The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 18, 1997
Filed:
Jun. 01, 1995
James G Marsden, Lenhartsville, PA (US);
Donald J Bowe, Macungie, PA (US);
Kerry R Berger, Lehighton, PA (US);
Diwakar Garg, Emmaus, PA (US);
David L Mitchell, Jr, Coopersburg, PA (US);
Air Products and Chemicals, Inc., Allentown, PA (US);
Abstract
The present invention discloses novel nitrogen-hydrogen based atmospheres for sintering steel components in continuous furnaces with consistent quality and properties while prolonging the life of the wire mesh belts, reducing maintenance costs, and improving furnace productivity. Specifically, it discloses the use of a controlled amount of an oxidizing agent such as moisture, carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, or mixtures thereof along with nitrogen-hydrogen atmospheres. The amount of an oxidizing agent added to the nitrogen-hydrogen atmospheres to pre-condition belt material prior to its use for sintering and to sinter steel components is controlled in such a way that atmospheres become oxidizing to the belt material but reducing to steel components being sintered, specifically in the high heating and cooling zones of continuous furnaces.