ELECTRICAL CONTACT ARM MATERIAL AND METHOD OF MAKING

摘要

An inexpensive but improved composite strip material for use in making resilient electrical contact arms and the like is shown to comprise a strip of composite, electrically-conductive spring material having a layer of copper metallurgically bonded between outer layers of hardened stainless steel, at least one of these stainless steel layers having a stripe of solder adhered to the stainless steel material extending along the length of the composite spring material and preferably having a stripe of precious metal material displaying low electrical contact surface resistance properties extending along the length of the spring material. The solder stripe is provided on the stainless steel surface of the spring material by fluxing the stainless steel surface, by depositing a molten solder stripe on the fluxed strip surface, and by rapidly chilling the spring material as the solder is deposited thereon for solidifying the solder stripe in such a way as to assure adherence of the solder stripe to the stainless steel spring surface.