Sintering method and apparatus

Claim 1

IN A SINTERING PROCESSS IN WHICH A COMBUSTIBLE SINTER MIX IS DELIVERED TO A TRAVELLING GRATE AND LAID DOWN AS A PERMEABLE BED THEREON, THE BED IIS SIGNITED AT ITS UPPER SSURFACE, A DOWNRAFT OF SIR PASES THROUGH THE BED TO MAINTAIN A ACOMBUSTION ZONE WHICH SLOPES DOWNWARDLY FROM THE POINT OF IGINTION TO A "BURN-THROUGH" POINT ADJACENT THE DISCHARGE END OF THE GRATE, ANND DFINISH SINTER DISCHARGES FROM THE GRATE AND BREAKS INTO FRAGMENTS WITH FORMATION OF DUST, THE TEMPERATURE OF THE UPPER SURFACE OF THE BED BEING AT A MAXIMUM IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT THE POINT OF IGNITION, THE COMBINATION THEREWITH OF A METHOD OF HANDLING DUST THUS FORMED COMPRISSING PASSING AIR THROUGH THE SINTER AS IT BREAKS ON DISCHARGING FROM THE GRATE AND THEREBY PICKING UP DUST, SEPARATING FROM THIS AIR THE MAJOR PORTION OF THE DUST WHICH IT HAS PICKED UP BUT LEAVING A MINOR PORTION OF THE DUST ENTRAINED THEREIN, THEREAFTER DIRECTING AT LEAST A PORTION OF THE LATTER AIR AND ENTRAINED DUST BACK TO UPPER SURFACE OF THE SINTER BED IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT THE POINT OF IGNITION, AND BLENDING AAND FUSING THE DUST FROM THIS AIIR INTO THE BED.