Rca Inc.

Earle Solomon Thall

John J Moscony

Chris W Ebert

A gaseous mixture of nitrogen and water vapor (dew point of about -8.degree. to 32.degree. C.), heated to 550.degree. to 750.degree. C., contacts the surfaces of a steel part for a sufficient time to produce adherent, deep-black layers on the part. Steel aperture masks and support frames for color television picture tubes may be blackened by the novel method.

Method of blackening surfaces of steel parts with wet nitrogen

The surfaces of a ferrous metal body are coated with a heat-fusible, chemically-oxidizing composition, such as sodium nitrate or potassium nitrate. Then, the coated body is heated above the melting temperature of the coating, preferably above 350.degree. C., until the coating melts, spreads over the surfaces, reacts with the material of the surfaces and produces a black oxide coating thereon.

Method for blackening the surfaces of a body of ferrous metal

A cathode-ray tube comprises a getter container supported on a metal spring which is attached to and extends from the electron-gun mount assembly. At least a portion of the spring consists of an alloy, such as 55-nitinol (an alloy of nickel and titanium), which can be thermally set to a first shape, then cold formed to a second shape, and then restores itself to the first shape upon being heated above a predetermined transition temperature. The method includes providing a spring which has been thermally set and then cold formed, attaching the container to the spring and the spring to the mount assembly, sealing the container and the mount assembly in the tube, and then heating the spring above the predetermined transition temperature.

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Leola, PA, United States of America

Earle Solomon Thall