Abstract: The invention teaches the treatment of a porous substrate such as a textile material by treating the substrate with a foam, the substrate prior to treatment having a moisture content of up to 130% of the transit water content, forcing the foam into the porous substrate to enable foam transit through said substrate, causing or allowing foam collapse both at the surface interface and at the interior interface and terminating the treatment by removing or deactivating the reagent.

Abstract: This invention relates to the application of a treatment agent to an air permeable substrate by forming a foam of a liquid containing or constituting the treatment agent and applying the foam to the substrate and causing or allowing the foam to transit the substrate and to be removed from the other side thereof in which process the foam is applied in an excess defined as a ratio of the foam transit liquid content of the material in which case the amount of treatment agent taken up by the substrate will be dependent solely on the concentration of the agent within the foam and not by the volume of the foam applied and further the amount of agent taken up by the substrate is substantially independent of the initial water or liquid content of the substrate.

Abstract: This invention relates to a heat activatable adhesive formed from at least two components each in the form of discrete, flowable particles which are capable of adhering in abutment of one particle with another to provide an open structured, porous matrix. The adhesive may be in the form of a sheet formed by blending the particles of each component, applying the mechanical mixture to a supporting sheet, heating the mixture and supporting sheet to the temperature at which the material with the lowest tackifying temperature becomes tacky, applying pressure sufficient to partially flatten the largest particles to a degree such that their minimum dimension is substantially equivalent to the thickness of the layer formed on said support sheet and during or after said pressure application.

Abstract: Use of an application of foam to air permeable sheet material by a variety of mechanical or pressure applied means in order to cause or allow the foam to enter the interstices of the material. The foam contains as an essential integer an agent capable of lowering the surface tension of the foaming liquid thereby effecting a dewatering/drying action on the material greater than that than would otherwise be applied.

Abstract: A method for the incorporation of an active agent into a porous structural substrate which comprises forming a pseudoplastic gel comprising:an active agentat least one solvent thereforand at least one gel forming agent and thereafter applying the gel to the structure to be treated. The penetration of the gel into the porous structure may be regulated by decreasing the viscosity of the gel by increasing the shear on the gel during its application to the porous structure. A predetermined gel penetration of the structure is achieved before 75% of the solvent has evaporated.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method of treating a surface with reagents. The method comprises:(i) establishing a reagent in a liquid phase;(ii) forming a foam of said liquid phase;(iii) applying said foam to said surface to be treated;(iv) causing or allowing the foam to collapse at the interface of said surface being treated to deposit the reagent thereon and thereafter removing or deactivating the reagent on said surface when the treatment is complete, whereby the rate of foam collapse is controlled to control the rate of application of the reagent to the said surface.

Abstract: The invention involves a cell which may be used for producing molten aluminum by electrolysis of aluminum oxide in a molten bath. The cell includes a cathode and an anode, a bar and a hanger. The bar is connected at an upper end to the hanger and at a lower end to the anode. Flexible means is provided for supplying electrical current through the bar to the anode. A jack means raises and lowers the hanger and thus the anode. Included in the invention, the hanger is mounted at at least two separated points, one higher than the other, in encompassing, sliding relationship, on a single, upright, circular cross-sectioned post passing through the hanger. By this technique, the hanger is constrained to move up and down, without rotation about horizontal axes.