Abstract: A jet pump is provided for pumping a secondary fluid through a duct by injecting a primary fluid into the duct in the form of sheet-like jets lying in a plane parallel to the direction of flow of secondary fluid through the duct.

Abstract: This invention relates to a lighting system having a plurality of individual light points or groups of individual light points which may be controlled by means of a central switch element, acting on all individual light points, whereby the function of the individual light points (or groups of individual light points to be jointly connected) is maintained independent of the central control and the individual light points may be switched on and off individually and independently, this lighting system being installable in a most simple manner with the use of already installed two-wire cabling and without additional cabling or devices. The present invention also relates to the central switch element and to the individual light switches associated with the individual light points or groups of individual light points, in different embodiments.

Abstract: Integrated opto-electronic relay of the type comprising a first semiconductor layer material having a persistent photoconductivity which is deposited on a major surface of an insulating substrate and is provided with two electrical contacts, a second semiconductor layer deposited on the opposite major surface of the insulating substrate provided with two electrical contacts and functioning as both an optical radiation source when forward biased and as a thermal radiation source when reversed biased, the radiation directed onto the first semiconductor layer to induce persistent photoconductivity in the first layer when optically exposed and to eliminate the conductivity when thermally exposed, and an enclosure enabling low temperature control of the first layer having persistent photoconductivity. The invention also relates to a switching matrix incorporating a plurality of these relays.

Abstract: In wool scouring systems in which scouring liquor is continuously withdrawn from the scouring bowls for separation of solid contaminants and wool grease and then recycled to the bowls, improved separation of solids is achieved by adding a soluble silicate, and preferably also a polyelectrolyte to the liquor before solids separation. Silicate can advantageously replace soda as scouring agent. Improved operation can also be obtained by controlled flow down from the circulatory system, as at 27, and by passing the jet phase from a disc centrifuge 17 to a decanter centrifuge 15 for further separation of solids. Alternatively, the entire liquor circulation may be passed first to the disc centrifuge and only the jet phase to the decanter, the middle liquor phase being recycled.

Abstract: The invention comprises a bio-compatible composition suitable for constructing surgical articles for the repair or replacement of a part of the body of a human or non-human animal, e.g., ligaments, tendons, bones, comprising a composite of a bio-absorbable polymer and at least one substrate of a plurality of carbon fibers.The invention also includes surgical articles fabricated from the composites for the repair of damaged tissue, e.g., tendons, ligaments and bones.The invention includes a method for the formation of the aforesaid composite comprising providing a substrate of the carbon fibers and providing the substrate with a continuous coating of a bio-absorbable polymer.The invention also includes the surgical repair of a damaged body part such as a ligament, tendon or bone comprising surgically affixing to the damaged part the surgical article, the bio-absorbable polymer being absorbed by the body upon formation of the new tissue.

Abstract: A prefilter and a filter are made from wood chips, and carbonized wood chips respectively, and the filters are employed to remove hydrocarbon fumes generated in paint spray booths. The filters are subsequently incinerated and the heat of incineration may then be used as a source of energy. The system is particularly advantageous for furniture manufacturing plants which produce abundant wood chips and have air pollution problems associated with their spray paint or finishing booths.

Abstract: Solid Municipal Waste is loaded, or loaded and compacted, into a pressure vessel which has means for very fast opening for discharging the contents. The pressure vessel is pressurized, with steam, or a compressed gas such as compressed air. The pressure vessel can be fitted with a breech and a quick release muzzle cover and at the discharge end (muzzle) thereof is fitted with an orifice whose purpose is to promote a powerful turbulence and shock wave, through which the exiting solid material must pass to maintain pressure within the vessel during discharge, and to control the rate of discharge. The disruptive forces produced at the orifice, which can be either a sub-sonic, sonic, or supersonic flow orifice, are a function of the strength of the shock wave or the turbulence. The discharged material is then gravity separated in the wet or dry conditions and the separated materials are then employed in additional processes, or employed as landfill depending on its chemical and physical properties.

Abstract: An air or surface deployable, inflatable, flexible wall, fluid holding, towable container having a hollow, generally tubular, flexible wall container, at least one closeable inlet and outlet for directing fluids into and out of the container, gas inflatable barriers extending at least along the longitudinal side walls of the container in the zone of the water line of the container when it is filled with a liquid.

Abstract: An air or surface deployable inflatable, flexible wall, fluid holding barge is provided with a plurality of internal compartments and is provided about at least a portion of its outer skin with a gas inflatable barrier which improves the floatability of the barge and materially reduces the danger of skin rupture during the filling, towing and off-loading operations.

Abstract: A conductometric gas analysis cell comprised of a porous Teflon membrane supporting interdigited electrodes separates a thin layer of deionized water from a gas phase to be analyzed. Volatile species in the gas phase pass through the membrane and increase the conductance of the water which results in increased current flow between the interdigited electrodes.

Abstract: A portable device is provided for determining the physical qualities, such as amount, ullage, temperature, etc., of liquids in closed tanks containing the liquid and vapors of the liquid and/or an inert gas above the liquid without lowering the pressure or allowing the pressurizing gas or vapors to escape to the atmosphere.

Abstract: The galliformes such as chickens are raised in a housing having a plurality of intercommunicable rooms, each of the rooms, except the first two, comprising progressively larger areas and each of said rooms including the first two being provided with independently controlled heating, ventilating, lighting, watering and feeding means, and means for progressively moving the birds sequentially through each such room at a rate such that the birds are at a predetermined maturity upon departure from the last of the rooms. In a preferred embodiment the floors of each room are heated and the floor of each room except the first two are corregated so that the bodies of the birds are generally not in contact with droppings and moisture in the droppings is rapidly evaporated.

Abstract: A carburettor for air and liquid fuel under pressure for internal combustion engines has an air/fuel mixing chamber for mixing a controlled flow of air with gasoline and optionally methanol also. The fuel is disintegrated in the mixing chamber into fine droplets by impinging on a solid surface and/or on a stream of air. The mixture is passed into a vaporizer connected to the intake manifold of the engine. A rotary sleeve valve allows or prevents additional air to be added to the mixture in the vaporizer to optimize the air/fuel ratio.

Abstract: An electrostatic precipitator rapping system of the type which lifts weights and then allows the weights to fall to impact on precipitator elements to impart particulate-dislodging vibration thereto. The system includes a rotating drive shaft and a plurality of individual rapping mechanisms disposed along the drive shaft. Each rapping mechanism includes a driving assembly affixed to the drive shaft and a driven assembly mounted for pivotal movement. A means attached to the driven assembly lifts a weight as the driven assembly pivots in one direction towards a release position and allows the weight to fall to impact as the driven assembly pivots in the other direction towards a resting position.

Abstract: The invention relates to a channel catfish virus vaccine comprising an attenuated strain or strains of channel catfish virus and a pharmaceutically acceptable diluent and a method of preparation thereof comprising the serial passage of a channel catfish virus through a plurality of tissue cell cultures until the resulting virus material is sufficiently attenuated to permit its safe administration to channel catfish. The invention also relates to a method of immunizing channel catfish from channel catfish virus disease comprising hyperosmotically infiltrating the channel catfish with the above-described vaccine followed by a the hyperosmotic infiltration thereof with a booster dose of said vaccine.

Abstract: A system is provided for controlling the porosity of a web or film as perforated by high intensity, coherent radiation. In particular, there is included a laser for providing at least one beam of high intensity, coherent radiation that is directed onto a web that is moved past the beam. The porosity of the web is measured and compared with an operator-set reference of porosity to control the focus of the coherent radiation, whereby the size of the resultant perforation and therefore the porosity of the web is controlled. In one embodiment of this invention, the position of a lens to focus the coherent radiation is adjusted. In a further embodiment, a support surface for receiving the web is adjusted with respect to the fixed facus laser beam to control the size of the perforation or opening created by the beam of coherent radiation.

Abstract: A liquid collecting device comprises a liquid collecting trough, an inclined wall extending above the trough for directing generally vertically falling liquid into the trough and a panel composed of a plurality vertically directed intersecting walls positioned a small distance above a major portion of the inclined wall. The collecting device has particular utility liquid-gas contacting apparatus.

Abstract: A shop assembled drag-type conveyor is provided with means for shortening its length and width and the conveyor is placed in assembled, but shortened form in a dust hopper of an electrostatic precipitator. When the conveyor is in place it is lengthened to its operating length and its width is expanded and attached to the side walls of the dust hopper with a minimum of on-site construction.

Abstract: Protective fabrics having a reflective surface are made of textile yarns, for example of wool, intermeshed with strands of reflective material, for example a metallized plastics film, a major proportion of the textile yarns being present in one face of the fabric and a major proportion of the reflective strands in the other. The fabric may be woven, for example on a double beam loom, or knitted, as on a double jersey machine. ,he preferred reflective strand is a laminate of aluminium between two polyester films, split into widths between 0.3 and 0.8 mm.

Abstract: A floating barrier for substances floating on water having: a series of inflatable chambers, with plural subchambers, disposed in end-to-end relation; a flexible skirt depending from the chambers; and tension members on each side of the barrier.