Abstract: Two rotors cooperate to advance a rod of indefinite length continuously into an extrusion die. Portions of radially extending surfaces of the two rotors are utilized to grip the rod therebetween, in order to effect such advance of the workpiece rod upon the simultaneous rotation of the two rotors. An annular groove extends along the appropriate radially extending surface of one of the rotors. Such annular groove serves to retain the rod therein while guiding rhe rod along a path leading to the die. The face-to-face arrangement of the two rotors along their respective radially extending surfaces permits a very high extrusion pressure to be supported, while also allowing effective sealing of the annular groove at such very high extrusion pressure.

Abstract: An annular groove (35) is located in an outer surface of an inner toroid (31), and is partly covered by an inner surface of an outer toroid (32). Alternatively, an annular groove (25) is located in an inner surface of an outer toroid (22), and is partly covered by an outer surface of an inner toroid (21). As the toroids are rotated together about different, intersecting axes, an elongated workpiece (W) is introduced into an open portion of the annular groove, advances into the closed portion of the annular groove, and is extruded through a die (48) upon again approaching the open portion of the annular groove, thereby forming an elongated product (P).

Abstract: A plurality of separate, elongated, metallic members, such as wires, are formed simultaneously, e.g., through the application of hydrostatic extrusion techniques, by passing a single metallic workpiece through a die with a plurality of apertures. The apertures extend longitudinally through the die from an entry wall of the die, and are so arrayed, and the die entry wall includes surfaces which are so configured, as to cooperate to create cross-shear stresses in the material of the workpiece in the vicinity of the apertures. These cross-shear stresses separate, or assist in separating, the workpiece into a plurality of elongated members, so that the forming process may take place at reduced operating pressures.

Abstract: A floatable ball, a plurality of which floatable balls are for providing a gapless floating ball blanket, wherein the floatable ball includes a modified spheroid constructed of a floatable material and which modified spheroid is provided with a plurality of flat surfaces around the equator which flat surfaces provide the modified spheroid with an equatorial cross-section the outline of which is a closed plane figure comprised of interconnected straight lines equal in number to the plurality of flat surfaces, and a plurality of which floatable balls are engageable in flat surface-to-surface contact at the flat surfaces around the equators thereof to provide the gapless floating ball blanket. The floatable ball may further include means for absorbing and transferring radiant energy whereby the floatable ball can be utilized to heat liquid covered thereby.