The detector and collimator with source were positioned at a level such that the disk valve would close before the catcher was completely emptied, i.e., the transport lag was taken into account. Thus, to prevent the dust in the lower part of the catcher from being removed, a certain amount of dust (a dust plug) was left in the catcher. This quantity of dust, forming a layer 1400 mm high measured from the hoppe r mouth, blocked the passage of the pressurized gas. When the dust plug goes below a certain level, the detector is irradiated by the source. The resulting signal proceeds from the detector to relay block 4 (a standard GR-6 y-relay block). The contacts of the relay turn on magnetic starter 5, which controls actuator 7. The actuator closes disk valve 8 with counterweight 9, Thus preventing damage to the valve by dust being blown about by the pressurized gas. A manual control knob 6 can be used if necessary. Use of the above system has made it possible tooperationally control emptying of the dust catcher, reduce expenditures on repairing, making and replacing disk valves, and partly reduce dust contamination of the surrounding area.

SINTERER ALEKSANDR NAVRAZHIN

Ya. Tikhonov

Aleksandr Navrazhin has had luck with his mentors...more than 15 y e a r s a g o Viktor Vladimirovich Nozdrachev came to work at the sinter plant. He had a wealth of experience, having worked at the Novolipetsk Metallurgical Plant and Zaporozhstal'. He gave many useful lessons and much good advice to the young technician who came to work in crew No. 4 6 years ago. Aleksandr began as a helper. There is no time to yawn on this job: only time to remove the spilled materials from under the conveyor. After lifting the shovel for several hours, it seems that one can't go on...but it was at these difficult moments that Navrazhin remembered "I am a Komsomol member and I can work like one." With these thoughts, he caught a second wind. His colleagues at work were impressed by Navrazhin's persistence and thoroughness. He had a conversation with shift chief Viktor Ivanovich Materienko. "You have to work more quickly Sasha and remember that time does not wait. The faster you learn, the better things will go in the crew. We can't be Wasting the time of a college graduate." The young specialist was encouraged by the trust and compliments that later came his way. It turned out that several minutes could be spared from the tight schedule of the shift to see how the older comrades did their work. The sintering carts moved smoothly through the wind boxes, but Aleksandr noted that the sinterers held them up around the 6th wind box.

ll'ich Zhdanov Metallurgical Plant.

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0026-0894/79/0506-0386507.50

Translated from Metallurg, No. 6, p. 17, June, 1979.

9 1980 Plenum Publishing Corporation

"If you 'lose' temperature here you will not get quality sinter" explained Nozdrachev to Aleksandr. "Instruments upon instruments...but we must also go by the look of things. If the gaps in the furnace grate do not close up on time -- lost product..." Little by little, Aleksandr gained the skills of his senior comrades and in 3 months Was able to take their place, now feeling more confident at the hearth. Soon the shift chief approached him again: "I think you are ready to officially become a helper. over."

We will consider your trial period

In 1974 Navrashin was accepted as a member of the Communist Party. When Aleksandr became senior sinterer 2 years ago, the fourth crew confidently embarked on a course to improve performance indices. The output of second-grade sinter steadily declined in 1978. While it stood at 21.5% in the first quarter, it was slightly above i1% in the second quarter, 9.5% in the third quarter, and 4.1% in the fourth quarter. At the beginning of this year, the Donetsk oblast committee of the Communist Party of the Ukraine convened a meeting of leaders and innovators in production at ferrous metallurgy plants, with all participants at the meeting appealing to all workers in the oblast to follow their example and work consistently, rhythmically, and strictly according to schedule. Aleksandr Navrazhin took part in the meeting along with other leaders in production. Representatives of leading crews of metallurgists in the oblast -- initiators of an oblastwide competition under the motto, "Metallurgical Units -- Maximum Load" -- undertook increased socialist obligations for 1979. The crew of sinterers headed by Navrazhin pledged to produce 800 tons of sinter above Plan goals.

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