Abstract: A method for electrostatically assisting in coating a liquid composition from a hopper to a web supported by a backing roller, characterized by the steps of a) neutralizing all charges on both surfaces of the web by passing the web through an appropriate electrostatic environment ahead of the coating point, and b) providing a uniform electrostatic field around the backing roller, which field extends through the web to engender an electrostatic “pressure” for urging the liquid composition toward the coatable surface of the substrate at the coating point resulting in an increase in the maximum coating speed achievable without onset of air entrainment at the coating point, improved thickness uniformity of coating, and a reduction in residual charge on the web after coating.

Abstract: A method has been developed to connect an intermittent parts manufacturing process with a continuous motion assembly process. The method of connection utilizes pucks as a transport vehicle to carry components from the manufacturing process to the assembly process. In addition to eliminating timing problems between the intermittent and continuous processes, the pucks also provide a means of transporting difficult to convey parts. A means of accurately aligning the pucks to the die set in which parts are manufactured and to downstream assembly operations to improve the accuracy and reliability with which the parts are loaded into and removed from the transport pucks has also been developed.

Abstract: An assembly technique has been developed which reliably inserts the outer disk of an exposed film indicator into the crimp diameter of the cartridge end cap. This process gimbals the fixture containing the film cartridge, and rocks it in a manner that creates a circular wobble motion.

Abstract: A barrel contains an extruder conveying screw which has a drive end, a feed section, a melting section and a pumping section wherein the screw has a vent hole located from 0 to 2 screw diameters from the beginning of the feed section. An axial bore in the screw vents gases from the barrel through the gas vent hole and into the axial bore.

Abstract: A pH electrode arrangement comprises an inner wire electrode of silver sulfide, and a fill solution comprising a solution of sodium thiosulphate, a buffer, and an antioxidant. The arrangement has a fast response to a change in temperature, a half cell near .+-.500 mV, and an isopotential point near 7 pH.

Abstract: A magnetic orientation process has been developed for the assembly of additional features to film cartridges to minimize the impact of the existing manufacturing process. This process orients the assembled film cartridge after it has been inserted into the packaging canister allowing an exposed film indicator to be added to the cartridge after it has been fully assembled and inserted into the canister. The orientation process uses magnetics to consistently orient the cartridge in the canister for subsequent assembly operations.

Abstract: A visual exposed film indication feature has been developed for assembly of additional features to film cartridges which minimize the impact on the existing manufacturing process. This process which uses a spring loaded conical centering device locates the center of the film spool after the assembled cartridge has been inserted into the packaging canister, without having to first rotationally orient the assembled film cartridge. It allows the exposed film feature to be added to the cartridge as a final step in the manufacturing sequence.

Abstract: An additive is added to a coating composition on a support by vaporizing the additive on to the coating composition. The additive preferably reacts with the coating composition in either the wet or dry state.

Abstract: A method of obtaining a photothermographic or thermographic film with reduced fog, such as pepper fog, comprises preparing a dispersion of: an oxidation-reduction image-forming combination comprising: a silver behenate oxidizing agent the improvement wherein said oxidizing agent contains less than about 800 micrograms of polyunsaturated and 3800 micrograms of monounsaturated fatty acid silver salts per gram of oxidizing agent or the film contains less than about 100 micrograms of polyunsaturated and 400 micrograms of monounsaturated fatty acid silver salts per gram of melt in the film and an organic reducing agent with a synthetic polymer-peptized photosensitive silver halide, and a cyclic imide toner in a non-gelatin polymeric binder.

Abstract: Apparatus for drying coated web material and preferably moving web material comprises a nozzle, means for supplying air to the nozzle and means to distribute the air through said nozzle substantially uniformly across the web width, said nozzle arcing from a position perpendicular with respect to the plane of the web to a position substantially parallel with respect to the plane of the web, said nozzle having an exit slot wherein the air is discharged from the exit slot at an angle of between 1.degree. and 45.degree. with respect to the plane of the web.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for washing silver halide photographic emulsions, including desalting and/or concentrating, based on depletion phase separation mechanism, wherein phase separation is effected by the addition of water-soluble non-interactive and non-adsorbing carboxyl polymers. The process involves the separation of the supernatant fluid, containing the undesirable water soluble salts and the added phase separating agents, from the washed and condensed silver halide phase for desalting and redispersion of the latter.

Abstract: A process of washing an emulsion such as a silver halide emulsion which contains a hydrophilic colloid comprises deionizing the emulsion and coagulating the emulsion with an anionic polymer and separating the coagulum from the supernatant and resuspending the coagulum with hydrophilic colloid, water and a base.

Abstract: The present invention is an apparatus for curtain coating a composite layer formed from a plurality of coating compositions onto a moving receiving surface. Edge guides comprising two thin, parallel and closely spaced wires maintain the horizontal extent of the free falling curtain. A flushing and lubricating liquid is supplied to the edge guide. The present invention comprises a distribution body for delivering the flushing and lubricating liquid in laminar flow without initiating stationary waves in the curtain that lead to objectionable coating nonuniformities. The distribution body allows for replacement of the wires without its removal or disassembly. A horizontal conduit near the top of the curtain has an outlet face in contact with the wires that tapers in the upward and downward directions to horizontal edges. The wires pass across the outlet opening within its horizontal diameter. The upper edge of the outlet face positions and supports the wires.

Abstract: The present invention comprises a polyester film support in which the surface has been subjected to an energetic treatment with nitrogen plasma to produce amine groups on the polyester surface. The treated surface is then coated with a dilute solution of amine reactive hardener and gelatin. After drying the hardener/gelatin coated support a photographic emulsion is coated on the surface. The resulting film element has excellent adhesion of the photographic emulsion after photoprocessing, and it is safer to coat and handle than previously known methods involving grafting of hardener directly to the support.

Abstract: Apparatus capable of sustained glow discharge at atmospheric pressure mounted along the web path in a web coating machine ahead of the point of coating application, for glow discharge treatment of the surface of a polymeric web shortly before coating. Latencies of treatment (the time between treatment and coating) approaching zero are possible, minimizing or preventing loss of treatment effect and maximizing adherence of a coated layer to the web surface. Elimination of one or more conventional subbing adhesion layers on the web surface is possible in some applications.

Abstract: There is described a process for improving the yield of diester monomer recovered from the depolymerization of polyethylene terephthalate by converting a mixture of dimethyl terephthalate and methylhydroxyethyl terephthalate to predominantly dimethyl terephthalate by treating that mixture with a mixture of an alcohol and an alkali metal hydroxide at a temperature up to the boiling point of the alcohol.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for removing skivings generated by slicing a moving web comprises a slitter knife for cutting the web and an edge vacuum machine comprising at least two vacuum heads which engulf but do not touch the moving web. Skivings from the edges of the web are vacuumed away so that they do not contaminate the web during later treatment.

Abstract: A process of molding inorganic materials into desired shapes comprises mixing the material with a dispersant, milling, molding the mixture, drying the mixture and sintering.

Abstract: A method of preparing ceramics having the steps of forming an aqueous slurry of deflocculant, ceramic powder and binder and causing the slurry to get into a semi-rigid solid by adding a chemical initiator and/or increasing the temperature of the slurry.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for making thermoplastic web from polyester or polyester blends for subsequent aqueous coating without requirement of an undercoat or primer coat for adhesion of subsequent coatings. Feedstock pellets of polymer, such as polyethylene terephthalate or polyethylene naphthalate, are melted in a screw extruder. Molten polymer is extruded from an extrusion die as a thick, high-viscosity ribbon, which is tempered and stretched in both the machine direction and the transverse direction to form a web of biaxially-oriented polymer of the desired width and thickness. The web is heated to a temperature above T.sub.g to set the biaxial orientation and then is glow discharge treated by passing it through an in-line glow discharge apparatus at atmospheric pressure wherein a stable glow discharge is produced in a gas mixture containing helium between two electrodes connected by an alternating power source operating at a voltage between 0.5 kV and 20 kV at a frequency between 60 Hz and 40 MHz.