Hard coated composite and method of forming

Claim 1

THE METHOD OF FORMING A COMPOSITE BODY HAVING A BASE OF FERROUS METAL OF GOOD STRENGTH AND HARDNESS AT ORDINARY TEMPERATURES BUT OF POOR STRENGTH AND HARDNESS AT TEMPERATURES IN THE ORDER OF 1000* F. AND A PROTECTIVE LAYER INTEGRALLY UNITED THERETO, SAID PROTECTIVE LAYER MELTING AT A TEMPERATURE IN EXCESS OF 3000* F. AND EXHIBITING HIGH HARDNESS AND STRENGTH AT TEMPERATURES IN EXCESS OF 2000* F., WHICH COMPRISES DEPOSITING IN SUBDIVIDED FORM AND ON THE SURFACE OF SAID BASE A QUANTITY OF ELECTRICALLY CONDUCTIVE MATERIAL HAVING A MELTING POINT OF AT LEAST 3000* F. AND EXHIBITING GOOD HARDNESS AND STRENGTH AT TEMPERATURES IN EXCESS OF 2000* F., SAID SUB-DIVIDED, ELECTRICALLY CONDUCTIVE MATERIAL CHOSEN FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF THE METALS, THE METAL CARBIDES, THE METAL NITRIDES AND THE METAL BORIDES HAVING MELTING POINTS IN EXCESS OF 3000* F., THE PARTICLES OF SAID QUANTITY BEING SO GRADED IN SIZE THAT SUFFICIENT FINE PARTICLES ARE PRESENT TO FILL AT LEAST THE MAJOR PORTION OF THE SPACES BETWEEN THE LARGER PARTICLES, APPLYING PRESSURE IN THE ORDER OF 850-900 P.S.I. TO SAID QUANTITY TO COMPACT IT INTO A DENSE MASS, DISCHARGING ELECTRIC CURRENT THROUGH SAID QUANTITY AT FROM 1/2 TO 2 VOLTS AND AT FROM 90 TO 110 AMPERES FOR A PERIOD RANGING FROM 1/4 TO 1/3 SECONDS WHILE SAID PRESSURE IS APPLIED TO FUSE THE BULK OF SAID FINE PARTICLES AND SURFACE PORTIONS OF SAID LARGER PARTICLES TO PROVIDE A MATRIX THAT ENCOMPASSES SAID LARGE PARTICLES AND COALESCES INTO SAID BASE.

Claim 2

THE METHOD OF FORMING A COMPOSITE BODY HAVING A BASE OF FERROUS METAL OF GOOD STRENGTH AND HARDNESS AT ORDINARY TEMPERATURES BUT OF POOR STRENGTH AND HARDNESS AT TEMPERATURES IN THE ORDER OF 1000* F. AND A PROTECTIVE LAYER INTEGRALLY UNITED THERETO, SAID PROTECTIVE LAYER MELTING AT A TEMPERATURE IN EXCESS OF 3000* F. AND EXHIBITING HIGH HARDNESS AND STRENGTH AT TEMPERATURES IN EXCESS OF 2000* F., WHICH COMPRISES DEPOSITING IN SUBDIVIDED FORM AND ON THE SURFACE OF SAID BASE A QUANTITY OF ELECTRICALLY CONDUCTIVE MATERIAL HAVING A MELTING POINT OF AT LEAST 3000* F. AND EXHIBITING GOOD HARDNESS AND STRENGTH AT TEMPERATURES IN EXCESS OF 2000* F., SAID SUB-DIVIDED, ELECTRICALLY CONDUCTIVE MATERIAL CHOSEN FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF THE METALS, THE METAL CARBIDES, THE METAL NITRIDES AND THE METAL BORIDES HAVING MELTING POINTS IN EXCESS OF 3000* F., THE PARTICLES OF SAID QUANTITY BEING SO GRADED IN SIZE THAT SUFFICIENT FINE PARTICLES ARE PRESENT TO FILL AT LEAST THE MAJOR PORTION OF THE SPACES BETWEEN THE LARGER PARTICLES, APPLYING PRESSURE IN THE ORDER OF 850-900 P.S.I. TO SAID QUANTITY TO COMPACT IT INTO A DENSE MASS, DISCHARGING ELECTRIC CURRENT THROUGH SAID QUANTITY AT FROM 1/2 TO 2 VOLTS AND AT FROM 90 TO 110 AMPERES FOR A PERIOD RANGING FROM 1/4 TO 1/3 SECONDS WHILE SAID PRESSURE IS APPLIED TO FUSE THE BULK OF SAID FINE PARTICLES AND SURFACE PORTIONS OF SAID LARGER PARTICLES TO PROVIDE A MATRIX THAT ENCOMPASSES SAID LARGE PARTICLES AND COALESCES INTO SAID BASE.