Abstract: A furnace roller for supporting a heated workpiece in a furnace, including a roller body with a roller body outer surface that is rotatable along a roller body longitudinal axis. A tire is attached to the roller body outer surface and is rotatable with the roller body and supports a heated workpiece. The tire is shaped such that a contact interface between a workpiece and the tire continuously shifts in a longitudinal direction, and the tire is helical-shaped. The furnace roller includes at least two helical-shaped tires attached to the roller body in either side of a roller body bisecting centerline. A method for conveying a heated workpiece in the furnace is also disclosed.

Abstract: An iron base wear-resistant surfacing alloy characterized by the absence of cobalt. The alloy is in the form of a hollow ductile wire having a powdered metal core. The wire comprises a mild steel, and the composition of the wire and core, taken together, consists essentially of, by weight, from about 3% to about 5% boron; up to about 10% chromium; from about 27% to 43% nickel; from about 0.1% to about 5% silicon; from about 0.2% to about 1.5% carbon; from about 0.1% to about 2 % manganese; with iron comprising the balance and in amounts greater than 43%.

Abstract: An iron-base, hard facing alloy characterized by the absence of cobalt but having performance characteristics approximating cobalt-base, hard surfacing alloys. The alloys consist essentially of, by weight, from about 3% to about 5% boron, up to about 10% chromium, from about 27% to about 43% nickel, from about 0.1% to about 5% silicon, from about 0.2% to about 1.5% carbon, from about 0.1% to about 2% manganese, with iron comprising the balance.