US PATENT SUBCLASS 148 / 512
.~ Surface melting (e.g., melt alloying, etc.)

Current as of: June, 1999
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148 /   HD   METAL TREATMENT

95  DF  PROCESS OF MODIFYING OR MAINTAINING INTERNAL PHYSICAL STRUCTURE (I.E., MICROSTRUCTURE) OR CHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF METAL, PROCESS OF REACTIVE COATING OF METAL AND PROCESS OF CHEMICAL-HEAT REMOVING (E.G., FLAME-CUTTING, ETC.) OR BURNING OF METAL {17}
512.~ Surface melting (e.g., melt alloying, etc.)

DEFINITION

Classification: 148/512

Surface melting (e.g., melt alloying etc.):

(under subclass 95) Process wherein only a surface of the solid or semisolid metal is melted during the process.

(1) Note. Alloying a melted metal surface by application of nonreactive alloying ingredients (e.g., other free metals, etc.) which diffuse into the melted metal to form an alloyed (i.e., not chemically reactive coating) surface composition including the ingredients of the melted metal surface and the infused ingredients is one of the species acceptable hereinunder.

(2) Note. Some other species of surface melting involve purposes of hardening or relieving stress.

(3) Note. Surface melting, per se, utilizing a heat source for purposes of sealing or reflowing the metal to close pores or remove cracks goes to the appropriate heating class. If homogenizing, alloying, or other modifying of metal microstructure (e.g., rehardening, diffusing, etc.) is present, this subclass is proper.

(4) Note. There is no intent to take casting or melt coating, per se, into this subclass which relates only to melting of a solid metal substrate surface.

SEE OR SEARCH THIS CLASS, SUBCLASS:

206+, for processes of carburizing or nitridizing a metal substrate from an external source of carbon or nitrogen.

240+, for processes of reactive coating a metal substrate an externally supplied reactive ingredient as defined thereunder. SEE OR SEARCH CLASS

75, Specialized Metallurgical Processes, Compositions for Use Therein, Consolidated Metal Powder Compositions, etc., particularly

10.11, for processes of zone melting or fractional crystallization wherein solid metal is traversed by a melt zone causing migration of the impurities within the metal resulting in purification of the metal or for processes of refinining (e.g., smelting) molten metal zones by selective crystallization and separation of the crystallization phase from the melt to effect purification (i.e., fractional crystallization) thereof.

228, Metal Fusion Bonding, appropriate subclasses for processes of welding or joining of metal preforms by fusion bonding wherein there may be surface melting.

(1) Note. The combination of metal fusion bonding, as in Class 228 with processes acceptable under the Class 148 definition, is proper for Class 148. However, this subclass specifically is excluding metal fusion bonding of the type found in Class 228. See particularly subclasses 516+ hereinunder for the combination of metal fusion bonding with processes acceptable under the Class 148 definition.

427, Coating Processes, appropriate subclasses for processes including applying a melted metal coating, per se, to a solid metal substrate.

(1) Note. The distinction for Class 427 is that the total composition of the applied coating comes from an external source as opposed to any portion thereof, except for the interface therewith, coming from the metal substrate to which the coating is applied. Also, in Class 148 coating, the metal substrate is not in a molten condition when the coating is applied. However, if a melted metal substrate has a nonreactive coating or alloying material applied to it, placement is proper in this subclass if the resultant coating includes ingredients of the melted substrate and infused alloying ingredient. Moreover, if coating of a solid substrate by a Class 427 operation is involved in a combined process, melting of the metal coating surface occurring during a melting step separate from the coating operation must also include melting of the substrate to be proper in this subclass of Class 148.