Method of making metal fibers and apparatus for effecting same
First Claim
1. A method of making metal fibers from spherical particles of a metal powder, comprising the steps of:
- feeding said spherical particles of metal powder;
deforming said spherical particles by rolling over each of said spherical particles so that said spherical particles roll along a rolling axis thereof, while moving in a direction perpendicular to the rolling axis;
stretching each said particle being deformed along said rolling axis thereof, which coincides with the longitudinal axis of said metal fiber being formed, by contact friction forces;
simultaneously performing said stretching in said deforming step;
carrying out said stretching at a rate exceeding the rate of elongation of each said particle being deformed that would be achieved by a decrease in the diameter of said particle as a result of said rolling over alone; and
unloading said metal fibers.
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Abstract
This invention relates to methods of making metal fibers and devices for effecting such methods.
A method of making metal fibers from spherical particles (6) of a metal powder to be practiced by an apparatus for making such metal fibers is proposed, the method residing in that the spherical particles (6) of metal powder are deformed by rolling each such spherical particle (6) along the path of the process and stretching this particle (6) along its axis of rotation between a main roll (2) and an additional roll (3) of a deforming tool (1). The stretching is executed at a rate exceeding the rate of plastic flow of metal in elongation during reducing the diameter of the deformable spherical particle (6), the additional roll (3) being used as a stretching device. The ready metal fibers (7) are then discharged.
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Citations
14 Claims
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1. A method of making metal fibers from spherical particles of a metal powder, comprising the steps of:
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feeding said spherical particles of metal powder; deforming said spherical particles by rolling over each of said spherical particles so that said spherical particles roll along a rolling axis thereof, while moving in a direction perpendicular to the rolling axis; stretching each said particle being deformed along said rolling axis thereof, which coincides with the longitudinal axis of said metal fiber being formed, by contact friction forces; simultaneously performing said stretching in said deforming step; carrying out said stretching at a rate exceeding the rate of elongation of each said particle being deformed that would be achieved by a decrease in the diameter of said particle as a result of said rolling over alone; and unloading said metal fibers. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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3. A method according to claim 2, comprising the step of moving each said spherical particle being deformed in the plane of rolling thereover, in the direction of said rolling axis, which is effected simultaneously with said stretching of the spherical particle being deformed.
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4. A method according to claim 1, comprising the step of moving each said spherical particle being deformed in the plane of rolling thereover, in the direction of said rolling axis, which is effected simultaneously with said stretching of the spherical particle being deformed.
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5. An apparatus for making metal fibers from spherical particles of a metal powder, comprising:
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a mechanism having feeding passages for feeding the spherical particles of metal powder; a deforming tool including a first element in the form of a main roll having a working surface and a second element; a clearance being provided between said first and second elements for receiving and deforming said spherical particles fed from said feeding passages of said feeding mechanism; said first and second elements being disposed relative to each other for rolling over and simultaneously stretching said spherical particles; and means for stretching each said spherical particle being deformed by contact friction forces along the rolling axis thereof which coincides with the longitudinal axis of said fiber being formed, at a rate exceeding the rate of elongation of said fiber being deformed that would be achieved by a decrease of its diameter as a result of said rolling over alone, said means being integrated with the deforming tool. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An apparatus for making metal fibers from spherical particles of metal powder, comprising:
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a mechanism having feeding passages for feeding the spherical particles of metal powder; a deforming tool including a first element in the form of a main roll having a working surface and a second element; a clearance being provided between said first and second elements for receiving and deforming said spherical particles fed from said feeding passages of said feeding mechanism; said first and second elements being disposed relative to each other for rolling over and simultaneously stretching said spherical particles; and means for stretching each said spherical particle of metal powder being deformed by contact friction forces along the rolling axis thereof which coincides with the longitudinal axis of said fiber being formed, at a rate exceeding the rate of elongation of said fiber being deformed that would be achieved by a decrease of its diameter as a result of said rolling over alone, said means being kinematically coupled with said deforming tool. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14)
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Specification