Steel product and method of producing the product

Abstract

A method of producing a steel product includes heat treating a mechanically worked steel product and maintaining or increasing the ductility and maintaining or increasing the yield stress of the steel. A mechanically worked and heat treated steel product made by the method.

1 - 21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . A method of producing a steel product includes heat treating a mechanically worked low carbon, medium carbon or high strength low alloy steel product and maintaining or increasing the ductility and maintaining or increasing the yield stress of the steel. 
     
     
         23 . The method defined in  claim 22  also includes maintaining or increasing the tensile strength of the steel. 
     
     
         24 . The method defined in  claim 22  wherein the increase in ductility, measured as elongation, of the heat treated steel relative to that of the mechanically worked steel is greater than 5%. 
     
     
         25 . The method defined in  claim 22  wherein the increase in the yield stress of the heat treated steel relative to that of the mechanically worked steel is greater than 5%. 
     
     
         26 . A method of producing a steel product includes:
 (a) mechanically working a low carbon, medium carbon or high strength low alloy steel feed steel, and   (b) heat treating the mechanically worked feed steel and maintaining or increasing the ductility and maintaining or increasing the yield stress of the steel; and   (c) forming a steel product.   
     
     
         27 . The method defined in  claim 26  wherein the mechanical working step (a) includes cold rolling or drawing or any other suitable mechanical working step that reduces the transverse cross-sectional area of the feed steel. 
     
     
         28 . The method defined in  claim 26  wherein the mechanical working step (a) includes cold rolling or drawing or any other suitable mechanical working step that changes the cross-sectional shape of the feed steel, without necessarily changing the transverse cross-sectional area, such that there has been energy input required to cause the shape change. 
     
     
         29 . A method of producing a steel product includes:
 (a) mechanically working a low carbon, medium carbon or high strength low alloy steel product, and   (b) heat treating the mechanically worked steel product and increasing the ductility and maintaining or increasing the yield stress of the steel.   
     
     
         30 . The method defined in  claim 29  wherein the mechanical working step (a) includes cold rolling or drawing or any other suitable mechanical working step that reduces the transverse cross-sectional area of the steel product. 
     
     
         31 . The method defined in  claim 29  wherein the mechanical working step (a) includes cold rolling or drawing or any other suitable mechanical working step that changes the cross-sectional shape of the feed steel, without necessarily changing the cross-sectional area, such that there has been energy input required to cause the shape change. 
     
     
         32 . A method of producing a steel product includes:
 (a) mechanically working a low carbon, medium carbon or high strength low alloy steel feed steel,   (b) forming the steel product from the mechanically worked feed steel, and   (c) heat treating the steel product and increasing the ductility and maintaining or increasing the yield stress of the steel product.   
     
     
         33 . The method defined in  claim 32  wherein heat treatment step (c) also includes heat treating the formed steel product and maintaining or increasing the tensile strength of the steel product. 
     
     
         34 . The method defined in  claim 32  wherein the mechanical working step (a) includes cold rolling or drawing or any other suitable mechanical working step that reduces the transverse cross-sectional area of the feed steel. 
     
     
         35 . The method defined in  claim 32  wherein the mechanical working step (a) includes cold rolling or drawing or any other suitable mechanical working step that changes the cross-sectional shape of the feed steel, without necessarily changing the transverse cross-sectional area, such that there has been energy input required to cause the shape change. 
     
     
         36 . A method of producing a steel product that includes selecting a low carbon, medium carbon or high strength low alloy steel feed steel as a starting material for the product and selecting mechanical working and heat treatment time and heat treatment temperature conditions of the feed steel or a product made from the feed steel to provide required mechanical properties for the product and carrying out mechanical working and heat treating steps and maintaining or increasing ductility and maintaining or increasing the yield stress of the steel and producing the product with the required mechanical properties. 
     
     
         37 . A mechanically worked and heat treated low carbon, medium carbon or high strength low alloy steel product made by the method defined in  claim 22 . 
     
     
         38 . The steel product defined in  claim 37  includes any one of wire, rod, bar, or strip. 
     
     
         39 . The steel product defined in  claim 38  includes a steel product that is made from any one of wire, rod, bar, and strip.