Abstract: In order to produce sheet possessing good forming properties, in particular for rotationally symmetrical deep-drawings, a low-carbon steel containing not more that 0.009% N is alloyed with 0.01 to 0.94% Ti and in certain cases with 0.01 to 0.06% Nb and continuously cast. The plate slabs are heated to a temperature above 1120 degrees Celsius, rolled to obtain a hot strip above the Ar.sub.3 point, and would at 520.+-.100 degrees Celsius. After cold rolling to the desired fine sheet thickness, the steel strip is annealed by recrystallizaiton, skin-passes and made into sheets.

Abstract: An apparatus for cleaning refractory-lined conveyor troughs for conveying molten metals and slags has a rail-guided carriage that extends across the trough and travels along the length of the trough, with a cleaning head supported by the carriage. Two wheels on the carriage travel along a guide rail on one side of the trough while a non-powered idler roller on the carraige travels along the other side. Lateral, opposed, rotatable guide rollers are provided on each side of the guide rail adjacent each wheel. Metal plates are situated in the floor beneath the guide rail, while small plates and/or shims are provided to compensate for irregularities between the guide rail and the metal plates.

Abstract: A process and apparatus to clean refractory-lined conveyor troughs for molten metals and slags by means of chains on a rotating drum. A motor is used to drive the drum, whose current consumption and/or speed are variable as a function of the load. Variation from a specified setpoint is used to cause a displacement of the rotating drum transverse to the conveyor trough, to achieve optimal cleaning of the trough wall, which is only effected with the desired distance between wall and drum and a load on the motor corresponding to this distance. The direction of rotation of the drum is reversible, so that when the two sides of the conveyor trough are cleaned, the material removed is thrown in the same direction, preferably towards a suction exhaust.

Abstract: Modern D.C.-tractioned trains and track circuit signal systems as well as high load trains need a special track construction. A new concrete cross sleeper system is provided for high load and high velocity tracks as well as for urban rapid transit systems comprising rails and sleepers having center part, connected to bar shaped ends and having reinforcing means.On the bar shaped ends two rail seats for each rail are positioned having elastic, electrically non-conducting plastic pads. The rails are fastened onto the rail seat by special tension means clamping the foot of the rail and fixed into plugs in the sleepers. This feature allows a triple point fixing of the rail at each sleeper end. Tracks on asphalt pavement may be secured by anchor device of the general type as sold under the trademark NELSON.The new track construction decreases the intermittent load of the rail/sleeper system and avoids trouble in track circuit signal systems existing in normally used prestressed concrete sleepers (FIG. 1).

Abstract: A railway switch is mounted on y-shaped sleepers. All sleepers in the switch have a medium portion of equal slightly s-shaped configuration and length. The length of the straight and parallel ends depends on the position of the individual sleeper in the switch. The sleepers extend alternately from one outer rail in the direction to the other outer rail. The crossing piece is supported by y-shaped sleepers which underlie only the crossing piece and alternately one of the outer rails in the switch. If the switch comprises a straight and a curved line, all sleepers supporting the outer straight rail are arranged at a right angle to the straight line and protrude outwardly over the straight rail in the same length. Preferably the sleepers are composed of two s-shaped I-beam steel profiles and additional shorter I-beam steel profiles at the bifurcated straight ends, all pairs of adjacent I-beams being connected at a distance forming a slit for inserting a coach screw.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for analyzing the solid matter content of a hydraulically conveyed stream in a conveyor pipeline to be monitored and controlled, comprising, taking of a representative sample of the material in the pipeline across the diameter of the pipeline, separating the solid matter particles in the sample and increasing the liquid proportion in the sample, depositing the separated particles on a filter surface, analyzing the distribution of size and shape of the particles on the filter and adjusting the conveyor accordingly to control a feed pressure in the pipeline and a liquid content of material in the pipeline. The analyzing step is performed by a microscope and a television camera which converts an optical image from the microscope into a signal readable by a computer which, in turn, through a microprocessor, controls a feed pump and liquid input valve.

Abstract: A method is provided for production of steel in a basic converter employing liquid converter slag obtained as a final slag in the previous run, where roughly half of the slag from the preceding charge is left in the converter. The basicity of the initial slag is thus considerably increased and the slag is maintained preferably over the total converting process, but at least during the critical initial stage at the saturation level with respect to magnesium oxide and dicalcium orthosilicate. At a certain level of silicon content in the pig iron the process is operated with a predetermined slag amount for each ton of steel at the end of the blowing by adding to the initial melt or respectively at the beginning of blowing a certain amount of magnesium oxide expending on the silicon content of the pig iron together with the flux charge materials. This process considerably improves the lifetime of the converter lining.

Abstract: An improved method for the manufacture of hot strips or heavy plates from a denitrated steel composed of 0.04 to 0.16% carbon, 1.25 to 1.90% manganese, 0.2 to 0.55% silicon, 0.004 to 0.020% phosphorus, 0.002 to 0.015% sulfur, 0.02 to 0.08% aluminum, 0.02 to 0.08% niobium, the remainder iron and possibly contaminants, including the steps of having the hot strips or plates leaving the last finishing stand of rolls at a temperature of 750.degree. C. to 820.degree. C., cooling the hot strips or plates to an intermediates temperature of 450.degree. C. to 500.degree. C. at a cooling rate of 2.degree. to 10.degree. C./s and then slowly cooling the hot strips or plates in air to room temperature in a coil or in a pile.

Abstract: A ceramic burner for the combustion chamber of air heaters and the like has a mixing body composed of layers of shaped ceramic bricks, the shaped bricks adjoin each other with radial flanks and engage and mutually interlock with one another by knobs or protuberances and corresponding recesses. The layers of shaped bricks are held together vertically by a ceramic bolding bar. In assembly, the mixing body has a mushroom shape wherein the upper layer shaped bricks have a larger radius than the lower layers.

Abstract: A lance head for a refining lance, comprising, a lance head bottom member, a plurality of expanding nozzles connected to the bottom member, a supply line associated with the bottom member for supplying coolant thereto, a return line associated with the supply line for channeling coolant away from the bottom member and a flow guide member connected between the supply line and the return line. The flow guide member extends across the plurality of expanding nozzles and includes a surface facing the bottom member defining a coolant passage therewith. The flow guide member surface is concave in the area of the nozzles so that the cross-sectional area of the flow passage is constant as coolant flows past the nozzles. The edge of the flow guide member surface extends beyond the nozzles and at an oblique angle to a central portion of the bottom member between the nozzles.

Abstract: The continuous refining of molten metal is carried out in a refining apparatus having communicating first and second refining stage spaces. Refining gas, such as oxygen, is blown into the molten metal in the presence of a slag layer on the molten metal. The molten metal and the slag are conveyed as two separate non-intermingled streams through the refining stage spaces, as distinguished from a slag-metal emulsion. The slag in the second refining stage space is caused continuously to flow back into the first refining stage space to form a slag layer on the molten metal in the first refining stage space. Refining gas is blown into the molten metal in the first refining stage space below the slag layer, and the molten metal is conveyed from the first refining stage space to the second refining stage space while preventing the flow of slag from the first refining stage space to the second refining stage space.

Abstract: A process for continuous refining in which liquid pig iron is supplied to a pig iron melt which is at least partially refined while said melt is being intensively agitated, the refining means (preferably oxygen) is introduced into the pig iron melt by means of tuyeres mounted in the refining vessel, and discharging the refining means beneath the surface of thepig iron melt, the tuyeres being positioned and the refining means being furnished so that the kinetic energy of the refining means contributes to the bath agitation. The tuyeres are preferably composite tuyeres like those described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,706,549 issued Dec. 19, 1972 and 3,771,998 issued Nov. 13, 1973, for discharging oxygen surrounded by a gaseous and/or liquid hydrocarbon, and possibly lime or other solid powder into the bath.

Abstract: Oxygen or oxygen-containing gas is blown onto a molten crude iron bath inside a converter. A layer of slag or metal-slag emulsion forms atop the molten crude iron bath and grows in height during the course of the refining reaction. The height of such layer is indirectly determined by detecting an electrical characteristic of the layer. The layer of slag or metal-slag emulsion is made to serve as the dielectric of a capacitive reactive and/or as the flux-permeable part of an inductive reactance, and such reactance, or a plurality of such reactances, form part of a resonant circuit.