Abstract: A control rod position indication system is for a nuclear reactor with a reactor core and at least one control rod which is movable along a linear path of movement for controlling reactivity of the core. The system includes a permanent magnet mounted on the control rod or a corresponding drive rod, and a number of reed switches arranged around the path of movement in order to be switched by a magnetic field generated by the permanent magnet when passing by. The permanent magnet has a north-south axis whose orientation is constant during movement, and the respective reed switch has a number of reed contacts which are aligned along a longitudinal axis. The longitudinal axis of at least one reed switch is inclined relative to the north-south axis of the permanent magnet, and the angle of inclination has an absolute value within a range from 15 to 65 degrees.

Abstract: A surge protection device comprises at least one disconnecting device provided in a housing, a heat-conducting element, an actuating element for actuating an indicating device, and a locking element, the heat-conducting element being in contact with the housing. The actuating element is fastened to the heat-conducting element by means of the locking element, and the fastening is configured such that when a predetermined temperature at the locking element is exceeded, the locking element is detached from the heat-conducting element and/or from the actuating element and releases the actuating element.

Abstract: A charging system for a shaft smelt reduction furnace includes a frame structure for mounting on a top charge opening of a shaft smelt reduction vessel; a center shaft arrangement supported by the frame structure and for removing off-gas gases from the furnace and to introduce granular charge materials to form a stack of materials in the furnace. The center shaft arrangement includes a center hood for off-gas extraction; a pair of first and second feed channels for first and second materials. The center hood includes a pair of facing off-gas panels defining an off-gas channel. The partition walls include lower portions that extend towards each other below the center hood to define a center feed passage, whereby material descending through the first feed channels may accumulate on lower portions according to the angle of repose of the material, permitting self-adjustment of the first material stock-line in the shaft arrangement.

Abstract: The invention relates to a pluggable device combination for protecting against surges, having a socket-like bottom part of U-shaped cross section for receiving at least one plug module which accommodates a surge protection element, latching means which act between the plug module and the socket-like bottom part being provided, said latching means comprising first means which are formed on a biased joint on opposite sides of the plug module and respectively interact in a latching manner with associated second means on the bottom part, the latching connection being breakable by pressing the joint at the faces of the plug module, and the respective joint transitioning into an actuation area, the actuation areas additionally being formed opposite each other on the plug module in such a way that imaginary connecting lines between the actuation areas would form the shape of an at least approximate triangle.

Abstract: A control rod position indication system (2) is for a nuclear reactor (4) with a reactor core (8) and at least one control rod (6) which is movable along a linear path of movement for controlling the reactivity of the reactor core (8). The control rod position indication system (2) includes a permanent magnet (16) mounted on the control rod (6) or a corresponding drive rod (12), and a number of reed switches (20) arranged around the path of movement in order to be switched by a magnetic field generated by the permanent magnet (16) when passing by. The permanent magnet (16) has a north-south axis (18) whose orientation is constant during movement, and the respective reed switch (20) has a number of reed contacts (22) which are aligned along a longitudinal axis (24). The longitudinal axis (24) of at least one of the reed switches (20) is inclined relative to the north-south axis (18) of the permanent magnet (16), and the angle of inclination (W) has an absolute value within a range from 15 to 65 degrees.

Abstract: A surge protection device (14) comprises at least one disconnecting device (38) provided in a housing (50), a heat-conducting element (40), an actuating element (42) for actuating an indicating device (44), and a locking element (58), the heat-conducting element (40) being in contact with the housing (50). The actuating element (42) is fastened to the heat-conducting element (40) by means of the locking element (58), and the fastening is configured such that when a predetermined temperature at the locking element (58) is exceeded, the locking element (58) is detached from the heat-conducting element (40) and/or from the actuating element (42) and releases the actuating element (42) A modular surge protection system (10) is furthermore shown.

Abstract: A method of charging a coke oven with coal includes the steps of charging coal in a coke oven chamber, whereby a heap of coal forms in the chamber; and leveling the heap of coal, where the leveling step includes: introducing a blasting end of a blasting pipe into the heap of coal, the blasting pipe being in communication with a pressurized gas storage vessel configured to release gas blasts; releasing at least one gas blast through the blasting end in the heap of coal in order to cause a leveling thereof; removing the blasting pipe from the chamber.

Abstract: The invention relates to a non-rotationally symmetrical spark gap, in particular a horn spark gap with a deion chamber, a multi-part insulating material housing (1) as a support and receiving body for the horn electrodes and the deion chamber, means for conducting the gas flow related to the arc, wherein the insulating material housing (1) is divided on the plane defined by the horn electrodes and has two half shells, and plug or screw connections (4, 5) which lead out on the end face. According to the invention, with the exception of the sections of the plug or screw connections (4, 5) leading out, the insulating material housing is surrounded on all sides by a cooling surface (14) which is near the housing and lies against the housing surface, and the cooling surface (14) is at least partly supported on webs (8) which are designed to conduct the gas flow on the outer surface of the half shells.

Abstract: The invention relates to a non-rotationally symmetrical spark gap, in particular a horn spark gap with a deion chamber, a multi-part insulating material housing (1) as a support and receiving body for the horn electrodes and the deion chamber, means for conducting the gas flow related to the arc, wherein the insulating material housing (1) is divided on the plane defined by the horn electrodes and has two half shells, and plug or screw connections (4, 5) which lead out on the end face. According to the invention, with the exception of the sections of the plug or screw connections (4, 5) leading out, the insulating material housing is surrounded on all sides by a cooling surface (14) which is near the housing and lies against the housing surface, and the cooling surface (14) is at least partly supported on webs (8) which are designed to conduct the gas flow on the outer surface of the half shells.

Abstract: A charging system for a shaft smelt reduction furnace includes a frame structure for mounting on a top charge opening of a shaft smelt reduction vessel; a center shaft arrangement supported by the frame structure and for removing off-gas gases from the furnace and to introduce granular charge materials to form a stack of materials in the furnace. The center shaft arrangement includes a center hood for off-gas extraction; a pair of first and second feed channels for first and second materials. The center hood includes a pair of facing off-gas panels defining an off-gas channel. The partition walls include lower portions that extend towards each other below the center hood to define a center feed passage, whereby material descending through the first feed channels may accumulate on lower portions according to the angle of repose of the material, permitting self-adjustment of the first material stock-line in the shaft arrangement.

Abstract: A method of charging a coke oven with coal includes the steps of charging coal in a coke oven chamber, whereby a heap of coal forms in the chamber; and leveling the heap of coal, where the leveling step includes: introducing a blasting end of a blasting pipe into the heap of coal, the blasting pipe being in communication with a pressurized gas storage vessel configured to release gas blasts; releasing at least one gas blast through the blasting end in the heap of coal in order to cause a leveling thereof; removing the blasting pipe from the chamber.

Abstract: A spreading device (10) for the spreading of bulk material on a circular surface comprises a distribution plate (12) mounted about a central shaft (14); at least one radially extending slit (16) arranged in the distribution plate (12); and a scraper device (24) for spreading the bulk material over the length of the slit (16). The bulk material is preferably granular or powdered covering material to be deposited as an insulation layer on the top layer of a casting mold containing molten steel or metal. According to the present invention, a rectangular distribution trough (22) mounted on the distribution plate (12), the slit (16) being arranged within the distribution trough (22). Furthermore, a feed pipe (30) is arranged so as to feed bulk material into the distribution trough (22) onto an area corresponding to the rotational center (18) of the distribution plate. The slit (16) extends from the rotational center (18) of the distribution plate (12) to the edge (20) thereof.

Abstract: A hatch and valve arrangement for a charging installation for a shaft furnace, such as a blast furnace, said arrangement comprising a housing (1), inside which is located at least one hatch (21) and/or a valve (31), caused to pivot by an actuator (25, 35) located outside the housing and connected to the hatch or valve by a linking shaft guided in a bearing that is fixed with respect to the housing. The bearing (24, 34) and the actuator (25, 35) are mounted on a detachable door (26, 36) that seals an opening (13, 15) made in the wall of the housing (1) and whose dimensions are determined such that the hatch or the valve can be withdrawn transversely to the axis of the housing through said opening.

Abstract: A spreading device (10) for the spreading of bulk material on a circular surface comprises a distribution plate (12) mounted about a central shaft (14); at least one radially extending slit (16) arranged in the distribution plate (12); and a scraper device (24) for spreading the bulk material over the length of the slit (16). The bulk material is preferably granular or powdered covering material to be deposited as an insulation layer on the top layer of a casting mould containing molten steel or metal. According to the present invention, a rectangular distribution trough (22) mounted on the distribution plate (12), the slit (16) being arranged within the distribution trough (22). Furthermore, a feed pipe (30) is arranged so as to feed bulk material into the distribution trough (22) onto an area corresponding to the rotational centre (18) of the distribution plate. The slit (16) extends from the rotational centre (18) of the distribution plate (12) to the edge (20) thereof.

Abstract: A hatch and valve arrangement for a charging installation for a shaft furnace, such as a blast furnace, said arrangement comprising a housing (1), inside which is located at least one hatch (21) and/or a valve (31), caused to pivot by an actuator (25, 35) located outside the housing and connected to the hatch or valve by a linking shaft guided in a bearing that is fixed with respect to the housing. The bearing (24, 34) and the actuator (25, 35) are mounted on a detachable door (26, 36) that seals an opening (13, 15) made in the wall of the housing (1) and whose dimensions are determined such that the hatch or the valve can be withdrawn transversely to the axis of the housing through said opening.

Abstract: A method for determining a lane on a roadway for a vehicle having at least two independent sensors includes the steps of obtaining with a first sensor data for a first area surrounding the vehicle, obtaining with at least two additional sensors data for at least two additional areas surrounding the vehicle, determining a first lane based on the data for the first area, determining at least two additional lanes based on the data for the at least two additional areas, and determining a resulting lane from the first and the at least two additional lanes, wherein when two of the least three lanes are identical and a third of the at least three lanes is not identical with the two identical lanes, the third lane is not taken into account when determining the resulting lane.

Abstract: A method for determining a lane on a roadway for a vehicle having at least two independent sensors includes the steps of obtaining with a first sensor data for a first area surrounding the vehicle, obtaining with at least two additional sensors data for at least two additional areas surrounding the vehicle, determining a first lane based on the data for the first area, determining at least two additional lanes based on the data for the at least two additional areas, and determining a resulting lane from the first and the at least two additional lanes, wherein when two of the least three lanes are identical and a third of the at least three lanes is not identical with the two identical lanes, the third lane is not taken into account when determining the resulting lane.

Abstract: A machine-tool turret-type unit includes a turret disk that is free to rotate about a rotational axis, and a housing on which to mount the turret disk is provided. The housing includes at least one securing device to be secured to the securing section of the machine tool. The securing device includes at least one securing surface to rest against the securing section of the machine tool. The rotational axis lies within a first plane defined by the securing surface(s).

Abstract: A machine-tool turret-type unit includes a turret disk that is free to rotate about a rotational axis, and a housing on which to mount the turret disk is provided. The housing includes at least one securing device to be secured to the securing section of the machine tool. The securing device includes at least one securing surface to rest against the securing section of the machine tool. The rotational axis lies within a first plane defined by the securing surface(s).

Abstract: A mechanical drive, especially a stepping drive which can be driven by a drive shaft (14) for the conversion of a rotary drive movement to an output rotary movement which follows a given law of movement and can be taken from an output shaft (16), is provided with a spring-biased safety coupling (22; 26; 28) which disengages upon overload. The spring (30) biasing the safety coupling is supported on a biasing element which is mounted in the drive casing (12) for movement by a given amount in the direction of an increase or reduction of the spring bias, and which is part of the output of a cam drive whose cam is coupled co-rotationally with the drive shaft or output shaft (14 and 16, respectively).