Abstract: A process of manufacturing a sponge iron with low sulphur content by depositing a charge made up of superposed layers of finely divided material on a moving hearth, at least one of the layers being substantially made up of iron oxides and at least another of the layers being made up of a mix of a solid reducing agent containing carbon and a desulphurizing agent, heating the charge to cause at least partial gasification of the solid reducing agent containing carbon in the form of gaseous compounds of carbon and sulphur, reducing the iron oxides by at least part of carbon monoxide (CO) contained in the gaseous carbon compounds, fixing at least part of the sulphur of the gaseous sulphur compounds by the desulphurizing agent, and separating the reduced iron oxides from the material containing the residues of the solid reducing agent containing carbon and the desulphurizing agent.

Abstract: A continuous electrolytic deposit of constant thickness is formed on a moving substrate (2) constituting a cathode passing in adjacent spaced relation to an anode (3) to provide a narrow electrolysis gap therebetween. The anode consists of a plurality of anode modules (3) which are supported mechanically independent of each other. The electrical and hydraulic circuits respectively feeding the anode modules include flexible sealing members (8, 11, 12, 14) between the fixed sources of current and electrolyte respectively and the anode modules. The anode modules are provided with supports (4, 9, 10) whereby they are supported on the cathode (2) or on a surface (1) directly linked to the cathode. The support for at least one anode module (3) may be adjustable for adjusting the distance between the anode module and the cathode. The supports (4) are shoes or rollers, for example, which may be mounted at the ends of arms (9, 10) supporting the anode modules.

Abstract: An installation for manufacturing an ultrathin foil by electrolytic deposition onto a moving cathode with eventual separation of the deposited material from the cathode is disclosed. The installation includes at least one anode having a plate perforated by a first series of orifices supplied with means of feed of electrolyte. The plate is also perforated by a second series of orifices which are suppled with means of evacuation of electrolyte. The installation of manufacturing includes the moving cathode which is comprised of a metallic belt extended taut between two parallel rolls, which are preferably horizontal. At least one of the rolls is motorized so as to cause the belt to rotate around the two rolls. A first set of the anodes is disposed facing a portion of the length of a first longitudinal run of the belt. Means of electrical connection are provided from the plate of each anode of the first set to the positive terminal of a source of continuous D.C. current.

Abstract: A lubricant is introduced through at least one orifice extending through the peripheral wall of a continuous casting mold. The lubricant melts and spreads between the peripheral wall and metal cast in the mold. The lubricant may be pre-heated.

Abstract: Starting from a temperature at or above the A.sub.3 transformation point of the steel of the rail, the head of the rail is cooled to a temperature not lower than the Ms point at a rate lower than the critical quenching rate so that the head acquires a fine perlitic structure. Simultaneously the web is superficially cooled to the Ms point or below, at a rate greater than the head, so as to obtain a surface layer of martensite and/or bainite, and the surface cooling is controlled so that, at the end of controlled cooling, internal portions of the web not transformed to martensite and/or bainite retain sufficient heat to temper the surface layer during subsequent cooling to ambient temperature. At the same time the flange of the rail is cooled at a rate ensuring straightness of the rail.

Abstract: In the production of medium carbon steel wire rod, upon leaving the hot rolling mill, the rod is cooled in two phases. The first phase is operative as the rod moves at end-of-rolling speed along a cooling line disposed between the finishing block and feed rollers disposed at the entry of a head for placing the rod in overlapping turns on a conveyor, the cooling line being continuous--i.e. being devoid of air cooling breaks between consecutive intensive cooling sections, the length and capacity of the cooling line being such that the surface temperature of the rod at the end of the first phase is between, on the one hand, the start-of-martensitic-transformation temperature for the particular steel concerned and, on the other hand, the latter temperature plus 200.degree. C.

Abstract: An anode arranged very close to a cathode in an electrolytic circuit is constituted by a plate formed with first and second sets of orifices, both distributed over the surface of the plate. The first set is connected to electrolyte supply means and the second set to electrolyte discharge means with the aim of producing high turbulence in the narrow space between the anode and cathode.

Abstract: At the exit from the hot rolling mill the rail temperature is reduced to a value not less than that at which the pearlite transformation begins in the rail head. From this temperature the continuously advancing rail is subjected to rapid cooling in a rapid cooling line. Subsequently the rail is cooled to ambient temperature. For a given rail head temperature at the extreme to the rapid cooling line, the length of the line, the speed of advance of the rail, and the average thermal flux density applied to the head, flange, and web of the rail are controlled so that the final mechanical properties of the rail head are obtained, although less then 60% of the cross-section of the head has undergone the austenite-pearlite transformation upon leaving the rapid cooling line, and differences in elongation between the head and the web and between the head and the flange are minimized.

Abstract: Steel concrete-reinforcing rod is manufactured on a high speed rod rolling ill including a finisher followed by a cooling device for superficial quenching. The traction applied to the product leaving the finisher and approaching the cooling device is arranged to be appropriate to the correct advancement of the rod, by increasing the drive force of the rod and/or reducing the braking forces produced in the cooling device. Braking force in the cooling device can be reduced by introducing air into the cooling water.

Abstract: A metallurgical product, e.g. wire rod emerging from a hot rolling mill, is subjected to controlled cooling by immersing it in a bath, e.g. an aqueous bath, kept at a given temperature. During immersion, the bath is stirred, e.g. mechanically or by means of a fluid. In a controlled cooling installation a cover arranged above the bath has a condenser for recovering vapor from the bath.

Abstract: Metal sheet (cold-rolled steel sheet) contaminated with rolling oil is heated at a temperature higher than its recrystallization temperature in a naked flame furnace, e.g. of the incomplete combustion type. The heated sheet is then rapidly cooled by contact with an aqueous medium. The resulting sheet has considerably improved suitability for phosphate coating and painting, compared with sheet which is annealed after alkaline degreasing. The sheet is preferably treated with formic acid.

Abstract: Low carbon steel (C.ltoreq.0.4%) wire rod at 800.degree.-880.degree. C. f a rolling mill is deposited in loose turns on a conveyor where it is slowly cooled until the austenite to ferrite transformation is at least 80% complete and the ferrite grain size is at lest ASTM 9 and is then rapidly cooled to 350.degree.-560.degree. C. Thereafter, the wire rod, e.g. on the conveyor or in coils, is subjected to a slow-cooling stage functioning as an overaging stage.

Abstract: A metal product, such as a steel strip or a mill roll, is cooled by spraying a coolant towards a surface of the product travelling along a given path, by means of cooling apparatus comprising two hollow caissons arranged one inside the other and rigidly connected together to constitute a unit. The caissons cool the strip contained within a tunnel. The method is applied to the product surface and extends across the path of the product surface. Each caisson has a plurality of holes in a wall which is to face the product surface, each hole of the outer caisson being paired with a coaxially aligned hole of the inner caisson. A coolant sprayer is fixed in each pair of holes. Preferably, the sprayers are supplied with air from the inner caisson and water from the outer caisson, the water being atomized by the air. The path containing the prouduct is enclosed within a tunnel wherein ends of the tunnel are enclosed by continuous curtains of water which contact the product and effectively seal the ends of the tunnel.

Abstract: A rolled steel product is given an elastic limit of 500 to 1200 MPa by selection of a particular steel composition and a particular heat treatment. The steel contains 0.10-0.50% C, 0.90-1.50% Mn, and 0.10-0.45% Si, and optionally 0.20-0.70% Ni, 0.10-0.80% Cr, and 0.02-0.10% V. The heat treatment consists of surface quenching from above the austenitization temperature by means of a fluid, the heat remaining in the product being sufficient to temper the martensite and/or bainite in the quenched surface.

Abstract: A metal product, such as a steel strip or a mill roll, is cooled by spraying a coolant towards a surface of the product travelling along a given path, by means of cooling apparatus comprising two hollow caissons arranged one inside the other and rigidly connected together to constitute a unit. The unit is located adjacent the product surface and extends across the path of the product surface. Each caisson has a plurality of holes in a wall which is to face the product surface, each hole of the outer caisson being paired with a coaxially aligned hole of the inner caisson. A coolant sprayer is fixed in each pair of holes. Preferably, the sprayers are supplied with air from the inner caisson and water from the outer caisson, the water being atomized by the air.

Abstract: The plant includes quenching apparatus having cooling means for directing cooling liquid onto a rolled product passing through the quenching apparatus from a rolling mill. The cooling liquid is removed from the rolled product, by a liquid, and optionally, by scraping or brushing. The quenched product is cut up, e.g. by shears, before passing to a still-air cooling area.

Abstract: A tubular steel section at a temperature, above Ac.sub.1, at which the steel contains at most 15% ferrite is subjected to martensitic and/or bainitic quenching followed by still air cooling. The effects of quenching are limited to a surface layer, internal and/or external, of the section. At the end of the quenching step the part of the section remote from the quenched surface layer or layers is at a temperature above 675.degree. C. which permits self-tempering of the quenched surface layer or layers at a temperature above 450.degree. C. and ensures transformation of residual austenite to a martensite-free structure.

Abstract: The elastic limit and breaking load of steel sections are improved by a process of surface quenching and self-tempering comprising a cooling stage followed by rapid cooling which is interrupted to allow the quenched surface layer of the section to be tempered by heat from non-quenched inner portions of the section. The rapid cooling is succeeded by a slow cooling.

Abstract: Cold-rolled steel sheet or strip (e.g. containing max. 0.15% C., max. 0.60% Mn, max. 0.020% Si, and 0.001-0.050% B) is heated to a temperature higher than its recrystallization temperature and then cooled by immersion in an aqueous bath at above 75.degree. C.The cooling by immersion consists of two successive stages, in the first of which cooling occurs at a rate of 25.degree.-180.degree. C./s to 200.degree.-425.degree. C., the product of the cooling rate v in .degree. C./s times the sheet or strip thickness e in mm being greater than 25, and in the second of which v is 90.degree.-500.degree. C./s and v times e is at least 35. Optionally a further annealing or overageing step comprises holding at 275.degree.-525.degree. C. for 30-250 s.

Abstract: A steel section 6 to 40 mm thick, emerging from a hot rolling mill at 1000.degree. to 800.degree. C. is surface quenched for 2 to 6 seconds at a cooling rate of the order of 1.5 to 5 MW/m.sup.2. During subsequent self-tempering of the quenched surface by heat from the remainder, the section tends to an equalization temperature of 500.degree. to 700.degree. C.