Abstract: Discarded rubber tires are charged in random state into a vertical dry distillation furnace, and the tires at a lower part thereof are caused to undergo combustion to give off hot combustion gases by which the tires at higher levels undergo dry distillation to produce distillation gases which are useable as fuel. The combustion is started by burners and is then self-sustained by supplying only air. The furnace interior at its part below the combustion zone is expanded or flared in the downward direction to an open end immersed in water, but the downward movement of the tires and residue is braked by a self-sustained grate effect until the residue finally drops out of the furnace to be removed by a conveyor. The continuous and efficient operation over a long period of this furnace is assisted by a separator also capable of long continuous operation.

Abstract: A mother blank for producing starting sheets used in electrolytic non-ferrous metal production, is composed of a laminar electrolytic deposition member comprising a planar metal member constituting the central layer of laminar deposition member, and electrically conductive polybutene resin layers constituting two surface layers of the laminar deposition member, and a frame-like member made of an electrically nonconductive polybutene resin and attached integrally to the periphery of the laminar deposition member.

Abstract: A method of operating a reverberatory furnace for copper smelting, wherein an oxygen fuel burner is provided in addition to the main fuel oil burners, and the oxygen content and flow rate of the oxygen-fuel gas mixture is so adjusted that the latent heat due to CO and H.sub.2 produced through the combustion in the combustion gas can be utilized at its maximum for increasing the smelting speed and SO.sub.2 content.