Abstract: A connector assembly for use in fastening two plate members together, particularly such members may be mill hole liner ring segments or mill hole liner rings which are fastened together to form a mill hole chute. The connector assembly is comprised of a connector tongue, connector clip and a wedge means. The connector clip is attached to a first plate member and extends outward perpendicularly from said plate member. The connector tongue is attached to a second plate member. In use the two plate members are aligned in edge to edge abutment so that the connector tongue is inserted through the aperture in the connector clip. A wedge means is then inserted through the aperture in the connector tongue. The wedge means is held in place by frictional forces between the wedge, the connector tongue and the connector clip. The wedge means is driven into the aperture causing the plate members to be connected and positioned in edge to edge alignment.

Abstract: This invention provides an improved method for employing a plasma-arc cutting torch to cut a metal plate. The improvement consists in operating the torch with its lower portion submerged in a layer of water provided over the workpiece. In order to allow automatic adjustment of the torch to the appropriate working height above the workpiece, a mechanism is provided for mounting the torch with respect to the support carriage which guides its horizontal path. This mounting mechanism is such as to allow relative up and down movement between the torch and the support carriage and includes a detecting mechanism including a frame and vertical slides on which the cutting torch is secured so that when the mounting mechanism is lowered to the point where the torch touches the metal plate, the detecting mechanism communicates a signal for the upward movement of the mounting mechanism thereby raising the torch to a predetermined cutting distance from the metal plate.