METHOD FOR RESTORING AT LEAST ONE PORTION OF A BODY OF A VALUABLE HISTORIC VEHICLE

Abstract

Method for restoring at least one portion of a body of a valuable historic vehicle comprising the following successive steps: stripping said body portion, depositing a metal layer by hurling metal particles against said body portion so that they remain embedded therein.

Claims

1. A method for restoring at least one portion of a body of a valuable historic vehicle comprising the following successive steps: (step 1) stripping said body portion; (step 4) depositing a metal layer by hurling metal particles against said body portion so that they remain embedded therein.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the following successive steps: (step 6) applying an epoxy primer on said body portion, and successively (step 8) painting said body portion.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising a step (step 3), prior to said deposition of a metal layer (step 4), consisting of a corundum blasting operation on said body portion, so as to make it sufficiently rough and prepared for the subsequent deposition.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising a step (step 2bis), prior to said deposition of a metal layer (step 4), consisting of the electro-welding of a patch and of the reshaping of said metal sheet.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein said deposition of a metal layer (step 4) is achieved through an oxyacetylene flame in subsonic regime that impacts a target material having a wire form so as to bring the surface particles of said wire into a plastic state, a compressed air jet that hurls said particles onto said body portion.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein said deposition step is achieved in at least two steps, namely: a first step, wherein an aluminium and nickel alloy is deposited, preferably in respective proportions of 20% and 80%; a second step, wherein it is deposited a material similar to the one defining the metal sheet of the body portion subjected to the restoration.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein said first step provides a metal layer less than a tenth of a millimetre, preferably 0.05 millimetres, that acts as an anchoring agent for the subsequent deposition of an homologous material.

8. The method according to claim 6, wherein said second step can be repeated or divided during the present restoration method.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein when an electro-welding is provided, (step 2bis), said deposition (step 4) is carried out after said electro-welding.

10. The method according to claim 5, wherein said wire has a section ranging between and 3/16 inches.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0039] Further objects and advantages of the present invention will become clear from the following detailed description of an embodiment thereof (and its variants) and the annexed drawings, given purely as an illustrative and non-limiting example, in which:

[0040] FIG. 1 shows a preferred flowchart of the method object of the present invention.

[0041] The same reference numbers and letters in the figures identify the same elements or components.

[0042] In the context of the present description, the term second component does not imply the presence of a first component. These terms are in fact used only for clarity's sake and are not to be meant in a restrictive way.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0043] According to the present invention, at least one portion of the metal sheet of a vehicle body is first stripped off, optionally repaired, then treated with corundum blasting and deposition by means of the so-called thermal-spray technique.

[0044] From the sequence of the procedures, it is clear that the corundum blasting is a different and further procedure with respect to the stripping procedure.

[0045] More details about this thermal-spray technology are available in EP3105363 and in EP2654966.

[0046] Before or after the metal deposition, the body or a body portion can be subjected to processing, such as reshaping, to restore its original shape.

[0047] Any electro-welding operation must be carried out on the original metal sheet before the metal deposition.

[0048] At least one first metal deposition performed with the aforementioned thermal-spray technique is carried out in two steps: [0049] a first step, in which an aluminium and nickel alloy is deposited, preferably in proportions of 20% and 80%, respectively; [0050] a second step, in which it is deposited a material similar to the one defining the metal sheet of the body portion subjected to restoration, hereinafter referred to as homologous.

[0051] The first step involves depositing a layer whose thickness is less than one tenth of a millimetre, preferably 5 hundredths of a millimetre, which acts as an anchoring agent for the subsequent deposition of homologous material. The thickness of the homologous material layer may be in the order of tenths of a millimetre up to more than one millimetre.

[0052] Therefore, if the metal sheet is originally made of aluminium and its alloys, the homologous material is preferably aluminium, whereas when the metal sheet is originally made of steel, the homologous material is preferably steel, for example, AISI 316 or 420.

[0053] The deposition by means of the thermal-spray technique is advantageous because of the high roughness of the processed surface.

[0054] This porosity allows an optimal application of the so-called primer, which is generally used for painting body parts.

[0055] The primer is normally an anchoring agent that is useful to isolate the sheet metal and to close any porosity in the metal sheet as well as to support further layers of material, such as for example the paint.

[0056] One of the most common primers is epoxy, which allows an easy sanding to obtain a desired degree of surface finish.

[0057] The target element, from which the material subjected to the deposition is released, preferably has the shape of a wire, which progresses as it is consumed. Its section is preferably of the order of - 3/16 inches and is selected based on the width of the surface to be coated.

[0058] FIG. 1 shows a flowchart of a preferred example of implementation of the present method.

[0059] The blocks represented in broken lines are optional and may be present based on the circumstances.

[0060] Step 1: stripping a portion of metal sheet;

[0061] Step 2 (optional): cutting off portions of metal sheet, which are unsuitable to be electro-welded;

[0062] Step 2bis (optional): electro-welding a patch on the backside of the visible surface of the body portion and reshaping said portion of metal sheet;

[0063] Step 3 (optional): corundum blasting said portion of metal sheet;

[0064] Step 4: metal deposition by using the thermal-spray technique;

[0065] Step 5 (optional): reshaping and sanding said portion of metal sheet;

[0066] Step 6: applying a primer;

[0067] Step 7 (optional): sanding said portion of metal sheet by means of an abrasive cloth;

[0068] Step 8: painting said portion of metal sheet.

[0069] Further depositions of metallic material can be made according to the circumstances during the processing steps necessary for the complete restoration of at least one portion of the bodywork.

[0070] For example, the operator can deposit metal particles during the reshaping i.e. reforming operation of a portion of the bodywork, so that the deposited layer is not subjected to excessive mechanical stresses.

[0071] After the first deposition of metal particles, it is not necessary to carry out the aforementioned two-step deposition with the deposition of the aforementioned aluminium-nickel alloy.

[0072] Modifications to the described non-limiting example are possible without departing from the scope of the present invention, including all equivalent embodiments for a person skilled in the art.

[0073] From the above description, the person skilled in the art is able to manufacture the object of the invention without introducing further constructive details. The elements and features illustrated in the various preferred embodiments, including the drawings, may be combined without however departing from the scope of protection of the present application. What has been described in the state of the art only provides a better understanding of the invention and does not represent a declaration of existence of what has been described. Moreover, if not specifically excluded in the detailed description, what has been described in the state of the art is to be considered as an integral part of the detailed description.