Abstract: An improved smoking material affording reduced particulate matter and puff count yet having the flavor and aromatic qualities of natural tobacco, which comprises cellulosic material having incorporated therein a metal salt from the group consisting of calcium salts, magnesium salts, iron salts, and aluminum salts of various organic or inorganic acids. A process for producing such a synthetic smoking material is also disclosed. The process preferably comprises forming an aqueous slurry of the cellulosic material, preferably in the form of loose and slightly beaten cellulose fibers, adding the metal salt to the slurry, casting the same and thereafter drying, conditioning and slitting or cutting the resulting sheet to produce a low tar filler material. A preferred embodiment of the invention resides in foaming the slurry prior to casting the same to form an expanded product.

Abstract: Apparatus for transferring articles between a storage location and a point of use location in which a carrier arm fitted with suction cups is rotated and elevated from one position to bring its suction cups into engagement with the lowermost article in a stack of such, the carrier arm thereafter being counter-rotated and lowered to bring the article to an article release position. Carrier arm movement is effected by a slidable actuator member and a cooperating pair of air cylinder units, a pinion gear and rack arrangement being employed to effect carrier arm rotative movement.

Abstract: A process for treating tobacco to reduce the delivery of various gas phase components, during combustion of tobacco products is disclosed. The process comprises contacting tobacco material with an aqueous solution to form a tobacco extract. After separating the extract from the fibrous tobacco portion, the extract is treated by an ionic extraction means such that nitrate ions are extracted while the potassium ion content of the extract is left substantially intact. The treated extract may then be recombined with the fibrous tobacco products. Such products exhibit reduced delivery of nitrogen oxides, HCN and CO during combustion.

Abstract: A heat exchanger element is provided with small-bore copper tubing jacketed with perfluoroalkoxy resin wherein the ends of the jacketed copper tubing are each telescoped over the end of a stainless steel nipple having a raised shoulder at its end and an annular groove adjacent thereto. A stainless steel ferrule surrounding a sleeve of polytetrafluoroethylene overlies the joint and for a short distance to either side and is contracted particularly in the region of said nipple groove to squeeze the copper tubing thereinto behind said shoulder. This interlocks the tube with the nipple and establishes a fluid-tight seal between the ferrule, the nipple and the metal tube. The nipples are joined to headers or manifolds by welding or in similar manner.

Abstract: Hollow cylinders of relatively rigidized paper are perforated in closely spaced circularly extending, axially spaced rows by perforating adjacent ones of the rows from opposite sides on the cylinders. Apparatus for perforating the cylinders uses a fixed rolling shoe and a rotating drum each of which carry needles to effect perforation. The method and apparatus are especially effective for perforating paper cylinder cigarette mouthpieces.

Abstract: The invention relates to the treatment of protein hydrolysates with a view to reducing their content of bitter substances.This process comprises contacting the hydrolysate with a solid ligneous adsorbent of vegetable origin, for example based on carob, and collecting the debittered hydrolysate after separation from the adsorbent.

Abstract: A battery construction comprising positive and negative electrodes provided with tabs, the tabs of the positive and negative electrodes being arranged relative to one another and being of sufficient extent to enable the promoting of uniform electrode current density.

Abstract: A floor mat consisting of a conductive grid laminated to a conductive sheet with a layer of dielectric material therebetween to form a capacitor is disposed between the pedestals that house means for radiating a microwave signal through a surveillance area. A low frequency signal is applied to the capacitor mat for direct capacitive coupling through the body of a pedestrian to any surveillance tag carried thereon.

Abstract: A separator for use in an alkaline battery having a zinc electrode wherein the separator comprises a polyamide constituent, a wettable polymeric constituent and a filler material reactive with zinc.

Abstract: Tobacco in cigarettes rejected in the cigarette manufacturing operation is recovered by subjecting the cigarettes to a series of ripping actions which open the wrappings to expose the tobacco and a series of screening operations which result in effective recovery of 99+% of the tobacco and with almost no presence of wrappings residue material in the recovered tobacco, the wrappings material being separated to a different collection end point than the recovered tobacco.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for deacidifying a coffee extract without the introduction of foreign products by selective absorption with a natural material, chitosan. In this process, the extract is contacted with chitosan in divided form and the deacidified extract is collected after separation from the chitosan. Preferably the coffee extract is contacted with chitosan for 5 to 30 minutes at a temperature from 10.degree. to 80.degree. C. and in ratios (extract/chitosan) of from 15 to 400 ml per gram. The chitosan may either be suspended in the coffee extract, or the coffee extract may be percolated through a column filled with chitosan.

Abstract: A method for detecting occult blood in aqueous samples of human specimens, particularly aqueous suspensions of fecal matter is disclosed. The method comprises acidifying an aqueous test sample, which in the case of fecal matter has been treated with lysozyme to clear the suspension; separating the liquid and solid portions of the test sample and passing the acidified liquid portion through an electro-negatively charged membrane; thereafter removing residual test liquids from the membrane; treating the membrane with a peroxidase indicator and observing the development of color on the treated membrane surface. A method for quantifying occult blood is also disclosed which comprises subjecting an aqueous sample to the disclosed detection method and comparing the color developed with a standardized scale reflecting colors developed by treating samples containing known incremental quantities of hemoglobin in accordance with the detection method of the invention.

Abstract: A matrix member for carrying the acid electrolyte of a fuel cell comprised of a first layer containing a carbon material and a second layer containing a silicon carbide material. A further matrix member is disclosed wherein the mean pore size of the member is substantially equal to or less than that mean pore size of at least one of the fuel cell electrodes.

Abstract: Through interaction with the pectinaceous materials of tobacco smoking products, increased filling power of tobacco constituents is accomplished, in accordance with the present invention, by means of maintaining the tobacco, usually in shredded form, in an expanded form by applying, in solution thereto, multivalent metal and organic acid salts, especially those salts found in the hydrated form. The multivalent salt additives cause the pectinaceous materials of the tobacco to retain the expanded bulk volume of the tobacco.

Abstract: A process for making fried taco shells. Disc tortillas are formed from a sheet of ground corn masa dough, and the formed disc tortillas are passed laterally through a heated baking oven on laterally moving open web support means in successive, appreciably longitudinally spaced transverse rows, each such row including a plurality of the tortillas. The baked tortillas are transferred in the aforesaid row arrangement through an elongated steam chamber and exposed to low pressure steam in the chamber for a time period of about a few seconds to about a few minutes. The steam exposure effects tempering and moisture equilibration in the tortillas. The tempered tortillas are transferred into and through deep fat frying apparatus.

Abstract: An electrical installation in a floor of a building for providing electrical power to telephones, computer terminals and other electrical equipment has a floor plate mounted substantially flush with the floor of the building. The installation comprises an insulative housing including a connector for making electrical connection to the electrical equipment and to a source of electrical power beneath the floor. The housing is resiliently supported beneath the floor plate so that upon application of a load, the housing yieldably displaces under the load to prevent damage to the housing and connector.

Abstract: The invention is concerned with a process for the preparation of fried vegetables, particularly fried vegetables to be frozen.The process comprises coating pieces of the vegetable with a starch-containing product, blanching the coated pieces with steam and deep fat frying the coated and blanched pieces.

Abstract: Cheese is produced by a process wherein milk is subjected to partial ultrafiltration, heat denatured serum proteins are added to the milk before or after ultrafiltration, the milk is coagulated to form a curd wherein 1/4 to 1/2 of the total serum proteins contained in the curd are the added heat denatured proteins, and the curd is drained to produce curd containing a total amount of serum proteins substantially equal to the total serum protein content of the starting milk. The addition of heat denatured serum proteins overcomes a problem of alternation in the normal ripening cycle of cheeses produced from ultrafiltered milk containing an increased quantity of soluble serum proteins.

Abstract: The invention relates to a mould of the type shown in FIG. 3. The mould for packaging desserts, particularly ice-cream cake with coating syrup, is in the form of a cup comprising an opening through which the dessert is introduced into and removed from the mould. The mould comprises a first compartment near the opening which defines a first space and which is intended to receive a product solid at the storage temperature and a second compartment which defines a second space below the first space and which is intended to receive a syrup liquid at the storage temperature. The second compartment comprises several cells distributed in the base of the cup, each of the cells communicating through an opening with the first compartment and being separated from the other cells by walls simultaneously acting as stiffeners for the mould.

Abstract: Tobacco having at least about 6 percent moisture is impregnated with ammonia and carbon dioxide to introduce into the tobacco preferably from about 3 percent to about 6 percent by weight of ammonia and from about 3 percent to about 8 percent of carbon dioxide based on the weight of the tobacco. The impregnated tobacco is then heated for from about 5 to about 60 minutes at a temperature of from about 80.degree. to about 120.degree. C. in an open system to produce a tobacco product, having an OV of about 6% or less. The resulting tobacco product is, either with or without being bulked at room temperature, thereafter contacted with dry steam, preferably at low velocity, at a temperature which may be from about 100.degree. C. to about 150.degree. C., but is preferably from about 100.degree. C. to about 120.degree. C. for a time sufficient to puff the tobacco, preferably from about 1/4 to about 3 minutes.