Abstract: A continuous steel strand is surfaced by (i) passing the strand through an electrolytic unit to remove metal from the surface of the strand, (ii) inducing current in the strand without any direct electrical contact with the strand, and (iii) moving the strand through the unit such that a section of the strand undergoes processing within the electrolytic unit for an extended period of at least twenty-five seconds. Steel valve spring wire is processed by surfacing a strand in an electrolytic process in which no direct electrical contact is made with the strand, and heat treating the strand in a furnace of a kind in which there is no direct mechanical contact between any metal surface and the surface of the strand. The electrolytic unit has a series of electrolytic cells of the kind in which no direct electrical contact is made with the strand, and there is a mechanism for passing the wire through the electrolytic unit more than once.

Abstract: A continuous steel strand is surfaced by (i) passing the strand through an electrolytic unit to remove metal from the surface of the strand, (ii) inducing current in the strand without any direct electrical contact with the strand, and (iii) moving the strand through the unit such that a section of the strand undergoes processing within the electrolytic unit for an extended period of at least twenty-five seconds. Steel valve spring wire is processed by surfacing a strand in an electrolytic process in which no direct electrical contact is made with the strand, and heat treating the strand in a furnace of a kind in which there is no direct mechanical contact between any metal surface and the surface of the strand. The electrolytic unit has a series of electrolytic cells of the kind in which no direct electrical contact is made with the strand, and there is a mechanism for passing the wire through the electrolytic unit more than once.

Abstract: A container device for transporting and storing coils of wire which protect the coils from damage. The device comprises a circumferential shell having a recessed annular bottom element inwardly adjacent the upper edge of the shell to form an open-topped annular receptacle in the upper side of the device. The inner edge of the bottom element extends upwardly to provide a hollow central post concentric with the outer shell. The underside of the device is formed with a closure wall coextensive in width with the recessed bottom element and is adapted to form a closure for the open-topped receptacle of the subjacent container device when the devices are stacked one upon another. Sockets for a forklift truck are provided in the circumference of the shell to enable the forklift truck to manipulate the devices into and out of position in the stack.