Abstract: A process and apparatus for melting contaminated metalliferous scrap material are disclosed. The process comprises introducing the contaminated material into a melting furnace, heating the material by means of a plasma at a temperature below the melting point of the metal at which the non-metallic contaminants are volatilized in an atmosphere which is preferably inert or has low reactivity with the metal under the process conditions while displacing at least some of the material within the furnace interior, withdrawing volatile contaminants from the furnace, increasing the temperature in the furnace preferably while maintaining an atmosphere of low reactivity in the furnace in order to melt the metal while preferably displacing at least some of the material in the furnace interior, and removing molten metal from the furnace. The process allows scrap material to be melted with good metal recovery without the need for separate decontaminating apparatus.

Abstract: For use in a trailing arm assembly having a support frame and a spring-loaded trailing arm pivotally mounted on the support frame, an adjustable stop element is provided for limiting the downward deflection of the trailing arm. The stop element is a rotatable eccentrically mounted element having a polygonal cross section, the surfaces around the polygon adjustably engaging the underside of the trailing arm, thereby adjustably limiting the downward deflection of the trailing arm. The deflection limiting element may conveniently be in the form of a rectangular parallelepiped eccentrically mounted between two guide plates which provide lateral support for the trailing arm.