Treatment of beryllium-copper alloy and articles made therefrom
AssigneeKawecki Berylco Industries, Inc.
InventorKeith G. Wikle
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Copper-based alloys containing minor amounts of beryllium, cobalt and/or nickel, and zirconium are subjected to treatment comprising, in sequence: annealing followed by quenching; cold working; a second optional annealing followed again by quenching; a cold working; an initial age hardening treatment; a secondary age hardening treatment; if necessary, straightening the alloy; and stress relieving the straightened alloy. Optimum elevated temperature properties are developed in alloys treated according to the present invention and articles made of the treated alloys are useful under conditions involving high operating speed and elevated temperature.
Claims21
A process for treating beryllium-copper alloy to optimize elevated temperature properties thereof, said process comprising in sequence:
- (a) annealing the alloy at a temperature of between about 1500.degree. F. and about 1800.degree. F.;
- (b) quenching the annealed alloy;
- (c) cold working the quenched alloy a minimum of about 30%;
- (d) subjecting the cold worked alloy to an initial age hardening for between about 0.25 and about 48 hours at a temperature of between about 500.degree. F. and about 800.degree. F.;
- and
- (e) subjecting the age-hardened alloy to a secondary age hardening for between about 0.25 and about 48 hours at a temperature of between about 900.degree. F. and about 1200.degree. F.
A process for treating beryllium-copper alloy to optimize elevated temperature properties thereof, said process comprising in sequence:
- (a) annealing the alloy at a temperature of between about 1500.degree. F. and about 1800.degree. F.;
- (b) quenching the annealed alloy;
- (c) cold working the quenched alloy a minimum of about 30%;
- (d) re-annealing the alloy at a temperature of between about 1500.degree. F. and about 1800.degree. F.;
- (e) quenching the re-annealed alloy;
- (f) cold working the quenched re-annealed alloy a minimum of about 30%;
- (g) subjecting the cold worked alloy obtained in step (f) to an initial age hardening for between about 0.25 and about 48 hours at a temperature of between about 500.degree. F. and about 800.degree. F.;
- and
- (h) subjecting the age-hardened alloy to a secondary age hardening for between about 0.25 and about 48 hours at a temperature of between about 900.degree. F. and about 1200.degree. F.
An article of beryllium-copper alloy consisting essentially of between about 0.2 and about 1.0% by weight beryllium;
- up to about 5.0% by weight cobalt and up to about 3.5% by weight nickel with a total of said nickel and cobalt of between about 0.7 and about 5.0% by weight;
- up to 1.0% by weight zirconium;
- up to 0.005% by weight lead;
- up to about 0.5% by weight incidental impurities including lead;
- and the balance copper;
- said alloy being subjected to a treatment comprising, in sequence:
- (a) annealing the alloy at a temperature of between about 1500.degree. F. and about 1800.degree. F.;
- (b) quenching the annealed alloy:
- (c) cold working the quenched alloy a minimum of about 30%;
- (d) subjecting the cold worked alloy to an initial age hardening for between about 0.25 and about 48 hours at a temperature of between about 500.degree. F. and about 800.degree. F.;
- and
- (e) subjecting the age-hardened alloy to a secondary age hardening for between about 0.25 and about 48 hours at a temperature of between about 900.degree. F. and about 1200.degree. F.
An article of beryllium-copper alloy consisting essentially of between about 0.2 and about 1.0 by weight beryllium;
- up to about 5.0% by weight cobalt and up to about 3.5% by weight nickel with a total of said cobalt and nickel of between about 0.7 and about 5.0% by weight;
- up to about 1.0% by weight zirconium;
- up to 0.005% by weight lead;
- up to about 0.5% by weight incidental impurities including lead;
- and the balance copper;
- said alloy being subjected to a treatment comprising, in sequence:
- (a) annealing the alloy at a temperature of between about 1500.degree. F. and about 1800.degree. F.;
- (b) quenching the annealed alloy;
- (c) cold working the quenched alloy a minimum of about 30%;
- (d) re-annealing the alloy at a temperature of between about 1500.degree. F. and about 1800.degree. F;
- (e) quenching the re-annealed alloy;
- (f) cold working the quenched re-annealed alloy a minimum of about 30%;
- (g) subjecting the cold worked alloy obtained in step (f) to an initial age hardening for between about 0.25 and about 48 hours at a temperature of between about 500.degree. F. and about 800.degree. F.;
- and
- (h) subjecting the age-hardened alloy to a secondary age hardening for between about 0.25 and about 48 hours at a temperature of between about 900.degree. F. and about 1200.degree. F.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.