Abstract: A method and apparatus for the production of prereduced iron ore, DRI, sponge iron or the like by the gaseous reduction of iron-oxide containing particles in a reduction system which comprises a preheating device for the iron ore particles. The preheating device preserves the strength of the iron ore particles through the reduction system by preheating the particles with non-reducing (or preferably oxidizing) gas, whereby the DRI or like material produced is stronger than if it were processed in a reduction reactor without said preheating device. The invention thereby avoids sticking and fines production problems which some iron ores cause in the reduction reactor. The preheating device also produces other advantages in the reduction system as, for example, that the reducing gas reaches a higher degree of oxidation in the reduction reactor whereby the productivity of the reduction system increases as a result of the decreased amount of reducing gas as well as the decreased residence time required.

Abstract: An automatic mixing and injecting apparatus comprises a syringe assembly within a housing. The syringe assembly has a chamber for holding a liquid, which can be a liquid medicine or a solvent. A second chamber may hold a dry medicine. The second chamber is releasably sealed with respect to the first chamber. A spring-operated plunger forces liquid from the first chamber and causes the releasable seal to disengage when the needle has entered the recipient. At this time, the liquid flows through the second chamber and dissolves any dry medicine in that chamber. A releasable coupling disengages the plunger from the driver spring and allows the plunger, syringe, and needle to retract under the urging of a return spring.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for separating undesired toxic metals, such as Zn, Pb and Cd, from iron-containing materials by: sintering a mixture of such materials (typically including EAF dust and mill scale) with carbonaceous particles to form sturdy sinter lumps; preheating such lumps in a non-reducing atmosphere, if needed, to achieve an elevated temperature generally above the vaporization temperature of the undesired metals, but below the sticking temperature of iron-containing lumps (which is typically below the vaporization temperatures of such undesired metals in their oxide form), feeding the lumps at such elevated temperature into a reduction reactor; flowing hot reducing gas through lumps to volatilize undesired reduced metals and carry the volatilized metals out of reduction reactor leaving the iron-containing lumps largely stripped of the undesired metals and ready for discharge and safe and/or useful disposal or re-use, and finally cooling the off gas from the reactor

Abstract: A releasable interlock assembly having axial and rotational engagement, and suitable for use in catheter introducers and other medical devices, has a tapered female member which receives a tapered male member. The female member has protrusions which engage corresponding grooves on the male member. The grooves have a generally axially aligned portion and a generally circumferentially aligned portion, terminating in a pocket to receive the corresponding protrusion on the female member. The depth of the each groove decreases from the open axially aligned end to a point just before the pocket, causing a dimensional interference which prevents the protrusion from disengaging the pocket axially, unless deliberately rotated by an operator.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for pneumatically transporting solid and abrasive particulate materials at high temperature, by means of a carrier gas through a plurality of co-axial straight pipes. The pipes are maintained under constant tension by applying a force across at least one expansion joint coupling said pipes in order to maintain said pipes straight against the forces acting on said pipes which tend to cause bending and deformation thereof, as for example: thermal elongation, the weight of the solids conveyed through said pipes, the friction forces between said pipes and its supporting frame, and the pressure of the carrier gas inside said pipes. The constant tensioning force may be applied for example, by means of hydraulic cylinders in combination with a telescopic water-cooled sleeve.

Abstract: Simplified heat-treatment in making aluminum alloys castings of the type improved by aging, especially for automotive engine cylinder heads and motor blocks. The castings, after solidification and extraction from their molds, each have an end product (workpiece) portion and a riser portion (the latter being ultimately cut off as waste). The workpiece portion of the casting is selectively quenched from solution temperatures down to about 120° C. by spraying water or other appropriate liquid preferably as a gas driven mist onto the surfaces of the workpiece while maintaining the riser portion of the casting essentially unsprayed at relatively significantly higher temperatures. After the quench, the residual reservoir of heat thus retained by said riser portion, by internal heat conduction, reheats the workpiece portion and maintains such workpiece portion for an effective time period within the temperature range for artificial aging, thus obviating any need for the aging furnace used by the prior art.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for the reduction into metallic iron of iron-oxides-containing particles having a broad range of sizes. Particles, typically within a broad range of sizes of about 0.1 mm to about 50 mm, are reduced by contact with a hot reducing gas, preferably from a horizontal gas distributor which defines the bottom of the reduction zone by supplying a uniform upflow of gas mainly composed of hydrogen (and/or carbon monoxide) within a temperature range of 650° C. to 1050° C. and at a velocity of about 0.5-0.7 m/s to fluidize at least some of the particles of a size of about 1.0 mm or less (when present).

Abstract: A process for hydrotreating a hydrocarbon feedstock (1) involving the use of at least one hydrotreatment, particularly hydrodesulfurization, reactor (2) and a fractionation unit (3), which latter contains two distinct injection zones (4, 5) for the hydrocarbon feedstocks, a common zone (8) of vaporization of the light fractions and two distinct draw-off lines (6, 7) for the liquid bottoms; the hydrocarbon feedstock (1) being subjected to a preliminary treatment either in a first hydrodesulfurization reactor (20) the operating conditions of which (P, T, LHSV) may be different from those of the hydrotreatment reactor (2), or in a sweetening apparatus or else in a sulfur trap, the hydrocarbon feedstock being then injected into the first injection zone (4) of the fractionation unit (3), the liquid bottoms being removed through the draw-off line (6) of the injection zone (4) and passed into a hydrotreatment reactor (2), the effluents from said reactor (2) being injected into a second injection zone (5) of the

Abstract: An air actuator has a rigid piston at one end and a rigid housing and end cap at the other end with an intervening elastomeric flexible sleeve extending therebetween which forms a fluid pressure chamber. The rigid piston, elastomeric flexible sleeve, and rigid housing are all injection or blow molded as one integral piece of preferably a thermoplastic elastomer, while the end cap is injection or blow molded as a second integral piece of preferably a thermoplastic elastomer that is thereafter welded to the rigid housing to define an internal chamber that is pressurizable. The first piece consisting of the piston, flexible membrane and housing, is configured such that the walls of the housing and piston are thick and rigid while the walls of the flexible membrane are thin and thus flexible, thereby allowing the membrane to roll and bend such that the piston may axially move in relation to the housing.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for connecting an electronic monitoring device to a pneumatic tire includes the steps of providing a green tire and attaching the electronic monitoring package to an anchoring patch. The anchoring patch having the electronic monitoring package is then mounted to the green tire and cured during the green tire cure process. A battery is then provided and a direct electrical connection between the electronic monitoring package and battery is then formed by plugging the battery into the electronic monitoring package. The electronic monitoring package may also be mounted in the green tire itself and cured with the green tire. The battery is connected to the electronic monitoring package after the cure process.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for increasing the productivity of an existing direct reduction iron (DRI) plant without increasing its reformer capacity existing in the plant. This object is achieved by not only recycling some effluent gas of the reduction reactor to the gas reformer (with natural gas or the like added with an oxidant as make up gas), but also recycling an additional portion of the effluent gas with added natural gas and an oxygen containing stream directly to the reducing gas stream exiting the reformer prior to or as part of its introduction to the reduction reactor, thereby providing additional reducing agents and increasing the reducing capacity of the plant. The oxygen containing stream is preferably added to the recycled reducing gas without preheating. Any excess or purged effluent gas is as usual burned as fuel.

Abstract: A hair braiding apparatus is disclosed comprising a two arms for receiving hooks. The hooks hold a first and second strand of hair, respectively, in slideable engagement and can be retracted and extended by the operator. A third stand of hair is braided with the first and second strands as the arms and books are caused to automatically rotate cyclically and reverse their previous positions. The cyclic rotation carries the first and second strands with it and produces a braid as the operator moves the third strand upward and downward through the opening defined by the arms and the first and second strands. The apparatus may be powered by a DC motor.

Abstract: A roadway structure comprising from top to bottom:a top layer,at least one rigid foundation layer having a high modulus of rigidity and supporting the top layer,the ground, or an untreated material or a damaged roadway, andin addition particularly having an under layer beneath and adhered to the foundation layer, which under layer has a thickness such that it constitutes a support with a smooth and flat surface for the foundation layer laid thereon.

Abstract: A method of testing a tire for rain groove wander is provided which allows a tire to be objectively tested in a laboratory wherein the objective test results closely correlate with subjective field analysis type data, thereby allowing for the subjective tire performance to be predicted while precluding the need for subjective field analysis of the particular tire. The method also allows objective testing of a single tire size by varying the radial loading in the laboratory test set, thereby precluding the construction of multiple tire sizes each having the same tread design. The method simulates rain groove road conditions and correlates objective analysis data obtained via the laboratory test methodology with subjective field analysis data of rain groove wander tire performance of other tires, thereby providing a substantially accurate technique for identifying the subjective performance of the tire without having to conduct the field testing to obtain such subjective field analysis data.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing cements based on calcium sulfoaluminate by forming a clinker through calcining a selection of typical cement precursor raw materials to temperatures of more than 1200.degree. C. in an industrial kiln, preferably with a preheater (typically of the cascading cyclone type) and precalciner, selected in such a manner that the clinker thus produced has a high content of calcium sulfoaluminate, tricalcium silicate and dicalcium silicate with no other calcium aluminates and, preferably during or prior to the grinding thereof, adding to the clinker thus produced (with the above recited basic components), effective amounts of calcium oxide or hydroxide and calcium sulfate, in order to activate said clinker. Upon said grinding, a temperature of about 100 to 125.degree. C.

Abstract: An air spring having a flexible sleeve is mounted between a pair of movable support components to maintain the components in a spaced relationship. The flexible sleeve has a hollow interior which forms an internal fluid chamber. A connector is mounted in one end of the sleeve and receives a tube for controlling the flow of fluid into and out of the chamber. The connector has a main body molded into the sleeve end and a collet member telescopically rotatably mounted in a hollow interior of the main body. The collet member has a plurality of flexible fingers which grip the end of a tube when inserted therein and have one-way barbs which grip to tube to prevent it from being pulled out once it is inserted within the connector. An elastomeric seal is mounted within the body to provide a fluid seal between the tube and body interior.

Abstract: The present invention describes a method and apparatus for the reduction into metallic iron of iron-oxides-containing particles having a broad range of sizes. Particles, preferably within a broad range of sizes smaller than about 3.2 mm, are reduced by contact with a hot reducing gas, preferably mainly composed of hydrogen and within a temperature range of 700 to 750.degree. C. The reducing gas flows through a descending moving bed of coarser particles and forms an ascending fluidized bed of fines, all in a single reduction reactor, where the particles charged to the reactor are fed into the lower portion of the fluidized bed and the reduced fines are withdrawn from the reactor from the upper portion of the fluidized bed.

Abstract: A tire tread has a total of four circumferential ribs and three circumferential grooves. The four ribs include two intermediate ribs and two outer ribs, and the three grooves include a center groove and two outer grooves. The two intermediate ribs are between the center groove and the two outer grooves, and the outer ribs are on the opposite sides of the outer grooves from the intermediate ribs. Rib cross slots and cross sipes extend outwardly from the outer grooves into the intermediate and outer ribs in herringbone patterns. The cross slots and cross sipes extend less than the full width of the ribs to provide the intermediate ribs with circumferential inner portions adjacent the center groove that are devoid of cross slots. These circumferential inner portions of the intermediate ribs have a plurality of circumferentially-spaced cross sipes that do not intersect the center groove.

Abstract: A technique for estimating the harmonic content of a tread pattern design and specifically a tire pitch sequence. Pitch sequence harmonic content is obtained and analyzed as a function of position along the sequence, i.e., along the circumference of the tire tread. This localized harmonic content information may be used to assess the noise performance of a particular tire tread and further may be used as a criteria for selecting an optimal tire tread pitch sequence along with other performance criteria such as traction, tread wear, etc.

Abstract: A reaction cell system for measurement of catalyst demand includes a spherical chamber having an inlet with a diametrically opposed outlet. An optical cylinder traverses the spherical chamber above an agitator maintained at the bottom thereof. The optical cylinder has a slit passing therethrough adjacent a wall of the spherical cylinder such that laminar and uniform flow of fluid within the chamber passes through the slit. The valving between the inlet and outlet of the chamber is such that the inlet valve opens before and closes after similar actuation of the outlet valve. A source of catalyst and indicator communicate with diaphragm dispensers which are operative to inject precise volumes of catalyst and indicator into the spherical chamber. A valve network allows for passage of the catalyst and indicator into the chamber or into measurement standards. Additionally, the valve network communicates with the source of fluid that feeds the chamber to allow for complete and total flushing of the system.