Abstract: Acid gas is liquified by compression and cooling, mixed with water under pressure and flowed into a disposal well.

Abstract: In a plant for mass mechanical shelling of nuts having a cracker, sheller, and air separators, this process bypasses the sheller with some cracked nuts. Nuts and nut parts created in the cracker are sent to bypass structure where in successive operations, the nuts are separated by width then by thickness. Those nuts having the largest width are shelled by parallel rubber coated cylinders. The remaining nut parts having smaller thickness/width ratios bypass the sheller of the prior art. Parts having larger thickness/width ratios are sent to the sheller of the prior art. The process is performed by screens which separate the cracked nut parts by width. For each width of nut parts, slots between revolving cylinders, separate the larger thickness parts from the smaller thickness parts.

Abstract: A method and related structure for operating an engine lathe comprising performing the desired lathe operation by automatically translating the tailstock toward a workpiece and automatically stopping said translation at predetermined distances.

Abstract: The invention is an air permeable screen that extends upward from a leeward wall of a cotton module maker. The screen is used to prevent cotton being dumped into said module maker from being blown away by wind.

Abstract: A water system uses a pressure reservoir of extremely small size. A valve device is placed between a water pump and the pressure reservoir. The valve device has a constant outlet pressure function to limit the flow from the pump at high pressures. The pump is turned on and off responsive to a pressure on/off switch located down stream of the valve device. The valve device maintains the pressure to the reservoir below the off switch pressure except for a dribble flow. The dribble flow fills the reservoir when there is little or no water usage from the reservoir. The dribble flow is achieved by a notch or groove in the valve surfaces of the valve device. Each time the valve opens any debris in the notch or groove is washed from the notch or groove thereby keeping the notch or groove free of debris.

Abstract: Contaminated glycol in a natural gas dehydration plant is refined by vacuum distillation. The equipment to perform the refining by vacuum distillation is mounted upon a trailer. The equipment on the trailer is connected by an inlet line to the dehydration plant to receive the contaminated glycol from the plant. The refined glycol is continuously pumped back to the dehydration plant by a conduit. Detergents may be added to the glycol unit so that the circulating glycol cleans the equipment of the dehydration plant as the hazardous materials is separated from the glycol. The dehydration plant remains in operation during the time that the glycol is refined and the dehydration plant equipment cleaned. When the process is complete at one dehydration plant the trailer is towed to another dehydration plant for refining the glycol and cleaning the dehydration plant.

Abstract: Nasopharyngeal congestion, irritation, and inflammation and associated upper respiratory infections such as otitis media, sinusitis are adjunctivly treated and prevented by nasal application of xylitol/xylose in a saline solution.

Abstract: A rotor of a vertical shaft rock crusher is balanced by steel balls in a circular tube attached to the rotor. Ports in the rotor are protected by tungsten carbide pins encased in iron pipes at the top, bottom, and trailing lips of the ports. The pins at the top and bottom of the ports are welded to a mounting plate which is clamped in the rotor over each port. The lip pin at the trailing lip, which has a shorter life than the other pins, is held in a seat in the rotor by the mounting plate. Therefore, the lip pin may be individually replaced. A safety pin welded to the mounting plate is next to the lip pin to protect the rotor between the time the lip pin fails and is replaced.

Abstract: A water system uses a pressure reservoir of extremely small size. A valve device is placed between a water pump and the pressure reservoir. The valve device has a constant outlet pressure to limit the flow from the pump at high pressures. The pump is turned on and off by a pressure on/off switch. The valve device maintains the pressure to the reservoir at or below the on switch pressure except for a dribble flow. The dribble flow fills the reservoir when there is little or no water usage from the reservoir. The dribble flow is achieved by a notch in the valve surfaces of the valve device. Each time the valve opens any debris in the notch is washed from the notch thereby keeping the notch free of debris.

Abstract: A plastic gin rib is manufactured of nylon material with long glass fiber reinforcement and carbon fiber reinforcement. In some cases, synthetic resinous fluorine-containing polymers is added to the nylon before molding.

Abstract: A slotted wave-guide antenna is attached low on a cellular phone tower. Horizontally polarize radiation in a toroidal pattern from the wave-guide antenna is used to communicate with aircraft. The wave-guide antenna radiation pattern is about 6.degree. thick. An antenna on top of the tower transmits vertically polarized radiation to communicate with automobiles and pedestrians.

Abstract: A farm tractor is automatically guided along a row of stalks to harvest the crop from the stalks. Every 30 ms the average of 10 ms readings of the distance or deviation of the tractor from the row of stalks is calculated. The angles of the guiding wheels are measured. These two are compared. If the wheels are not angled correctly according to this comparison, a correction is made to the steering wheel, which is the manual steering wheel normally used to guide the tractor. For Auto-Track the deviation is averaged for 7/8ths of a second. If this average shows that the tractor is deviating consistently to one side or another the deviation will be corrected according to the controls. The 7/8ths second calculation is repeated every 7/8ths of a second. At any time that the 7/8ths calculation shows that there is a persistent deviation a correction will be made. These corrections will remain as a permanent correction until a subsequent correction changes them.

Abstract: A plurality of sand fighter rotor units are mounted to a folding frame upon a tractor. Each rotor unit operates in the furrows between rows of crops in an agricultural field. Each rotor unit has a plurality of inboard spiders mounted on an axle between a pair of bearings, and a plurality of outboard spiders mounted on short collars attached to the axle outside the pair of bearings. The prongs of the outboard spiders are shorter than the prongs of the inboard spiders. The outboard spiders are adjustable so that they may be placed close to the growing crops without coming into direct contact with the plants. Attaching the rotor units to a frame such that individual sections of the frame may be folded so that the distal wings of the frame when folded are substantially parallel to a center section.

Abstract: A rotary drum air filter has a drive tire where a rubber tire runs against a drive rim attached to the drum co-axial therewith. A seal on the forward part of the drum rides upon a conic section on the scroll. Differential air pressure across the drum holds the seal against the conic section on the scroll. A unitary rigid manifold with a plurality of pipes is mounted for rotation about its longitudinal axis. Therefore, by rotation of the manifold, nozzles in the pipes can be exposed for adjustment and inspection. Nozzle tips in each the pipes extending from the manifold are adjustable so as to regulate the distance from the lip of the nozzle tip to the surface of the drum. For use with an atmosphere heavily laden with lint, a two-part nozzle is used so that the leading edge of the nozzle can be spaced away from the filter medium on the drum surface to accommodate a thick layer of lint which accumulated on the drum surface.

Abstract: Contaminated glycol is refined by vacuum distillation. Specifically the evaporator is heated to a temperature below the degradation temperature of the glycol. The vacuum is used to bring the flashpoint down sufficiently so that glycol evaporates or flashes at that temperature. The glycol is condensed and filtered through activated granular carbon. The principal use of refining the glycol is to refine the triethylene glycol used in natural gas dehydration plants. For such purposes the equipment is mounted upon a trailer to be taken to the plant for cleaning glycol. In such instance, in addition to refining the glycol, a cleaning agent (which contains a degreaser) is added to the refined glycol. The glycol is refined while the natural gas dehydration plant is in normal operation and therefore it is not necessary to stop the natural gas dehydration plant for refining the glycol used therein.

Abstract: In a plant for mass mechanical shelling of nuts having a cracker, sheller, and air separators, this process bypasses the sheller with some cracked nuts. Nuts and nut parts created in the cracker are sent to bypass structure where in successive operations, the nuts are separated by width then by thickness. Those nuts having the largest width are shelled by parallel rubber coated cylinders. The remaining nut parts having smaller thickness/width ratios bypass the sheller of the prior art. Parts having larger thickness/width ratios are sent to the sheller of the prior art. The process is performed by screens which separate the cracked nut parts by width. For each width of nut parts, slots between revolving cylinders, separate the larger thickness parts from the smaller thickness parts.

Abstract: The rotor of a vertical shaft impact rock crusher is balanced by placing steel balls in a hollow ring attached around the top of the rotor. The vanes within the impeller are constructed to form rock shields on the forward or impact side of the vanes. Rocks are fed into the impeller upon a free floating table. The top of the free floating table is protected by a tungsten carbide disc. Therefore the rocks are moved from the table at reduced rotational velocity less than that of the rotor and are struck by the rapidly rotating rock faces of the rock shield. Ports are placed close to the trailing or back side of the vanes. The top, bottom, and trailing lip of the ports are protected by tungsten carbide pins which are adhered within steel pipes by epoxy. The pins are mounted upon a door by welding to the door which covers the ports. The door may be replaced for ease and rapidity in replacing the pins. The pin along the trailing lip of each port is supported by a seat of weld metal.

Abstract: A stabilizing device comprising a rigid anti-sway roller journalled about a wear axle is mounted on an agricultural tractor. The device provides a rigid stabilizing opposing force between the draft links and the rear structure of the tractor, while allowing the draft links to be easily raised and lowered. The device also includes a special assembly whereby the stabilizing force can be varied by adjusting the distance between the roller and the rear structure. The adjustment is accomplished by rotation of a nut on a connecting bolt or rotation of a threaded bolt thus eliminating the need for adjustment shims.

Abstract: A digger from a unit for digging utility pole holes is encased in an elongated box. The box has an attachment thereon for attachment to the carrying arm of a backhoe in place of the backhoe bucket. A 90.degree. attachment provides versatility. The digger is thus capable of digging horizontal tunnels for laying one underground line under another underground line.

Abstract: A self-loading vehicle for moving cotton modules or bulk materials such as compost or cotton burrs. The vehicle utilizes a chain conveyor system on a tiltable bed. Long conveyor bars or lugs are attached horizontally to the chains to aid in gripping the material being moved. The chains lie in valleys in the bed, and are separated by ridges. The ridges and valleys help to channel loose bulk material toward the moving chains. Vanes or scrapers on the bottom of the horizontal bars assist in scraping small portions of loose bulk material out of the vehicle. A multi-position spreader on the rear of the bed may be moved down into a position to disperse bulk material, such as fertilizer or compost being spread onto an agricultural field. The spreader is moved up and out of the way for loading bulk material. The vehicle with spreader removed or positioned in its uppermost position is also utilized as a vehicle for transportation of cotton modules.