Abstract: A method of making dual or multi-porosity porous plastic strips comprising placing a first quantity of plastic granules into a mold, and placing a second or additional quantities of plastic granules into the mold above the first quantity. The particle sizes of each of the quantities of granules placed into the mold are different from the particle sizes of all the other quantities of granules in the mold. The granules are subjected to heat and pressure so as to fuse them together into a self-sustaining porous plastic billet. The billet has a number of fused-together regions corresponding to the number of quantities of granules placed into the mold. The billet is sliced in a direction transverse to the planes containing the interfaces between the regions of the billet so as to create strips, each strip comprising interconnected regions have porosities which differ from one another. The mold may be cylindrical and the strip created by skiving it off the cylindrical surface of the billet.

Abstract: A light weight, insulated facing brick is provided with a first outer layer formed from conventional bricking clay and a second insulative layer formed from a combination of clay and expanded vermiculite, which greatly increases the insulative qualities of the brick and also reduces its weight.

Abstract: Granular material, gaseous fuel and air are preheated to just below the sintering temperature of the granular material. The hot granular material is passed through a mold in which a reticular device for distributing the fuel is provided to define a conical or vaulted surface with its vertex upstream, extending across the cross-section of the mold and defining the upstream end of a combustion zone into which the granular material passes after entering the mold. Air is supplied through a perforated wall and pushes the granular material as well as advancing with it to the combustion zone. Combustion of the fuel in the combustion zone thus defined brings the granular material to the sintering temperature and a fused rod of cellular structure (i.e. with small enclosed voids, generally not communicating with each other) is continuously formed that is pulled out by rolls in a pre-cooling section of the apparatus immediately downstream of the mold.

Abstract: The present invention involves a method of making foamed ceramic building elements by coating the bottom of a mould with a layer of uncolored glass material, applying a layer of colored glazing material over said layer of uncolored glass material and charging an expandable mass to the mould over said layer of glazing material.

Abstract: A method of producing a non-combustible light-weight shaped article, which comprises shaping a mixture comprising (a) powders of silicon or a silicon alloy, (b) inorganic powders having a porous or hollow structure and (c) water glass, and maintaining the resulting shaped article at a temperature of 15.degree. to 120.degree.C. thereby to foam and cure it.