Patents

Apex seal material

Abstract
US3964145A
A method of making and the resulting metallurgical product for an apex seal design and/or
United States
opposing rubbing surface is disclosed; the seal has ingredients so that it is effective to inherently
contain a lubricating lm have a retrograde solubility curve so that small additions of chromium can
precipitate to achieve a hardening of the matrix, and in some instances an independent graphite Download PDF Find Prior Art Similar
lubricant is admixed. A speci c example of the composition is a copper-based alloy having 0.1-0.6%
chromium and 0.5-1.5% by weight graphite. Inventor: Yeshwant P. Telang

Current Assignee : Ford Motor Co

Classi cations

Worldwide applications
F01C19/02 Radially-movable sealings for working uids
1974 US 1975 GB DE CA JP
View 1 more classi cations

Application US05/448,797 events

1974-03-06 Application led by Ford Motor Co

1974-03-06 Priority to US05/448,797

1976-06-22 Application granted

1976-06-22 Publication of US3964145A

1993-06-22 Anticipated expiration

Status Expired - Lifetime

Show all events

Info: Patent citations (7), Cited by (3), Similar documents,

Priority and Related Applications

External links: USPTO, USPTO PatentCenter, USPTO

Assignment, Espacenet, Global Dossier, Discuss

Description Claims (4) Hide Dependent

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION I claim as my invention:

Many attempts have been made to improve the performance at the sealing 1. A sintered apex seal, for use in a rotary internal combustion engine,
surfaces of a rotary-type combustion engine. Typically, such an engine has a rotor comprising:
de ned with a number of circumferentially spaced apex portions having radially
movable seal strips mounted within slots thereof for sealing engagement with the a. a sintered powdered body effective to be resiliently urged into dynamic
surrounding inner surface of the rotor housing. The rotor housing inner surface is rubbing sealing engagement with another surface of said engine, said body
typically of an epitrochoid con guration and is usually uninterrupted except for being particularly characterized by a copper matrix containing by weight 0.1-
small ports de ning areas for spark introduction admitting a fuel/air mixture or 0.6% chromium and free carbon in the range of 0.5-1.5%, said chromium
emitting exhaust. substantially being in a precipitate form in said copper matrix rendering a
surface hardenability level for said compact in the range of 50-75 RB.
Lubrication is essential to most engines for reducing wear at the contacting
surfaces of the piston seal means and the cylinder walls. The lubrication problem 2. A method of fabricating a sintered seal, comprising:
in a piston engine is relatively simple in solution because of the reciprocating
action of the piston which continuously bathes the cylinder walls with oil while a. preparing a pre-alloyed metal powder consisting of a copper base having
preventing the oil from entering into the combustion zone of the engine. However, an addition of 0.1-0.6% chromium by weight, said pre-alloyed powder having
in a rotary combustion engine, the solution is not as simple since the oil becomes a particle size in the range of 100-325 mesh,
exposed to the combustion zone of the engine and will be consumed as it is
b. preparing free carbon powder having a particle size in the range of 100-
introduced between apex seals and the inner surface of the rotor housing. The
325 mesh and blending said free carbon powder with said pre-alloyed
effectiveness of the oil as the lubricating lm is rapidly reduced by the high
powder to form a powder mixture,
operating temperatures in the rotary combustion engine. It has become known that
due to the high temperatures and pressures at the mating sealing surfaces, and c. compacting said mixture while in the heated condition in the range of
particularly the apex sealing surfaces, an oil lm does not always satisfactorily 300°-1800°F, to a density of at least 60%,
prevent metal to metal contact which may result in a relatively rapid rate of wear at
the metal contacting surfaces. This has been found to be a relatively serious d. subjecting said compact to a sintering operation in a vacuum or hydrogen
problem during the break in period. atmosphere at a temperature at least 1500°F and quenching said compact
to retain the chromium in solution, and
To provide apex seals without the need for oil, various types of wear-resistant
materials have been tried. One group of such materials has been preferentially e. subjecting said sintered compact to a curing temperature in the range of
formed by compacting metal powders followed by sintering operations; various 400°-600°F effective to precipitate the chromium in said copper base
combinations of powdered aluminum with carbon have been used, iron-titanium powder to form a precipitation hardened copper alloy material.
carbide mixtures have been used, and also hot pressed silicon nitride. In addition,
3. The method as in claim 2, in which the particle size of said pre-alloyed
various types of alloys have been employed and tool steel has been impregnated
powder and graphite are each maintained in the narrower range of 200-
with graphite and various types of unusually hard wear-resistant ceramic coatings
325 mesh and the density to which said compact is reduced is
have been applied by plasma or ame-spray techniques. The cost or performance
controlled in the range of 80-90% whereby the thermal expansion
of such materials have not been optimal because of the di culty of nding an
characteristic of said sintered compact is regulated so as to be less than
opposing material for the seal to compatibly engage and with the di culty of
0.01 inch.
inherently achieving both lubrication and wear resistance in a single material.
4. The method as in claim 2, in which the sintering temperature is in
The seal means carried by the rotor are in constant rubbing engagement with the
excess of 2050°F.
inner surfaces of the peripheral wall and end walls. As will be apparent, the
constant relative rubbing engagement between the seal members and the inner
surface can result in serious wearing problems of these elements and can
ultimately terminate the useful life of the engine.

For example, one common solution to the compatibility problem has been to
provide a liner of wear-resistant compatible material on the inner surface of the
rotor housing. Such materials as hard chromium plated plating, or a carbide liner
has been employed. But the use of liners or coatings has not been totally
satisfactory because of non-uniform heat dissipation and gas loading
characteristics of rotary combustion engines. There is resulting tendency for the
liners to separate from the housing base material and in many cases the liners do
not achieve the appropriate wear improvement sought.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a method of making and the
resulting metallurgical composition for an apex seal design and/or the mating
engaging surface for such apex seal which meets two characteristics: inherently
carries a lubricating lm not requiring a special additive layering and has a
retrograde solubility curve such that small additions of chromium can be
precipitated to achieve a hardening of the matrix.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a metallurgical composition for an

apex seal design, and/or the engaging surface for such seal, which contains
additions of special lubricating agents as well as having an inherent lubricating
agent as part of the metallurgical matrix while at the same time allowing for
precipitation hardening to take place with a variety of ingredients, particularly
chromium.

Yet still another object of this invention is to provide a metallurgical material for an
apex seal design which meets the above objects and also can be fabricated by
powder metallurgy techniques. A speci c starting composition meeting the above
objects is a copper-based alloy having 0.1-0.6% chromium and 0.5-1.5 graphite
which has been cold compacted and vacuum sintered at 1500°-1800°F, followed by
quenching and aging at 400°-600°F to precipitation harden.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A preferred metallurgical composition and method for achieving the objects of this
invention comprises the use of a pre-alloyed powder ingredient having a chemistry
consisting of a copper base with additions of 0.1-0.6% chromium. The prealloyed
powder has a particle size in the range of 100-325 mesh. A separate graphitic
powder (particle size in the range of 100-325) is blended with the pre-alloy powder
to form a powder charge for processing according to powder metallurgy
techniques. The blend is compacted to a density of at least 60%, preferably while in
the heated condition in the range of 300-1800°F after having added su cient
lubricant, if desired, such as zincstearate to aid in die release after compaction.
The compacted body may then be sintered to an integral structure at a temperature
preferably in excess of 2050°F (although conventional sintering temperatures of
1500°-1800°F may be used) and aged at a temperature in the range of 400°-600°F
to precipitate the chromium in said matrix.

Copper is an excellent base constituent having the characteristics of light weight,

good heat conduction, and provides an inherent metallic lm lubricant. The latter
results from the formation of a surface oxide lm on copper which is no deterrent
to the performance of the apex seal because the copper oxide is soft and provides
a lubricating function so essential for operating as an apex seal.

Additionally, a copper-chromium phase diagram illustrates a retrograde solubility

for chromium. This reduction in solubility at lower temperatures produces a
precipitation hardening of the copper alloy rendering a surface hardenability in the
range of 50-75 RB. The use of chromium additions provides the maximum
hardening achievable with copper. This composite material is desirable in an apex
seal since it tends to be compatible with a variety of hard materials, such as
chromium or nickel-silicon carbide material types.

Two important points should be adhered to in producing the nal sintered compact,
namely: (a) the use of vacuum or hydrogen atmosphere in the sintering of the
powdered metal to achieve high compressive strength and (b) the control of the
thermal expansion of the powder compact during sintering to less than 0.01 inch
by regulating the particle size to a narrower range of 200-325 mesh and density of
compaction to a narrower range of 80-90%.

To achieve the high strength required of a structural part composed of powder, the
compact should be sintered to a temperature well above the conventional 2000°F
and approaching the area of 2300°F. Additionally, high purity, low due point
atmospheres, such as hydrogen or dis-associated ammonia, are essential. The use
of a vacuum sintering furnace permits the high operating temperature to be utilized
upwards to 2300°-2320°F and this increases the density of the powdered metal
part resulting in a stronger product, particularly in compressive strength. Present
day mu e furnaces are uneconomical to operate above 2100°F because of the low
structural strength of the mu e alloy.

In considering the vacuum sintering approach, the metallic elements of the pre-
alloyed powder have de nite vapor pressures at de nite pressures and so do their
compounds. Therefore, if the pressure within an evacuating chamber is less than
the dis-association pressure, the compound will decompose into its constituents.
On the other hand, if the pressure in the chamber is higher than the dis-association
pressure of the compound, a vacuum heat treatment will have virtually no effect.
Fortunately, many of the metallic oxides, such as copper oxide are stable and it is
necessary to go to extremely low pressures and higher normal temperatures before
complete dis-association is effected.

Patent Citations (7)

Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title

US2789901A * 1952-05-27 1957-04-23 Gen Motors Corp Method of making high density sintered parts

US3459547A * 1967-06-28 1969-08-05 Burgess Norton Mfg Co Method of making a structural alloy steel containing copper and other alloy
elements

US3756754A * 1970-10-24 1973-09-04 Nippon Piston Ring Co Apex seal for rotary piston engine
Ltd

US3773504A * 1970-12-28 1973-11-20 I Niimi Copper base alloy having wear resistance at high temperatures

US3869259A * 1973-05-02 1975-03-04 Gen Motors Corp Composite sliding member

US3909310A * 1973-08-24 1975-09-30 Ford Motor Co Apex seal design

US3910734A * 1973-08-20 1975-10-07 Ford Motor Co Composite apex seal

Family To Family Citations

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party

Cited By (3)

Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title

US5200003A * 1990-12-28 1993-04-06 Board Of Regents Of The University Of Wisconsin System On Behalf Of The Copper graphite
University Of Wisconsin-Milwaukee composite

US5443615A * 1991-02-08 1995-08-22 Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha Molded ceramic articles

US20070089603A1 * 2005-10-21 2007-04-26 Agilent Technologies, Inc. Seal for gas

chromatography

Family To Family Citations

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party, ‡ Family to family citation

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Priority And Related Applications

Priority Applications (5)

Application Priority date Filing date Title

US05/448,797 1974-03-06 1974-03-06 Apex seal material

GB745675A 1974-03-06 1975-02-21 Apex seal for a rotary internal combustion engine

DE2507736A 1974-03-06 1975-02-22 Sealing strip for a piston of a rotary piston internal combustion engine and method for its production

CA221,174A 1974-03-06 1975-02-28 Copper base alloy for apex seal material

JP2572275A 1974-03-06 1975-03-04

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Filing date Title

US05/448,797 1974-03-06 Apex seal material

Concepts

machine-extracted Download Filter table

Name Image Sections Count Query match

material title,description 24 0.000

chromium claims,abstract,description 32 0.000

chromium claims,abstract,description 32 0.000

chromium claims,abstract,description 32 0.000

mixture claims,abstract,description 22 0.000

copper claims,abstract,description 20 0.000

copper claims,abstract,description 20 0.000

copper claims,abstract,description 20 0.000

carbon claims,abstract,description 18 0.000

alloy claims,abstract,description 12 0.000

matrix material claims,abstract,description 12 0.000

graphite claims,abstract,description 10 0.000

graphite claims,abstract,description 10 0.000

manufacturing process claims,abstract,description 6 0.000

precipitate claims,abstract 4 0.000

powder claims,description 34 0.000

combustion reaction claims,description 14 0.000

sintering claims,description 14 0.000

metal claims,description 12 0.000

particle claims,description 12 0.000

metal claims,description 10 0.000

sealing claims,description 10 0.000

carbon claims,description 8 0.000

hydrogen claims,description 6 0.000

hydrogen claims,description 6 0.000

hydrogen claims,description 6 0.000

Cu alloy claims,description 4 0.000

precipitation claims,description 4 0.000

quenching claims,description 4 0.000

quenching claims,description 4 0.000

regulatory claims,description 4 0.000

rendering claims,description 4 0.000

addition claims 2 0.000

mixing claims 2 0.000

alloy abstract,description 10 0.000

lubricant abstract,description 10 0.000

aluminium(3+) abstract,description 8 0.000

lubricating abstract,description 8 0.000

ingredient abstract,description 6 0.000

product abstract 2 0.000

Show all concepts from the description section

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