Abstract: A processing zone advances through a fragmented permeable mass of particles containing oil shale in an in-situ oil shale retort in a subterranean formation containing oil shale. The retort has an effluent water passing therefrom. The effluent water carries a constituent which is formed, by advancement of the processing zone through the fragmented mass, from a precursor contained in the formation. In a first aspect of the invention, the locus of the processing zone is determined by assaying the formation at selected locations in the retort for content of the precursor before processing the selected locations, and effluent water from the retort is monitored for concentration of the selected constituent. For example, the nitrogen content of kerogen can be the precursor and effluent water from the retort can be monitored for the concentration of ammonia and/or ammonium sulfate produced by retorting of kerogen in the oil shale.

Abstract: An improved in-situ ore body chemical-mining system and method are disclosed, whereby it is practicable to mine an ore body of substantially horizontally extended configuration which would otherwise be uneconomical because of adverse overhead or overburden conditions. Beginning adjacent the distal ends of two or more generally horizontally drilled and substantially parallel bore holes which are drilled into the ore body from an elevation substantially similar to that of the ore body, a combination of permeabilizing and mining processes are applied to the body of ore circumjacent the horizontal penetration. The permeabilizing and mining processes are retrogressively applied to successive blocks of the ore body retreating by stages from the distal region of the penetration towards the entry region thereof.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for reducing the nitrogen content of shale oil by selectivity removing therefrom nitrogen-containing compounds. The nitrogen content of shale oil is reduced by contacting the shale oil with a sufficient amount of a solvent which is selective toward the nitrogen-containing compounds present in the shale oil. The solvent is a mixture comprised of an organic acid and a mineral acid. The organic acid is selected from the group consisting of organic acids, and substituted organic acids, particularly acetic, formic and trichloroacetic acids and mixtures thereof; the mineral acid is selected from the group consisting of hydrochloric acid, nitric acid, nitrous acid, sulfuric acid, sulfurous acid, phosphoric acid and mixtures thereof.

Abstract: Oil shale formation is explosively expanded toward a limited void volume for forming an in situ oil shale retort in a subterranean formation containing oil shale. In one embodiment, a void in the form of a vertical slot is excavated within a retort site, leaving at least one portion of unfragmented formation within the retort site adjacent a vertical free face of the slot. Explosive is placed in at least two rows of vertical blasting holes in the remaining portion of unfragmented formation adjacent the vertical free face. The blasting holes in each row are mutually spaced apart along the length of the slot and longitudinally offset from blasting holes in the next adjacent row, and the row of blasting holes extends generally parallel to the vertical free face.

Abstract: An in situ oil shale retort having a top boundary of unfragmented formation and containing a fragmented permeable mass has a pocket at the top, that is, an open space between a portion of the top of the fragmented mass and the top boundary of unfragmented formation. To establish a combustion zone across the fragmented mass, a combustion zone is established in a portion of the fragmented mass which is proximate to the top boundary. A retort inlet mixture comprising oxygen is introduced to the fragmented mass to propagate the combustion zone across an upper portion of the fragmented mass. Simultaneously, cool fluid is introduced to the pocket to prevent overheating and thermal sloughing of formation from the top boundary into the pocket.

Abstract: A forced convection heat exchanger for warming articles such as baby bottles is provided comprising a container having walls extending upwardly from a bottom end to define an open top end. A platform to receive and support the article to be warmed is mounted within the container spaced apart from the container bottom end. A plurality of spacers extend inwardly from the walls and upwardly from the platform. First drain openings are provided extending through the platform and second drain openings are provided within the walls below the platform adjacent the bottom end. The area of the platform relative to the total cross-sectional area of the first drain openings is dimensioned so as to provide a standing head of water under turbulent flow conditions within the container substantially up to the container open top end when the container receives an average flow of water from a tap.

Abstract: The concentration of hydrocarbons, hydrogen, and carbon monoxide in a gas is reduced by combining these constituents in the gas with oxygen in the presence of a fragmented permeable mass of particles containing oil shale treated to remove organic materials.

Abstract: Incrementally adjustable multilayer monolithic capacitors having a set of base electrodes extending to and being coextensive with a first terminal end surface of the capacitor and a set of incremental electrodes extending to and being coextensive with a side surface of the capacitor. The base electrodes are electrically interconnected by a conductive metal coating on the first terminal end surface. Capacitance values of the resultant capacitor can be incrementally adjusted by electrically interconnecting or disconnecting one or more of the incremental electrodes either along the side surface to which they extend and are coextensive with or along the second terminal end surface of the capacitor.

Abstract: A device and a process for the progressive dividing of carpet webs or the like into square sample pieces of any desirable dimensions with chamfered edges.

Abstract: Compositions, particularly edible compositions, oral compositions and flavor compositions, containing a compound imparting a cooling sensation, said compound being a hydroxymethyl or hydroxyethyl derivative of para-menthane, for example 2-hydroxymethylmenthol.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are detergent compositions containing a water soluble organic surfactant and as a builder therefor a compound of the general formula: ##STR1## wherein X and X' are selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyls having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms, alkoxys having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms, alkoxyalkyls having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms, hydroxyalkyls having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms, carboxyl in salt form (i.e., -- COOM), and carboxymethyloxy in salt form (i.e., --OCH.sub.2 COOM), with the provision that only one of X and X' can be hydrogen, alkoxy, alkoxyalkyl, hydroxyalkyl, carboxyl in salt form or carboxymethyloxy in salt form; Y and Y' are selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyls having from 1 to 2 carbon atoms, and hydroxyalkyls having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms; in the cases where both X and Y' or X' and Y are hydrogen or alkyls, X' and Y or X and Y' taken together can constitute a single bond which connects the .alpha. and .alpha.

Abstract: A valve for a pressure pack primarily designed for dispensing powders in the absence of liquid. The valve has the usual housing, gasket, stem, spring and mounting flange components but the special problems of dispensing powders are overcome (a) by introducing a liquid film between the sealing surfaces; (b) by physically removing particulate material from the valve stem by wiping and (c) by providing a double seal between the pressurized contents of the can and the atmosphere. In a further modification, the valve stem is connected to or continuous with the dip tube.

Abstract: A detergent composition comprising a detergent surfactant selected from the group anionic, nonionic, zwitterionic and ampholytic compounds and mixtures thereof and a non-phosphate detergent builder containing two or more carboxyl groups and having a pK of the dissociation constant for the calcium complex of between about 3 to about 5, said detergent builder being selected from the group consisting of certain ether carboxylates, oxirane carboxylates, polyhydroxycarboxylates containing at least two hydroxy groups, sulfocarboxylates, polycarboxylates, acetal carboxylates and keto carboxylates, wherein the ratio of surfactant to builder in the composition is from about 0.4:1 to about 3:1 has been found to be particularly efficacious at low use concentrations, on the order of between about 0.15 percent and 0.1 percent.

Abstract: A hairdressing composition capable of holding the hair in place and imparting a luster to the hair. The composition comprises an alcoholic or aqueous alcoholic solvent in which there is completely dissolved at least 0.1% by weight of the composition of a film-forming resin as hair fixative agent and at least 2% by weight of the composition of a water-insoluble hair luster aid which is incompatible with the resin. The alcohol is preferably ethyl alcohol or isopropyl alcohol and the film-forming resin is preferably water-soluble.

Abstract: This invention relates to an aerosol dispensing device for dispensing a substance free from liquified propellant. The device comprises a main compartment provided with a dispensing valve which contains the substance together with pressurized propellant vapor for effecting dispensation, and a reservoir compartment containing liquified propellant and pressurized propellant vapor. A communicating valve is provided between the reservoir compartment and the main compartment. The valve is adapted to open and allow propellant vapor to pass from the reservoir compartment to the main compartment. In a preferred arrangement the valve opens when dispensation to the atmosphere of the substance in the main compartment causes the pressure of the propellant vapor in that compartment to fall below the pressure of the propellant vapor in the reservoir by a predetermined amount.

Abstract: There are disclosed herein novel ester compounds which can be used as detergent solvents and plasticizers for resins, the compounds having the general formula: ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 is selected from the group consisting of --H and --CH.sub.3 ; R.sub.2, R.sub.3 and R.sub.4, which may be the same or different substituents, are selected from the group consisting of straight or branched chain alkyl groups having from 1 to 12 carbon atoms, benzyl and cyclohexyl, R.sub.5 is selected from the group --H, --CH.sub.3 and --C.sub.2 H.sub.5 ; and b=0 or 1.

Abstract: A mixture of an alkali metal or alkaline earth carboxymethyloxysuccinate and a chlorine-releasing agent or an appropriately activated oxygen-releasing agent provides a builder combination suitable for use in detergent compositions to improve the detergency over that obtained when the carboxymethyloxysuccinate is the sole builder. The compositions are also useful in acidic solutions and have utility for the cleaning of metal and other hard surfaces.

Abstract: Novel salts of .alpha.-substituted-.beta.-sulfosuccinic acids having the general formula: ##EQU1## wherein R is hydrogen or an organic moiety, Z is selected from the group consisting of O, S, SO, SO.sub.2, N and NO and M is an alkali metal, ammonium or substituted ammonium cations, useful as detergents and/or detergent builders and detergent compositions containing same.

Abstract: Novel salts of .alpha.-substituted-.beta.-sulfosuccinic acids having the general formula: ##EQU1## wherein R is hydrogen or an organic moiety, Z is selected from the group consisting of O, S, SO, SO.sub.2, N and NO and M is an alkali metal, ammonium or substituted ammonium cations, useful as detergents and/or detergent builders and detergent compositions containing same.

Abstract: Novel salts of .alpha.-substituted-.beta.-sulfosuccinic acids having the general formula: ##EQU1## wherein R is hydrogen or an organic moiety, Z is selected from the group consisting of O, S, SO, SO.sub.2, N and NO and M is an alkali metal, ammonium or substituted ammonium cations, useful as detergents and/or detergent builders and detergent compositions containing same.