F. Kellie
- 👤 Andrew J. J. Cowell
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 00:30
CPC Classifications
C; C22; C22C; C22C1/00; C22C1/06
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 32
Claim 1
Independent Claim
191 words
A method of grain refining a copper-based metal, the method comprising preparing a melt of copper-based metal to be grain refined which is deficient in at least one of the following components (a) to (d), said components (a) to (d) comprising: (a) at least one of titanium and zirconium; (b) at least one of: lithium, sodium, potassium, beryllium, magnesium, calcium, strontium and barium; (c) at least one of: scandium, yttrium, titanium when said component (a) is zirconium, zirconium when said component (a) is titanium, hafnium, vanadium, niobium, tantalum, chromium, molybdenum, tungsten, manganese, technetium, rhenium, iron, ruthenium, osmium, cobalt, rhodium, iridium, nickel, palladium, platinum, silver, gold, zinc, cadmium, mercury and the rare earth elements; and (d) at least one of: aluminium, gallium, indium, silicon, germanium, tin, lead, phosphorus, arsenic, antimony, bismuth, sulphur, selenium and tellurium; introducing said deficient component (a) to (d) into said melt of copper-based metal by means of a powder which contains at least one of said components (a) to (d) including said deficient component, and thereafter solidifying said melt of copper-based metal which now contains each of said components (a) to (d) to produce grain refined copper-based metal.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
191 words
A method of grain refining a copper-based metal, the method comprising preparing a melt of copper-based metal to be grain refined which is deficient in at least one of the following components (a) to (d), said components (a) to (d) comprising: (a) at least one of titanium and zirconium; (b) at least one of: lithium, sodium, potassium, beryllium, magnesium, calcium, strontium and barium; (c) at least one of: scandium, yttrium, titanium when said component (a) is zirconium, zirconium when said component (a) is titanium, hafnium, vanadium, niobium, tantalum, chromium, molybdenum, tungsten, manganese, technetium, rhenium, iron, ruthenium, osmium, cobalt, rhodium, iridium, nickel, palladium, platinum, silver, gold, zinc, cadmium, mercury and the rare earth elements; and (d) at least one of: aluminium, gallium, indium, silicon, germanium, tin, lead, phosphorus, arsenic, antimony, bismuth, sulphur, selenium and tellurium; introducing said deficient component (a) to (d) into said melt of copper-based metal by means of a powder which contains at least one of said components (a) to (d) including said deficient component, and thereafter solidifying said melt of copper-based metal which now contains each of said components (a) to (d) to produce grain refined copper-based metal.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
32 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein component (a) comprises zirconium; component (b) comprises at least one of: magnesium, calcium, strontium and barium; component (c) comprises iron; and component (d) comprises phosphorus.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
104 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein the amount of component (a) contained in the melt of the metal which is to be grain refined is 0.01 to 0.1 mass %, the amount of component (b) contained in the melt of the metal which is to be grain refined is 0.01 to 0.1 mass %, the amount of component (c) contained in the melt of the metal which is to be grain refined is 0.003 to 0.1 mass %, and the amount of component (d) contained in the melt of the metal which is to be grain refined is 0.001 to 0.02 mass %.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein component (a) is introduced into the melt by means of a powder comprising particles of a copper-based alloy comprising zirconium.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein component (b) is introduced into the melt by means of a powder comprising particles of a magnesium-based metal.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein component (c) is introduced into the melt by means of a powder comprising particles of an iron-based metal.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein component (d) is introduced into the melt by means of a powder comprising particles of a copper-based alloy comprising phosphorus.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein components (a) to (d) are introduced into the melt by means of a powder comprising components (a), (b), (c) and (d).
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
20 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein the copper-based metal which is grain refined is an alpha-brass or an alpha-beta-brass.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
17 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein the copper-based metal which is grain refined is a bronze.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
17 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein the copper-based metal which is grain refined is a gunmetal.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein at least one powder used for introducing the respective component(s) into the melt is introduced as a cored wire.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
29 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein at least one powder used for introducing the respective component(s) into the melt is introduced as a free-running powder contained within foil.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
36 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein at least one powder used for introducing the respective component(s) into the melt is introduced by injecting a suspension of the powder in a carrier gas into the melt.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein at least one powder used for introducing the respective component(s) into the melt is introduced as a briquetted powder.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method according to claim 15, wherein the briquetted powder is free of binder and lubricant.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
20 words
A method according to claim 15, wherein the briquetted powder is in the form of briquettes of substantially equal weight.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
112 words
A grain refiner for grain refining a copper-based metal, and comprising a powder containing each of the following components: (a) at least one of titanium and zirconium; (b) at least one of: lithium, sodium, potassium, beryllium, magnesium, calcium, strontium and barium; (c) at least one of: scandium, yttrium, titanium when said component (a) is zirconium, zirconium when said component (a) is titanium, hafnium, vanadium, niobium, tantalum, chromium, molybdenum, tungsten, manganese, technetium, rhenium, iron, ruthenium, osmium, cobalt, rhodium, iridium, nickel, palladium, platinum, silver, gold, zinc, cadmium, mercury and the rare earth elements; and (d) at least one of: aluminium, gallium, indium, silicon, germanium, tin, lead, phosphorus, arsenic, antimony, bismuth, sulphur, selenium and tellurium.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
112 words
A grain refiner for grain refining a copper-based metal, and comprising a powder containing each of the following components: (a) at least one of titanium and zirconium; (b) at least one of: lithium, sodium, potassium, beryllium, magnesium, calcium, strontium and barium; (c) at least one of: scandium, yttrium, titanium when said component (a) is zirconium, zirconium when said component (a) is titanium, hafnium, vanadium, niobium, tantalum, chromium, molybdenum, tungsten, manganese, technetium, rhenium, iron, ruthenium, osmium, cobalt, rhodium, iridium, nickel, palladium, platinum, silver, gold, zinc, cadmium, mercury and the rare earth elements; and (d) at least one of: aluminium, gallium, indium, silicon, germanium, tin, lead, phosphorus, arsenic, antimony, bismuth, sulphur, selenium and tellurium.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
33 words
A grain refiner according to claim 18, wherein component (a) comprises zirconium; component (b) comprises at least one of: magnesium, calcium, strontium and barium; component (c) comprises iron; and component (d) comprises phosphorus.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
23 words
A grain refiner according to claim 18, wherein component (a) is present as a powder comprising particles of a copper-based alloy comprising zirconium.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
21 words
A grain refiner according to claim 18, wherein component (b) is present as a powder comprising particles of a magnesium-based metal.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
21 words
A grain refiner according to claim 18, wherein component (c) is present as a powder comprising particles of an iron-based metal.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
23 words
A grain refiner according to claim 18, wherein component (d) is present as a powder comprising particles of a copper-based alloy comprising phosphorus.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
15 words
A grain refiner according to claim 18, when in the form of a cored wire.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
17 words
A grain refiner according to claim 18, when in the form a free-running powder contained within foil.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
36 words
A grain refiner according to claim 18, when in the form of a free-flowing powder suitable to be injected with a carrier gas into a melt of a copper-based metal which is to be grain refined.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
15 words
A grain refiner according to claim 18, when in the form of a briquetted powder.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
17 words
A grain refiner according to claim 27, wherein the briquetted powder is free of binder and lubricant.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
21 words
A grain refiner according to claim 27, wherein the briquetted powder is in the form of briquettes of substantially equal weight.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
91 words
A grain refiner according to claim 18, in the form of a binder- and lubricant-free briquetted powder mixture comprising the following components, in weight %: 7 to 15% zirconium; 3 to 10% magnesium; 1 to 5% iron; and 0.3 to 3% phosphorus, the zirconium being present as a powder of a copper-based alloy comprising zirconium, the magnesium being present as a powder of a magnesium-based metal, the iron being present as a powder of an iron-based metal, and the phosphorus being present as a powder of a copper-based alloy comprising phosphorus.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2766113A
Cited
US2892742A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1990-11-23 | 1991-05-25 | 1991-11-24 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1994-11-23 | 1995-05-25 | 1995-11-24 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1998-11-23 | 1999-05-25 | 1999-11-24 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |