Abstract: The plug in U.S. Pat. No. 4,165,995 is improved as to the contact carrier by providing slots in an orientation so that thermocouple leads can be laterally inserted before hanging over ridges for contact-making with annular contacts of a socket member in the holder. The orientation of the slots permits lateral placement of the thermocouple leads through the ridges, but the leads will hang over them in a location azimuthally offset from the slot through the respective ridge.

Abstract: Ultrasonic test equipment for testing the welding seam a thick wall includes transducers arranged in tandem and along the welding seam, whereby a tandem pair inspects in any instance two surface-near zones (inner and outer surface) as well as an interior zone. One of the transducers of the pair participates in a function test. Two pairs cover the same zones, but from opposite sides.

Abstract: The planetary gear system includes two parallel operating planet gears interposed between an input and an output shaft, with a common planet gear carrier secured to the output shaft and two telescoped intermediate shafts for the sun gears. These intermediate shafts are resiliently mounted for radial balance while a particular gear coupling between the input shaft and the two intermediate shafts ensures torsional balance between the two branches. This branch coupling, providing torsional balance, is described in considerable detail.

Abstract: A tube or pipe for the conduction of hot fluid is suspended in the vertical by means of an anchor, pivotally linked to the long arm of a two-arm lever which is pivoted on the tube or pipe and has its second, short arm linked to a pivot-near point of a one-arm lever, and is in line with a rod extending between this one-arm lever at right angles thereto and axially along the pipe or tube to a remote connection point on the tube. The long-arm portion of the one-arm lever is spring-biased; the compression of the spring varies with vertical displacement of the tube or pipe, but the two-arm lever is pivoted by exactly the same amount when the tube is displaced and when, upon expansion, the one-arm lever is pivoted, which pivot motion is transmitted upon the two-arm lever.

Abstract: A ceramic body includes a disk-shaped mold cavity in its upper part and a slag retention chamber underneath; these chambers are interconnected by a duct extending downward from the bottom of the mold and being continued by a ceramic tube traversing centrally the retention chamber and ending near the bottom thereof. A reversal chamber is excentrically disposed under this tube end, and diametrally thereto ends the feed duct.

Abstract: Residue from dressing bauxite is mixed with NaCl and ground; polyurethane foam is ground and mixed with CaCl.sub.2 ; a silicon organic compound and quartz powder is added to one or both of the ground mixtures; the grains are embedded in bituminous material or asphalt to be used for making a surface road, being protected against frost by these salts. Specific examples and method steps are described.

Abstract: A device for sampling molten steel is provided with a mold cavity and an inlet path which includes a floatation-type slag separation chamber. A ceramic sieve is disposed at the outlet of the separation chamber to prevent large slag particles from passing through while trapping small slag droplets by adhesion.

Abstract: A steel pipe with a thermoplastic cover has the coverage of a welding seam reinforced by hot air heating the cover along the plastic and extruding a strip of similar plastic thereon, followed by cold water spray cooling. The pipe is centered as to the position of the welding seam vis-a-vis the heating and extruding equipment during relative longitudinal movement.

Abstract: Iron powder of high compressibility and low bulk density is made by atomizing a stream of molten steel by means of a conical jet of water at a rate in excess of 10 cubic meters water per metric ton of steel, the half cone angle is between 40.degree. and 60.degree., preferably 45.degree.; and air suction is provided in a region upstream from the cone, adjacent to the stream at a pressure of 0.02 to 0.20 bars below ambient, by means of a length adjustable tube extending down from the nozzle chamber. The powder is reduced at 1,000.degree. C. to 1,200.degree. C., and the resulting cake is broken up to obtain a powder having a particle size distribution with a higher content of larger particles than the powder immediately resulting from the atomization.

Abstract: Methods are provided for producing in a single method low-carbon steel, while at the same time selectively obtaining a slag high in vanadium content for separate applications. Moreover, the method allows for the separate production of a slag high in titanium content if the starting materials contain titanium. The above is achieved by introducing the pre-reduced ore directly to an electro slag resistance furnace which is lined with a refractory in accordance with the slag composition being used. The resulting smelted steel is tapped and the slag is tapped separately. The slag, containing the vanadium and small quantities of iron oxides, is then introduced into a reduction furnace. Slag, high in titanium dioxide, if present originally, is then tapped separately from the smelted crude iron, which is tapped with a high vanadium content. Subsequently, the crude iron may be separated from the vanadium in a shaking pan in the presence of oxygen, if so required, depending upon the desired product.

Abstract: At the end of a downwardly slanted track, a duct of S-shaped cross section is provided to receive tubes and rods. The duct wall members are cushioned and can be tilted apart; belts are disposed across the bottom of the duct and are gradually released to form receiving loops which increase in size accordingly, for holding and bundling the tubes or rods.

Abstract: A tubular cutter with flared end and circular edge is obliquely held and centered by resilient guide elements, one in line (axially) with the edge, the other one acting radially opposite and axially between the first one and the edge. The edge has a larger diameter than the cutter is long (axially), and the latter has its interior contoured for smooth burr removal.

Abstract: A method is provided for producing steel in an economically acceptable fashion from iron sponge with less than 66% Fe and with high acid slag formers. This is achieved by first determining the acid slag forming composition of the iron sponge, and, thereafter, lining an electro-slag-resistance furnace with a lining compatible with the iron sponge composition. Then, the iron sponge is charged to the furnace and the liquid metal formed is withdrawn to a conventional arc furnace, for example, for further processing.

Abstract: A pipe jacketing and wrapping station includes a pressure roll, urging an extruded ribbon onto axially passing, rotating pipes, arriving in end-to-end abutment. Feelers determine level differences of the pipes adjacent to the pressure roll and cause the end of the trailing pipe to be lowered or lifted as required.

Abstract: One or more electromagnetic stirring elements are mounted on arms and/or holders, extending from a carriage which runs on a stationary bed and in a direction transversely to the direction of casting. The stirring elements are either directly positioned in the direction of carriage movement or orthogonally thereto. Multiphase elements can be positioned from three different directions to circumscribe the casting.

Abstract: A print head for matrix printing has twelve needles whose front ends are arranged in three columns and seven rows, whereby the middle one holds only two needle ends in the second and sixth row, while the other row positions each of the two outer columns hold one needle tip. This arrangement permits a significant print speed increase for a moderate weight increase, and reduces the number of weak spots in the needle guiding mouth piece.

Abstract: An electromagnetic stirring apparatus for stirring the liquid center core of a continuous casting. The casting is supported by and transported over guide rolls while a changing electromagnetic field is induced within the liquid casting core by induction coils positioned beneath the casting. Fingers of a stack of ferromagnetic plates form the cores of the induction coils and are positioned between the guide rolls and are close enough to the casting to induce a strong field therein.

Abstract: Equipment for ultrasonic testing structural materials includes transducers and test electronics normally operated in sequential test cycles each cycle including the generation of a test pulse to be sent into the test object and subsequently, upon interaction with the test object, return signals (echos) are received and processed, e.g. as to transit time, amplitude, contour, etc. Self-checking is carried out in three phases. One phase uses simulated receiver signals for operatively disconnected transducers, to be processed by the electronics as if they were echos; a second phase uses simulated transducer inputs and analogous processing and a third phase uses a reference body as test body simulation for conduction of "tests". The results of signal processing are compared with reference signals and correlation of deviations and absence of deviations is used to isolate malfunctions.

Abstract: The test head includes its own calibration device in form of a wire or a bore in front of the transducing surface so that a distinguishable calibration echo is always available.

Abstract: The grinding wheel and roll are particularly positioned to each other on the basis of parameters representing the local slope changes of the roll groove and its deviation from a semi-toroidal groove. The grinding wheel can be moved in two orthogonal directions, one being transversely to its normal orientation, but needs tilting therefrom while the roll is moved transversely to both directions. Digital control moves the parts into the desired positions.