Agglomerated anti-friction granules for plasma deposition:
Patent # 5,846,289 with 8 claims, issued 06/16/1998. A collection of agglomerated anti-friction grains for plasma deposition, the grains each consisting essentially of (a) H.sub.2 O atomized stainless steel particles, (b) solid lubricant particles consisting of at least one of boron nitride or a eutectic of calcium fluoride and lithium fluoride, and (c) a binder holding said steel and solid lubricant particles together for plasma spraying, said binder being present in an amount of 0.5-4.0% by weight and is vaporizable at the temperature of plasma spraying and does not interfere with the deposited process. A method of making agglomerated grains of powder suitable for plasma deposition, by (a) H.sub.2 O atomization of a molten stream of martensitic stainless steel to produce a collection of first particles, (b) uniformly blending such first particles with solid lubricant second particles and a binder agent in a slurry, the binder agent being present in a small amount and being constituted to vaporize at the temperature of plasma spraying, and (c) mist spraying the slurry into a heated chamber to form a collection of porous rounded granules.

Method of depositing composite metal coatings containing low friction oxides:
Patent # 5,766,693 with 18 claims, issued 06/16/1998. Method of depositing a metal base coating containing a self-lubricating oxide phase and one or more wear resistant phases, by: preparing at least one light metal substrate surface to be essentially oxide-free and in a condition to adherently receive the coating, plasma spraying a supply of metal (M) powder particles onto the substrate surface to produce a composite coating of such metal (M) and an oxide (MO.sub.x) of such metal that has the lower oxygen content of any of such metal's oxide forms, the plasma being formed by introduction of a primary plasma gas through an electric arc/electromagnetic field to ionize the primary gas as a plasma stream which stream envelopes each particle of the introduced powder, the powder particles being introduced to the plasma stream by an aspirating gas and being melted or plasticized substantially only at a surface region of each particle by the heat of the plasma; the primary plasma gas being constituted of a reactively oxide-neutral gas, but including a reducing gas component particularly when the oxide form of such powder is less than 90% MO.sub.x, and the aspirating gas being constituted of a reactively oxide-neutral gas, but including an oxidizing component if the volume content of the MO.sub.x form of the powder is less than 5% or it is desired to increase the volume of the oxide form MO.sub.x of the powder.

Piston sealing assembly:
Patent # 5,695,199 with 13 claims, issued 12/09/1997. A sealing assembly that significantly reduces or eliminates blow-by, peristolic pumping and sealing element flutter while, at the same time, reducing to ultra low levels friction between the sealing element and its assembly. The assembly has surfaces in at least one of the bore wall or piston to form a groove facing the other of the wall or piston, the groove having exposed smoothly curved shoulders which face each other. A sealing element is positioned in the groove, the element having smoothly curved side surfaces mateable with the groove shoulders for supporting the element in the groove. The sealing element has an exposed outer surface (crown) which also is smoothly curved with a pair of mirror image shoulders, The crown is effective to tangentially contact the cylinder wall while the element side surfaces each tangentially contact their respective mating groove shoulders. The pair of mating groove shoulders and element side walls each have defined curvatures which are effective to maintain the tangency and transfer any load from the sealing element (resulting from contact between the element crown and the cylinder wall contact) to the groove shoulders in a substantially equal manner regardless of articulation of the element in the groove. The curvature of the groove shoulders side surfaces and crown surfaces all adhere to a tractrix relationship.

Method of treating light metal cylinder bore walls to receive thermal sprayed metal coatings:
Patent # 5,691,004 with 8 claims, issued 11/25/1997. A method of treating a light metal cylinder bore wall to adherently receive a thermally sprayed metallic coating, that comprises (a) honing the wall to produce a net cylinder shape surface by use of spiral overlapping cross-abrasions having certain peaks and valleys of the abrasions folded over and molded to create tears, folds and undercuts rendering a hook and ladder effect, the honing being carried out with the use of a machining coolant to prevent burnishing of the walls; (b) either concurrently or shortly after step (a), washing the honed surface with a hot alkaline solution comprising (i) a non-soaping aluminate forming agent (sodium xanthate) that produces a residue on the walls, and (ii) surfactants that facilitate wetting of the walls even when some steam bubbles may be present; (c) rinsing the washed surfaces without disturbing the residue; and (d) thermally spraying a metallic bond coat and top coat on the honed and washed surface to render adhesion between the coating and prepared surface that is at least 6000 psi.

Method of making an engine block using coated cylinder bore liners:
Patent # 5,671,532 with 15 claims, issued 09/30/1997. A method of making coated engine blocks by (a) casting a metallic engine block having one or more cylinder bores; (b) fabricating a thin walled liner for each bore, the liner being constituted of extruded metallic tubing having a cleansed inner surface, a wall thickness controlled to a thickness of 1-3 mm.+-.15 microns, the outer diameter of the liner being slightly greater than the internal diameter of the cylinder bores; (c) relatively rotating the liner with respect to one or more nozzles for applying a plurality of materials to the internal surface of the liner, the materials comprising first a metal texturing fluid that is applied at high pressures to expose fresh metal of the surface, secondly a bond coating material that is thermally sprayed to form a metallurgical bond with the liner internal surface, and a top coating of anti-friction material that is adheringly plasma sprayed to the bond coating; (d) honing the coated internal surface to remove up to 150 microns of top coating, leaving a finish surface that is concentric to the tube axis within .+-.15 microns; and (e) interference fitting the coated liner to the cylinder bore by freezing the liner while maintaining the block at or above ambient temperature to permit implanting of the liner.

Low alloy steel powder for plasma deposition having solid lubricant properties:
Patent # 5,663,124 with 7 claims, issued 09/02/1997. An iron or copper based metal powder useful for plasma deposition of a coating that has a dry coefficient of friction 0.75 or less and readily conducts heat through the coating. The powder comprises (a) H.sub.2 O atomized and annealed particles consisting essentially of (by weight) carbon 0.15-85%, oxygen 0.1-0.45%, an air hardening agent selected from manganese and nickel of 0.1-6.5%, and the remainder iron or copper, with at least 90% of the particles having oxygen and iron or copper combined in the lowest atomic oxygen form for an oxide of such metal. A method of making anti-friction iron powder that is economical, selectively produces FeO and promotes fine flowable particles. The method comprises (a) steam atomization of a molten steel that excludes other oxygen, the steel containing carbon up to 0.4% by weight to produce a collection of comminuted particles, and (b) annealing the particles in an air atmosphere for a period of time of 0.25-2.0 hours in a temperature range of 800.degree.-1400.degree. F. to reduce carbon in the particles to about 0.2% or sponge iron by reducing Fe.sub.3 O.sub.4 or Fe.sub.2 O.sub.3 in CO and (H.sub.2 O steam) to attain nearly all iron with nearly all FeO and 0.1.degree. to 0.85.degree. C.

Using electrical discharge surface preparation for thermal coatings:
Patent # 5,648,122 with 8 claims, issued 06/17/1997. A method of preparing the surface of a conductive metal to be non-smooth and non-passivated for reception of thermal sprayed coatings. The method comprises melting and rapidly solidifying globules of the surface by electrical discharge by bring an electrode (anode) in close gap-sparking proximity to the surface, filling the gap with an electrolyte containing a halogenated hydrocarbon fluid present in an amount of 2-5% of the electrolyte, and imposing a pulsed DC voltage (i.e. 20-100 volts at 40-200 amps) on the electrode to provide cyclical sparking between the electrode and the surface through the electrolyte resulting in a breakdown of the hydrocarbon to release nascent halogen atoms which attack the surface to prevent passivation during melting and solidification of the globules. The electrolyte is preferably cooled to a temperature below 65.degree. F. during the sparking, and the halogenated hydrocarbon is preferably present in a sufficient amount to attack silicon and aluminum, if such surface is an aluminum alloy containing silicon.

Method of making an efficiency enhanced fluid pump or compressor:
Patent # 5,638,600 with 3 claims, issued 06/17/1997. A high efficiency pump having relatively-moving parts constituted of a light weight material and a coating on at least one of the parts to effect essentially zero clearance between the parts where they merge together. The coating is comprised of solid lubricants in a polymer resin matrix stable up to 700 degrees F.

Agglomerated anti-friction granules for plasma deposition:
Patent # 5,629,091 with 5 claims, issued 05/13/1997. A collection of agglomerated anti-friction grains for plasma deposition, the grains each consisting essentially of (a) H.sub.2 O atomized stainless steel particles, (b) solid lubricant particles consisting of at least one of boron nitride or a eutectic of calcium fluoride and lithium fluoride, and (c) a binder holding said steel and solid lubricant particles together for plasma spraying, said binder being present in an amount of 0.5-4.0% by weight and is vaporizable at the temperature of plasma spraying and does not interfere with the deposited process.

Flutter free piston ring assembly:
Patent # 5,598,763 with 8 claims, issued 02/04/1997. A piston and ring assembly operative within a cylindrical bore wall to retain fluid to one side. The piston has a side wall for movement along the cylindrical wall and has one or more spaced grooves in the side wall, each groove defining a pair of interior groove surfaces spaced apart a uniform distance; at least one sealing element presenting a pair of opposed surfaces operating between and along the pair of groove surfaces, the sealing element being capable of engaging the cylindrical wall, the spacing between the opposed surfaces of the sealing element and the pair of interior surfaces of the groove being no greater than ten microns; and a solid film lubricant mixture coating the groove surfaces and the opposed surfaces of the sealing element, whereby surface adhesion of the fluid, present in the spacing, inhibiting migration of such fluid through the spacing and flutter of the sealing element, in said spacing, being essentially eliminated.

Flexibly making engine block assemblies:
Patent # 5,566,450 with 10 claims, issued 10/22/1996. A method of flexibly manufacturing engine blocks by first bonding an extruded tube liner insert, of a given thickness (1-15 mm), to a fixed configuration block, the liner insert having been coated with an anti-friction wear-resistant coating having a controlled standard thickness, and secondly bonding an extruded tube liner insert of a different thickness (again selected from 1-15 mm) to another of the fixed configuration blocks, the second liner insert having been coated with the same type of anti-friction wear-resistant coating in essentially the same controlled standard thickness. The common sized engine block can have (i) identically shaped circular cylindrical bore walls or (ii) ovoid cylindrical bore walls with the liner insert having an interior surface shape selection varying between circular to ovoid. The block and liner insert may be both made of aluminum. To promote wear-resistant and lubricant qualities, the coating may contain a mixture of hard particles (such as stainless steel, nickel, chromium or vanadium) and solid lubricant particles such as oxides of iron having controlled oxygen, BN, LiF, NaF.sub.2 or a eutectic of LiF/NaF.sub.2.

Solid lubricant coating for fluid pump or compressor:
Patent # 5,554,020 with 9 claims, issued 09/10/1996. A high efficiency pump having relatively-moving parts constituted of a light weight material and a coating on at least one of the parts to effect essentially zero clearance between the parts where they merge together. The coating is comprised of solid lubricants in a polymer resin matrix stable up to 700.degree. F.

Ultra low device volume piston system:
Patent # 5,490,445 with 15 claims, issued 02/13/1996. A piston and ring assembly operative within a cylindrical bore wall to retain pressurized fluid to one side of the assembly, the piston having a crown and an annular side wall for movement along the bore wall. The assembly comprises a piston having at least on annular groove (the groove having an enlarged height of at least 4 mm) in the side wall of the piston; at least two split compression rings in each such groove effective to each substantially annularly engage the bore wall, the rings having mating superimposed surfaces to facilitate movement of the rings in unison as a result of friction therebetween; a compressed elastomeric ring (constituted of polysilanes, such as silastic with strengtheners) disposed in said groove (having a compression of 10-20% at room temperature), acting between the piston and ring most-remote from said piston crown, to resiliently bias at least the most-remote-ring against the bore wall; a solid film lubricant coating essentially all the sides of said groove; and non-mating surfaces of solid lubricant carried by the rings to effect reduced friction between said rings and groove when being biased by the elastomeric ring.

Solid lubricant and hardenable steel coating system:
Patent # 5,484,662 with 7 claims, issued 01/16/1996. A solid lubricant coating system for use with a metal interface subject to high temperatures and wet lubrication, comprising agglomerates of particles of (i) solid lubricant particles selected from the group consisting of graphite, boron nitride, molybdenum disulfide, lithium fluoride, NaF, WS.sub.2, and calcium fluoride; and (ii) steel particles fused together and bounding said solid lubricant particles at least at certain intersections, certain portions of said steel particles being air-hardened to a high hardness upon exposure of the coating to the interface at high temperatures.

Anti-friction coating composition containing solid lubricants:
Patent # 5,482,637 with 20 claims, issued 01/09/1996. A composition of matter for depositing a thin anti-friction film that has a coefficient of friction of 0.06 or less. The composition comprises (a) a mixture of solid lubricant particles, a thermoset resin, and a catalyst for setting the resin, and (b) an evaporative medium for carrying the mixture during deposition. A solid film lubricant system for protecting metal wear interfaces subject to high temperatures and wet lubrications, comprising an oil-attracting solid lubricant mixture with at least two elements selected from the group of graphite, MoS.sub.2 and BN; a support for the mixture to loads of at least 10 psi at temperatures of 600.degree.-800.degree. F. while being thermally stable; a thermally stable thermoset polymer matrix, the polymer having inherent hydrocarbon chemical attraction to form a tenacious oil film of the lubricating oil on the wearing surface. A method of making anti-friction coated surfaces comprising providing a light metal based cylinder surface; exposing nonoxidized metal of the surface; applying a high elastic modulus load-supporting metal layer onto at least portions of the light metal cylinder surface; and simultaneously distributing a solvent-based solid film lubricant mixture and thermoset polymer onto at least portions of the layer at about room temperature to form a coating of desired thickness.

Thermal management system for heat engine components:
Patent # 5,477,820 with 21 claims, issued 12/26/1995. Heat engine piston and combustion chamber construction enclosing a gas combustion zone, comprising: a piston body having a crown facing said gas combustion zone; combustion chamber surfaces cooperating with said piston to complete enclosure of said zone; and a thermal diffusivity coating on said crown and combustion chamber surfaces having an effective thickness to operate as a thermal diode to restrict heat transfer to said piston body and combustion chamber and to restrict heat transfer to said combustible charge prior to combustion. A method of thermally managing heat generated by an internal combustion engine, the engine having combustion chamber walls for combusting a gaseous mixture of air and fuel, a cooling jacket for cooling said walls, and a piston moveable along a portion of said walls, comprising: increasing the compression ratio of the engine to induce engine-knock for an uncoated chamber; coating at least the crown of the piston of said combustion chamber walls with a low thermal diffusivity layer that functions as a heat diode to restrict heat transfer in both directions normal to the coating; operating said engine with said coating chamber wall and increased compression ratio, whereby fresh intake of combustible mixture to said combustion chamber will be drawn thereinto at a lower temperature and volumetric efficiency with less heat from said combustion being wasted to said cooling jacket.

Piston assembly having abradable coating:
Patent # 5,469,777 with 11 claims, issued 11/28/1995. A piston assembly operable within a fluid bathed, cylinder wall, comprising a piston body (10) having at least one annular land (36) adapted to be in close-fitting relationship to the cylinder wall (37) an abradable coating (15) tenaciously adhered to said at least the one land (36) effective to create and sustain substantially zero clearance with the fluid bathed cylinder wall and a heat sink in the form of at least one of (i) heat conductors (23) in the coating to conduct heat from the land (36) and (ii) a piston body interior (52) effective to receive a heat conducting fluid (26) moving along the interior to extract heat therefrom. The abradable coating comprises solid lubricants at least two of which are selected from the group consisting of graphite, molydisulphide and boron nitride The heat conductors in the coating preferably consist of copper particles distributed throughout the coating and constitute at least 70-90% by weight of the abradable coating.

Solid lubricant and hardenable steel coating system:
Patent # 5,464,486 with 7 claims, issued 11/07/1995. A method of making anti-friction coated surfaces subject to sliding wear, comprising: (a) forming grains of agglomerated solid lubricant particles and air-hardenable, fusable ingredients such as steel particles, the particles being agglomerated by a low melting medium such as wax; (b) providing a light metal-based component surface; (c) thermally spraying such grains onto said surface in a thickness range of 100-250 microns to form a coating substantially devoid of the low melting medium (the temperature of said thermal spraying liquifying and eliminating the wax by ash-free combustion); (d) removing at least a portion of the fusable particles by honing to expose edges of such particles; and (e) subjecting the exposed particles to air hardening (i.e., by available interfacing friction).

Method of making and using a piston ring assembly:
Patent # 5,430,938 with 12 claims, issued 07/11/1995. Method of making a piston ring assembly by providing a metallic (i.e. cast aluminum) piston with a crown and an annular depending side wall; machining a stepped annular groove in the side wall having a total height of at least 4 mm (preferably having a combined total height equal to the groove height less 60 microns or less); fabricating a pair of metallic (i.e. aluminum based) split annular compression rings nestable within said groove and effective to operate together as a superimposed unit to seal against both said step and groove; coating said groove and the non-mating surfaces of said rings with solid film lubricants (i.e. graphite, BN and MoS.sub.2); and inserting said pair of coated rings into said coated groove with their split ends out of superimposed alignment. Also a method of reducing piston ring blow-by for a piston ring assembly in a cylinder bore wall of an internal combustion engine, the wall being bathed with oil drawn from a reservoir comprising providing a machined piston and split compression rings as above and reciprocatingly operating the assembly in the bore wall for carrying out engine operation whereby the rings act in unison due to friction at their mating surfaces and are free to radially adjust as a unit with little or no inhibiting friction while maintaining sealing engagement with the step of the groove, a side of the groove, and the oil film on the bore wall.

Solid lubricant and hardenable steel coating system:
Patent # 5,408,964 with 6 claims, issued 04/25/1995. An engine block with one or more anti-friction coated cylinder bores, comprising an oil-attracting coating of grains fused to each other and to the bore wall, the grains comprising agglomerates of solid lubricant particles and hardened, fused particles, the solid lubricant particles being selected from the group consisting of graphite molybdenum disulfide, boron nitride, lithium fluoride, and calcium fluoride, the coating having been finish-honed to expose certain margins of the fused particles.

Oil-starved valve assembly:
Patent # 5,406,917 with 3 claims, issued 04/18/1995. A valve assembly (10) for use in an engine (12), comprising a valve stem guide (14) and a valve seat insert (40) mounted within the engine (12), the valve stem guide (14) and the valve seat insert (40) being provided with a solid film lubricant (30) impregnated therewithin. A valve (20) is reciprocatingly received within the internal bore (16) of the tubular valve stem guide (14). The valve (20) includes an axially extending valve stem (22) which is received by the solid film lubricant (30) within the valve stem guide (14), thereby reducing friction therebetween. The valve stem (22) and the valve stem guide (14) are formed so as to cooperate with associated components within narrowly defined dimensional tolerances in a manner which has the characteristics of reduced friction and lessened passage of oil to the exhaust system of the engine (12). The valve guide assembly (10) thus has the characteristic of being operable in an oil-starved state. The invention comprises the valve assembly (10) itself, the method of preparing it, and the composition of matter of which it is made.

Antiblow-by piston and seal construction for high temperature applications:
Patent # 5,392,692 with 12 claims, issued 02/28/1995. A piston and ring assembly operative within a cylindrical bore wall to retain fluid to one side of the assembly, comprising a piston having at least one annular stepped groove in the side wall of the piston, the groove being stepped into uppermost and lowermost spaces with the uppermost space having the greatest depth; at least two split compression rings in the groove, effective to each substantially annularly engage the bore wall, the rings having mating surfaces superimposed one upon another and having their split ends out of superimposed alignment, and a solid lubricant that coats essentially all of the groove and constitutes the non-mating surfaces of the superimposed rings. Pressure of the retained fluid forces the rings together to act in unison and seal jointly against both the step and a side of the groove opposite the retained fluid. The solid film lubricant assists in eliminating freezing of the rings against the groove sides, increasing ring fatigue life, enhancing ring tension and reducing engine emissions.

Method of making an anti-friction coating on metal by plasma spraying powder having a solid lubricant core and fusable metal shell:
Patent # 5,358,753 with 13 claims, issued 07/26/1994. A method of making an anti-friction coating on a metal surface subject to sliding wear, including the steps of: forming an encapsulated powder having grains made of a core of solid lubricants including at least graphite and MoS.sub.2 (others may include BN, NaF, LiF, CaF.sub.2, and WS.sub.2), and a thin shell of fusable soft metal such as Ni, Co, Fe, Zn, Sn, Mg, or Cu; plasma spraying the powder onto a light metal surface, such as a cylinder bore wall of an internal combustion engine, to form a coating; and finish-smoothing the coating to a uniform thickness of about 25-175 microns. Some core particles may be hard, wear-resistant particles such as SiC, NiCrAl, FeMn, FeCrAl, FeWNiVCr, NiCrMoVW, FeCrMoWV, CoFeNiCrMoWV, NiCrMoV, and CoMoCrVW.

Solid lubricant and hardenable steel coating system:
Patent # 5,332,422 with 9 claims, issued 07/26/1994. A plasma sprayable powder for coating surfaces such as cylinder bores of an internal combustion engine, comprising grain size agglomerates of (i) a plurality of solid lubricant particles selected from the group consisting of graphite, MoS.sub.2, BN, CaF.sub.2, and LiF; and (ii) fusable ingredients adjacent the solid lubricant particles, the ingredients being air-hardenable upon friction-promoting-use, and the lubricants and fusable ingredients being agglomerated together by a low melting medium in the grains. A solid lubricant coating system for use with a metal interface subject to high temperatures and wet lubrication, comprising agglomerates of particles of (i) solid lubricant particles selected from the group consisting of graphite, boron nitride, molybdenum disulfide, lithium fluoride, NaF, WS.sub.2, and calcium fluoride; and (ii) steel particles fused together and bounding said solid lubricant particles at least at certain intersections, certain portions of said steel particles being air-hardened to a high hardness upon exposure of the coating to the interface at high temperatures.

Metal encapsulated solid lubricant coating system:
Patent # 5,315,970 with 7 claims, issued 04/12/1994. An engine block having one or more anti-friction coated cylinder bore walls, comprising: a coating of grains fused to the cylinder bore wall, the grains being comprised of solid lubricant particles encapsulated within a soft metal shell, the shells being fused together to form a network with limited porosity, the solid lubricant comprising at least graphite and MoS.sub.2 ; and wet oil lubrication retained within the porosity of the coating.

Low friction reciprocating piston assembly:
Patent # 5,313,919 with 13 claims, issued 05/24/1994. A low-friction piston construction for use in an oil-fed cylinder bore with the piston skirt relieved to define lands that are coated with SFL (graphite, MoS.sub.2, BN, and a special expoxy resin). A method of making such piston construction including provision of asperities on the skirt wall onto which the SFL coating is thermally sprayed and formation of small pockets at the mouth of the asperities to additionally act as oil replenishing reservoirs. A method of using such piston construction in an engine which comprises provisions of a slightly increased gap between the piston and cylinder wall and formation of a transferred SFL coating from the piston to the cylinder wall resulting in two polished microsmooth mating coatings, each attractive to oil films.

Metal encapsulated solid lubricant coating system:
Patent # 5,302,450 with 20 claims, issued 04/12/1994. A thermally sprayable powder having grains comprising: a core of solid lubricant particles comprised of at least graphite and MoS.sub.2 (others may include Bn, NaF, LiF, CaF.sub.2, and WS.sub.2); and a thin, soft metal shell (Ni, Co, Fe, Zn, Sn, Mg, or Cu) encapsulating such core. Some core particles may also be hard, wear-resistant particles from the group consisting of SiC, NiCrAl, FeMn, FeCrAl, FeWNiVCr, NiCrMoVW, FeCrMoWV, CoFeNiCrMoWV, NiCrMoV, and CoMoCrVW.

Oil-starved valve assembly:
Patent # 5,295,461 with 11 claims, issued 03/22/1994. A valve assembly (10) for use in an engine (12), comprising a valve stem guide (14) and a valve seat insert (40) mounted within the engine (12), the valve stem guide (14) and the valve seat insert (40) being provided with a solid film lubricant (30) impregnated therewithin. A valve (20) is reciprocatingly received within the internal bore (16) of the tubular valve stem guide (14). The valve (20) includes an axially extending valve stem (22) which is received by the solid film lubricant (30) within the valve stem guide (14), thereby reducing friction therebetween. The valve stem (22) and the valve stem guide (14) are formed so as to cooperate with associated components within narrowly defined dimensional tolerances in a manner which has the characteristics of reduced friction and lessened passage of oil to the exhaust system of the engine (12). The valve guide assembly (10) thus has the characteristic of being operable in an oil-starved state. The invention comprises the valve assembly (10) itself, the method of preparing it, and the composition of matter of which it is made.

Depositing metal onto a surface:
Patent # 5,245,153 with 16 claims, issued 09/14/1993. In order to deposit metal onto a surface such as a cylindrical surface, an arc spraying method is used with a consumable electrode (16), a non-consumable electrode (18) and a jet of atomising gas (22) blown through the arc (20) in a radial direction to propel the molten metal of the consumable electrode from the acr to the cylinder wall (12). The non-consumable electrode and the atomising gas jet both rotate about the cylinder axis so that the entire surface can be covered. The supply for the consumable electrode will normally come from a reel which can be stationary such that the consumable electrode does not rotate about its own axis.

Low Friction Recipocating Piston Assembly:
Patent # 5,239,955 with 23 claims, issued 08/31/1993. A low-friction piston construction for use in an oil-fed cylinder bore with the piston skirt relieved to define lands that are coated with SFL (graphite, MoS.sub.2, BN, and a special expoxy resin). A method of making such piston construction including provision of asperities on the skirt wall onto which the SFL coating is thermally sprayed and formation of small pockets at the mouth of the asperities to additionally act as oil replenishing reservoirs. A method of using such piston construction in an engine which comprises provisions of a slightly increased gap between the piston and cylinder wall and formation of a transferred SFL coating from the piston to the cylinder wall resulting in two polished microsmooth mating coatings, each attractive to oil films.

Valve Lifter:
Patent #  5,239,951 with 18 claims, issued 08/31/1993. A pressure sensitive pad assembly for a brake pedal having in one embodiment a pair of plastic films with metallized surfaces spaced apart by apertured spaces and embedded in an elastomeric pad to be placed on a brake pedal. Application of a brakeactuating force on the pad causes the elastomer to deform closing contact between the metallized surfaces for actuating a brake light. In another embodiment a pressure sensitive transducer pad assembly has embedded in elastomeric material, a plurality of piezoelectric strips which are deformed, upon application of a brake actuating force to the pad, for providing an electrical signal indicative of the magnitude of the brake actuating force. In another embodiment an elastomeric pad spans a shallow recess in a support with piezoelectric material provided on the spanning surface and deformation of the pad into the recess deforms the piezoelectric material to provide a brake actuating force signal.

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