Abstract: A blind fastener installation apparatus for making a plurality of different tools capable of installing a plurality of types and sizes of blind fasteners which have a stationary head element and a coaxial rotatable bolt element with a protruding wrench end. A plurality of tubular nose connecting elements at one end for connection to the body of an installation tool have nose tip connecting means for releasable connection with nose tip adapting elements that are connectable with nose connecting means adapted to hold a variety of blind fastener head elements stationary during installation in which wrench connecting elements located within the nose connecting elements are connected to wrench tip elements for driving a variety of blind fastener bolt element wrenching ends.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for the production of synthesis gas from hydrocarbonaceous gases, wherein a hydrocarbonaceous gas is preheated, reacted with oxygen in the presence of steam, and quenched utilizing a rotating matrix comprising glassy ceramic fibers. After reaction with oxygen, the gases may be passed over a catalyst to further convert said hydrocarbonaceous gas to synthesis gas. Such method and apparatus is especially useful in a process for the production of methanol, wherein carbon dioxide in the synthesis gases is absorbed using crude methanol and recycled, by stripping the CO.sub.2 -rich crude methanol with gas which has passed over catalyst for the conversion of synthesis gas to methanol under conversion conditions, thereby recycling and ultimately recovering as methanol yield carbon present in both carbon dioxide and unconverted methane present in said gases.

Abstract: A mold inhibitor composition that has particular utility for the preservation of animal feeds, and a method of making such composition. The composition is an aqueous solution of one or more salts or propionic acid, one or more deliquescent materials, one or more humectants, and in certain forms of the invention monosodium glutamate is included. This composition makes propionate ions available for mold control just as effectively as propionic acid, but without either the bad odor or the serious corrosive characteristics of propionic acid. The deliquescent material serves the surprising function of keeping moisture from accumulating in feed adjacent the walls of feed bins or from condensing on the walls to minimize mold in this heretofore uncontrollable region.

Abstract: An athletic knee protector is disclosed wherein a bowed leaf spring hinge structure is supported on load distribution pads or cuffs attached to the thigh and shin of the wearer and is spaced laterally from the lateral side of the knee to protect the knee of an athlete against injury from lateral forces and impacts such as are likely to occur in football. The bowed leaf spring hinge structure absorbs such forces and impacts and redistributes them at locations spaced substantially above and below the knee proximate the strong bones of the leg. Preloading of knee ligaments in the lateral/medial direction is avoided, and lateral forces and impacts are better distributed, by connecting the pads or cuffs to the hinge structure with a free rocking or pivoting action in the lateral/medial direction.

Abstract: A fruit ripening system wherein a continuous inflow of fresh air and ethylene gas is provided into a fruit ripening chamber in correct proportions to form a fruit ripening gas mixture that will predictably ripen fruit in a very short period of time, regardless of the previous state of ripening of the fruit. At the same time, the ripening chamber is continuously purged of carbon dioxide that is a byproduct of the ripening process so that during the ripening process a concentration of carbon dioxide sufficient to materially impede the ripening process is never allowed to build up. Critical parameters are defined for ripening temperature, the minimum ethylene gas concentration, time of exposure to the ethylene gas, and purging of carbon dioxide.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for partial oxidation of hydrocarbonaceous gases, wherein a hydrocarbonaceous gas is preheated, reacted with oxygen, and quenched by means of a rotating matrix comprising glassy ceramic fibers. Such a rotating matrix may be constructed and compartmented by a method and apparatus which utilizes the inherent tensile strength properties of the fibers to provide strength to the compartment walls. Such partial oxidation method and apparatus is especially useful in a direct, integrated process for the production of tert-butyl ethers, wherein the product of partially oxidizing methane and isobutane are caused to be methanol and isobutylene, which intermediates are directly recovered and combined to form methyl tert-butyl ether by method and apparatus of the invention. Furthermore, by-products of such partial oxidation may also be converted to useful tert-butyl ethers.

Abstract: According to the preferred form of the invention, a pair of thin wheels is rotatably mounted in the bottom of the body of a caster or other load supporting wheeled device in a bilaterally symmetrical array. Each of the wheels has a downwardly facing outer terrain-engaging surface in the general form of a frustocone, and an upwardly facing inner annular bearing surface which is opposed by a complementary annular bearing surface on the bottom of the body. Preferably one or more antifriction washers are interposed between the wheel and body bearing surfaces. This arrangement provides large bearing surface areas which are located directly above the lowermost apex of the frustoconical terrain-engaging surface so that direct vertical loading is applied through the bearing surfaces to the terrain-engaging footprint of each wheel, thereby avoiding cantilever action, avoiding any need for rollable bearings, and permitting the wheels to be very thin and of extremely low profile.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a modular fabrication panel unit comprising a horizontally-disposed corrugated gypsum board core, the corrugation forming a series of truncated crests and troughs, framed and braced by substantially U-shaped channel supports formed of structural steel, corrugated core and supports then being sandwiched between panel skin comprising either plywood or gypsum board, depending on whether the panel is to be used as a section of an interior wall, exterior wall or roof. The panel skin is attached to the flat outwardly-facing surfaces of the core formed by its truncated corrugation. The modular fabrication panel unit of the present invention may be manufactured utilizing inexpensive machinery and nonspecialized manual labor, either on-site or in a factory situation. The modular fabrication panel unit is a low-cost, low-maintenance, fire-retardant, structurally sound modular construction member having good insulating and acoustical properties.

Abstract: A multi-layered sleeve bearing supports the propeller shaft of a propeller-driven water craft, the layered sleeves comprising an outer fixed master housing, an intermediate removable bearing housing, and an innermost bearing sleeve press-fitted in the removable bearing housing, such that when the bearing sleeve is worn past use, it may be replaced under water by removing the propeller from its shaft and sliding the bearing housing along with the worn bearing sleeve off of the shaft, taking the bearing housing above water and replacing the bearing sleeve within the bearing housing, and then replacing the bearing housing within the master housing under water. The procedure avoids the removal of rudder shaft or rudder as well as the necessity of dry docking the craft.

Abstract: A knee brace for externally replacing the function of a torn anterior cruciate ligament. The brace has femur and tibia levers hinged proximal the knee joint. The femur lever has an upper high cuff which bears against the front of the thigh and a lower strap which applies anterior force to the back of the thigh proximal the knee, while the tibia lever has a lower calf cuff which bears against the back of the calf and an upper strap which applies posterior force to the front of the tibia proximal the knee. Thus, the two straps apply a differential force couple forwardly to the femur and rearwardly to the tibia proximal the knee joint which serves the anterior cruciate ligament function. A resilient tubular undersleeve anchors the brace against downward migration on the leg.

Abstract: A double wall manway assembly for double wall tanks intended primarily for underground use, wherein an inner wall provides primary fluid containment and an outer wall provides secondary fluid containment, and a monitor between the walls can detect leakage past the inner wall into the space between the walls. The double wall manway assemby of the invention includes a riser conduit extending through apertures in the two tank walls and having an in-turned inner flange and an out-turned outer flange, with inner and outer cover members removably sealingly engaged over the respective inner and outer flanges. The space within the riser between the two covers communicates with the space between the two tank walls through one or more vent holes through the wall of the riser, for conducting any fluid leakage through the inner cover flange seal to the monitor between the tank walls. In some forms of the invention, a plurality of pipe fittings are embodied in the double wall manway as structural parts thereof.

Abstract: A method of laser-machining IC carrier bodies from a sheet ceramic blank, and the IC carrier products produced from such laser-machining. The ceramic blank, preferably of alumina or beryllia, is high temperature fired to permanently fix its size and shape prior to the laser-machining, permitting a matrix of IC carrier bodies to be laser-machined to close tolerances, whereby metallization conductors can be located on the bodies also to close tolerances, and lower temperature firing may be employed to fix such conductors without disturbing any of the tolerances. Novel elongated peripheral groove vias in the carrier bodies permit the sequential laser-machining of elongated slots to form the via grooves and scribe recesses.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for minimizing silica scaling in steam flash vessels employed in a geothermal power plant energized by steam flashed from high temperature geothermal brine derived from a source such as the Salton Sea Geothermal Field or the Brawley Geothermal Field where the brine is substantially saturated with dissolved silica. The silica is preferentially precipitated upon silica seeds that are introduced into one or more flash crystallizer steam separators. The seeded brine is recirculated through each flash crystallizer a plurality of times under thermal power provided by the effects of flashing the incoming brine into an external draft tube so as to provide a sufficient residency time of the seeded brine in the flash crystallizer for the silica solution, which has become supersaturated because of the temperature reduction associated with the flashing, to be precipitated down to approximately saturation.

Abstract: A remote controlled surveillance and weapon system comprising a tubular, generally annularly symmetrical multiple fire weapon having an optical scope coaxially arranged in the throat thereof. An electronic image sensor is optically coupled with the scope and provides an image to a video surveillance screen at a remote station. Movement and firing of the weapon are performed from the remote station according to a view along the axis of symmetry of the weapon as viewed on the video surveillance screen. In a preferred form diametrically opposed pairs of firing bores are fired simultaneously so as to balance recoil forces about the axis of symmetry and thereby maintain alignment of the weapon and scope with a target being fired upon.

Abstract: A bowed leaf spring hinge structure is supported on pads attached to the thigh and shin of the wearer and is spaced laterally from the lateral side of the knee to protect the knee of an athlete against injury from lateral forces and impacts such as are likely to occur in football. The bowed leaf spring hinge structure absorbs such forces and impacts and redistributes them at locations spaced substantially above and below the knee proximate the strong bones of the leg. In one form of the invention, and anti-migration strap engages the outwardly flaring calf immediately below the knee to prevent the device from sliding downwardly on the leg.

Abstract: A system which corrects for adverse characteristics such as reactance, inertia and resonances of a power amplifier driven load such as a speaker or multiple speaker system. Program voltage is applied to a reference load which has electrical characteristics which simulate characteristics of the driven load, and the response of the reference load to the program is used to develop a correction voltage signal for the driven load. The program and the correction voltage signal are simultaneously applied to the power amplifier to simultaneously reproduce the program and correct for the adverse characteristics of the load.

Abstract: A flag of unitary construction formed from a sheet of flexible, semi-rigid material having a central adhesive section on one side, flanked by two symmetrical adhesive free tabs which are printed so as to facilitate indexing or signaling of flagged material, may be reversibly attached to host material book, file card, file folder or the like proximate a free edge with one adhesive free tab protruding from the free edge host and one tab overlying a portion of the flagged host. The flag may be removed from the flagged host by grasping the adhesive free overlaying tab and peeling the flag outward relative to the free edge of the host without damage to the host, or the flag may be used to flag a section of text not proximate an edge of a host by pressing down the transparent adhesive bearing central section directly over or adjacent to the portion of text to be flagged.

Abstract: A deferred action electric cell of the type having a magnesium anode and a silver halide cathode, wherein the electrolyte is supported in dried form intermediate the electrodes for rapidly developing full electrical potential upon the addition of any aqueous fluid, even fresh water. A novel method of coating the magnesium anode utilizing a detergent bath produces a coating that prevents corrosive deterioration of the magnesium from handling and from close proximity of the dried electrolyte, for an extended shelf life.

Abstract: An annularly symmetrical multiple fire weapon having a unitary tubular barrel with a series of annularly arranged, regularly spaced firing bores and respective cartridge chambers therein. The unitary tubular barrel means is suitable for mounting of an optical scope coaxially in the throat thereof. A firing pin release system in the weapon is incrementally rotatably shiftable in firing pin release increments to sequentially fire either one of the bores at a time or diametrically opposed pairs of the bores simultaneously. The firing bores are pre-loaded prior to a multiple fire sequence, as distinguished from the continuous loading during a firing sequence of an automatic weapon.

Abstract: A moveable on-site harvesting/packing plant is built on a framework comprising a floor area and table area elevated above and extending transversely over rows of crop to be harvested such that the table area is to the rear of the moveable plant as it is towed along the crop rows. Pickers follow the moveable plant as it is towed and place harvested produce onto the table area. Extending transversely outboard from either end of the table area are inclined transverse wings, upon which harvested produce is placed and rolls onto the table area. Outboard of the table area on platforms are box assemblers who assemble boxes from stacks of flat cartons, sliding the assembled boxes along an overhead box rack toward the center of the packing table. In front of the packing table, standing on the floor area, are packers who take the empty, assembled boxes from the overhead box rack and place them into box supports which hang from the front of the packing table.