Abstract: A method for producing an enclosed, multipaneled envelope from webs of material in a manner such that the desired multipaneled shape of the envelope can be formed by a single peripheral application of a platen sealing device to positioned webs comprising a first web, and second web with at least one folded web interposed therebetween. Both geometric and nongeometric multipaneled envelopes can be produced in this manner from materials suitable for filling with a lighter-than-air gas to form toy balloons and the like.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing explosive articles which contain primary explosives and therefore present explosion hazards during conventional loading and packaging operations is disclosed which includes desensitizing the primary explosive such as silver fulminate, for example, by admixing therewith an effective amount of a desensitizing agent to form a resulting composition so as to render the primary explosive insensitive to shock, depositing the desensitized primary explosive on a substrate material, and thereafter, resensitizing the primary explosive by allowing decomposition of the resulting composition to thereby recapture the sensitivity of the primary explosive so deposited.

Abstract: An economical and effective explosive composition is manufactured by combining appropriate proportions of activated ammonium nitrate, a fuel and preferably a sensitizer. The preferred fuel is a liquid hydrocarbon derivative or a liquid or solid hydrocarbon derivative which is soluble in the sensitizer and which has a fuel value greater than that of the sensitizer. The preferred sensitizers are nitroalkane, or dinitroaromatic compounds most preferably nitromethane. The explosive composition is made more effective through an activation procedure upon the ammonium nitrate. The ammonium nitrate utilized with the present invention is in the form of prills, porous spherical pellets. These prills can be activated by adding a small amount of water to the prills, thoroughly mixing the water so that it is all absorbed, heating the prills to an elevated temperature, evaporating the water from the prills, and then preferably cooling the prills.

Abstract: A substantially permanently buoyant balloon suitable for use as a toy or in advertising, for example, is provided which includes an envelope containing a lighter than air gas such as helium, which envelope is made from attached panels of a nonelastomeric polymer sheet material carrying a continuous metal layer on at least one side thereof. The metal layer can either be a thin metal film contiguously bonded to the polymer, or can be metal which is vapor deposited over the surface of the polymer. The balloon itself is constructed so that the ratio of its volume taken to the two-thirds power divided by its surface area is in the range of from about 0.21 to about 0.01, and the weight of the envelope can range from about 2.6 .times. 10.sup.-4 gm/cm.sup.2 to about 1.7 .times. 10.sup.-2 gm/cm.sup.2. The envelope is preferably manufactured in two dimensional "lay-flat" form in any desired two dimensional shape unlike conventional balloon envelopes which are inherently three dimensional surfaces.

Abstract: A method for producing high density metal-containing lubricants and for comminuting metal into fine spherical particles is provided by heating a carrier fluid such as a lubricant, for example, and a metal until the metal becomes liquid, admixing the two components to form a homogeneous dispersion of metal globules in the carrier fluid, and then cooling the mixture. When a lubricant carrier fluid is used, the resulting high-density lubricant contains discrete, spherical metallic particles dispersed therein and higher density is achieved without any consequent loss of lubricating properties.