Abstract: Apparatus is provided for the production of atomized metal comprising a containment vessel having a sidewall terminating in a bottom plate through which atomizing gas and molten metal from a molten metal source external to said vessel enter said vessel through nozzle means sealed thereto. An air ingress port is provided in the vessel spaced from said bottom plate; the sidewall and bottom plate cooperating with said nozzle means to seal off the interior of the vessel and the metal particles therein from the area adjacent the source of molten metal; thereby providing an essentially closed vessel, particularly with respect to the area in which the nozzle means are mounted.

Abstract: The apparatus comprises a conveyor for delivering clay blanks to the press, vertically movable lifter plates, for raising the blanks to a level above the conveyor, pusher members which transfer the blanks from the lifter plates to a platform which delivers the blanks to gripping means, which grip the clay blanks and transfer them into the mold cavities. Positioning means correct the distance between the blanks on the platform to make it coincident with that between the cavities of the mold.

Abstract: A method for producing a porous plastic molded product of uniform, predictable porosity throughout. A fluidized airstream of moldable plastic powder is formed. Water may be injected into said fluidized powder airstream for maintaining said powder in a uniform, fluidized dispersion. The moisturized, fluidized, powder airstream is injected into a cavity of a closed mold to fill said mold cavity with said powder. The mold is maintained at a temperature and for a time sufficient to at least partially fuse said powder particles together without melting said particles, thereby to form a porous, plastic molded product. The mold is partially separated for cooling the product which is then discharged from the mold. The product may be further cured by heating the molded product in an oven at a temperature and for a time sufficient to cure said molded product without melting said plastic or glazing said product.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a process for manufacturing ceramic or ceramic oxide hollow bodies and a method for its manufacture. The ceramic hollow bodies of the present invention does not require the use of a binder or adhering substrate or any type of internal embedded supports. The hollow body is capable of being manufactured for any desired diameter and length and is especially suited for thick walled pipes. The ceramic hollow body is homogeneous, free of internal cracks, and highly heat stable and shock insensitive. It is produced in a continuous quasi-isothermal thermal spray process in which hot atomized ceramic or ceramic oxide particles are sprayed as a plasma onto a non-adhering highly thermally conductive internally cooled mold core. The mold core is mounted on a rotating lathe which in turn is mounted on a longitudinally movable carriage to accomplish the uniform layer thickness of the hollow body.

Abstract: A method of producing laminated or sandwich type pipe insulation comprising compressing and reducing an outer fiberglass layer together with one or more mineral wool layers, both originally containing a resin filler or adhesive. The adhesive is selected from phenol or urea-type resins and more specially from phenol formaldehyde and urea formaldehyde resins. Heat and pressure are utilized to manufacture the laminate and the thickness of the fiberglass is reduced to 1/10 to 1/20 of its original size during the manufacturing. A temperature of 100.degree.-500.degree. F. is utilized and an exopressure of 50-1,000 psi is used. Particular pipe insulations produced are the specialty ells (L's) and tees (T's) made by the above process.

Abstract: A press comprises a drum having a heated outer surface and rotatable about an axis and at least one endless belt radially juxtaposed with a portion of the outer drum surface and consisting mainly of an elastically deformable matrix and a plurality of parallel, twisted, and generally annular multifilament cords axially spaced from one another and formed of yarns of an aromatic polyamide imbedded in the matrix. The belt is tensioned and thereby urged radially toward the drum-surface portion. Thus the belt and the drum-surface portion form an angularly extending pressing region. A web to be compressed is fed tangentially to one end of the pressing region and is withdrawn it from the other end thereof. A drive rotates the drum and thereby displaces the web and the belt angularly along the portion so that the web is compressed against and heated by the drum. The cords according to this invention are formed as cables.

Abstract: An improved method for the production of particulate metal utilizes a containment vessel having a cylindrical shell and an bottomplate, a source of metal external to the vessel, nozzle means carried by the bottomplate and providing communication between the vessel and the external source of metal, gas ingress port spaced from the bottomplate and an exit port, means provided downstream of the vessel for collecting the metal particles swept from the vessel, and aspirating means for drawing collecting gases into the vessel through the ingress port and for carrying the particulate metal from the vessel to the collecting means.

Abstract: To produce metal powders by rotary atomization molten metal is poured onto the surface of a spinning disk. The central portion of the disk is ceramic. Onto the upper surface of the ceramic portion is bonded a protective layer of metal compatible with the molten metal to be poured. The molten metal is poured directly onto this metal layer which prevents contact with the ceramic. The metal of the protective layer is selected such that proper atomization and no significant contamination of the atomized metal occurs during a run.

Abstract: A process for producing pellets of a heat fusible thermosettable molding composition from a substantially hot melt material of a heat fusible thermosettable molding composition which comprises supplying said melt material between a calendering roll peripherally formed with recesses and another rigid surface which forms said molten material into pellets. Also, the instant invention is directed to the apparatus by which these pellets are produced.

Abstract: An apparatus for producing tablets from particulate material having a weight between preselected weight limits wherein a metered quantity of particulate material is compressed in a die to form a tablet having a preset thickness. The final compression pressure is measured and compared to preselected pressure limits. The metered quantity is adjusted if the measured pressure is outside the pressure limits. At selected time intervals, the tablets are weighed and if the tablet weight is outside the preselected weight limits, the pressure limits and/or the preset thickness is adjusted to bring the tablet weight within the weight limits.

Abstract: Apparatus for the pelletization of heat liquifiable materials, such as metallurgical slags consists of a downwardly-extending feed plate onto which the molten material is fed together with water, if required to promote the expansion of the molten material and for control of the cooling. The material discharges from the feed plate onto a rotating radially vaned drum by rotor by which it is projected into the air for simultaneous cooling and pelletization after it has first passed through a flow control gap formed between the feed plate surface and the periphery of a second rotor mounted above the feed plate. The second rotor is rotated in the direction such that it promotes the flow of the molten material down the plate, forcing the material between the vanes of the projecting rotor, while at the same time spreading the material across the width of the plate against its natural tendency to form a compact stream.

Abstract: An apparatus is described for producing a lightweight structural material (12), by forming gas-filled shells (38) of molten material from a matrix of nozzles (22) that form shells of very uniform size at very uniform rates. The matrix of molten shells coalesce into a multi-cell material of controlled cellular structure. The shells can be of two different sizes (38, 44) that are interspersed, to form a multicell material that has a regular cell pattern but which avoids planes of weakness and localized voids. The gas (50) in the shells can be under a high pressure, and can be a fire extinguishing gas.

Abstract: In accordance with the invention, apparatus for the production of atomized metal is provided comprising a containment vessel having a sidewall terminating in an end wall through which atomizing gas and molten metal from a molten metal source enter the vessel through nozzle means sealed thereto. A restricted air ingress port is provided in the vessel spaced from the end plate, the sidewall and the end plate cooperating with the nozzle means to seal off the interior of the vessel and the metal particles therein from the area adjacent the source of molten metal. The source of molten metal includes a reservoir having at least a portion above the nozzle means whereby the metal level in the reservoir provides an adjustable pressure head for the metal entering the vessel through the nozzle means which is adjusted by varying the level of the molten metal in the reservoir.

Abstract: Wool fiber is moistened and compressed, and the moistened wool fiber is heated in a metallic mold. Said wool fiber is intertwined in the mold and forms a core of a ball.

Abstract: A method for forming sodium-mercury amalgam pellets of predetermined size. The amalgam is heated to a liquid state in a reservoir and discharged from an orifice at a controlled rate in droplet form onto a rotating disc. The droplets solidify into pellet form as the disc rotates and are automatically dislodged and discharged from the disc into a storage vessel. The method is preferably practiced in a controlled inert atmosphere.

Abstract: Apparatus for the formation of a molded article from powders and powder compacts of a material by pressure compaction of the powders under the influence of a thermally driven differential volume expansion of first and second elements constraining the powders. The volume expansion achieves a trippling of the compaction effect.

Abstract: An article having non-planar portions, such as a pallet having a substantially flat deck member and a plurality of hollow leg members projecting integrally from the deck member, is molded as a one-piece unit from a loosely-felted, layered mat formed from a mixture of a resinous particle board binder and flake-like wood particles. The wood flakes have an average length of about 11/4 to about 6 inches, preferably about 2 to about 3 inches, an average thickness of about 0.005 to about 0.075 inch, preferably about 0.015 to about 0.025 inch, and an average width of 3 inches or less and no greater than the average length. Each layer of wood flakes in the mat lie substantially flat on a plane generally parallel to the major plane thereof and are randomly oriented to each other. The mat is placed between the male and female dies of a mold or press and compressed therein to substantially the desired shape under temperature and pressure conditions sufficient to bond the flakes together.

Abstract: A process for producing high strength sintered bauxite spheres usable as fracture propping agents in oil or gas wells are produced by continuous spray-granulation of an aqueous binder-containing aluminous ore suspension to form granules which are subsequently sintered. Suitable starting materials include ores of high aluminum silicate content.

Abstract: A method for pressing salts in roll presses having one pair of rolls driven in synchronism, the roll surfaces being profiled, in particular ridged or honeycombed, where the salt is fed into the nip between the rolls by filling screws. The method includesa. feeding the material to the press at a temperature above 120.degree. C. in the nip of the rolls,b. pressing carried out with a specific press force at least equal to 4.5 t/cm,c. the circumferential velocity of the rolls being between 0.55 and 0.75 m/sec,d. the surface of the rolls being maintained at a temperature below 80.degree. C.

Abstract: Apparatus is provided for handling heat-softenable batch material prior to melting it. The batch components are mixed together and then mixed with liquid and formed into balls or pellets of substantially uniform size and shape. The pellets are then collected into a heat-exchange chamber through which hot gases are passed from a melting unit in which the pellets are to be heated to a heat-softened state. The pellets thereby are preheated prior to entering the melting unit to save considerably on energy requirements. A physical characteristic and specifically the depth of a portion of the batch being formed into the pellets is sensed, the depth being related to moisture content. The ratio of the batch material and liquid is accordingly regulated to achieve uniformity in pellet size, which is influenced by the moisture content. Size uniformity is important in maintaining relatively free flow of the hot gases through the pellets in the heat-exchange chamber.