Abstract: A valve body comprises a first sealing seat and a second seat opposite the first. The valve element is selectively controlled so that, in addition to the position in which a bearing surface thereof rests on the first seat to ensure tightness of the device and of the circuit on which it is mounted, the valve element can be placed in a median position between the two seats, so as to provide a maximum flowing section between the valve element and the valve body for draining the circuit. In intermediate positions, another bearing surface of the valve element works in cooperation with the second seat, the valve element being held in a position selected between the first median position and a resting position on the second seat, thus limiting the flowing section between the valve element and the second seat to control the discharge of the circuit.

Abstract: An improved two phase basic steel refining process for phosphoric pig iron is described which comprises forming a steel having a phosphorus content of not greater than 0.

Abstract: In order to supply and control the deposit, on the surface of the metal bath of a continuous casting mold, of an evenly distributed layer, of predetermined thickness, of a powdery or granulated material, by way of a supply conduit whose end portion is provided with a delivery nozzle situated above the surface of said metal bath. The delivery nozzle is situated above the surface of the metal bath, at a height equal to or slightly more than the predetermined thickness, the said delivery nozzle is permanently open, and the end portion of the supply conduit is permanently supplied with the said material.

Abstract: The invention relates to furnaces equipped with an insulating inner lining formed from fibers. The object of the invention is to reduce the thermal discontinuities at the level of the orifice tube of the burner. For this purpose, the orifice tube consists of blankets of fibers arranged radially round the burner and compressed to a greater extent in the inner part facing the axis of the burner than in the outer part. The density in the inner part preferably reaches 300 to 400 kg/m.sup.3.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for the sintering of an ore using gaseous fuel. A layer of noncombustible particulate mineral material is arranged on a supporting grate, and hot fumes derived from gaseous fuel are passed downwardly through the layer of material. The temperature of the hot fumes is sufficient to initiate fusion or sintering of the mineral material. Predrying, sintering and cooling means are provided along the length of the supporting grate in order to effect the desired sintering.

Abstract: One detects the stoppage of a tuyere 1 for blowing in, under the surface of the metallic bath 2 of a converter, of a compressed gas delivered regularly at a lower pressure than the compression pressure by measuring, by a sensor 17, the temperature of the tuyere 1 in the region 16 of the upstream end 15 of the tuyere in the vicinity of the base plate 11 of the converter and one detects an abnormal elevation of the temperature indicating a stoppage of the tuyere (1).

Abstract: A metal sheet which is intended to be subjected to a drawing operation for the fabrication of a shaped metal part has on its surface a roughness in the form of plateau portions in relief defining between them recessed valley portions, the average ratio of the dimension of the valley portions to the dimension of the plateau portions in any direction on the surface of the sheet being from 1:1 to 3:1, preferably 3:2 to 5:2, the average dimension of the plateau portions being from 40 to 200 micrometers, preferably 60 to 120 micrometers and the height of the plateau portions being more than 6 micrometers, preferably 10 to 25 micrometers. This surface roughness reduces the risk of seizing during drawing even if the sheet is coated with a soft metal such as tin.

Abstract: A metal sheet which is intended to be subjected to a drawing operation for the fabrication of a shaped metal part has on its surface a roughness in the form of plateau portions in relief defining between them recessed valley portions, the average ratio of the dimension of the valley portions to the dimension of the plateau portions in any direction on the surface of the sheet being from 1:1 to 3:1, preferably 3:2 to 5:2, the average dimension of the plateau portions being from 40 to 200 micrometers, preferably 60 to 120 micrometers and the height of the plateau portions being more than 6 micrometers, preferably 10 to 25 micrometers. This surface roughness reduces the risk of seizing during drawing even if the sheet is coated with a soft metal such as tin.

Abstract: In a method of deoxidizing and/or carburizing a metal, particularly steel, bath using an immersed nozzle consisting of two concentric tubes, the central tube of the nozzle is fed with an oxidizing gas during the or each oxidation phase, then with a scavenging gas, then with a neutral gas carrying carbon powder or powder containing carbon during the or each deoxidation or carburization phase and finally with a scavenging gas, the outer tube of the nozzle being fed with a protective fluid or different protective fluids during both the oxidation and deoxidation or carburization phases.

Abstract: A return guiding device for reversing the direction of travel of flat metal material and suitable in particular for inserting metal strip into so-called S-roller frames consists of a return guide shell having an area of small width occupied by rollers, so that during guidance the corners at the leading edge of the strip do not rest on the rollers but only on smooth edge regions of the return guide shell.