Abstract: An embossed sheet coated at least partially with expanded graphite and suitable for use as a gasket or as a component layer of a gasket is manufactured by positioning a planar metallic sheet between an upper embossing die and a lower embossing die with a layer of particles of expanded graphite between one of said dies and a surface of the sheet. One of the dies has a protuberance to emboss a ridge into the sheet while the other die has a recess to receive the ridge. The method also comprises pressing the dies together to cause the particles to coalesce and form a coating attached to the sheet while simultaneously embossing said ridge into the sheet.

Abstract: A thermal radiation baffle for apparatus for use in directional solidification of crystalline material, to be mounted at one end of a furnace, and to allow a mould containing the material in molten form to pass through, has at least one clamped layer of interconnected flexible strips of refractory material. Each such layer has an ordered construction, for example, with the strips being interwoven, or knitted; and has one or more slits therein. At least substantially the whole of each slit is inclined at a significant angle to the strips, so that the strips do not become detached or worn in use, but the layer is capable of resiliently engaging the sides of, for example, an irregularly shaped mould. A slit may be provided between two separate, but adjacent, pieces of the layer.

Abstract: A blind rivet (10) comprises a head (12), a shank (14) made at least partially of heat-softenable polymeric material, and force transmitting means (22, 24) operable to apply force to a portion (14a) of the shank (14) to cause it to deform to form a further head (30) opposed to the first-mentioned head (12). The rivet also comprises electrical heating means (26) arranged to be supplied with electrical current through the first-mentioned head (12) and operable to heat the deformable portion (14a) of the shank (14).