Abstract: An adjustable wrench having a pair of spring-biased pivoted handles and a plurality of jaw members having fastener-contacting faces actuable by squeezing motion of the handles to close upon a range of sizes of hexagonal fastener members.

Abstract: An improved flotation cell for recovery of minerals from ore using a three phase system flotation process provides improved metallurgical recovery through improved rotor/stator and cell design by establishing good zonal separation within the cell and minimizing froth turbulence, providing uniform aeration in the cell, and accommodating higher aeration volumes before encountering turbulence. Parameters for the rotor/stator pump assembly, a deflector vane forming part of the stator and for pump assembly/cell configuration are disclosed.

Abstract: A membrane for dewatering a suspension of solids in a carrier liquid by means of either an electrically augmented vacuum filter (EAVF) or an electrically augmented crossflow device. The EAVF and crossflow devices both include an anodic structure comprising an anode, anolyte and a filter membrane for depositing or concentrating solids from the suspension of solids; and a cathodic structure comprising a cathode, catholyte, a catholyte chamber, and a filtrate chamber for filtering the filtrate of the bath of the suspension of solids. The catholyte chamber having a membrane wall which is liquid impervious and either an anion exchange membrane or a non ion selective membrane. Filtrate being removed at the filtrate chamber.

Abstract: A rotary drum vacuum filter suitable for processing pulp slurries is provided with a vacuum expression belt. The invention provides a method and apparatus for tracking and controlling the belt during operation. The belt is positioned by a moveable frame for expressing filtrate from the pulp web and in operation a control unit monitors lateral movement of the belt with respect to the drum. When drifting occurs the belt is adjusted horizontally during operation to counter drift. The adjustment can be repeated as necessary. If continued drift cannot be corrected then the belt is moved vertically to an inoperative position.

Abstract: The cyclone degritter particularly suited for household use for receiving, degritting and discharging a water feed flow. The cyclone degritter comprises a pressurized housing containing a cyclonic degritter cartridge with a plurality of small hydro-cyclones arranged within a shell for collecting grit and an overflow vessel for directing clarified liquid to the housing overflow connection. In one form there is a bleed line from the top region of the shell or grit pot to the overflow for providing substantially improved recovery efficiency. In another form the cyclone degritter is provided with primary and secondary cyclone degritters with the primary set being used under conditions of low water flow while both primary and secondary sets are used for increased water flow.

Abstract: Apparatus to reduce or eliminate fluid bed erosion in fluidized bed combustion boilers by increasing the fire-side tube temperature by adding appropriately dimensioned longitudinal or circumferential fins to the inbed heat exchange tubes in the reactor.

Abstract: Apparatus is provided for withdrawing a stream of relatively static bed material from an operating fluidized bed reactor and gravity feeding it through a conduit to an exterior classifying chamber into which a downward flow of air is introduced. The airflow is turned in the classifier to move in an upward direction countercurrent to the flow of bed material. The velocity of the air is such that coarse bed material passes downwardly through the airflow and accumulates in the classifying chamber, while the fines are entrained in the upwardly moving airflow and both air and fines are introduced into the fluidized bed reactor.

Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus and method for the integrated, continuous, high speed manufacture of metallic strip, especially brass, from a melt. The apparatus comprises a chilled casting mold in liquid communication with a melt, means for drawing a rod through the mold at a constant rate and means for oscillating the mold in a pattern of forward and reverse strokes with respect to the direction of travel of the rod. Conversion of the rod to strip comprises flattening in a hot rolling mill, and quenching. In accordance with known procedures, the produced strip can be further reduced in cross section in one or more cold rolling mill or other hot rolling mills if desired.

Abstract: An extended life capacitor is disclosed in which an enclosing body is made from a tantalum can and tantalum cap and enclosing a plurality of double layer capacitor cells. Each of the capacitor cells includes a conductive material, such as activated carbon, with an aqueous electrolyte therein such as dilute sulfuric acid. In the preferred embodiment, this is about 38% by weight of sulfuric acid, and the remainder water. Lead-ins are provided to make electronic connection to the two ends of the capacitor cell stack as anode and cathode electrodes. The entire unit is hermetically sealed to inhibit the loss of electrolyte from the capacitor body to less than 2% per year, and the electrodes are at least partly coated with a noble metal such as gold to limit the establishment of a spurious capacitor which would be in series with the stack of plurality cells, which would otherwise greatly decrease the capacity of the entire unit.

Abstract: A flow sensor to detect changes in the mass flow per unit time of pneumatically conveyed particles within a system. The flow sensor or detector includes a conduit segment formed of a hard material so that a wall of the segment will vibrate due to the impacting of the particles thereagainst as they flow through the conduit segment. There is associated with the segment a vibration excitable piezoelectric transducer which has a resonant frequency and which at the resonant frequency generates an electrical signal or high voltage as compared to that generated by the transducer at all other frequencies, above and below the resonant frequency. Any deviation in the high generated voltage is utilized to detect a change in the kinetic energy of the particles flowing through the conduit segment.

Abstract: A method for making electrodes for use in double layer capacitors comprising adding to a carbon powder-electrolyte mix an excess of liquid to render the mix pumpable, moderately overfilling an electrode cavity with the mix and removing the excess liquid in an equilibration step so that the remaining mix substantially fills the electrode cavity.

Abstract: In double layer capacitors having carbon electrodes, the electrodes contain at least 1%, by weight, of an inert particulate material to reduce the leakage current of the capacitor. The inert particulate material is selected from the group comprising SiO.sub.2, Al.sub.2 O.sub.3, SiC and aluminum silicates.

Abstract: This relates to a portable abrasive throwing wheel device or abrasive blasting device which is utilized for blasting castings and the like to effect the cleaning thereof. The portable device is of such a construction whereby its total weight is on the order of 100 pounds and is so suspended wherein it has very little thrust reaction on an operator so that it may be readily manipulated. Further, the principal thrust of the device is carried by the suspension for the device and otherwise is directed towards the operator so that it may be readily counteracted. The portable device includes a fixed motor and a fixed abrasive supply with a throwing wheel carried by the motor and only a housing portion being movable. The housing is rotatable about the axis of the motor and serves to permit the discharge opening of the device to be tilted to the desired angle for directing the abrasive blast where desired. Several abrasive supply systems are provided as are several mountings for the portable device.

Abstract: A method for treating the fine-grained spend absorbent (primarily calcium sulfite and calcium sulfate) from a dry flue gas desulfurization process. The absorbent, having a small amount of binder therein, is oxidized in a fluidized bed reactor at a temperature in the range from about 700.degree. C. to about 1000.degree. C. to produce a dry essentially fully oxidized pelletized calcium sulfate product.Calcium sulfate pellets having an average diameter of from about 0.5 mm to 5 mm and containing from about 1% to about 3%, by weight, of binder constituents, are composed of agglomerated calcium sulfate particles having an average diameter of from about 50.mu. to about 100.mu. bound to each other by the binder constituents.

Abstract: A strong, relatively inert filter cloth is impregnated with an ion exchange resin to provide, for an electrofiltration process, a reinforced solid polymeric electrolyte having ion transport properties and at the same time constituting a positive barrier to mass transport.

Abstract: A flotation separation cell is disclosed having a rotor-stator pump assembly wherein a rotor body comprises integrally formed hub, blade and top plate members. These members form a gas chamber in an upper sector of the rotor. The blades are curvilinear and of parabolic or vortex shape. A gas stream which is conveyed to the gas chamber is discharged from the gas chamber in a transverse direction and flows in gas pockets along surfaces of moving blades for dispersion in a slurry.

Abstract: A cam-actuated stop member in an electrode stripping mechanism prevents any lifting of the electrode away from the hooked lifting elements during lowering of the electrode against the doctor blades and so avoids damaging the electrode and/or lifting elements by dropping the electrode after doctoring.

Abstract: A knot-securing device for the laces of shoes and other laced articles comprises a strap having adjoining surfaces of hook and loop elements. The strap is positioned to surround and contact the knot when the hook surface is brought into contact with the loop surface. An anchoring element may be fixed to the device to secure it to a lace.

Abstract: A tool capable of removing the back of a watch from a watch case in which the watch back is of the type having an edge projection on its periphery. The watch back is received in a cylindrical cavity of the tool which has an internal inclined camming surface for contact with the edge projection on the watch back. Rotating the tool with the edge projection engaged by the inclined camming surface lifts the watch back away from the watch case.

Abstract: Alumina-cryolite waste from aluminum pot lines is subjected to oxidation in a fluidized bed reactor to remove carbon and organic contamination. Agglomeration of the alumina-cryolite product occurs in the fluidized bed and a pellet product suitable for return to the aluminum pot lines is produced.