Abstract: A sluice type apparatus for discharging batches of material from a pressurized enclosure has a container with an upper inlet and a lower outlet each closable by a slide gate. Preferably, each slide gate has two slide gate members driven by respective piston cylinder devices so that one gate is closed while the other gate is open and vice versa. At least the slide gate members for opening and closing the inlet are withdrawn from their inlet closing position into a respective outwardly closed or sealed chamber for making it easier to keep the container pressurized. The seals between the chamber entrance slots and the respective slide gate member are not required to be precision seals because any material that may pass into these outwardly closed or sealed chambers is easily removed again.

Abstract: A skew rolling mill is equipped with a plurality of skew or inclined rollers each of which is constructed of a number of roller segments (1', 2) which are interconnected in a form-locking, force transmitting manner. These roller segments are so related to one another that different roller segments may be assembled to form a plurality of different skew rollers which differ from one another with regard to their calibration and purpose. Thus, different roller segments may have different structural features and they may be made of different materials. Such variability obviates the need for keeping complete sets of skew rollers in stock for each size or calibration.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of processing residual gases containing sulfur, hydrogen sulfide, and sulfur oxides and supplied from Claus plants or other surfur-producing installations, wherein the Claus plant is operated along or in connection with an ammonia decomposition plant in which ammonia-containing heated gases are directed through a decomposition zone which is free or filled with heat-resistant filler bodies or with a catalyst material, and the ammonia is decomposed into nitrogen and hydrogen and, thereupon, the gases are cooled and washed. The residual gases containing sulfur, hydrogen sulfide, sulfur oxides and ammonia-containing heated gases are fed to an ammonia decomposition chamber where the ammonia is decomposed into nitrogen and hydrogen and the residual gases react to produce a product gas enriched in hydrogen sulfide, the hydrogen for the reaction being supplied by the decomposition of ammonia.

Abstract: The inner surface of a continuous-casting mold is efficiently lubricated by a lubricating ring rotatably held in a respective recess around the upper edge of the mold. The lubricating ring has a ring chamber for receiving the lubricant and radially inwardly directed distribution channels connecting the ring chamber to the inner wall of the mold. The ring is rotated either by a rotating electromagnetic field or by the lubricant supply itself. In the latter embodiment there are wings in the ring chamber and the lubricant is fed into the ring chamber tangentially thereto.

Abstract: Fuel briquettes are produced by hot pressing a mixture of a fine grained coal softening at the pressing temperature and a coal component which hardly or not at all softens at the pressing temperature. The starting materials are converted into a granular structure material by the use of pure oxygen or an oxygen/nitrogen mixture having an oxygen content above 21% by volume so that the resulting granular material has a bulk weight of between 0.3 t/m.sup.3 to 0.7 t/m.sup.3.

Abstract: In the present method the bulk material, especially coke, is maintained at a substantially constant level on a substantially horizontal support surface. The quenching liquid is permitted to flow uniformly through the bulk material for about 45 to 90 seconds until the vapor temperature is cooled down to at least 400.degree.C. The quantity of the quenching liquid which is uniformly distributed over the bulk material is selected so that it evaporates substantially completely, except for a small moisture content in the quenched material. The present bulk material quenching apparatus has a fireproof container resting on a supporting box, the top of which is a grid structure which simultaneously forms a permeable bottom for the quenching container which is provided with a tightly closing cover. A pipe conduit is connected to the cover which has a plurality of conduit outlet openings directed into the container. The box on which the container rests has at least one hinged side wall.

Abstract: The present method makes it possible to expose or make visible surface defects on or in the surface of steel blanks by heating the blanks to a temperature below the hot working temperature of the particular type of steel and thereafter rapidly descaling the blanks by means of high pressure water which contacts the steel for a limited time so as to avoid a substantial chilling or quenching. After such descaling the blanks are cooled at a controlled rate to thereby produce an oxidation film on the descaled surface which film makes the defects visible.