Abstract: A solar concentrator includes a mirror 24 having a frame 27 connected with a lever 55, a train 36 supporting the frame 27 and the lever 55, a first control cable 28 connected with the frame 27, and a second control cable 30 connected with the lever 55. A first locomotive 35 moves the train along a curvilinear path to keep the mirror 24 opposite the sun. The first control cable 28 controls pitch of the mirror 24 and the second control cable 30 controls yaw of the mirror 24. When a concentrator includes a plurality of mirrors 24 they are preferably controlled collectively by pulling all of the first control cables 28 with one motor to control pitch and by pulling all of the second control cables 30 with one motor to control yaw. Sunlight focused on the receiver 20 preferably boils water to form steam that is transmitted to a turbine connected to a generator for producing electricity.

Abstract: An adjustable outlet riser including a riser (54), a reducer (58) sealed to the riser (54), and an adjustable riser (56) having a tight but slidable fit with the reducer (58). A pond for treatment of aqueous solutions has a piping system dividing its interior into a plurality of cells, the piping system having separate headers for each cell, each header having an adjustable outlet riser in accordance with the invention.

Abstract: An improved resilient pour spout for paint cans and similar containers that seals off the groove into which the lid of the container mates while preventing the liquid contents from flowing down the surface of the container. When not in use, the spout is stored on the sealed container in an inverted position so as not to take up additional space on the storage shelf. In this position, the trough of the spout will be tight against the container while its exposed outer surface provides a surface for retailers to display advertising. The spout also acts as a base for a second container that may be stacked concentrically above, thereby safely and neatly interconnecting the two containers. The pour spout has the option to be molded in a set so as to provide a carrier for the bulk shipment of several containers thereby reducing the cost of packaging.

Abstract: A sandblasting cabinet including side walls, a top wall, and a bottom wall, wherein at least one wall is made from corrugated cardboard or corrugated plastic sheet. The side walls, top wall, and bottom wall are preferably made from a first sheet of corrugated plastic. In a preferred embodiment the cabinet also includes a deflector shield including a sloped wall extending between the top wall and a side wall. The deflector shield is preferably made from a second sheet of corrugated cardboard or corrugated plastic. A kit for making the sandblasting cabinet preferably includes the first and second sheets and two additional side insert sheets made from corrugated cardboard or corrugated plastic.

Abstract: A passive treatment system for removing metals, especially manganese, from mine drainage and other aqueous solutions. The Hybrid Flow Pond (HFP) is an open, pond-like structure utilizing a horizontal or vertical operational flow path through a bed of treatment media together with a vertical flow path for flushing accumulated solids from the bed. The bed preferably contains basic steel slag, limestone, marble, blast furnace slag, other types of slag, organic material, or mixtures thereof. In another aspect of the Hybrid Flow Pond, a tiered piping system divides an interior of the treatment bed into cells. Each cell has its own header and adjustable riser whose output level can be raised or lowered to change the head experienced by each cell.

Abstract: Eyeglasses of the invention include a pair of inner lenses, a nose bridge connecting the inner lenses, and at least one fastener means comprising a lens portion inserted into an opening defined by an inner lens. The lens portion connects with an end portion suited for attachment to a leg connected with an outer lens overlying one of the inner lenses. The end portion preferably comprises a material attracted to a magnet. In a preferred embodiment, a support arm extends laterally between the support arm and the end portion. Combination eyeglasses of the invention include a pair of outer lenses covering exterior surface portions of the inner lenses. The outer lenses include at least one rearwardly extending leg having a back portion connecting with a ferrous metal end portion. The back portion preferably includes a permanent magnet. In a preferred embodiment the eyeglasses also include end pieces attached to the inner lenses and supporting temples.

Abstract: A hollow partition wall is employed to feed carbon material to an underflow of a carbothermic reduction furnace used to make aluminum. The partition wall divides a low temperature reaction zone where aluminum oxide is reacted with carbon to form aluminum carbide and a high temperature reaction zone where the aluminum carbide and remaining aluminum oxide are reacted to form aluminum and carbon monoxide.

Abstract: A lithographic sheet product having a substrate with a roll textured surface covered by a pretreatment layer. The pretreatment layer enhances adhesion of a printing composition to the sheet product and is composed of a polymer selected from the group consisting of polymers of acrylic acid, polymers of methacrylic acid, an organophosphorous polymer and copolymers of an organophosphorous compound and acrylic acid or methacrylic acid. Dopant particles of alumina, silica, titanium dioxide or a black dye or pigment may be added to the pretreatment layer to reduce the gloss and reflectance of the pretreatment layer in a printing process. Etching of the substrate also reduces gloss and reflectance.

Abstract: A plastic panel for attachment to an exterior wall of a building includes a body, an attachment hem attached to the body and defining at least one aperture for a fastener, and a side flange extending laterally outwardly of the body. The side flange defines a fastening slot for attaching the panel to a building wall. The fastening slot extends at a predetermined acute angle relative to horizontal, preferably about 10-20° relative to horizontal, and about 15° in a particularly preferred embodiment. The fastening slot is preferably elongated and narrow so that the head of a metal fastener extends over opposed upper and lower edges of the slot.

Abstract: A printing plate for computer-to plate lithography having a metal substrate with an anodized surface portion. The anodized surface portion has a porous texture in which a radiation-absorbing composition, preferably a black dye, is deposited. The surface portion with the radiation-absorbing composition is covered with a hydrophilic polymer or a sealant both. Upon exposure to laser radiation, the underlying oleophilic anodized surface portion containing the radiation-absorbing composition is revealed. Alternatively, laser radiation of the polymer composition may cause the affinity of the polymer for water and ink to change so that an irradiated portion of the polymer becomes oleophilic while the non-irradiated portion remains hydrophilic.

Abstract: An aluminum-polymer composite is made by coating a surface portion of an aluminum alloy body with a primer composition comprising a vinylphosphonic acid-acrylic acid copolymer to form a primer layer, coating the primer layer with a radiation curable polymer precursor, and irradiating the polymer precursor with ultraviolet or electron beam radiation. The process of the invention is particularly suitable for making polymer coated aluminum alloy sheet that is shaped into container end panels for food and beverage containers.

Abstract: A printing plate for computer-to plate lithography having a laser-ablatable member supported by a substrate. At least one portion of the laser-ablatable member is formed form an acrylic polymer containing laser-sensitive particles. The laser-sensitive particles absorb imaging radiation and cause the portion of the laser-ablatable member containing the laser sensitive particles and any overlying layers to be ablated. Alternatively, the printing plate may include a printing member with an initial affinity for a printing fluid that changes to another affinity to printing fluid upon treatment with radiation.

Abstract: A process for making printing plate material suitable for imaging by laser radiation. A metal substrate is electrocoated in a bath containing a polymeric resin and laser-sensitive particles, thereby depositing a laser ablatable layer on a principal surface of the metal substrate. In one embodiment, the laser-ablatable layer is treated with a corona discharge for a time sufficient to render the layer non-ink wettable. In other preferred embodiments, the laser-ablatable layer is overcoated with an overlayer such as a non-ink wettable silicone layer or a water-wettable layer comprising an organophosphorus polymer, preferably a copolymer of acrylic acid and vinylphosphonic acid.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to methods for preheating a molten salt electrolysis cell having inert anodes (24) using recuperative gas heating by combusting a first gas outside the cell chamber (20) in a combustion chamber (2) and using to heat a second gas in recuperator (8) which second gas us passed to the cell chamber (20). The inert anode can be a cermet inert anode.

Abstract: A printing plate for computer-to plate lithography having a laser-ablatable member supported by a substrate. At least one portion of the laser-ablatable member is formed form an acrylic polymer containing laser-sensitive particles. The laser-sensitive particles absorb imaging radiation and cause the portion of the laser-ablatable member containing the laser sensitive particles and any overlying layers to be ablated.

Abstract: A prefinished curved reflector suitable for use in recessed lighting, downlighting, head lamps, and tail lamps is made from metal sheet, preferably an aluminum alloy sheet. An outer surface of the metal sheet is either anodized, laminated, or polymer coated to provide desired appearance and performance. Surprisingly, the metal sheet retains its reflectivity and resistance to corrosion even after deformation into a curved reflector.

Abstract: A process for producing thick aluminum/aluminum alloy sheet useful for truck parts and the like includes the steps of feeding molten aluminum/aluminum alloy (10) into a direct casting apparatus (12) to provide an ingot that is subjected to a cooling (15) and optional scalping step (14), followed by hot rolling (18) to provide a sheet having a thickness for from about 3.2 mm to 5.8 mm and is suitable to coil in step (20), and where the sheet is cooled (21) to less than to 60° C. and cold rolled (22, 24) at from about 120° C. to 160° C. to reduce the sheet to about 0.9 mm to 1.5 mm to 160° C., where heat generated during the cold rolling (22, 24) stabilizes the sheet without additional energy intensive oven furnace annealing. The reduced sheet can then be trimmed (28) and coated (30) as with paint or the like.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to methods for applying a protective layer (42) to the cathode (40) of an electrolysis cell (10), where the cell also contains inert anodes (50) and the protective layer (42) can comprise a plurality of layers (70, 72, 74) with an inner layer (70) of TiB2 being preferred, and the protective layer (42) protects the cathode (40)from hot gases (64) used to pre-heat the cell (10).

Abstract: Sulfur species are removed from hydrocarbon fluids by a process that includes contacting the fluid with a solid adsorbent having a porous substrate impregnated with silver oxide. The solid adsorbent preferably comprises activated alumina. The solid adsorbent may be regenerated with a two step process including: 1) heating the adsorbent in an inert atmosphere, preferably an atmosphere containing nitrogen, so that sulfur species are stripped from the adsorbent without oxidizing them, and 2) heating the adsorbent in an oxidizing atmosphere, preferably an atmosphere containing approximately 20% oxygen, so that the silver contained on the adsorbent is re-oxidized, forming silver oxide.