Abstract: An applicator, for holding an object such as a slab or tile, having a coating of adhesive on one face and applying the object to a vertical surface, comprises a tray mounted on one end of a shaft which has a handle at the other end. The tray is pivoted to the shaft about an axis transverse to the shaft, and is spring-loaded to a tilted position in which the tray faces partly towards the handle end of the shaft. Along the edge of the tray remote from the handle is a lip to retain the object on the tray. The applicator is held with the tray end downwards. The object rests on the lip, adhesive side outwards, and leans back against the tray while being carried to the surface to which it is to be applied. At the surface the bottom edge of the slab can be positioned accurately and then pressure applied through the shaft to the tray so that the tray is tilted against the spring force to bring the adhesive-coating into full contact with the surface.

Abstract: A seal between an ingot mould and a base plate or between a head-box and an ingot mould is formed from a pack of flat, flexible strips, for example, of cardboard or aluminium interlinked at spaced intervals along the strips. The joints between any one strip and an adjacent strip next to one face thereof are staggered in relation to the joints between the one strip and the adjacent strip next to the other face thereof. The pack is expanded lengthwise to separate the strips where they are unjoined and form generally hexagon shaped cells and is then placed on the base plate with the longitudinal edges of the strips of the pack on the base plate. The expanded pack is arranged lengthwise into a closed figure corresponding to the shape of the ingot mould. The ingot mould is then placed on top of the expanded pack which is crushed between the ingot mould and the base plate to form the required seal. A head-box seal is similarly made between the top face of the ingot mould and the head-box.

Abstract: This invention relates to an end cap to be fitted to an end edge of a hot top lining slab to receive a wedge member whereby in use the slab can be urged against the wall of an ingot mould, the end cap comprising a first portion to abut an end edge of the slab, and a second portion arranged to lie, when the first portion abuts the slab edge, against one major face of the slab, the second portion including a shoulder against which a wedge can be engaged, the shoulder being located spaced from the first portion and one end of the shoulder being more remote from the first portion than the other end of the shoulder.

Abstract: This invention relates to the treatment of droplet dispersions employing a novel device which is a coalescer element consisting of a body of porous material having communicating porosity and two opposite faces, the pore size increasing progressively from a region at or adjacent one face of the body to the opposite face. In the treatment according to the invention the dispersion is passed through the coalescer element in a direction of increasing pore size and the disperse phase is coalesced by the element. The progressive increase in porosity of the novel coalescer is advantageous in that it provides a large target area at the inlet and hence a high collection efficiency for droplets of disperse phase below 100.mu.m in diameter, without the disadvantage of the high resistance to liquid flow normally associated with devices having a high target area.

Abstract: A mould assembly for casting molten metal which comprises a book mould, the upper parts of the walls of the upwardly open cavity of which are lined with hot top lining material and wherein extending across the width of the cavity there are one or more bridges of hot top lining material maintaining the hop top lining material along the longer walls of the cavity in contact with those longer walls.

Abstract: The breakdown properties of silicate bonded foundry sand moulds and cores can be improved by including with the silicate binder a starch hydrolysate having a dextrose equivalent of less than 5.

Abstract: Carbon articles, particularly carbon electrodes, are protected against corrosive attack in use by fusing material to the article, or applying material to the carbon article which under the conditions of its use is capable of fusing to the carbon article, to form a coherent coating of protective material over only that part of the carbon article liable to corrosive attack when the article is in use.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of fixing a shaped body of a refractory material to an interior face (e.g. of a wall) of an ingot mould in which an adhesive composition is applied to either the body or the face or both and the body and the face are urged together, the thus fixed body serving to identify an ingot when cast in the mould. In the method of the invention the adhesive composition is a mixture consisting essentially of aqueous alkali metal silicate such as sodium silicate and a particulate refractory material such as china clay, silica or zircon, the mixture having a viscosity of at least 2000 poises measured on a Brookfield Viscometer model RVT at 20.degree. C.

Abstract: The invention provides a slag conditioner for use in electric arc steelmaking which comprises 30 to 80% by weight of alumina, 10 to 30% by weight of aluminium 5 to 40% by weight fluorspar and 0 to 20% by weight of alkali metal carbonate. The conditioner is added with lime to deoxidized steel suitably in an amount of from 5 to 15 Kg/tonne of steel to promote rapid reduction of the initial refining slag iron oxide content together with increased slag fluidity and a faster rate of lime dissolution to form a reactive slag.

Abstract: Refractory heat insulating materials consist of 45-75% by weight refractory aluminosilicate fiber, 2-16% by weight a binding agent consisting of starch and colloidal silica, and 1-20% by weight particulate aluminum, magnesium and/or silicon.

Abstract: A process for casting an ingot from a molten metal by bottom pouring molten metal into an ingot mould is described in which there is located in the ingot mould a bonded flux composition comprising one or more fluxing agents, together with a bonded refractory composition comprising particulate refractory material and fibrous material, the bonded refractory composition being positioned in relation to the bonded flux composition to protect the latter from the initial upsurge of molten metal when pouring commences. The bonded flux composition and the bonded refractory composition can be formed together as a laminate, or the bonded flux composition can be formed with an insert of the bonded refractory composition. Alternatively, the bonded flux composition can be placed on the base of the ingot mould while the bonded refractory composition is placed as a striker pad in a recessed basin in the bottom plate of the mould.

Abstract: The surface quality of ingots may be improved by bottom-pouring molten metal into an ingot mould wherein there is located in the ingot mould, prior to the commencement of pouring, a multi-layered board having a first layer which is a preformed slab comprising an anti-piping composition including an exothermic material and a second layer adjacent the first layer which is a preformed slab comprising a fluxing agent, a fibrous material and a binder, the second layer having a central cavity therein filled with a preformed refractory slab comprising a refractory material, a fibrous material and a binder, the slabs being arranged such that the refractory slab is enclosed within the board, and the board being located in the mould with the first layer uppermost. The board acts as both a mould additive and as an anti-piping compound.

Abstract: The noise from gas and oil burners can be reduced by using a burner quarl comprising a ceramic tube which is permeable or which has at least one permeable zone along its length, and which is surrounded along the permeable part by parts of the length of the tube by at least one sound absorbing chamber.

Abstract: Vessels for containing molten metal, e.g. tundishes, are formed of a metal case lined with refractory slabs. The slabs are individually replaceable for repair of the lining and are held in place by fixing members passing through the wall or base of the metal case.

Abstract: A method of bonding particulate material, especially such material which contains iron or zinc oxides, e.g. steelmaking fume or blast furnace dust, by treating the material with at least aqueous formic acid to produce an acid solution containing metal ions, and then allowing or causing the pH of the solution to increase so as to form a metal hydroxide to bond the material to consolidated form.

Abstract: The invention is concerned with the desulphurizing of molten ferrous metal by the use of a lime-based flux composition. The composition comprises, by weight, at least 60% of lime and includes from 1 to 20% of sodium carbonate, from 5 to 30% of an alkali metal or alkaline earth metal fluoride, typically fluorspar, and from 5 to 20% of alumina. To desulphurize molten metal the flux is added to the molten metal in a vessel, typically by injecting the flux in particulate form into the molten metal.