Abstract: The present invention relates to a thrust bushing formed in such a way as to maximize its lubrication during use to minimize its wear. Broadly, at least one surface of the bushing is formed with grooves that extend between its central aperture and its outer diameter to allow the free flow of lubricant between the two and thus lubricate the entire bushing surface of the thrust bushing as it rotates during steering. The grooves may take a variety of forms such as radially extending rectangular grooves or spiral grooves to better spread lubricant over the entire bushing surface. The bushings may be imposed directly between the axle and the lower yoke or may be packaged in a cartridge between a pair of discs to provide a self-contained, well-lubricated package.

Abstract: A connector according to the present invention includes a bulk head for connection to a column and a plate extending from the bulk head for connection to a beam. The connector is preferably die cast for ease of manufacturing to avoid welded connections which may provide structural weaknesses. The bulk head has a compact tapered shape which provides a reduced surface area end surface coming into contact with the column. This reduced contact area of the end surface provides an advantageous configuration which avoids the prying action of the prior art T-shaped brackets. The plate which extends from the bulk head is adapted to be welded to a beam and includes a tapered portion that diminishes in a width dimension as the tapered portion extends away from the second surface to a free end. Preferably, the plate includes one or more tuning holes for adjusting the yield strength of the plate.

Abstract: A fitting for effecting a bolted connection between a beam and a column in a steel frame structure includes a beam connecting portion and a column connecting portion. In addition, reinforcing elements are provided to strengthen the bracket and resist vertical eccentricity and loading caused by the particular bolted connection. The various embodiments of the bracket are particularly useful in the context of repairing cracked or damaged weld connections at the beam/column interface in existing steel structures, but have application in the context of upgrading or reinforcing existing weld connections that may not otherwise be damaged. Also, the bracket can be used in new steel frame constructions.

Abstract: A bolted connector includes a bulk head for connection to a column and a plate extending from the bulk head for connection to a beam. The bolted connector is preferably die cast for ease of manufacturing to avoid welded connections which may provide structural weaknesses. The bulk head has a compact tapered shape which provides a reduced surface area end surface coming into contact with the column. This reduced contact area of the end surface provides an advantageous configuration which avoids the prying action of the prior art T-shaped brackets. The plate which extends from the bulk head includes a plurality of bores for attaching the plate to the flange of a beam. The plate has a first thickness at a portion of the plate which is adjacent the bulk head and a second smaller thickness at a portion of the plate furthest from the bulk head.

Abstract: A helical bearing bushing for use between a cylindrical shaft and an element containing a bore disposed around the shaft, such as a kingpin and steering knuckle assembly, includes a helically wound spring wire as the bearing bushing. The spring wire is helically wound to form a tubular member having interior and exterior surfaces which form the respective bearing surfaces. The tensile force of the helical spring holds arcuate surfaces of adjacent coils in elastic abutment, although lubricant under pressure can elastically separate the coils and pass from one surface to the other. Non abutting portions of the arcuate surfaces form helical lubrication grooves. Either the interior surface or the exterior surface, or both, may be machined flat to provide a better bearing surface.

Abstract: A steering kingpin and knuckle assembly provided with wear take-up by forming the kingpin end portions with a frusto-conical peripheral surface, and providing a bearing bushing having a corresponding frusto-conical internal bearing surface mounted in each steering knuckle yoke bore and pivotally supporting the knuckle relative to the kingpin. Alternatively, the kingpin end portions and the internal surface of the bushing, preferably split bushing, are cylindrical and the bushing external surface is frusto-conical and disposed in a frusto-conical bore in the knuckle yoke. The bushing is pre-loaded in a direction causing engagement of the kingpin end and bushing bearing surfaces, being spring-biased or, in the alternative, by an end cap closing the yoke bore and having an annular position projecting within the bore.

Abstract: A motor vehicle steering knuckle and kingpin assembly comprising a kingpin fixedly mounted through the motor vehicle front axle or beam with the end portions of the kingpin projecting above and below the front axle or beam. A wheel spindle knuckle is pivotally mounted relative to the kingpin, the spindle knuckle having an upper yoke having a bore disposed around the kingpin upper end portion and a lower yoke having a bore disposed around the kingpin lower end portion, a bushing being installed in each of the yoke bores. The kingpin end portions have a frusto-conical peripheral surface and the yoke bushings have a cylindrical internal surface such that, under load, the bearing surfaces in engagement and capable of transmitting the load are along the whole length of the bearing surfaces. Alternatively, the kingpin end portions are provided with a peripheral cylindrical surface co-operating with an appropriate frusto-conical internal surface for the bushings.

Abstract: A door construction for the door frame of a coking oven having a seal comprising a sheet metal diaphragm with a perimeter flange which engages and forms a seal with respect to a sealing surface of the oven door frame. Threaded studs each have an end secured to the diaphragm and extend through holes in a rigid door plate. Nuts have threaded engagement with each stud and serve to adjustably fix each stud to the door plate whereby each stud may be adjusted to apply forces to the diaphragm in directions toward or away from the door plate.

Abstract: A probe for measuring temperatures in a hot gaseous medium such as the gases inside the shaft of a blast furnace. A first tubular member extends from a base structure such as a blast furnace wall into the gaseous medium. Successively smaller, second and third tubular members are concentrically positioned inside this exterior tubular member. Preferably, an exterior protective member also surrounds the first tubular member. A refractory material is interposed between the exterior protective member and the first tubular member to minimize temperature fluctuations in the body of the probe itself. Thermocouple leads extend longitudinally in an air space between the second and third tubular members and then protrude to the exterior of the probe. A forward fluid coolant passageway is formed inside the third tubular member.

Abstract: A header or other pipe under pressure which is blanked at its terminal end by a closure plate is extended without the need of a shutdown or the construction of bypass piping. In a series of steps in the method disclosed, alternate bolts in the ring of bolts holding the closure plate to the annular flange of the existing pipe are variously repositioned or replaced to accommodate the construction of the extension while maintaining an adequate seal to prevent the escape of the pressurized fluid in the pipe. A structure which is installed as a product of this method and an apparatus used in this installation are also disclosed.

Abstract: A header or other pipe under pressure which is blanked at its terminal end by a closure plate is extended without the need of a shutdown or the construction of bypass piping. In a series of steps in the method disclosed, alternate bolts in the ring of bolts holding the closure plate to the annular flange of the existing pipe are variously repositioned or replaced to accomodate the construction of the extension while maintaining an adequate seal to prevent the escape of the pressurized fluid in the pipe. A structure which is installed as a product of this method and an apparatus used in this installation are also disclosed.

Abstract: The invention comprises a plurality of improvements in pusher ram construction for use in coke ovens and the like. These improvements include: (1) two separate "heat spring" arrangements for absorbing both heat and mechanically induced stress in the web portion of a pusher ram, while maintaining desired rigidity; (2) five different constructions for relieving stress developed in welds in pusher ram beam members and/or welded connections between the web portion of a pusher ram and adjacent beam members; (3) two unique girder assembly arrangements to facilitate component replacement; (4) an improved girder web construction for accommodating decarbonizer piping or the like; (5) several useful advancements in ram head design and construction; (6) special heat shield applications for pusher rams; and (7) improvements in ram girder "bull nose" construction.

Abstract: The invention comprises a plurality of improvements in pusher ram construction for use in coke ovens and the like. These improvements include: (1) two separate "heat spring" arrangements for absorbing both heat and mechanically induced stress in the web portion of a pusher ram, while maintaining desired rigidity; (2) five different constructions for relieving stress developed in welds in pusher ram beam members and/or welded connections between the web portion of a pusher ram and adjacent beam members; (3) two unique girder assembly arrangements to facilitate component replacement; (4) an improved girder web construction for accommodating decarbonizer piping or the like; (5) several useful advancements in ram head design and construction; (6) special heat shield applications for pusher rams; and (7) improvements in ram girder "bull nose" construction.

Abstract: A blast furnace stove having a hot blast outlet which is configured in a particular elliptical-shaped so that all the bricks in its peripheral refractory reinforcing wall are substantially identical in shape and dimension. The center line of this outlet passes through the center of the blast furnace stove instead of through the center of the combustion chamber. Preferably, the burner inlet is also configured in the shape disclosed by the present invention.

Abstract: A coke oven charging hole cover which includes a cylindrical wall section and a lower horizontal layer of a cast-in-place castable refractory material which is relatively dense and which contains a random dispersion of fine stainless steel fibers or similar fibers. A layer of an insulating material such as insulation board or a lightweight castable insulating refractory material is superimposed over the dense refractory material to enhance the overall insulating effect while avoiding damage due to carbon impregnation. A means for holding the refractory in the wall section such as a wire mesh which is fixed to the wall section and cast into the lower layer of the refractory is also provided.

Abstract: The process for beneficiating iron ore, particularly high phosphorous iron ore, by controlled selective solid-state reduction in which the resultant sponge iron is produced in a malleable condition followed by ultrafine preferential grinding to form flake powder of the sponge iron and produce finely divided oxide gangue, including the phosphate bearing materials, and separation of said flake powder and finely divided gangue by conventional concentration techniques to obtain a high iron flake powder concentrate.

Abstract: The production of relatively low phosphorous, semifinished steel from blended presized granules of high phosphorous iron ore and limestone, directly and selectively reducing the iron oxide to sponge iron and calcined lime with the current of hot reducing gases in a shaft furnace, charging heated granules directly to a melting furnace to obtain semifinished steel and slagging off phosphorous and other undesirable components and thereafter refining the semifinished steel in a conventional electric furnace.

Abstract: Coarse, graded coal is fed to a pressurized relatively fixed bed, non-slagging gasifier from which crude gas is recovered. Fine coal is slurried in an aqueous mixture comprising the discharge from the relatively fixed bed gasifier, which discharge is composed of hydrocarbons, phenolic water and other liquids as major components and additional makeup water, if required, and the slurry is fed to a slagging, pressurized entrained flow gasifier from which additional crude gas is recovered. The two streams of gas are cleaned and then used to meet a variety of demands, including, but not limited to, gas turbine generation of electric power, manufacture of synthetic natural gas and manufacture of methanol.

Abstract: A steering axle assembly for a motor vehicle, including an axle, at least one king pin mounted at one end of the axle, a pivotal steering knuckle having a bore rotatably receiving the king pin, a closure cap mounted on the steering knuckle for closing the bore, and an annular sealing element disposed between the end cap and the knuckle. The end cap includes an annular recess for receiving a portion of the sealing element, a central, lubricant reservoir in alignment with the bore, and a lubricant check valve which permits lubricant to pass only outwardly from the reservoir.

Abstract: A bearing unit including a sleeve internally mounting a spiral bushing which journals a bearing pin. At least one annular sealing ring is internally carried by the sleeve which rotatably receives and is sealed to the pin. A retaining ring, which is axially retained by the sleeve, axially retains the sealing ring.