Abstract: A nonwoven laminate fabric includes first and second nonwoven webs formed of spunbonded substantially continuous filaments and a nonwoven web of meltblown microfibers having a basis weight between about one and twenty grams per square meter sandwiched between and bonded to the first and second nonwoven webs to form a composite nonwoven fabric. The meltblown web includes a plurality of thermoplastic microfine fibers having an average fiber diameter of less than 1.5 microns. The nonwoven laminate exhibits good barrier properties and can be used as a sterile wrap.

Abstract: A fabric comprising at least two layers wherein at least one layer is an extensible, bonded non-woven composed of a fiber comprising multiple different polymers such as a fiber comprising isotactic polypropylene, polyethylene and a block or grafted polyolefin copolymer or terpolymer which is at least partially miscible with said polypropylene and polyethylene.

Abstract: The invention provides a continuous paperboard sheet adapted to be slit longitudinally into a plurality of continuous paperboard plies, and to improved paperboard plies for forming single-layer, paperboard tubes. The paperboard sheet has a substantially constant width and includes a plurality of thick longitudinal sections and a plurality of thin longitudinal sections. The thick and thin sections are arranged in alternating relation across the width of the paperboard sheet. The sheet is slit longitudinally along the thin sections to provide a plurality of tube-forming paperboard plies.

Abstract: An ergonomic housing for a micro computer which has an upper surface for positioning interface components thereon and a lower surface having a front portion and a rear portion. A finger saddle is defined between the front portion and the rear portion for receiving an operator's finger therein and enabling the micro computer housing to be comfortably held in an operator's hand when the operator's hand is in its naturally relaxed position.

Abstract: The present invention provides a luggage compartment construction comprising a spare tire house for containing a spare tire, which is provided under a luggage compartment by depressing a floor panel, and a spare tire cover for covering an opening of the spare tire house, wherein a floor forming member having a step is provided at the periphery of the opening of the spare tire house, a tray is disposed under the spare tire cover, and the periphery of the tray is placed and fixed on the step of the floor forming member.

Abstract: An expandable thermoplastic composition is disclosed for extrusion foaming wherein the composition comprises a polyethylene resin and a blowing agent comprising ethane present in an amount of at least about 40 percent or more by weight based upon the total weight of the blowing agent and a different alkane selected from the group consisting of C.sub.1, C.sub.2, C.sub.3, C.sub.4, C.sub.5, and C.sub.6 alkanes and mixtures thereof, wherein the minimum percentage of ethane increases above 40 percent as the arithmetic mean carbon number of the different alkane increases from 3 to 5. A process for extrusion foaming of the composition is also disclosed.

Abstract: The accuracy of finding a cause from factors cited by means of a MYCIN method by narrowing down such factors is improved. With respect to deriving events which would not possibly occur if a particular factor 10C among a plurality of factors is a cause of abnormal event 100C, negative deriving events 12C and 1MC negating these deriving events of the other factors which would not occur with factor 10C being the cause are added to a fault tree chart as deriving events of factor 10C.

Abstract: An apparatus for heating an advancing yarn is disclosed, which comprises an elongate heater body having a U-shaped channel accommodating a plurality of yarn guides. The yarn guides are configured and positioned such that the yarn advancing through the heating apparatus is deflected along a non-linear path of travel which includes several straight line segments which are closely adjacent and parallel to each of the side walls of the channel. The non-linear path effectively increases the yarn length in the heating apparatus, thereby facilitating high speed operation, and without unduly increasing the frictional resistance of the apparatus on the yarn.

Abstract: The present invention provides a luggage compartment construction comprising a spare tire house provided under a luggage compartment to contain a spare tire, a spare tire board for closing an opening of the spare tire house, and a back panel trim for covering a back panel member disposed at the lower rear part of the luggage compartment, in which a box-shaped storage portion, which is used as a container, is integrally formed at the lower part of the back panel trim by extending the lower part of the back panel trim to the lower rear side of the spare tire board and by bending the extended portion.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a structural panel having a predetermined shape in which an inflatable envelope assembly is formed from at least a pair of superplastically formed and diffusion bonded metallic core sheets. The inflatable envelope assembly can be disposed between first and second metallic face sheets which are generally superplastically formed into the predetermined shape prior to being assembled. Thereafter, the assembled face sheets and the inflatable envelope assembly can be superplastically formed and diffusion bonded to form an integral structure, such as structural panel having a compound curvature. Alternatively, the inflatable envelope assembly can be disposed between a pair of reinforced titanium composite sheets. The reinforced titanium composite sheets can also be joined to adjacent face sheets, such as by welding or diffusion bonding, such that an integral structural panel having the predetermined shape can be readily fabricated.

Abstract: The present invention provides novel, multi-arm or star-shaped polymers having mixed protected functional and non-functional ends, their optionally hydrogenated analogues, and the polymers produced by removal of the protecting groups. The invention also provides a process for the preparation of novel multi-arm or star-shaped polymers having branched-end functionality on some, but not all, of the branches. The multi-arm or star polymers of this invention are produced from more than one type of initiator, i.e., from both functional and non-functional initiators which, by design, incorporates both desired physical properties associated with multi-arm or star polymers with non-functional branch-ends and the versatility of functional branch end multi-arm or star polymers.

Abstract: A yarn false twisting apparatus which comprises a drive motor and a yarn false twist assembly, both mounted on a base frame. The yarn false twist assembly comprises a plurality of spindles mounting friction disks which are rotated in the same direction by the motor, and the assembly is releasably mounted to the base frame so it can be separated from the base frame by withdrawing the assembly in an axial direction. The drive motor has a drive pulley, and at least one of the spindles has a belt pulley, which can be interconnected via a drive belt. The drive belt is arranged in a drawer-like housing, which is displaceable in the operating plane of the drive belt. At its free end, the belt pulley mounts a cone, which ensures that the drive belt slides onto the belt pulley when mounting the false twist assembly to the base frame.

Abstract: A resilient and flexible base for a two-piece traffic channelizer is provided that does not require external ballasting to stabilize the channelizer against wind forces and vacuum forces created by passing vehicles and minor impacts from a vehicle. The base is formed of a hardenable liquid resin such that the base is resilient and flexible after curing and has a specific gravity greater than about 1.25. The base further includes at least one flexible footpad for generating a restoring moment when the channelizer is subjected to a tipping force, such as a minor impact. The composition of the liquid resin includes at least one off-grade polyvinylchloride (PVC) resin, a plasticizer and a specific gravity increasing agent. A method is also provided for forming the base by slush molding at least a portion of the hardenable liquid resin adjacent the interior surface of a molding cavity. The base formed by the disclosed method is also self-lubricating and resistant to chemical degradation and extreme temperatures.

Abstract: An ankle stabilizing appliance for restricting inversion and eversion of the foot while allowing flexion and dorsiflexion is described. The appliance includes a boot-like body member and a pair of stabilizing straps which extend in opposite directions toward the front of the body member. Each of the stabilizing straps is adapted to extend across and under the foot of the wearer, and then upwardly to a releasable attachment point on the side of the body member. A first fastener of a unidirectional fastener pair is positioned on a lower portion of the body member, in a position where it will be positioned beneath the calcaneus of a wearer when the device is worn. A mating fastener is positioned on a central portion of one of the stabilizing straps so that when the strap is wrapped across and under the foot of the wearer, the mating fasteners are secured together, and the unidirectional fastener protects against relative movement between the body member and the strap.

Abstract: The fabric abrasion testing device abrades a fabric sample in a predetermined manner such that the abrading process can be accurately and efficiently observed without halting the abrasion testing. The abrasion testing device includes at least one fabric sample holder for supporting the fabric sample. The abrasion testing device also includes an optically transmissive motion plate that, in a preferred embodiment, securely mounts an abrasion element having a removably engaged abrasive surface for abrading the fabric sample. The operator can therefore look through the motion plate to observe fabric wear during ongoing abrasion tests. The optically transmissive motion plate is operably connected to a motor for moving the motion plate and, in turn, the element mounted therethrough in a predetermined pattern relative to the fabric sample.

Abstract: A process for the preparation of hydrocarbon solutions of monofunctional ether initiators of the following general structure:M--Z--O--C(R.sup.1 R.sup.2 R.sup.3)wherein M is an alkali metal; Z is a branched or straight chain hydrocarbon group which contains 3-25 carbon atoms, optionally containing aryl or substituted aryl groups; and R.sup.1, R.sup.2, and R.sup.3 are independently selected from hydrogen, alkyl, substituted alkyl, aryl or substituted aryl groups, and their employment as initiators in the anionic polymerization of olefin containing monomers in an inert, hydrocarbon solvent comprising reacting an omega-protected-1-haloalkyl with lithium metal dispersion having a particle size between 10 and 300 millimicrons in size, at a temperature between 35.degree. and 130.degree. C. in an alkane solvent containing 5 to 10 carbon atoms.

Abstract: An oil pump sprocket cover for an internal combustion engine. One side of the oil pump sprocket cover is fixed to the crankcase and the other side of the oil pump sprocket cover is fixed to the oil pump, The oil pump sprocket cover protects the oil pump sprocket, reduces aeration of the oil flowing through the internal combustion engine, and decreases the flow velocity of the oil existing the oil pump sprocket cover thereby reducing oil mist and oil aeration.

Abstract: A post-mixed cutting torch selectively operable in a pilot mode and a cutting mode is provided by the present invention. The control body includes a fuel passage and an oxygen passage which is divided into a preheat oxygen supply branch and a cutting oxygen supply branch. A fuel flow valve is provided in the fuel passage and an oxygen flow valve is provided in the cutting oxygen supply branch of the oxygen passage. Advantageously, an interconnecting passage extends between the preheat oxygen supply branch and the cutting oxygen supply branch. Accordingly, the torch is operable in a preheat/cutting mode wherein oxygen is directed through both the preheat and cutting oxygen apertures of a cutting nozzle. In addition, each of the fuel and oxygen flow valves is associated with a bypass channel which allows the torch to be operable in a fuel saving pilot mode wherein oxygen is directed through both the preheat and cutting oxygen apertures of a cutting nozzle.

Abstract: A construction for a rubber blanket for use on a fabric compressive shrinkage apparatus is described. The blanket includes an inner bearing surface defining a bearing face and an outer surface defining a working face, with the edges of the belt along the bearing surface being beveled so that the bearing face is relatively narrower than the overall belt width. The specially-configured edge construction reduces the tendency of the edges of the blanket to curve upwardly when the blanket is properly tensioned for operation of the apparatus, and the tendency of water to be flung around the edges of the belt and onto the working face is reduced. Further, the beveled side edges promote longer blanket life by reducing the tendency for the edges to crack. Also as a result of the edge construction, a larger effective working face of the blanket can be attained, thereby enabling larger widths of fabric to be processed on the apparatus than previously achievable with outer surface-beveled blankets.

Abstract: a porous solid material for plant propagation which includes granules of a porous expanded mineral, such as perlite or vermiculite, distributed within a porous, open-cell foamed hydrophilic water-retentive polyurethane matrix. The material may be molded into sheets of break-off units for seed germination and propagation.