Europaisches Patentamt European Patent Office Office europeen des brevets © Publication number: 0 027 649 A1 © EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION © Application number: 80106339.7 © Date of filing: 17.10.80 ©Int. CI.*: C 21 D 1/76 C 21 D 1/26, C 21 D 1/32 © Priority: 23.10.79 US 87360 © Applicant: AIR PRODUCTS AND CHEMICALS, INC. P.O. Box 538 Allentown, Pennsylvania 18105(US) © Date of publication of application: 29.04.81 Bulletin 81/17 © Inventor: Levis, Robert Walter Rua Doutor Martinico Prado 481 Apto 1302 © Designated Contracting States: Higienopolis - Cop 01224 Sao Paulo(BR) BE DE FR GB IT NL © Representative: Berg, Wilhelm, Dr. et al. Dr. Berg, Dipl.-lng. Stapf, Dipl.-lng. Schwabe, Dr. Dr. Sandmair Mauerkircherstrasse 45 D-8000 Munchen 80(DE) © Protective atmosphere process for annealing and or spheroidizing ferrous metals. Methanol and nitrogen are injected into a furnace utilized for annealing or spheroidizing metal articles. The methanol reacts inside the furnace to provide an atmosphere with a carbon potential that will minimize or prevent carbon removal or carbon addition to the surface of the ferrous metals being treated.