US2118688A - Yellow brass pipe alloy - Google Patents

Description

Patented May 24, 1938 PATENT OFFICE YELLOW BRASS PIPE ALLOY William 12.. Webster, Bridgep rt, Com, assignmto Bridgeport Brass Company,

dl lm' Conm, a corporation of Connecticut No Drawing. Application June :5, 1m, sci-n1 No. 150,262

6 Claims. (Cl. dis-15s) This invention relates toimprovements in yellow brass alloys, particularly those-tor use in the manufacture oi pipes or tubes.

It is known that the water supplies of many 5 localities in the country produce in yellow brass pipe an eflfect known as dezinciflcation. In this way the pipe becomes corroded and weakened and after a period of time the pipe fails and leaks.

During such dezinciilcationthere is also a sub- 10 stantial loss in tensile strength ofthe brass pipe. I have overcome the objectionable features of ordinary yellow brass which have limited its use and have produced a new yellow brass pipe which does not dezincify when used in localities where 5 the water dezincifles ordinary yellow brass pipe. I have found that by adding a small amount of arsenic to yellow brass pipe, I produce a new brass pipe which resists dezinoiflcation and corrosion that occur when ordinary yellow brass pipe is used. 7

According to my invention I add a very small amount of arsenic to yellow brass and have found that only a fraction of a percent of arsenic is necessary to prevent dezinciflcation of the yellow brass. Pipes made the new yellow brass alloy have been used in regions where ordinary yellow brass became dezinciiled and corroded in use and the new pipes have not been dezinciiled or attacked. The range 0! the proportions oi. the arsenic to be added to the yellow brass alloy is about 0.05 0! 1% to about 0.35 of 1% in order to obtain the new results above described.

Yellow brass alloy as ordinarily used contains about 60% copper and about 40% zinc together with small percentages of impurities and added elements. The percentage of copper may go as high as 67% in ordinary yellow brass. To such an ordinary yellow brass I add a small amount 01' arsenic so that the arsenic in the new yellow brass alloy is present in the proportion of about 0.05% to 0.35%.

Alloys made according to my invention contain about 60 to 67% copper, about 0.05% to about 0.35% of arsenic and the remainder consisting essentially of zinc. My brass alloy may also contain a fraction of a percent of lead to in prove the threading qualities of the pipe or tube made therefrom.

For example, a yellow brass water tube or pipe oi anew yellow brass alloy made according to my invention contains about 60% copper, about 0.21% of arsenic and the rest zinc and is especially adapted to resist and prevent derinciii- 5 cation encountered in the use of ordinary yellow brass pipe. Also, a water tube or pipe made from my new yellow brass alloy does not show a loss in tensile strength after it has been in use for some time as is the case with ordinary yellow brass pipe to which no arsenic has been added.

While I have given certain proportions of ingredients in my new brass alloy, it is to be understood that these are given for purposes of illustration only and may be varied within limits without digressing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

What I claim is: 1. A yellowbrass alloy adapted to be used in making brass pipe which resists dezlnciiication and which contains about 60% copper, up to about'0.35% of arsenic and the remainder zinc.

2. A yellow brass alloy adapted ifor use in producing pipe which contains about 60% copper, about 0.05% to 0.35% arsenic and the remainder zinc.

3. A yellow brass alloy adapted for use in the manufacture oi water tubes or pipes, which re-; sists or prevents dezinciflcation and corrosion and which contains about 60% 'to 67% copper, 0.05% to 0.35% of arsenic, and the remainder consisting substantially entirely of zinc.

4. A yellow brass pipe or tube which resists de zincification in use and is made of an alloy con- 35 taining approximately 60% copper, approximately 0.21% arsenic, with the balance consisting substantially entirely oi zinc.

5. A brass pipe or tube adapted to resist dezinciflcation and corrosion in use, which contains about 60% to 67% of copper, up to about 0.35% of'ars'enic, and the remainder consisting substantially entirely of zinc.

6. A brass pipe or tube adapted to resistdezinciflcation and corrosion in use, made of ordinary yeliow brass alloy with the addition of a small percentage of arsenic up to about 0.35%.

' WILLIAM R. WEBSTER.