Reinforced tubular materials and process
OwnerWalter F. McNeilinventor
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Abstract
This invention concerns hollow, tubular, lightweight metallic elements, particularly those of tubular aluminum, magnesium, titanium or other lightweight metals, having increased strength, stiffness and other properties. The invention involves the lengthwise application of unidirectional graphite fiber strips within recesses cut along the outer surface of metallic elements at least in key stress areas to provide the advantages enumerated above, the weight of the fiber strips being less than the weight of the metal removed to form said recesses.
Claims8
A reinforced metallic element having increased strength and stiffness comprising a thin-walled, hollow, tubular elongate metallic body having a first predetermined specific gravity and a plurality of circumferentially spaced longitudinal slots thereabout, each of said slots containing a continuous strip of unidirectional graphite fiber composition bonded therein to fill said slot and be flush with the outer surface of said metallic body, each of said strips being of a second predetermined specific gravity less than said first specific gravity of said metallic body whereby the weight of said metallic element is less than that which would result had said element been constructed solely of metal of said first predetermined specific gravity.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.