Abstract: At a crossing, rubber interface strips are positioned between the rails and the asphalt or concrete. A U-shaped spring-clip fits underneath the rail, and has upstanding arms that carry tappets, which engage the strips. One of the arms is threaded, and carries a screwed tappet-rod. Turning the tappet-rod closes the distance between the tappets, clamping the strips onto the sides of the rail, and forcing the springy arms apart. The spring-clips are manipulated into position while in an unstressed condition. The spring-clip is only brought up to force when finally assembled. Assembly can be done without tools, and with little danger of mis-assembly, or of injury to workers.

Abstract: The news-stand body comprises a rotation-moulded plastic shell. The walls of the shell are arranged in folds, and the hinge-pin mounting holes are provided therein. The hinge pin straddles the folds, which provides for a secure and rigid mounting. The edges of the (transparent) door are bent to form flanges, and the hinge pin passes through holes in the flanges.

Abstract: A pair of door-sections make up a mine ventilation door. The door-sections are hinged to the side-walls of the passage. One of the door-sections opens upstream and the other downstream, so one is blown open, and the other blown closed, by winds passing through the passage. A linkage couples the door-sections, and harnesses the blow-open force and balances it against the blow-closed force, whereby only a small actuation force is needed to open and close the doors. The linkage ensures that the arcuate travels of the two door-sections are equal, or otherwise correspond.

Abstract: The headrest support tubes are secured to the seat frame member not by the usual welding, but by gripping the web of the member between two rings or lock-beads swaged into the metal of the tube. The first ring is swaged-out by compressing the tube. The tube, with the one ring, is then assembled into a through-hole in the web of the frame member. Then, the second ring is swaged into the metal of the tube, on the other side of the web, and the web lies gripped between the rings. The seat frame member may be an I-section extrusion, or a round tube with localized squeezed-flat areas, flanked by flanges.

Abstract: End and side panels, welded together to form a frusto-pyramid, are surmounted by a dished wheel-receiving platform, for supporting a truck etc wheel. The units are wide open underneath, for stacking. Hand holes in the end panels allow the units to be manhandled and stacked. A cross-brace under the platform strengthens the structure, and holds the stacked units apart.

Abstract: For alleviating acid mine drainage arising from oxygenated water passing through pyrite, the water is de-oxygenated in an intercepting protective layer, which comprises a mixture of grains of pyrite and grains of iron. The grain sizes, concentrations, etc are selected to create an ensemble of galvanic cells at the points of contact between the iron grains and the pyrite grains. The pyrite cathode material becomes cathode-protected, and the water becomes de-oxygenated, by the electrolytic action.

Abstract: An impeller pump with thermostatically adjustable guide vanes is suitable for use as an automotive coolant pump. The pump is driven by a constant speed electric motor, and flow variation is controlled by varying the orientation of the vanes. Orientation of the vanes is effected by a wax-type thermostat, which senses coolant temperature: flow is increased when the coolant is hot, and decreased as the coolant cools. The variable guide vanes are mounted for pivoting about radial axes, and are located just upstream from the pump impeller.

Abstract: The packer includes the usual outer bladder, which is inflated against the sides of the borehole, to seal around a work-pipe. But the packer also includes an inner bladder. The packer is mechanically secured to the work-pipe by the grip of the inner bladder around the work-pipe. The inner bladder is sucked outwards by a vacuum pump, to enable the packer to be moved along the work-pipe. The same port through which vacuum was admitted to the inner bladder can then be used to admit pressurized fluid to the outer bladder.

Abstract: Groundwater, or other water contaminated with chlorinated organic contaminants, is passed through a permeable body of iron particles. The particles are coated with nickel, but the coating is incomplete, in that, in patches, the iron is directly exposed. The contaminants break down under prolonged proximity to the iron, the nickel enhancing the catalytic effect. The rate of breakdown is much faster than when bare iron particles were used. When the nickel is alloyed with phosphorus, or boron, even more rapid breakdown rates are achieved.

Abstract: Lenses of DNAPL suspended on clay strata in a sandy aquifer are treated with potassium permanganate. The solution is injected out into the aquifer from a port, and forms a horizontal disc of treatment liquid. The (heavy) liquid then gradually percolates down onto the DNAPL lens.

Abstract: Water from a septic tank is aerated, at an above-ground aeration station. The aerated water is infiltrated onto the floor of a trench in the ground through drainage holes in a pipe. The pipe is pressurized with water during dosing. The pipe is arranged to sag down between support posts, whereby water drains completely out of the pipe between dosings, evenly along the length of the pipe.

Abstract: Pre-cast concrete panels are commonly provided at road-rail crossings, to serve as the roadway, but such panels have been liable to premature failure. Rubber caps are placed over the cross-ties, between the panel and the ties, to isolate the panel from the stresses that arise when the panel contacts the ties directly. The caps are ribbed. Two kinds of ribs are provided, some solid and rectangular, others triangular and hollow. The ribbed panels provide resilience and hysteresis over a range of conditions, to prevent fretting and cracking of the panel.

Abstract: For extracting a liquid (such as oil) from a porous medium, the liquid is subjected to pulses that propagate through the liquid flowing through the pores of the medium. The pulses cause momentary surges in the velocity of the liquid, which keeps the pores open. The pulses can be generated in the production well, or in a separate excitation well. If the pulses travel with the liquid, the velocity of travel of the liquid through the pores can be increased. The solid matrix is kept stationary, and the pulses move through the liquid. The pulses in the liquid can be generated directly in the liquid, or indirectly in the liquid via a localised area of the solid matrix.

Abstract: A rotating carrousel having four mould cavities equally spaced at ninety degrees from each other. The moulds are open vertically to the sky and in the opposite direction. The mould cavities are on the same pitch circle from the center of the axis. The rotary table is positively locked at each ninety degree turn. When the table is locked in position each station is in its position. The hopper containing pre-granulated soil is mounted stationary above the number one station. The hopper is fed by a screw conveyor from a hammer mill which breaks up the dug-out soil into a uniform granulate. This is most important for the manufacture of high quality adobe bricks. When the hopper has filled the mould cavity the carousel is turned ninety degrees and the filling process is repeated. At the same time the ram at number two station compresses the soil into a high density adobe block.

Abstract: A single-stage snowblower (20) is designed as an accessory for attachment to an electric tractor, and takes power from the batteries on the tractor. The rotary drum (24) of the snowblower, which carries the spiral blade (25), is driven by two electric motors (36L, 36R). The motors lie inside the hollow interior of the drum (24), and drive the drum directly, without chains or gears. The drum (24) has no bearings other than the motor bearings provided inside the motor housing. The ends of the motors are fixed to the snowblower housing. Walk behind versions of the snowblower are also disclosed. In a different version an anti-personnel-mine clearing flail-drum (74) is pushed ahead of an electric tractor (72) by forward-extending struts. The flail-drum is rotated by motors located inside the drum. Other appliances can make up a train of appliances, ahead of the tractor.

Abstract: Cardboard cartons are delivered to a soft-drink-can packaging line in boxes. The boxes are placed on a box-conveyor, from which the boxes are tranferred one by one into a bucket. The bucket holds the box while the box is overturned. In one version, the overturned box with the items inside is then moved to a magazine, where the box is pulled clear. In another version, the bucket is opened and the box pulled clear, and then the bucket is re-orientated before the items are transferred onto the magazine. The apparatus is mounted on a frame which includes uprights to which the major components can be clamped in place, allowing the apparatus to be adapted to existing machinery.

Abstract: A new method of forming mask ROM in the manufacture of an integrated circuit device has been achieved. A semiconductor substrate is provided with field oxide areas defined and a gate oxide layer overlying the semiconductor substrate. A gate electrode layer is deposited overlying the gate oxide layer. The gate electrode layer and the gate oxide layer are patterned to form gate electrodes. Ions are implanted to form source and drain junctions. A buffer layer is deposited overlying the gate electrodes, the source and drain junctions, and the field oxide areas. The buffer layer is etched down to expose the gate electrodes while leaving a protective thickness of the buffer layer overlying the source and drain junctions. Ions are implanted through the gate electrodes into the semiconductor substrate to selectively code the mask ROM devices and to complete the mask ROM devices in the manufacture of the semiconductor device. A coding mask controls the ion implantation to selectively code the mask ROM.

Abstract: The teaching aid apparatus provides two balance beams (27, 28), one above the other, on a support post (23). Weight-attachment stations (36) are provided on the left and right arms of both beams, and the stations are marked on the beams with numerals indicative of distance of the station from the beam fulcrum. The beams are connected by means of pinions (32, 34), which constrain the beams to tip in unison in response to unbalance of one beam. The apparatus aids the demonstration of negative concepts to young children.

Abstract: The drive-chain tensioner is automatically self-adjusting. A chain-slipper is guided to follow wear-movement of the chain. A cam is mounted on the follower. If slack in the chain increases, the cam is rotated by a cam spring to a position in which a larger radius of the cam lies under the follower. The cam provides a solid abutment that prevents the chain from compressing the tensioning springs and becoming slack when drive is reversed. For compactness and good load distribution, the chain is supported on a saddle between two cams. The cams have ratchet teeth.

Abstract: Copper is extracted from a heap of low-grade ore by transforming the heap into an electrolytic cell, and imposing a voltage thereon. Anodic conditions of redox and pH cause the sulphide to break down, and the copper to pass into solution. The copper can be recovered elsewhere if the electrolyte is drawn off, or in-situ if allowed to plate onto the cathode. Electrodes are formed as grids of conductors, or as layers of e.g. graphite.