Abstract: Compositions of matter are provided by the invention herein which compositions may be in liquid or solid forms depending upon their projected uses, all of which provide fire retardancy in said uses which generally involve shaped articles such as coatings or moldings. The fire retardancy objective is accomplished by locking water into or available to the shaped article by the provision of an inorganic salt hydrate, such as aluminum sulfate hydrate or ferrous sulfate hydrate and by providing also a hydraulic cement, such as Portland cement. The powdered mixture of the salt hydrate and cement may also preferentially contain an alumina silica material which preferably is in fibrous form having fibers in it that have lengths of about 0.25 to about 2.0 inch. Also present in said powder may be an iron oxide and a manganese oxide, such as ferric oxide and manganous oxide, respectively. In certain instances graphite is incorporated into the mixtures, as in the case when epoxy polymers are used.

Abstract: The apparatus of this invention is an element that has at one end the means for attaching to that end a pressurized vessel containing the material which is to be used in treating a tree and at the other end outlets for the said material which outlets are correlated to be positioned right at certain prepared exposed areas of the tree into which the material is to be directed. In between the two ends there is a valve means that is in conduit relationship with the passageway between the two said ends.

Abstract: By this invention a system for controlling the servicing of customers arriving in a vehicle at a service area is provided, in which system the arrival of the vehicle, the supplying of the services and the departure of the vehicle is monitored. The system includes a number of signals which keep the attendants in or near the service area fully informed as to the status of the operations that are going on relative to a given vehicle. Thus, the arrival of the vehicle is announced and that arrival sets into operation a control means which is responsive to an unauthorized departure of the vehicle. In other words, if a vehicle attempts to leave the service area before the service is completed or before the services have been paid for, an alarm is activated by the control means announcing the impending unauthorized departure. Present also in the system is a means for preventing any of the signals from functioning in the absence of a vehicle that has come into the service area for service.

Abstract: A solar air heater is vertically disposed and composed of a plurality of parallel, horizontally disposed slats resembling a venetian blind. The slats are positioned with their upper faces facing the sun and at an acute angle relative to the horizontal such that the winter sun will produce multiple heat absorbing reflections between adjacent slat surfaces, whereas the summer sun will be reflected back, if desired, so as to impart little or no heat to the heater. Air is circulated through the heater between the slats, thereby becoming heated as it absorbs heat from the slats. This heated air is then sent into a structure, such as a room of a house, via air ducts or the like to heat the structure or is sent to such other areas as desired, the solar air heater being attached to or forming a part of the structure that is to receive the heat produced by its use.

Abstract: A housing chamber for use in underwater arc welding is constructed in the form of a portable hollow cylinder open at one end and having a side opening in which is movably mounted a welding gun for effecting a welding operation on a workpiece through the open end. The interior of the housing chamber is illuminated and a viewing plate slanted relative to the axis of the cylinder closes the other end. The chamber is provided with means for introducing gas under pressure to purge the chamber of water. An L-shaped vent tube adjacent the viewing facilitates purging the housing chamber of water. The vent tube is rotatably adjustable relative to the housing chamber to control the amount of gas discharged. A porous rubber gasket member is provided between the workpiece and the open end of the cylinder to permit escape of gas therethrough to facilitate relative movement between the cylinder and the workpiece.

Abstract: According to the method disclosed, a capillary tube is first dipped into a sample receptacle and filled through capillary action. The tube is then withdrawn from the receptacle and lowered over a chromatographic plate such that the lower end of tube either just touches the plate or is spaced therefrom such that there is a small gap between the end of the tube and the plate. Air pressure is then applied to the other end of the capillary tube -- in the first instance to drive the liquid in the capillary out onto the plate at a known rate; in the second instance air pressure is applied to the other end of the capillary tube to form a droplet that bridges the gap between the tube end and the plate. Once the droplet makes contact with the plate, it is sucked into the interstices of the coating material of the plate. In alternative methods of the invention, air pressure is used to control the volume of the sample admitted to the capillary tube.

Abstract: A mixture for the storage of heat energy utilizing a heat of fusion material includes sodium sulfate decahydrate, borax as a nucleating agent, and hydrous magnesium aluminum silicate (attapulgus clay) as a homogenizing agent. This composition maintains the salt-hydrate in suspension during repeated heating and cooling cycles.A method is also disclosed for preparing the mixture which includes the steps of mixing water with the attapulgus clay, adding a nucleating agent to the initial mixture, and mixing the initial mixture, including the nucleating agent, with a heat of fusion material such as sodium sulfate decahydrate.

Abstract: Apparatus is provided for holding a comb or similar device for treatment of the hair in a fixed position relative to the ear lobe in the first step of its use in parting the hair at a predetermined point. The apparatus includes an arcuate or similar retaining element having a slide member adapted to slide along the length of the arcuate element and a comb is held in a clamp which forms a portion of the slide member. A stationary support or positioning bracket on one end of the arcuate element provides a reference for alignment with the ear lobe. Thus, in use, the stationary bracket is aligned with the top of the ear lobe with the arcuate member extending over the person's head. The comb is previously positioned along the arcuate element so as to effect the desired location of the part in the hair. With this accomplished the whole unit is moved downwardly so as to effect the part by the downwardly moving comb.