Abstract: An item that might be lost is provided with a badge featuring an array of glass beads. In seeking to retrieve such a lost item, an atmospheric-penetrating beam of laser is directed into the search area, and the signals from a reflectometer are monitored. The item having the badge of the array of glass beads is more easily retrievable when lost or mislaid than an item without such badge.

Abstract: A proficiency beverage having a pH within the range from about 3.2 to about 3.5, and containing about 7% polyglucose having about nine glucose units per molecule is prepared by a method involving a degradation of starch by enzymes followed by spray drying to prepare a polyglucose powder having an average molecular weight corresponding to about nine glucose units per molecule, preparing a solution of about 0.2 molar citric acid, dispersing such polyglucose in such acidic solution to provide a dispersion containing about 30% of the polyglucose, adding salts, artificial sweeteners, and other flavors to such dispersion, and then diluting with about three parts of water to provide such pH range from 3.2 to about 3.5, said beverage being hypnotic both in the stomach and in the small intestine, thereby rehydrating the body both more quickly and more durably than conventional sports beverages.

Abstract: An ordinary golf ball is cleaned and then treated with an emulsion depositing in the dimples a hologram having the capacity to reflect a pre-selected wavelength of laser-beam. If a player temporarily looses such ball, a hand-held unit directs an infra-red laser beam of said pre-selected wavelength, desirably one not absorbed by atmospheric moisture, such as 1310 nm. Said hand-held unit contains an analyzer evaluating the light reflected back to such analyzer and attributable to such laser beam of said pre-selected wave-length. By evaluating the intensity of such reflected light, the golfer can target the location of the temporarily lost ball. Upon approaching the lost ball the angle at which the unit would be held would be modified for focusing on the ball. Earphones, meters, or other diagnostic equipment can monitor the intensity of the light reflected back from such laser beam.

Abstract: Those hijackers seeking to commit suicide by crashing a plane into a selected target are frustrated because the selected targets, such as a nuclear plant or a governmental building, are provided with Repulsion Transmitters emanating an encrypted signal throughout a relatively small protective zonez. Planes are provided with receptors detecting such repulsion signals, together with discriminatory analyzers distinguishing between safe tangential travel through such zone and dangerous radial or spiral approach toward such target Both ground crew and the robotic controls within the plane are alerted and when appropriate, activated to re-route the plane to avoid the collision planned by the hijackers.

Abstract: An ordinary golf ball is cleaned and then treated with an emulsion depositing in the dimples a hologram having the capacity to reflect a pre-selected wavelength of laser-beam. If a player temporarily looses such ball, a hand-held unit directs an infra-red laser beam of said pre-selected wavelength, desirably one not absorbed by atmospheric moisture, such as 1310 nm. Said hand-held unit contains an analyzer evaluating the light reflected back to such analyzer and attributable to such laser beam of said pre-selected wave-length. By evaluating the intensity of such reflected light, the golfer can target the location of the temporarily lost ball. Upon approaching the lost ball the angle at which the unit would be held would be modified for focusing on the lost ball. Earphones, meters, or other diagnostic equipment can monitor the intensity of the light reflected back from such laser beam.

Abstract: In a feeder supplying assembly components to another machine, an electronic control device monitors a horizontal buffer zone. Pulses of compressed gas are intermittently employed to lift components upon detecting the absence of a component in a portion of such buffer zone. The grooved chute member has a shape resembling the symbol for a square root after replacing the angles with curves. The stream of flowing components can be quite fast because components are directed to fall into the downsloping gathering portion of the grooved chute at an upper, middle, and lower portions. More rapid multi-stage alignment of components is expedited by a zone underneath a deflector and a transition zone, with an alignment passageway between such zones.

Abstract: When a tree has special value, there are hazards that vandals will damage the tree, thereby running the risk of killing it. Cemeteries have long been poular with vandals, resulting in damage to many tombstones. The Memorial Grove described in Truong U.S. Pat. No. 5,799,488 resembles a cemetery in that there are long periods when the visitor density is low, thus increasing the probability of vandalism. An installation is provided in which a plurality of potted trees are normally maintained at a level lower than the spectator's level, there being a system so that a potted tree can be placed on a platform and lifted to a level making it suitable for the spectator to see but not touch. Such an installation can be predominantly outdoors, or can utilize a building permitting the potted tree to be exposed to the weather much of the time, while having a shiftable skylight usually maintained in its parked position but shiftable to cover the opening in the roof to thus protect the tree during adverse weather.

Abstract: A Memorial Grove is designed so that the walkways for spectators are spaced from the displayed trees, thereby minimizing the amount of vandalism attributable to spectators touching the trees. Substantially each of the trees is a dwarf tree, whereby the capital investment per tree is less than when employing trees of conventional size. A shiftable skylight protects the displayed trees from adverse weather without encountering the problems inherent in growing trees in a building interior having trivial exposure to the weather.

Abstract: An area scheduled for visiting by persons desiring to pay homage to a deceased human features a group of identified trees, each planted to be an embodiment of the ongoing life of a particular human who has died. A precursor of a tree, such as a seed or a seedling, is planted in a nutrient composition featuring the dirt-like material, preferably ashes, derived from the remains of said deceased human. The Treelets are nurtured during a period of significant growth in the said nutrient composition.

Abstract: A support wire is placed through the hole of a device such as a ceiling clip for suspending an acoustical ceiling, and the wire is bent to provide a layover loop to which the device is slidingly attached, the tail of the layover loop being as long as a significant portion of the perimeter of the layover loop. The wide portion of such loop is placed in the vertical slot of a pivoted faceplate yieldingly urged to a vertical upright position, and the apex [crossover portion] of the loop is positioned in the conical zone in which the conical face have an angle, with respect to the axis of the wire-wrapping shaft of from 30 to 60 degrees. The stem is positioned in a slot substantially coaxially with the shaft, with the tail in the slot of said rotatable shaft. When the shaft is rotated, the conical faces guide the tail to wrap around the precursor to provide from about 2 to about 8 helical wrappings to stabilize the loop to which the clip is slidingly attached.

Abstract: Substantially the last traces of radon are removed from typical well water at subterranean temperatures prior to significant pressurization of the water by displacement of the radon by a stream of compressed air, such radon mixing with the air vented from the system. Other objectionable gases in well water are removed concurrently with radon.

Abstract: In a factory for producing rolls of pressure sensitive tape, a tab is applied to the end of such tape by a series of steps comprising: advancing a strip of tab material onto a work station; positioning a placement zone of such tape onto a temporary positioning zone of a workstation and onto the perpendicularly aligned strip of tab material so that the tape adheres to such strip of tab material; cutting off and discarding that segment of the tape forward of the edge of the tab; lifting the tape from its temporary positioning zone at the rearward portion of said workstation; advancing the combination of the strip of tab material and the tape laminated thereto so that on the workstation there is exposed the strip of material for the next tape; and cutting off the strip of tab material at the edge of the tape, so that the tabbed tape is liberated from the workstation zone. Such process can be practiced using either a hand held applicator or a bench mounted applicator.

Abstract: In a factory for producing rolls of pressure sensitive tape, a tab is applied to the end of such tape by a series of steps comprising: advancing a strip of tab material onto a work station; positioning a placement zone of such tape onto a temporary positioning zone of a workstation and onto the perpendicularly aligned strip of tab material so that the tape adheres to such strip of tab material; cutting off and discarding that segment of the tape forward of the edge of the tab; lifting the tape from its temporary positioning zone at the rearward portion of said workstation; advancing the combination of the strip of tab material and the tape laminated thereto so that on the workstation there is exposed the strip of material for the next tape; and cutting off the strip of tab material at the edge of the tape, so that the tabbed tape is liberated from the workstation zone. Such process can be practiced using either a hand held applicator or a bench mounted applicator.

Abstract: The waters used for cooling generally contain hard ions of the group consisting of calcium and magnesium ions concentration of from about 10 to 600 parts per million. Such waters also contain bicarbonate ions. When cooling waters are recirculated through a cooling tower, they are saturated with oxygen and tend to be corrosive and tend to promote formation of calciferous scale. Such propensities are inhibited by the injection of appropriate chemicals so that the inhibited water contains dispersants effective in dispersing incipient calcium compounds and inhibiting calciferous scale, so that the inhibited water contains a plurality of components forming a dynamic layer on metal surfaces protecting such metal from oxidation.

Abstract: A molding composition consists of an intimate mixture of:(1) about 25 to about 40 percent calcium carbonate having an average particle size range of from about 450 to about 850 millimicrons and(2) about 60 to about 75 percent star-block copolymer of:(a) about 60 to about 95 percent vinyl aromatic compound and(b) about 40 to about 5 percent conjugated diene, said star-block copolymer having from about 3 to about 20 arms, at least some of the arms comprising random segments substantially free from significant blocks of either monovinyl aromatic component or conjugated diene component.

Abstract: Several established methods produce precursor beads suitable for subsequent impregnation with a volatile agent for making expandable polystyrene beads. Different methods have led to production of reflector beads of crystal clear polystyrene for use as reflectors in movie screens, signs, and the like. Heretofore it has not been practical to use precursor beads as reflector beads. Many reflector beads have been made from plastics more costly than polystyrene. By the present invention, cloudy precursor beads are dispersed in an aqueous solution having a concentration of from about 1.5 to about 6 molar inorganic solute and heated to a temperature in the range from about 110.degree. to 130.degree. C. for a few minutes. The thus treated beads are rinsed with water and then dried to provide reflector beads.

Abstract: Many reflector beads have been made from plastics more costly then polystyrene. By the present invention, water white, crystal clear polystyrene beads are prepared from styrene by polymerization in an aqueous solution having a concentration of from about 2.5 to about 6 molar inorganic solute, at conditions corresponding to production of uniformly sized polystyrene beads of the type ordinarily used as precursor for expandable polystyrene beads. The thus produced beads are rinsed with water and then dried to provide reflector beads.

Abstract: A liquid mixture of normal butane and isobutane is catalytically oxidized at 15-45% conversion of the isobutane per pass at conditions favoring selective oxidation of the isobutane with minimized oxidation of the normal butane, thereby eliminating the need for superfractionation for ultrapurification of the isobutane prior to the oxidation step. Conditions include 260.degree.-340.degree. F., 200-1000 psig, 1-10 hour residence time, 1-500 ppm of catalyst selected from distributable (e.g. soluble) forms of chromium, cobalt, nickel, manganese, molybdenum, and mixtures thereof.

Abstract: Isobutane is injected into a liquid mixture concurrently with the injection of an oxygen-containing gas. Molybdenum catalyst is present. The oxidation is selective for the formation of tertiary butyl alcohol (TBA) so that the proportions of tertiary butyl hydroperoxide (TBHP), acetone, methanol, carbon dioxide or other less desirable products are relatively low. The tertiary butyl hydroperoxide produced by the reaction and/or the di-tertiary butyl peroxide in the reaction mixture remain in the reaction mixture while continuously distilling a product stream rich in tertiary butyl alcohol and those components boiling below TBA. After appropriate processing, such product stream is utilized as a blending component for gasoline.

Abstract: Isobutane is oxidized in a pressurized reactor in the presence of a solubilized molybdenum catalyst to produce a mixture of tertiary butyl alcohol, tertiary butyl hydroperoxide, methanol, acetone, and other oxygen containing compounds. Unreacted isobutane is recycled. Streams of normally gaseous components, comprising carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide are withdrawn from the effluent streams. A liquid stream withdrawn from the reactor, after being debutanized, is subjected to a thermal decomposition zone under several atmospheres pressure at about 280.degree. F. for from 2 to about 8 hours to reduce the concentration of tertiary butyl hydroperoxide.The liquid derived from the decomposition zone is distilled to provide a distillate stream comprising predominantly tertiary butyl alcohol and a minor proportion of methanol. Said distillate stream is heat treated to destroy residual TBHP and then transferred to a gasoline blending zone in which it is added to hydrocarbons.