Abstract: A strap assembly worn by a player in a sitting or standing position for supporting a guitar or similar instrument in a generally horizontal face-up position, stabilizes the instrument while it is being played without impeding freedom of movement of the player's hands. The strap assembly includes an elongate shoulder strap, a shoulder pad slidably mounted on the shoulder strap, an instrument headstock strap releasably connected to a first end of the shoulder strap having a looped end for attachment to the instrument headstock, an instrument body strap releasably connected to a second end of the shoulder strap for attachment to the body of the instrument, and a forearm loop mounted on the instrument body strap for receiving the forearm of the picking-hand of the instrument player.

Abstract: A method for contacting large volumes of gas and liquid together on a microscopic scale for mass transfer or transport processes wherein the contact between liquid and gas occurs at the interfaces of a multitude of gas bubbles. Multiple porous tubes assembled in a bundle inside a pressure vessel terminate at each end in a tube sheet. A thin film helical liquid flow is introduced into the inside of each porous tube around and along its inside wall. Gas is sparged into the porous media and the liquid film so that an annular two phase flow with a uniform distribution of tiny gas bubbles results. The gas flow is segregated from the liquid flow without first passing through the porous media and through the liquid film. Nozzles at the lower end of the tubes divert liquid flow to a vessel and redirect the gas flow in a countercurrent direction.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for transporting, storing and dispensing highly viscous material requiring dispensing pressures greater than 15 psig incorporates one or more cylindrical ASME pressure vessels having first and second ends, a product inlet and product dispensing valve at the first end, a bi-directional pipeline pig slidably disposed in the vessel in fluid sealing relation, a gas supply valve and a first gas vent valve connected with the second end, and a second gas vent valve connected with the vessel for venting gas from the vessel during a filling operation. The vessels are filled by venting gas from behind the pig and introducing viscous material into the vessel through the product inlet valve to move the pig toward the second end, and the viscous material is dispensed by introducing gas under pressure behind the pig at a pressure greater than 15 psig to move it toward the vessel first end to force the viscous material in the vessel through the product dispensing valve.

Abstract: An apparatus for contacting large volumes of gas and liquid together on a microscope scale for mass transfer or transport processes wherein the contact between liquid and gas occurs at the interfaces of a multitude of gas bubbles. Multiple porous tubes assembled in a bundle inside a pressure vessel terminate at each end in a tube sheet. A thin film helical liquid flow is introduced into the inside of each porous tube around and along its inside wall. Gas is sparged into the porous media and the liquid film so that an annular two phase flow with a uniform distribution of tiny gas bubbles results. The gas flow is segregated from the liquid flow without first passing through the porous media and through the liquid film. Nozzles at the lower end of the tubes divert liquid flow to a vessel and redirect the gas flow in a countercurrent direction.

Abstract: Apparatus for creating gas-liquid interfacial contact conditions for highly efficient mass transfer between gas and liquid includes a gas-liquid contactor assembly including a hollow porous tube surrounded by an outer jacket defining a gas plenum between the jacket and the porous tube; a liquid feed assembly including a nozzle for injecting liquid into the porous tube in a spiraling flow pattern around and along the porous tube; a gas-liquid separator assembly at the first end of the porous tube including a nonporous degassing tube coaxially aligned with and connected to the porous tube, a gas outlet port coaxially aligned with the degassing tube to receive a first portion of gas flowing from the degassing tube, a first gas duct coaxially aligned with and connected to the gas outlet duct to convey the first portion of gas therefrom; and a liquid collection assembly. A second gas discharge assembly to collect and convey gas from the first end of the porous tube is also disclosed.

Abstract: A method of optimizing and controlling gas-liquid phase chemical reactions includes the steps of introducing a liquid reactant to the hollow interior of a cylindrical porous tube in a thin film following a spiral flow pattern around and along the wall of the tube; controlling the physical characteristics of the liquid film and the flow pattern followed by the film through the tube; mixing a gas reactant and an inert gas in preselected proportion; sparging the mixture of gas reactant and inert gas through the wall of the tube and into the liquid film to form a multiplicity of gas bubbles in interfacial contact with the gas; allowing the gas reactant and the liquid reactant to chemically react; segregating the remaining gas from the liquid within the tube; and separating the cleaned liquid stream from the contaminant laden gas stream.

Abstract: Apparatus for creating gas-liquid interfacial contact conditions for highly efficient mass transfer between gas and liquid comprises a gas-liquid contactor assembly including a hollow porous tube surrounded by an outer jacket defining a gas plenum between the jacket and the porous tube; a liquid feed assembly including a nozzle for injecting liquid into the porous tube in a spiraling flow pattern around and along the porous tube; a gas-liquid separator assembly at the first end of the porous tube including a nonporous degassing tube coaxially aligned with and connected to the porous tube, a gas outlet port coaxially aligned with the degassing tube to receive a first portion of gas flowing from the degassing tube, a first gas duct coaxially aligned with and connected to the gas outlet duct to convey the first portion of gas therefrom; and a liquid collection assembly. A second gas discharge assembly to collect and convey gas from the first end of the porous tube is also disclosed.

Abstract: Apparatus for removing volatile contaminant compounds from a liquid by sparging a cleaning gas therethrough comprises a volatile contaminant extraction assembly including a hollow porous tube surrounded by an outer jacket defining a gas plenum between the jacket and the porous tube; a contaminated liquid feed assembly including a nozzle for injecting liquid into the porous tube in a spiraling flow pattern around and along the porous tube; a gas-liquid separator assembly including a nonporous degassing tube coaxially aligned with and connected to the porous tube, a separator tube coaxially aligned with and connected to the degassing tube and flaring outwardly in diameter from the degassing tube, and a gas duct coaxially aligned with the separator tube and extending into the separator tube to collect and convey cleaning gas therefrom; a clean liquid collection assembly; and a gas discharge assembly.

Abstract: Apparatus for optimizing gas-liquid interfacial contact for molecular mass transfer between gas and liquid comprises a gas-liquid contactor assembly including a hollow porous tube surrounded by an outer jacket defining a gas plenum between the jacket and the porous tube; a liquid feed assembly including a nozzle for injecting liquid into the porous tube in a spiraling flow pattern around and along the porous tube; a gas-liquid separator assembly at the first end of the porous tube including a nonporous degassing tube coaxially aligned with and connected to the porous tube, a gas outlet port coaxially aligned with the degassing tube to receive a first portion of gas flowing from the degassing tube, a first gas duct coaxially aligned with and connected to the gas outlet duct to convey the first portion of gas therefrom; a liquid collection assembly; and a second gas discharge assembly to collect and convey gas from the first end of the porous tube.