Abstract: To form a plating layer on a metal strip by continuous electrolytic plating, the strip is continuously passed, as the cathode, through an electrolytic cell in which there is at least one anode and electrolyte. In order to monitor the plating layer during its formation, a beam of electromagnetic radiation is directed at the strip at a location after the strip enters the cell and the intensity radiation scattered from the strip surface at a predetermined angle is measured. This provides information about the plating layer formation, e.g. formation and growth of crystallization nuclei, which can be used to adjust the electrolysis process.

Abstract: In the manufacture of refractory bricks containing CaO, a mixture is formed of a refractory composition of a material containing CaO and a binder composition, and bricks are moulded from the mixture. To avoid hydration of the CaO and avoid softening of the bricks on heating up, the material containing CaO is selected from burned lime, burned dolomite and mixtures and the binder composition is present in an amount in the range 1 to 10% by weight based on the weight of the mixture and consists mainly of a thermosetting novolak type phenol resin composition and an anhydrous solvent consisting of at least one organic solvent present in an amount of less than 40% by weight based on the weight of the binder. The solvent composition is chosen to be of a chemical nature such that, at least during mixing of the refractory composition and the binder composition, it substantially does not react with the CaO.

Abstract: In a method of mixing two or more gas flows, the gas flows are passed through an array of at least three parallel adjacent guide conduits so as to emerge from said conduits into a mixing zone as a corresponding array of parallel adjacent streams flowing in the same direction. The gas flows are distributed alternatingly in said conduits so that each said stream has, as each of its neighbors, a gas stream from a different said gas flow. To improve mixing and shorten the required length of the mixing zone, the streams derived from the respective gas flows have different velocities at their emergence from the guide conduits into the mixing zone.

Abstract: Sub-lance installation for carrying out measurements and/or taking samples in a metallurgical furnace, has an elongate tubular lance which is rotatable around its longitudinal axis and is attached at its upper end with its longitudinal axis vertical to a carriage by means of which the lance is moved vertically, the installation also including means for rotating the lance about its longitudinal axis. In order that the rotation of the sub-lance can be achieved by a robust apparatus, which does not itself require power and can operate automatically, said means for rotating the lance comprises a helical guide system which imparts rotation to the lance. The helical guide system comprises mutually cooperating helical projections and recesses mounted respectively on the lance and a guide for the lance.

Abstract: A method of electrolytic tinning of metal in strip form using an insoluble anode, comprises passing the strip to be tinned through an electrolytic tinning bath having an insoluble anode, the strip forming the cathode, to deposit tin from the electrolyte onto the strip, and circulating the electrolyte through an electrolytic replenishing cell outside the tinning bath for addition of tin ions in order to maintain the desired concentration of tin ions in the tinning bath. The replenishment cell has a tin anode chamber with a tin anode system, a cathode chamber having an insoluble cathode, and a membrane between them substantially impermeable to tin ions. To make the replacement of the anode easier and to improve efficiency, the tin anode system of the replenishing cell comprises an insoluble tin anode and a bed of granular tin material which is fluidized by the electrolyte.

Abstract: A coolable furnace wall structure has a steel shell and a refractory lining of the shell. Spaced apart openings through the shell, correspond with recesses in the lining which have a transverse width which increases away from the shell. In each opening and corresponding recess is an assembly of at least to hollow cooling plates which are removably connected to the shell. A first one of the cooling plates has a transverse width which does not increase away from the shell opening whereby that cooling plate can be removed first from the assembly through the opening and at least one other cooling plate of the assembly has a maximum transverse width which permits its removal through the opening after removal of the first plate.

Abstract: A converter for preparing steel having a refractory lining including a wear lining is provided at its bottom with a plurality of gas supply devices for supply of stirring gas to the molten bath in the converter. Each gas supply device has a generally vertical flat panel which comprises at least two flat metal plates joined together to provide a plurality of gas passages between them. The plates are mounted between bricks of the wear lining. To prevent the plates bulging apart, which causes the gas passages to be blocked by steel the plates are connected to each other between their edges at a plurality of locations distributed over the whole of the plate faces in a manner so as to resist the pressure of the gas in the passages. The bricks of the wear lining adjacent the gas supply device are modified in dimensions to accommodate the gas supply device and/or modified in quality compared with the neighboring bricks.

Abstract: A metallurgical vessel such as a tundish fitted with a slide gate at its underside for discharging its contents has the slide gate controlled by a drive that can be removed to another vessel when required. The drive comprises a hydraulic cylinder with a drive rod projecting from it and carrying a coupling releasably engageable with the slide gate. The cylinder and drive rod are clamped non-rotatably in use but when attaching or removing the drive they can be rotated about a common longitudinal axis to alternative angular positions in which the slide gate is coupled or uncoupled thereto. Changeover of the drive can be made quickly thereby. A double-ended drive constructed in this manner can be used with vessels having two controllable outflow devices and provides for an equally quick changeover.

Abstract: A method for the manufacture of a magnesia-carbon brick comprising the steps of:a. preparing a mixture comprising:1. burned magnesite2. carbon3. binder solution comprising3.1 precondensed novolak resin3.2 solvent for the novolak resin4. a hardener for the resinb. pressing a brick from the said mixture.

Abstract: A powder filled tube has a steel outer wall which consists of two layers formed as two complete turns of a spiral made from a single strip and welded together at their interface to form a unitary wall. The method for the continuous manufacture of this tube involves(i) forming a steel strip into a channel,(ii) introducing the powder filling into the channel,(iii) closing the channel by rolling it into a tube in which, as seen in cross section, the steel strip overlaps itself by at least 360.degree. so that the tube wall has two layers around its whole circumference and the powder filling is compacted,(iv) heating the tube and while hot subjecting it to stretch/reduction rolling in which simultaneous size reduction and extension of length take place and in which the two wall layers are welded together by the effect of the elevated temperature and the pressure applied in rolling.

Abstract: Apparatus for removing a liquid from a mixture of liquids in a collecting tank has a drain box in the collecting tank having a weir for passage of liquid being removed into the drain box and a conduit for discharge of the liquid from the drain box. The drain box is movable up and down in the tank. To improve the separation of the liquids by control of the position of the weir, the vertical location of the drain box in the tank is determined by height-adjusting means connected to the drain box. the height-adjusting means is controlled in dependence on the output of a sensor sensing the level of liquid in the drain box.

Abstract: Electrolytic tinning is performed in a tinning line having a series of tinning tanks through which metal strip moves while electrolyzing current is passed, and having at at least one of the entry side and the exit side at least one buffer apparatus for storing a variable amount of the moving strip. In order that some speed variation in the tinning tanks can occur, allowing the use of lower capacity buffer apparatuses, the current passing in each tinning tank is adjusted during tinning for portions of the strip.

Abstract: In a method of manufacturing a dual phase steel a strip of thickness 0.1 to 0.5 mm from an unalloyed low C, low Mn steel composition of 0.02-0.15% C and 0.15-0.50% Mn, which method includes continuous annealing, a flat product can be obtained without strip fracture if(a) the strip is heated to not above 770.degree. C. in the A.sub.1 -A.sub.3 region of the iron-carbon diagram region and thereafter(b) the strip is cooled sufficiently rapidly that austenite is at least partly converted to martensite and/or bainite, the cooling rate is such that the value P=d.V where d is strip thickness in mm and V is average cooling rate in .degree.C/sec from 700.degree. C. to 300.degree. C., is in the range 20 to 900 and the time interval between the end of step (a) and the beginning of step (b) is less than 4 seconds.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for producing liquid iron from iron oxide, wherein the iron oxide is substantially converted to sponge iron by passing reducing gas through it in a reduction column and is then melted in a melt vessel which is in open communication with the reduction column by heat generated by reaction of oxygen-containing gas and carbonaceous material which reaction provides said reducing gas. To improve control of the process, the oxygen-containing gas and the carbonaceous material are respectively substantially pure oxygen and coal powder which are delivered separately into the melt vessel, and the liquid iron bath in the melt vessel is stirred so as at least partly to be kept in motion. By separate control of the oxygen and coal supplies, e.g. the level and/or direction of delivery, and by control of stirring, it is possible to control the ratio of CO and CO.sub.2 in the reducing gas and also the heat output in the melt vessel.

Abstract: In the manufacture of metal packaging cans metal sheet is deep-drawn and ironed to form a seamless tube having a bottom in one-piece therewith, and the tube is cut transversely to remove excess material at the end remote from the bottom. This forms a cylindrical body and bottom of a two-piece can. To minimize waste of material and to make possible the manufacture of a thin-walled three-piece can, the method includes cutting the deep-drawn and ironed tube transversely at at least one location intermediate the bottom and the end remote from the bottom so that, from the tube, there are formed a cylindrical body and bottom of a two-piece can and at least one cylindrical body of a three-piece can. Suitably, the tube is shaped by the deep-drawing and ironing so as to have a lesser wall-thickness at regions corresponding to the sidewalls of the cans and a greater wall-thickness at regions which correspond to the flange portions of the cans.

Abstract: Apparatus for cooling a work roll in a rolling mill for rolling metal strip, has a plurality of sprays arranged in closely spaced rows extending in the longitudinal direction of the work roll, the sprays spraying water onto the work roll surface in a manner such that the surface of contact of the cooling water of each spray on the work roll surface is oblong in shape and the longitudinal axes of the said surfaces of contact form an angle to a describing line of the work roll surface. At least some of the sprays in at least two consecutive rows in the peripheral direction of the work roll are arranged so that the longitudinal axes of the surfaces of contact of the sprays in a first such row form an acute angle .alpha. to a first describing line on the work roll surface, and the longitudinal axes of the contact surfaces of the sprays in the second such row form an obtuse angle .beta. to a second describing line, whereby the surfaces of contact form a herringbone pattern.

Abstract: A liquid-cooled lance for blowing oxygen onto a bath of molten steel, has a tip (1) with at least one outlet from which a primary supply of oxygen is blown onto the bath, a central duct (2) for the supply of the primary oxygen surrounded by a double tube system (3,4) for supply and removal of cooling fluid, a plurality of secondary outlets (15) disposed around the lance in a conical widening of the lance axially spaced from the tip for blowing a secondary supply of oxygen and a plurality of secondary ducts (8, 9) extending along the lance for supply of the secondary oxygen to the secondary outlets. To obtain a high maximum possible scrap addition, and good control of final oxygen blowing temperature, there are at least eight of the secondary outlets (15) each having a diameter d.sub.s which satisfies the condition d.sub.s /1<0.02 where 1 is the axial distance between the outlets for respectively the primary and secondary oxygen.

Abstract: In a method of making coke in coke-ovens of a coke oven battery, the coke temperature is measured using at least one infra-red sensor after pushing of the coke from a coke-oven and before quenching of the coke. A value corresponding to the difference between measured value of the coke temperature and a predetermined reference value is determined for each of a plurality of coke loads pushed from a series of coke-ovens. The mean of said difference values is determined and the combustion gas supply to at least a plurality of coke-ovens of the battery is adjusted in dependence on said mean of the difference values. In this way, better control of the temperature of the coke at the end of the coking time can be achieved, with less deviation of the coke temperature from the reference value.

Abstract: A recuperative heat exchanger for gas-gas heat exchange at a temperature above 700.degree. C., comprising a refractory lined vessel having a vertically extending steel shell closed at top and bottom by respective ends, wherein the space within the vessel is divided into respective top and bottom end chambers and a heat-exchange chamber therebetween by top and bottom apertured refractory plates and the end chambers are connected by a plurality of substantially vertical tubes of refractory ceramic material extending between said plates.

Abstract: A method of applying a visible mark on a hot steel slab is described. The adherence of the marking composition to the slab surface can be improved by removing locally iron oxide therefrom, followed by the step of locally cooling down the surface to prevent secondary oxide growth. This is done by first directing a water jet of high pressure at an acute angle to the slab surface immediately followed by a gentle water stream of low pressure. After this conditioning of the surface, the mark can be sprayed thereon.