Abstract: Apparatus and method for constructing a modular concrete shell housing unit in which complementary counterpart form assemblies are detachably connected on a supporting concrete floor slab at their inner adjacent longitudinally extending framing members, the form assemblies having first means for rolling movement longitudinally on the floor slab and second means for elevating, leveling and lowering the framing and superstructure of the form assemblies from and to the floor slab and for rolling movement of the assemblies transversely thereon toward and away from each other. An inner wall form and roof form are respectively movable and fixed components of each form assembly, the inner wall form being translatable laterally outwardly and inwardly with respect to the framing structure. A pivoting roof edge plate section is hingedly mounted to and at the lateral distal edge of the roof form.

Abstract: A building form into which concrete may be poured to form a column or similar structure includes a plurality of stacked form units having interconnected expandable and contractable joints. The application of a vertically upward force to the joints of the uppermost form unit causes all the units to move together, first laterally outwardly and then upwardly to strip the form from the column. The form thereafter may be moved to another location where the joints of the form units may be contracted to provide a form for pouring another column. The joints include movable portions which are cammed outwardly or inwardly depending on the direction of vertical movement of a central, vertically movable portion.

Abstract: Ceramic honeycomb type recuperative heat exchangers having a large number of parallel channels formed of partition walls are disclosed, in which fluids to be heat-exchanged are passed through respective channels that are produced by extruding a ceramic raw batch material into a honeycomb structural body, drying the shaped honeycomb structural body, prior to or after firing step cutting off partition walls in the given rows of the honeycomb structural body in the axial direction of the channels to a given depth from the end surface of the honeycomb structural body and sealing only the end surfaces of said rows.

Abstract: An elongated mold box encloses a removable rectangular pallet and has a center portion pivotally supported by a carriage which is supported for vertical movement by a pair of vertical guide posts mounted on a frame. Hydraulic cylinders are connected to move the carriage vertically relative to the frame and pivot the mold box relative to the carriage for tilting the mold box between a vertical concrete filling position and a horizontal position for stripping a molded concrete article from the mold box. The pallet is supported within the mold box by a generally flat tray member which is guided by parallel rails within the mold box and aligned horizontal guide rails on a run-out platform. The mold box also carries a hydraulic cylinder for moving the tray member between a retracted position within the mold box and an extended position on the run-out platform.

Abstract: A method for producing a cordierite body having high crystallinity and exhibiting excellent low thermal expansion property in a specific direction at a relatively low firing temperature comprises the steps of mixing and kneading a batch raw material containing halloysite particles and plate-shaped talc particles, anisostatically forming the batch raw material into a formed body to impart a planar orientation to the plate-shaped talc particles within the batch raw material and drying and firing the formed body.

Abstract: A method of coating a core sample in which a distillate such as petroleum jelly is applied to the exterior surface of the sample. A cylindrical mold is partially filled with a plastic mixture of hardenable epoxy resin and hardener therefor, and one end of the core sample is slowly inserted into the mold under a pressure which preferably is not more than about 50 pounds per square inch. In some cases the inserted end of the sample is pre-coated with the plastic mixture. As the insertion of the sample is continued, the mixture flows up the side of the sample and covers the opposite end. The coating is cured by maintaining it in the mold at room temperature for a period of time sufficient to enable the resin to set up and then by holding it at an elevated temperature for at least about eight hours. Upon the removal of the coated sample from the mold, the ends are cut off to expose the sample material.

Abstract: A method of manufacture in which the formation of unsightly stress cracks in sandwich-like panels of prestressed concrete are prevented by the formation of a "contraction joint" at selected locations in the panel's outer layer of concrete during its manufacture.

Abstract: A particulate dispersion of Al.sub.2 O.sub.3, elemental non-diamond carbon and a titanium member selected from the group consisting of elemental titanium, TiH.sub.2 and mixtures thereof is formed into a compact and sintered producing a ceramic composite having a minimum Rockwell A hardness of about 92 and being comprised of an Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 phase and a substoichiometric titanium carbide phase.

Abstract: In order to produce a preform or parison from which an optical fiber can be drawn, a vitrifiable substance such as silicon chloride and a doping agent such as germanium chloride, for example, are fed in liquid form and at room temperature to a spray nozzle together with water or steam for continuous deposition on a relatively rotating and axially reciprocating inner or outer surface of a cylindrical support until that surface is covered with a heavy layer of as yet unvitrified hydrated silica admixed with the doping agent in proportions designed to provide a selected refractive-index profile. The resulting preform, after degassing and separation from the support if necessary, is freed from occluded water molecules by exposure to a flow of hot dehydrating gas which may contain anhydrous compounds and is thereafter collapsed into a solid rod and completely vitrified at high temperatures.

Abstract: A laterally and vertically adjustable support bracket can be coupled to an end of concrete finishing equipment such as a vibratory concrete screed to permit the equipment to be operated on a concrete surface which includes obstructions extending vertically from the edge area. The adjustable support bracket includes a vertical bracket element which is coupled to the end of the concrete finishing equipment. A vertically extending member is spaced apart from the vertical bracket element and engages a load bearing surface located outboard of the concrete surface. A laterally extending member extends between the vertical bracket element and the vertically extending member and includes various adjustment devices for varying the lateral spacing and relative vertical alignment between the vertical bracket element and the vertically extending member.

Abstract: In a recoverable form for use in the region where a tendon is anchored in a prestressed concrete component, a part is provided for forming a cup-shaped recess in the concrete surface. The part contains an axially extending passage through which a tendon extends. The part is formed of rubber or a rubber-like material and is constructed so that its outer surface extending in the direction of the passage arches outwardly away from the passage when a compressive force is applied to the part in the axial direction of the passage.

Abstract: A method is provided for converting polycrystalline ribbon to macrocrystalline ribbon in which a molten zone is formed in and moved along the polycrystalline ribbon. Macrocrystalline material in ribbon shape is formed as the molten region passes and the molten material resolidifies. The molten zone is formed in the polycrystalline ribbon by impinging energy beams from two energy sources on the two major surfaces of the ribbon. The combined energy from the first and second energy sources is sufficient to melt the ribbon material and to form a molten zone extending through the thickness of the ribbon. The molten zone has an intersection with each of the major surfaces of the ribbon. The two energy sources are adjusted independently to control the area of the intersection of the molten zone with each surface so that the areas are non-identical.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for hot press-forging a normally frangible optically integral crystalline mass ("optical body") in a closed die, by directly pressing a surface of the mass while it is peripherally surrounded by a crystal powder the amount of which is computed from the deformation ratio desired and the geometry of the die. The crystal powder is compacted by the nonuniformly directed forces transmitted to it by the optical body, and eventually the crystal powder is sufficiently dense so as dynamically to constrain the optical body at its peripheral surface. The dynamic constraint of the optical body while it is being forged is effected in such a way as to permit deformation of the optical body without fracturing it, and, without affecting its optical integrity.

Abstract: This invention is based on the discovery by the inventors that, if a preliminary hydration hardening process and a full-scale hydration hardening process are provided after the molding process, and a process for burning a hardened body of cement at a high temperature is provided between the preliminary and full-scale hardening processes, it is possible to obtain a molded product of cement having a higher mechanical strength than any such product according to any known method including no such burning process.

Abstract: The present invention is a device to produce manually compressed soil-cement blocks faster and more efficiently than previous devices of this type. The apparatus consists of a rectangular box connected to partially slotted supports, a cover to hold the mixture in the box during compression, a sliding plate to do the compression and a toggle linkage to create mechanical advantage necessary to convert human energy input into useful work. The toggle linkage is connected to toggle-connecting bars which are joined to wing pieces which connect to a lever actuated by a handle located on one side of the machine. Downward swinging of the handle causes the mechanism to move the sliding plate up and compress the soil between the fixed cover and advancing sliding plate.

Abstract: To detect residual glass, such as appears at semiconductor chip pads and via holes during the fabrication of alumina/glass ceramic substrates that are used as supports for the semiconductor devices, the glass used for forming the ceramic substrates is doped with a rare earth oxide. During the manufacturing process, the ceramic structures are irradiated after firing with radiation of wavelengths in the range 350-500 nanometers to induce the glass to fluoresce, thereby revealing the residual glass on the surface of the metallic interconnector pads.

Abstract: A three-dimensional work piece, such as an interior part for a car, is manufactured by keeping the blank, such as a sheet of plastic on or in the same primary mold 24 for the initial shaping step, for the foaming step, for the curing step and for the final trimming step. The primary mold 24 shuttles back and forth in a given direction for sequential cooperation with two secondary molds 75 and 31 or 48 and 31 arranged for reciprocation in a direction extending perpendicularly to said given direction. Preferably, two primary mold members 66, 67 are arranged for horizontal back and forth shuttling in unison so that each primary mold member may cooperate with two out of three vertically reciprocable secondary molds. The efficiency is substantially doubled when each of two primary mold members 66, 67 cooperates with two out of three secondary molds.

Abstract: Ceramic shapes having impermeable tungsten coatings can be used for containing highly corrosive molten alloys and salts. The shapes are prepared by coating damp green ceramic shapes containing a small amount of yttria with a tungsten coating slip which has been adjusted to match the shrinkage rate of the green ceramic and which will fire to a theoretical density of at least 80% to provide a impermeable coating.

Abstract: A support for gas chromatography is formed by incorporating a fluxing material in a water solution that is mixed with bentonite clay and diatomaceous earth which is then separated into masses, dried, crushed, calcined, crushed and separated into various mesh sizes for use as chromatographic supports.

Abstract: Rigid cellular hydrous calcium silicate thermal insulating product of low density can be made by aerating an aqueous slurry containing reactive calcareous and siliceous materials, preferably in conjunction with the incorporation of a foaming agent in the slurry, and then indurating the aerated slurry by the application of heat and pressure.