Abstract: A shelf for a bicycle has an upwardly pointing extension for holding a bicycle by its seat and also having an aperture for holding a helmet for use by a rider of the bicycle. In one embodiment the shelf comprises an integrally molded piece. In another embodiment the shelf also includes a frontal lip to prevent accidental falls of the bicycle from the shelf.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of manufacturing, by a continuous casting process, aluminum alloy strip for use in the production of supports for lithographic printing plates, comprising the step of passing an aluminum melt successively through a filtering means, a launder connected to the filtering means, a liquid level controlling means connected to the launder, and a melt feed nozzle connected to the liquid level controlling means, wherein the aluminum melt is obtained by melting an aluminum starting material, then adding to and melting in the molten aluminum starting material a titanium and boron-containing aluminum alloy, and the time t in seconds required for the aluminum melt to pass through the launder satisfies the following condition (1): t?270×1.2×D , ??(1) where D is the depth in meters of the melt in the launder. The method is able to prevent the formation of black streaks even when casting is carried out for an extended period of time.

Abstract: For producing metallic castings an upright crucible is provided, the crucible having a compressible lining made from mineral wool and a bottom sprue opening into a mould supported within a casting box. A high frequency heating coil surrounding the crucible serves to heat up and melt a solid metallic charge so placed within the crucible that an initial gap is left between the lining and the charge, the heating coil being so designed as to effect a progressive melting of the charge from the top down such that the initially melted upper part of the charge flows downwardly through the gap and re-freezes in the lower part of the crucible so as to prevent premature discharge of any of the metal through the sprue until the entire volume of the charge has reached its molten state and attains a temperature higher than the melting temperature whereupon the entire charge is then quickly discharged through the sprue into the mould.