Abstract: An improved method for forming sheet metal around straight tubes and an apparatus for performing same is provided. A sheet is clamped along two parallel spaced apart locations by clamps by placing the straight part of the tube between said parallel locations, parallel with the clamps, and adjacent thereto. The clamps are then moved toward each other to thereby bend the sheet around the tube.

Abstract: A system for hot de-oiling and hot briquetting material wherein the material is heated to burn off or vaporize foreign substances and is then transported to a briquetting machine for forming of the material into briquets. The improvements of the invention relate to furnace constructions and to methods of operation for heating the material. The furnace constructions comprise a combustion zone for the material being fed into the system. The material is introduced in two parts comprising coarser material introduced at an upper level and fines and air introduced at a lower level with combustion gases from the lower level being fed upwardly for contact with the coarser material. An outlet is defined by the constructions and means are provided for moving the materials within the furnace to the outlet and for delivering the materials to briquetting equipment.