Abstract: A lightweight constructed navigation buoy, and method for handling the same, is provided with waterborne stability comparable to the conventional and much heavier navigation buoys. The desired waterborne stability is achieved using a liquid-ballasting/-venting system in which a ballasting compartment and a connection cooperate to allow a liquid ballast to be added and/or removed from the ballasting compartment. The position-accuracy of said buoy can be improved by incorporating the liquid ballasted buoy with a high-strength, flexible, elastic tether providing a scope of between 1.5-to-1 and 1-to-1 at high water.

Abstract: An apparatus for guiding a moving, flexible, tensed casting belt on a continuous metal casting machine along a substantially oval path. The continuous metal casting machine having an entrance-end, an exit-end and a moving-mold casting region extending from the entrance-end to the exit-end. The apparatus includes a non-rotating fluid pillow structure at the entrance end of the machine. The fluid pillow structure supports the mold-width of the casting belt. The apparatus includes two narrow shoulder-pulleys at the entrance end of the casting machine which are adjacent to opposite sides of the entrance-end fluid-pillow structure. Each pulley supports a portion of the belt outside of the moving-mold casting region. Each pulley guides the belt around the fluid-pillow structure as the belt revolves along its substantially oval path. The apparatus also facilitates the sealing, controlled-venting and recovery of pressurized fluids used to levitate the belt about a fluid-pillow structure.

Abstract: Steering, tensioning and driving a revolving metallic casting belt in continuous casting machines wherein the belt travels along a generally straight casting plane P. Two two-axis robotic mechanisms are positioned at opposite ends of an exit-pulley drum, each including a "floating" housing carrying a bearing rotatably supporting a journal at the respective drum end. A drive shaft connected to one of the journals rotates the drum for revolving the belt. The robotic mechanisms adjustably position opposite ends of a rotating drum in X--X plane parallel with plane P for tensioning the belt and in Y--Y plane perpendicular to plane P for steering the revolving belt. These robotic mechanisms are controlled to operate in any of several modes: (1) "Walking-tilt" steering keeps the belt much closer to an exiting product than prior art, the belt being flatter and in better contact with the product for improving casting speed and quality.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for leveling or adjusting a power-boat's average angle of bank or list about its roll axis RA regardless of side wind or off-center loading to improve passenger comfort, increase fuel efficiency, and smooth hull passage through waves with reduced pounding. Improved operating characteristics are accomplished by adjusting steering force angle-of-attack of a small fin-rudder mounted under a forward portion of the boat's keel. The boat's heading is maintained by applying an opposite steering force by altering thrust direction of the driving and steering mechanism. Altering thrust direction occurs either by a pilot steering the helm or automatically by adjusting thrust direction independently of pilot steering. In an optional automatic mode, an electronic gravity inclinometer adjusts a fin-rudder servo. An electronic filter processes the inclinometer signal to control the boat's average attitude around its roll axis RA.

Abstract: Permanent-magnetic hydrodynamic methods and apparatus stabilize a moving, flexible, thin-gauge, heat-conducting, magnetically soft ferromagnetic casting belt against thermal distortion while moving along a mold cavity being heated at its front surface by heat coming from molten metal being cast while being cooled at its reverse surface by flowing pumped liquid coolant. Hydro-magnetic devices are arranged in an array wherein flows of pumped coolant pass through fixedly throttling passageways feeding pressure pockets facing the belt's reverse surface. These pockets are shown rimmed by magnetic pole faces. Coolant issues from the pressure pockets as fast-moving films radiating therefrom and travelling in gaps between the belt's reverse surface and the pole faces.

Abstract: Edge-dam blocks assembled with their upstream faces in keyed mating interengagement with downstream faces of adjacent blocks form an endless edge dam revolvable in a preselected path for defining a boundary of a moving-mold casting region. The edge dam keeps molten metal in the casting region. Upstream and downstream faces of adjacent blocks have mutually complementary shapes for minimizing intrusion of molten metal between abutting blocks. Keying engagement between abutting blocks prevents relative translational slippage of blocks toward or away from molten metal. An abuttable face on each block has at least one protrusion such as an integral elongated key extending perpendicularly to a casting belt associated with the casting region, or the protrusion includes two round pins having projecting tapered ends. Another abuttable face has a recess such as a keyway for snugly receiving a key on an adjacent block or has two tapered recesses for snugly receiving two tapered projections of an adjacent block.

Abstract: Elongated finned backup rollers have multiple magnetized fins for rolling contact with a moving endless, flexible, thin-gauge, heat-conducting, magnetically soft ferromagnetic casting belt for guiding and stabilizing the belt against thermal distortion while it moves along the mold cavity being heated at its front surface by heat from molten metal while being cooled at its reverse surface by flowing liquid coolant. Each finned backup roller includes an elongated, non-magnetic shaft rotatable around its axis and having multiple annular fins of magnetically soft ferromagnetic material fitted onto the shaft spaced along the shaft. The fins have circular perimeter rims for rolling contact with the reverse surface of a belt. Intervening collar shaped reach-out permanent magnets are mounted on the shaft between successive fins. The fins and reach-out collar magnets alternate in sequence along the length of the roller. The reach-out collar magnets are magnetized in a direction parallel with the axis of the roller.

Abstract: Electrostatic application of a dusting of dry, electrostatically adherable, thermally insulative powder particles over a workface of a continuous metal-casting machine in which the mold surface or surfaces which provide the workface or workfaces revolve in a generally oval course. A dry dusting of protective powdery refractory material is applied to the workface after being entrained in an air stream and electrostatically charged by suitable electrostatic apparatus. The workface to be dusted is electrically grounded for attracting the charged powder particles for adhering them to the workface. The resultant coating formed by the dusting so deposited is remarkably uniform over a substantial area of the workface, a phenomenon explainable by mutual electrostatic repulsion of the dry powder particles being deposited.

Abstract: Electrostatic application of a dusting of dry, self-adhering, thermally and electrically insulative powder particles over a work face of an endless, thin, flexible, water-cooled, metallic casting belt advantageous for use in a continuous metal-casting machine. A dry dusting of protective powdery refractory substance is applied to the belt after being rendered airborne and electrostatically charged by various embodiments of suitable electrostatic apparatus. The casting belt to be dusted is electrically grounded for attracting the charged powder particles for adhering them to the casting belt. The dusting so deposited is remarkably uniform over a substantial area, a phenomenon explainable by mutual electrostatic repulsion of the dry powder particles being deposited. Continuously re-applied dusting over the work face of an endless casting belt during a cast provides an immediately useful repair of lost dusting powder. The dusting may be removed at will by means of an air knife.

Abstract: Machine for producing insulative and protective coatings on endless flexible metallic belts of continuous casting machines is described. The coating is applied to a revolving belt being supported and driven by pulleys in the machine. The coating is applied by thermally spraying a powdered mixture directly onto the roughened casting surface of the belt. The machine holds the revolving belt under tension and applies cooling to the rear (inner) surface of the revolving belt opposite to the region where the thermal spray gun is applying the coating to the belt.