Abstract: The disclosure provides a slag wool composition including about 60 to about 80 wt. % blast furnace slag and about 20 to about 40 wt. % basalt, based on the total weight of the inorganic raw materials, wherein the composition has an A/B ratio in a range of about 1.20 to about 1.70. The disclosure further provides a slag wool produced using the slag wool composition of the disclosure, wherein the slag wool has a fiber diameter in a range of about 4.0 microns to about 10.0 microns. The disclosure further provides a method for the manufacture of slag wool.

Abstract: A pretensioner for a vehicle safety restraint, for rapidly reducing slack in a safety restraint belt in the event of a crash situation, the pretensioner comprising a cable (1) connected at one end to a piston (3) at its other end to a belt rewinding mechanism, the piston (3) being slidably moveable in a cylinder (4) under action of pressure from a gas generator (15) sensitive to a crash indicator, wherein means (5) are provided for controlling the rate of acceleration of the cable (1) in the pretensioning direction, in dependence upon the condition of tension in the safety restraint belt which is to be pretensioned. This can be effected by blocking holes in a dividing plate or by using a continuously variable throttle arrangement such as a profiled throttle pin or a hollow space in the piston with a restrictable opening.