Abstract: A pit cover for retaining heat in an open top, ring-shaped, carbon anode baking furnace comprises an insulating cement cast into the form of the cover, at least one metal beam embedded in the insulating cement, and a plurality of stainless steel needles interspersed substantially throughout the insulating cement for reinforcement purposes. The insulating cement has a K factor of approximately 2 to 4, a density of approximately 80 to 100 lb./ft..sup.3, a cold crushing strength in the range of 1,000 to 5,000 psi, and a low iron content, preferably, less than 2%.

Abstract: Disclosed is an improved high velocity dual fuel burner and a method for firing a vertical shaft metal melting furnace with gaseous or liquid fuel in which the burner nozzle is adapted to mix and ignite both types of fuels alternately or in combination by means of three concentric nozzles including a central oil spraying nozzle, an intermediate nozzle to supply natural gas and an outermost nozzle to supply combustion air.

Abstract: Disclosed is a snap in wire guide housing constructed of an elastomer material for use in securing a conventional metallic wire guide to a metal housing.

Abstract: Disclosed is an integrated system for continuously melting and refining secondary and blister copper to produce and continuously cast anode grade copper comprising: continuous melting of secondary and blister copper in an optional fuel vertical shaft furnace; continuously or semicontinuously skimming initial slag from the surface of the melted copper in a slag vessel as it drains from the shaft furnace; collecting a reservoir of molten copper in a holding furnace capable of controlling its temperature and subsequent flow; adding fluxes to the molten copper; directing the molten copper into an oxidation vessel where the molten copper and impurities are oxidized; transferring the oxidized and fluxed molten copper to a second slag vessel where slag is skimmed from its surface; flowing the oxygen rich molten copper into a reduction vessel where oxygen content is reduced; collecting a supply of refined molten copper in a final holding vessel; continuously passing the refined molten copper through a filtering ladle

Abstract: Disclosed is a multiple chamber vertical shaft furnace for melting granulated metal. Granulated scrap metal, high-grade crystalline ore or a combination thereof is preheated and sintered into a coherent columnar mass by the present invention. It is then melted in an enlarged melting chamber by multiple burners located in the walls of the furnace which direct heat tangent to the coherent columnar mass in a tubular heating space between the outer surface of the coherent columnar mass and the inner surface of the furnace walls, and flows out of the present invention through a tapping outlet for further processing.

Abstract: A vertical shaft furnace for continuously melting metal materials, such as scrap, copper cathode pieces and the like is disclosed. The furnace comprises an elongated cylindrical melting chamber having an opening in the upper portion thereof for intermittently gravity-charging the furnace with metal pieces, which form a descending metal column in the melting chamber. A plurality of plasma arc generators is mounted in the sidewalls of the melting chamber extending inwardly thereof in a downwardly inclined attitude. The plasma arc torches are arranged in upper and lower vertically spaced planes for respectively preheating and melting the metal charged to the furnace. Protective refractory shrouds are provided which extend inwardly from the inside wall of the melting chamber and at least partly surround the plasma arc torches to substantially prevent damage to the torches by the descending or dropped metal charge.

Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus and method for extruding primary insulation and insulation shielding onto an advancing shielded conductor strand in one operation without causing inward protrusions of insulation shielding compound particles into the primary insulation comprising an extruder head with a starter tip, an antiprotrusion tip and a die.

Abstract: An improved vertical furnace for melting metal pieces, such as pieces of copper cathode. The furnace has a generally round interior wall of refractory brick material which encloses a vertical melting chamber having a plurality of burner openings through the refractory wall. Heat, being injected through these openings by means of a novel burner design, melts the metal pieces under metallurgically controlled conditions. The burners are arranged near the bottom floor of the melting chamber which is sloped toward a single outlet thus allowing the molten metal to continuously drain from the melting chamber. The burners are fed a mixture of fuel and air from a plurality of remote mixing stations so as to reduce turbulence at the burners thereby significantly reducing the operating noise level and refractory wear compared to prior art furnaces.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of sealing the ends of electrical cable to prevent ingress of contaminants such as moisture.

Abstract: An improvement in wheel-band type continuous metal casting machines wherein a stationary corner filling device is used in combination with the usual moving mold members, such as the wheel and band, to modify the mold geometry so as to prevent corner cracking of the cast bar due to the uneven solidification stresses present in conventionally molded shapes having sharp or square edges, especially useful in modifying the usual trapezoidal cross sections of prior art molds for the casting of steel alloys.

Abstract: An improved apparatus for collecting, storing, transporting and dumping cropped (cut) sections of continuously cast bar. The present invention is embodied in a dumpable crop bar container generally comprising a yoke and rear stanchion assembly surrounding and pivotally attached to a receptacle and front stanchion assembly by an axle and sleeve assembly. A conventional forklift is used to transport the present invention and to discharge collected crop bar from it. The forklift pushes the front stanchions against a stationary curb, forcing them to pivot inward and upward on the axle which cause the receptacle rigidly affixed thereto to pivot upward and outward. The base of the receptacle pivots to almost vertical and all of the crop bar is dumped out. As the fork lift backs away from the stationary curb, the weight of the receptacle and front stanchion assembly returns it to its original position.

Abstract: A hydrometallurgical process is provided for the separative treatment of electrometallurgical anode slime containing precious metals and substantial amounts of tin dioxide and lead sulfate. The process is especially suited for treatment of anode slimes from the electrorefining of secondary copper to recover about 85% of the metal value contained therein, especially tin and precious metals. First, lead is separated by leaching the slime with diethylene triamine followed by carbonation to precipitate lead carbonate with subsequent regeneration of the leach solution. Second, tin is separated by leaching the undissolved residue from the amine leach with a solution of hydrochloric acid and chlorine to dissolve substantially all substances except tin dioxide.

Abstract: This invention relates to a device for cleaning opposed walls of a furnace pit. The device comprises a plurality of rotating screw-type cutters for removing built-up deposits upon the opposed walls of the furnace pit, a plurality of linkage arms for carrying the plurality of rotating screw-type cutters, a plurality of air motors for independently adjusting the speed of each half of the plurality of rotating screw-type cutters along each opposed wall of the furnace pit, and universal joints for allowing floating adjustment of each of the plurality of rotating screw-type cutters against each opposed wall of the furnace pit.

Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus for guiding various sizes of elongated objects such as wire, cable or rod through a predetermined path in such a manner that the longitudinal axis of said elongated object conforms to the longitudinal axis of said predetermined path, said apparatus being quickly adjustable by automatic and manual means.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method and an apparatus for improving the efficiency of conventional vertical shaft metal melting and refining furnaces by novel refractory arrangements to form a multiple level hearth which will support pieces of metal that have reached the hearth without being melted. With this invention there is even and complete distribution and diffusion of heat around and through these unmelted pieces of metal to effect their rapid melting. Thus unmelted pieces of metal cannot block burners or clog tapping outlets of vertical shaft furnaces, and undue restriction to the flow of molten metal in and from these furnaces is substantially avoided.

Abstract: Disclosed is apparatus for treating the components of a gaseous fuel mixture, to obtain a predetermined mass ratio of the gaseous components, for use in a metallurgical melting furnace. Two streams of gaseous fuel components are temperature equalized in a heat exchanger, pressure equalized by pressure balancing regulators, and mixed together by a mixing valve which controls only the volume flow rates of the two streams. The resulting gaseous fuel mixture has a predetermined oxygen to fuel mass ratio, which is easily maintained near stoichiometric composition and which when combusted, supplies a hot gaseous blast of predetermined composition. When air and a liquified fuel such as liquid propane are the fuel components, the liquified fuel is vaporized and optionally diluted with dry air prior to heat equalizing, pressure equalizing, and mixing. When a gaseous fuel such as natural gas is one of the fuel components, no vaporization or dilution is required.

Abstract: An aluminum alloy wire having an electrical conductivity of at least sixty-one percent (61%) based on the International Annealed Copper Standard and unexpected properties of increased ultimate elongation, bendability and fatigue resistance when compared to conventional aluminum alloy wire of the same tensile strength. The aluminum alloy wire contains substantially evenly distributed iron aluminate inclusions in a concentration produced by the addition of more than about 0.30 weight percent iron to an alloy mass containing less than about 99.70 weight percent aluminum, no more than 0.15 weight percent silicon, and trace quantities of conventional impurities normally found within a commercial aluminum alloy. The substantially evenly distributed iron aluminate inclusions are obtained by continuously casting an alloy consisting essentially of less than about 99.70 weight percent aluminum, more than 0.30 weight percent iron, no more than 0.

Abstract: A new variety of Muscadine which is very vigorous, with large fruit of a dark red color, which occurs in large clusters of from 10 to 20 berries, each berry having a diameter of about 0.8 inches; the individual berries having a sugar content of from about 19.5 to about 22.5 percent and producing a fruit yield of from about four (4) to about five (5) tons per acre.

Abstract: A new variety of Muscadine which is very vigorous, with large fruit of a russetted light bronze color, which occurs in medium clusters of from four to eight berries, each berry having a diameter of about 1-3/16 inches, an individual berry sugar content of from about 18.5 to 21.3 percent and producing a fruit yield of from 31/2 to 41/2 tons per acre.

Abstract: A new variety of muscadine which is very vigorous, with large fruit of a light greyed orange color which occurs in large clusters of 10 to 25 berries, each berry having a diameter of about 0.9 inches; the individual berries having a sugar content of from about 18.50 to about 22.00 percent and producing a fruit yield of about four (4) tons per acre.