Abstract: A method of manufacturing helical springs from steel wire. The springs' skin is thermomechanically hardened by shot peening the unstressed springs followed by thermally destressing them, and shot peening them again. The second shot peening is carried out in at least two steps. The method produces springs that are just as strong as conventional but smaller and lighter in weight. The first one of the steps is a rough shot peening with shot that is coarser than in the second one of the steps which is a fine shot peening was shot at a lower speed than in the first step. This increases compression of the wire's surface and polishes the wire's surface.

Abstract: The composite conductor rail comprises an aluminum base-section (12) and at least one steel strip (12) as power transfer surface for the power collector. The aluminum base-section is connected in a mechanically stable manner and with good electrical contact to at least one small extruded composite section made of a steel strip and an aluminum retaining section which is ductile, exhibits high electrical conductivity and holds the steel strip in place.

Abstract: An extruded superconductor (1) comprises a conductor core composed of thin metal filaments, for example of niobium-titanium or niobium-tin, and a high-purity aluminium sheath (2) which acts as a stabilizer. A marked reduction in the electrical conductivity perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the conductor is achieved by means of structures (3) in the form of cross-sectionally distributed layers, ribbon-like strips or closely aligned longitudinal single filaments or fibres or bundles of fibres made of a material of low conductivity embedded coaxially in the aluminium sheath. The layers of low conductivity material embedded coaxially in the aluminium sheath may be closed concentric circular sheaths surrounding the conductor core, at a distance from the core and from one another or ribbon-like strips made of the low conductivity material arranged in a star-shaped configuration about the conductor core.

Abstract: The invention relates to a composite section having a section or part of the rail cross-section made of light metal and also, mounted securely on the same, a section made of a heavy metal which forms a part of the outer surface of the composite section--in particular a composite conductor rail of aluminum or an aluminum alloy and a steel facing or insert joined to it by means of extrusion.