Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
217 words
A method of preparing an austempered cast iron, comprising: (a) melting a cast iron mixture containing (i) from about 1.6 to about 2.4 weight percent silicon, and (ii) from about 1.6 to about 2.2 weight percent carbon to form a homogeneous melt, said melt having a carbon equivalent from about 2.1 to about 3.0 weight percent; (b) pouring the melt into a mold to form a casting having eutectic carbide particles; (c) shaking out the casting to remove any residual mold sand; (d) altering the temperature of the casting to about 1650°-1900° F. and maintaining the temperature of the casting at about 1650°-1900° F. for about 2 to about 8 hours to malleabilize until substantially all of the eutectic carbide particles convert to temper graphite nodules to form a temper graphite-containing casting; (e) cooling the temper graphite-containing casting to about 1500°-1750° F. and maintaining the temperature of the temper graphite-containing casting at about 1500°-1750° F. until a fully austenitic matrix is achieved, and the matrix is saturated with carbon; (f) quenching the austenitic matrix casting to a temperature of about 460° to about 750° F. and maintaining that temperature until the casting is substantially transformed to an ausferritic matrix; and (g) cooling the ausferritic matrix casting to room temperature before a significant amount of bainite is formed.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
217 words
A method of preparing an austempered cast iron, comprising: (a) melting a cast iron mixture containing (i) from about 1.6 to about 2.4 weight percent silicon, and (ii) from about 1.6 to about 2.2 weight percent carbon to form a homogeneous melt, said melt having a carbon equivalent from about 2.1 to about 3.0 weight percent; (b) pouring the melt into a mold to form a casting having eutectic carbide particles; (c) shaking out the casting to remove any residual mold sand; (d) altering the temperature of the casting to about 1650°-1900° F. and maintaining the temperature of the casting at about 1650°-1900° F. for about 2 to about 8 hours to malleabilize until substantially all of the eutectic carbide particles convert to temper graphite nodules to form a temper graphite-containing casting; (e) cooling the temper graphite-containing casting to about 1500°-1750° F. and maintaining the temperature of the temper graphite-containing casting at about 1500°-1750° F. until a fully austenitic matrix is achieved, and the matrix is saturated with carbon; (f) quenching the austenitic matrix casting to a temperature of about 460° to about 750° F. and maintaining that temperature until the casting is substantially transformed to an ausferritic matrix; and (g) cooling the ausferritic matrix casting to room temperature before a significant amount of bainite is formed.
Claim 3
Independent Claim
215 words
A method of preparing an austempered cast iron, comprising: (a) melting a cast iron mixture containing (i) from about 1.6 to about 2.4 weight percent silicon, and (ii) from about 1.6 to about 2.2 weight percent carbon to form a homogeneous melt, said melt having a carbon equivalent from about 2.1 to about 3.0 weight percent; (b) pouring the melt into a mold to form a casting having eutectic carbide particles; (c) shaking out the casting to remove any residual mold sand; (d) altering the temperature of the casting to about 1650°-1900° F. and maintaining the temperature of the casting at about 1650°-1900° F. until substantially all of the eutectic carbide particles convert to temper graphite nodules to form a temper graphite-containing casting; (e) cooling the temper graphite-containing casting to about 1500°-1750° F. for about 1 to about 4 hours and maintaining the temperature of the temper graphite-containing casting at about 1500°-1750° F. until a fully austenitic matrix is achieved, and the matrix is saturated with carbon; (f) quenching the austenitic matrix casting to a temperature of about 460° to about 750° F. and maintaining that temperature until the casting is substantially transformed to an ausferritic matrix; and (g) cooling the ausferritic matrix casting to room temperature before a significant amount of bainite is formed.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
215 words
A method of preparing an austempered cast iron, comprising: (a) melting a cast iron mixture containing (i) from about 1.6 to about 2.4 weight percent silicon, and (ii) from about 1.6 to about 2.2 weight percent carbon to form a homogeneous melt, said melt having a carbon equivalent from about 2.1 to about 3.0 weight percent; (b) pouring the melt into a mold to form a casting having eutectic carbide particles; (c) shaking out the casting to remove any residual mold sand; (d) altering the temperature of the casting to about 1650°-1900° F. and maintaining the temperature of the casting at about 1650°-1900° F. until substantially all of the eutectic carbide particles convert to temper graphite nodules to form a temper graphite-containing casting; (e) cooling the temper graphite-containing casting to about 1500°-1750° F. for about 1 to about 4 hours and maintaining the temperature of the temper graphite-containing casting at about 1500°-1750° F. until a fully austenitic matrix is achieved, and the matrix is saturated with carbon; (f) quenching the austenitic matrix casting to a temperature of about 460° to about 750° F. and maintaining that temperature until the casting is substantially transformed to an ausferritic matrix; and (g) cooling the ausferritic matrix casting to room temperature before a significant amount of bainite is formed.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
253 words
A method of preparing an austempered cast iron, comprising: (a) melting a cast iron mixture containing (i) about 1.8 weight percent silicon, (ii) about 2.0 weight percent carbon, and (iii) 0.2-0.35 weight percent manganese to form a homogeneous melt; (b) pouring the melt into a mold to form a casting; (c) cooling the casting to a temperature below solidification; (d) shaking out the solidified castings to remove the mold and any residual mold sand; (e) heating the casting to about 1650°-1900° F. at a rate of about 500° to 2000° F. per hour and maintaining the temperature of the casting at about 1650°-1900° F. for about 2 to 8 hours until substantially all of the eutectic carbide particles convert to temper graphite nodules to form a temper graphite-containing casting; (f) cooling the temper graphite-containing casting to about 1500°-1750° F. at a rate of about 50° to 500° F. per hour and maintaining the temperature of the temper graphite-containing casting at about 1500°-1750° F. for about 1 to about 4 hours until a fully austenitic matrix is achieved, and the matrix is saturated with carbon; (g) quenching the austenitic matrix casting to a temperature between about 460° to about 750° F. at a rate of about 100° to about 1000° F. per minute by immersing the casting in a medium for about 0.25 to about 8 hours until the casting is substantially transformed to an ausferritic matrix; and (h) then cooling the casting to room temperature before a significant amount of bainite is formed.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
253 words
A method of preparing an austempered cast iron, comprising: (a) melting a cast iron mixture containing (i) about 1.8 weight percent silicon, (ii) about 2.0 weight percent carbon, and (iii) 0.2-0.35 weight percent manganese to form a homogeneous melt; (b) pouring the melt into a mold to form a casting; (c) cooling the casting to a temperature below solidification; (d) shaking out the solidified castings to remove the mold and any residual mold sand; (e) heating the casting to about 1650°-1900° F. at a rate of about 500° to 2000° F. per hour and maintaining the temperature of the casting at about 1650°-1900° F. for about 2 to 8 hours until substantially all of the eutectic carbide particles convert to temper graphite nodules to form a temper graphite-containing casting; (f) cooling the temper graphite-containing casting to about 1500°-1750° F. at a rate of about 50° to 500° F. per hour and maintaining the temperature of the temper graphite-containing casting at about 1500°-1750° F. for about 1 to about 4 hours until a fully austenitic matrix is achieved, and the matrix is saturated with carbon; (g) quenching the austenitic matrix casting to a temperature between about 460° to about 750° F. at a rate of about 100° to about 1000° F. per minute by immersing the casting in a medium for about 0.25 to about 8 hours until the casting is substantially transformed to an ausferritic matrix; and (h) then cooling the casting to room temperature before a significant amount of bainite is formed.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 3, wherein the cooling of the casting to a temperature below solidification is accomplished by cooling the casting to room temperature.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 3, wherein the cooling of the casting to a temperature below solidification is accomplished by cooling the casting to about 1500° F.