Abstract: A molten metal teeming valve of the sliding gate type is equipped with means for the injection of gas for various purposes including refractory preheating, lancing, or cooling, etc. The gas injecting apparatus is arranged within the valve organization in a manner that will prevent impingement of the injected gas streams on the refractory valve elements thereby avoiding damage to such elements.

Abstract: A system for recovering the waste heat normally exhausted in the atmosphere by blast furnace stoves or other variable temperature process heaters. The system comprises a heat exchange apparatus located in the exhaust stack, heat transfer means for carrying the waste heat absorbed from the exhaust gases to a location remote therefrom, and a second heat exchange apparatus for releasing the transferred waste heat for beneficial use at the remote location. This invention also includes a reservoir for storing the heat transfer fluid used in the system and also the reservoir acts as a heat sink to moderate the temperature variation of the heat transfer fluid. The system also includes means for controlling temperature of the first heat exchanger and means for controlling the temperature of the variable temperature process heater. The preferred heat transfer fluid is maintained as a liquid during its use in the system.

Abstract: A dimensionally compact centrifugal separator having no moving parts is described that is effective for separating entrained solids and gases from a liquid in order to cleanse the liquid. The internal configuration of the apparatus is such as to effectively clean the liquid while preserving the pressure energy available in the discharged media.

Abstract: Apparatus is described by means of which sheet metal strip, unwound from a coil construct having a vertical axis of rotation, is fed to a strip processing station at regulated rates. The feed rate control mechanism is particularly adapted to accommodate strip that is twisted prior to existing the apparatus to enable it to enter the strip processing station in a generally surface-horizontal attitude. The apparatus is arranged to occupy a minimum amount of floor space.

Abstract: Gates for sliding gate valves in which refractory elements are cemented within metal enclosure trays include an inner refractory member that contains the metal pour opening and an outer refractory member that surrounds the inner member. Only the inner member in each gate is designed to be contacted in service by molten metal and is replaceably secured in the tray which have apertures for access of tooling used to displace the inner member out of the tray when replacement of the member is required.

Abstract: A pyrometer for determining the temperature of a surface in the presence of reflected radiation has two infrared radiation sensors, each responsive to different wave length, positioned to receive radiation from the surface. An adjustment factor is developed from sensor response signals when reflected radiation and surface temperatures are the same, and is combined with sensor response characteristics over a range of surface and sensor indicated temperatures to develop a correction factor which when multiplied by the indicated temperature provides the actual surface temperature.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for the suppression of fume from a body of molten metal is described. The method involves the blanketing of the molten metal bath with a mixture of pressurized inert gas and finely divided or atomized particles of water. The inert gas may be argon, nitrogen or steam. Apparatus particularly adapted for performing the disclosed method is also described.

Abstract: A sliding gate valve of the type in which refractory gates are sequentially disposed in operative position beneath the pour opening from a teeming vessel, such as a tundish, is effective to controllably throttle the metal flow stream from the vessel. Operator means for positioning the gates in order to control the degree of throttling of the flow stream are independent from the operator means for disposing the gates in their working position within the valve mechanism whereby the flow stream can be terminated without adjusting the throttling configuration of the valve. Means are provided, when the valve employs a pour tube attachment, for selectively changing gates and pour tubes in unison, or independently from one another. The valve mechanism and its replaceable refractory components are designed for the supply of fluids for cooling these members and for the injection of fluid reactants into the metal pouring process.

Abstract: In order to resist alteration of the spring forces utilized for applying seal pressure between the valve bodies in sliding gate valves for molten metal pouring, particularly those of the manually operated type, the valve support plate and the mounting plate are arranged to form a narrow slot that receives the valve actuator and presents insufficient clearance to permit excessive relative displacement between the valve members. The valve further incorporates releasable attachments, two of which serve as hinge connections for the support plate while the other serves as a latching member. Each of the attachments comprise clevis-mounted eyebolts in which the clevises have predetermined dimensions to establish a fixed, pre-set distance between the plates upon reassembly of the valve after opening and thus insure repeatability of the spatial relationships between the valve bodies and, concomitantly, of the seal pressure between the members.

Abstract: Heating apparatus is described that is particularly adapted for thawing frozen particulate material in railroad hopper cars. The apparatus is a low profile, fuel-fired heater adapted for installation between rails traversed by the hopper cars within a thawing shed. The construction employs heat-radiating metal plates forming an elongated gas-conducting chamber through which high velocity combustion gases are conducted. The arrangement of plates is such as to enhance the emission of radiant heat to the hopper car bottoms with appropriately positioned heat insulated regions to protect hopper car brake hoses, or the like, from damage caused by overheating.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for the suppression of fume from a body of molten metal is described. The method involves the blanketing of the molten metal bath with a mixture of pressurized inert gas and finely divided or atomized particles of water. The inert gas may be argon, nitrogen or steam. Apparatus particularly adapted for performing the disclosed method is also described.

Abstract: A method is described for suppressing fume generated in the transfer of molten metal to a receiver. The involved method entails burning fuel in the immediate vicinity of the molten bath within the receiver to consume and/or displace ambient air thereby to starve the bath of oxygen and, concomitantly, to suppress the formation of the fume-producing metallic oxide.

Abstract: Metal flow from furnace taphole to a pouring trough is controlled by a valve interposed therebetween, the valve having a stationary orificed valve plate and a companion slide plate for closing or opening the orifice to flow. An actuating beam member forming part of a parallel motion linkage extends upwardly and obliquely from the slide plate, the actuating member being thrust against the slide plate by a swinging spring strut of the linkage. A ram connected to the linkage via a crank, a shaft and a pivoted lever displaces the linkage when extended or contracted and this moves the actuating member along a predetermined path, its oblique attitude being preserved, to open or shut the valve.

Abstract: Procedure for rebuilding a movable plate in the pouring valve of a ladle, involving the complete reconstruction of the original nozzle, which has been removed, and of a flat portion, also removed, around the pouring hole, in a circular or rectangular area whose width is equal to at least the external diameter of the nozzle. The nozzle is reconstructed with a prefabricated piece of refractory material, or with fresh refractory material packed "in situ", and may be of the same shape as the original nozzle, or of a different shape; the flat portion is reconstructed using a prefabricated refractory piece, or with fresh refractory material packed "in situ".

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for renovating sliding gate valve plates or for adapting conventional plates for use with problem-beset metals. Stationary plates (1) have their orifices (2) bored out to downwardly-tapering form and correspondingly tapered prefabricated refractory insert rings (3) are then cemented in place, the rings having axial depths equal to the plate thicknesses. An orificed plate (7) furnished with an integral depending nozzle (12) has its flow passage (13) bored out such that an upper bore portion extending through the plate (7) and part way along the nozzle (12) is transversely larger than the following downstream bore portion. A prefabricated refractory insert ring (9) is cemented into the upper bore portion, ring (9) being substantially as deep axially as the said bore portion. The downstream bore portion is lined with cementitious, metal-reinforced material (14).

Abstract: In submerged teeming operations the extended pouring tube which receives molten metal from a vessel via a nozzle has gas admitted thereto for protecting it against molten metal attack. A union block is sandwiched between the nozzle and pouring tube, block being surrounded by a metal jacket spaced therefrom to form a gas manifold to be fed with gas via a gas supply pipe. Gas admitted to the manifold is ejected, around the lower end of the union block, by a surrounding annular orifice into the pouring tube and flows downwardly along the wall thereof as a protective gas film.

Abstract: A sliding gate valve mechanism for use in teeming molten metal is provided with apparatus for accurately setting seal pressure between the valve plates and for adjusting the seal pressure during periods of valve operation. The invention enables such adjustments to be made to rectify malfunctions in valve operation without need to terminate teeming and to dismantle the valve mechanism. The invention is particularly advantageous in that the role played by mechanical springs in imparting valve seal pressure is relegated to secondary importance as leakage of molten metal between the plates can be terminated regardless of the operability of the springs.

Abstract: A metal pouring ladle furnished with a sliding gate valve has a bottom pour opening fitted with a well block and a nozzle seated in the lower portion thereof, the well block and nozzle forming a flow passage leading to the valve. For introducing gas to the melt, a pipe is cast in the well block, the pipe opening to the bore of the well block above the nozzle or into an annular space encircling the top end of the nozzle component. This permits gassing before teeming commences without recourse to the flow passage through the nozzle, and so gassing is possible without disturbing any particulate silicious filler which may have been placed in the nozzle passage.

Abstract: A sliding gate valve of the type in which refractory gates are sequentially disposed in operative position beneath the pour opening from a teeming vessel, such as a tundish, is effective to controllably throttle the metal flow stream from the vessel. Separate drives are employed for disposing the gates in their operative position within the valve mechanism and for positioning the gates to control the degree of throttling of the flow stream from the vessel whereby the gates can be changed without altering the throttling configuration of the valve. Additionally the valve is adapted to accommodate pour tube attachments which may be changed either in conjunction with changes of the slide gates or independently thereof. The valve mechanism and its replaceable refractory components are designed for the supply of fluids for cooling these members and for the injection of fluid reactants into the metal pouring process.