Abstract: There is disclosed an environmentally degradable plastic composition comprising an organic polymeric material having dispersed therein at least one ethylenically unsaturated alcohol or ethylenically unsaturated ester derived therefrom as a readily autoxidizable organic substance.

Abstract: Disclosed is a tubular luminescent solar collector structure containing semiconductor photocells bonded to the surface thereof along the length of said tube.

Abstract: Disclosed is an assembly or matrix comprising an arrangement of integrally fused tubes forming a series of nonporous, longitudinal parallel passageways therethrough. The matrix is of a low-expansion ceramic material and the passageways therethrough have thin walls; a high proportion of the cross-sectional or frontal area of the matrix is free open area. Also disclosed are methods for making such a matrix from glass tubes that are thermally crystallizable; one method involves longitudinally bundling the tubes with their ends sealed and heating the assembly to soften, expand and fuse the tubes in a heat treatment schedule that also nucleates and thermally crystallizes the matrix to the final ceramic product. Another embodiment involves superimposing a plurality of layers of tubes, one layer above the other in successive parallel planes, with the tubes in each plane being essentially parallel to each other and transverse to the tubes in adjacent layers.

Abstract: This invention provides a machine for assembling cup shaped base members onto the bottom portions of bottle shaped containers. The assembly machine comprises a continuously rotating base transport table receiving successive bases in pockets on its periphery from a supply source of bases. A plurality of vacuum chucks are positioned above the base pockets and successively engage the side walls of containers supplied in timed sequence to such pockets. A plurality of vertically shiftable plungers are mounted above the position of the containers and actuated by a peripheral stationary cam to depress such plungers into engagement with the neck portion of the containers and to push the containers into engagement with the cup shaped bases disposed below the containers.

Abstract: Disclosed is a structure which in one apparatus converts a part of incident solar energy to electrical energy by the use of photocells mounted on a luminescent solar collector of tubular design while another portion of such incident energy is converted to thermal energy.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for blow molding plastic articles from preformed parisons by reheating the parisons and then stretching and blowing them. The parisons are conveyed in series to a plurality of fixed heating stations at which the parisons are fixedly positioned for heating, the parisons being rotated for uniform heating. The heating is enhanced by blowing air under pressure through a tunnel enclosing the successive heating stations. Finally, the parison is stretched and blown at a blow station in a blow mold of unique design.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for blow molding polyethylene terephthalate preforms, such as injection molded parisons, to achieve exterior surface indentations on blown containers without using profiled mold cavity walls. In the method, a profile is molded or otherwise formed in the exterior wall of the preform, defining a preform wall portion having sections of different thicknesses. Then, the preform is blow molded under conditions so that the polyethylene terephthalate material strain hardens in order to cause the different wall thicknesses to expand and stretch proportionately. As a result, the blown containers formed by this method include a surface contour which is essentially proportionately shaped to the surface profile formed on the pre-existing preforms.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for developing a strain crystallized morphology in blowbottles of thermoplastic material by a heat treatment process subsequent to a blow molding operation. In a first embodiment, the blow mold itself includes means for differentially heating the blown article along its length so that only those portions which have been significantly molecularly oriented are heat treated. In a second embodiment, separate mold-shaped members are mounted adjacent the blow mold to receive the blown articles to apply the desired heat treatment process. In the method, an essentially amorphous thermoplastic parison is expanded in a blow molding operation at a temperature conducive to molecular orientation and strain induced crystallization. Then, the highly molecularly oriented bottle portions are heat treated to develop crystalline growth, while other non-molecularly oriented bottle portions may be simultaneously cooled.

Abstract: There is disclosed an environmentally degradable plastic composition comprising an organic polymeric material having dispersed therein at least one amine compound as a readily autoxidizable organic substance.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for blow molding plastic articles from preformed parisons by reheating the parisons and then stretching and blowing them. The parisons are conveyed in series to a plurality of fixed heating stations at which the parisons are fixedly positioned for heating, the parisons being rotated for uniform heating. The heating is enhanced by blowing air under pressure through a tunnel enclosing the successive heating stations. Finally, the parison is stretched and blown at a blow station in a blow mold of unique design.

Abstract: A parison handling assembly receives tubular plastic parisons from a random bulk storage, orients the parisons, and feeds the parisons in a controlled manner to one or more blow molding machines. Parisons are stored in the random bulk storage and fed at a controlled rate by a metering apparatus to a parison orienter which orients the parisons into a closely grouped arrangement wherein the parisons are both upright and side-by-side. The parisons are fed from the parison orienter to a parison escapement mechanism which holds the parisons temporarily. The escapement mechanism is actuated to release parisons into a parison transporter depending on the production demands of the individual blow-molding machines. Released parisons, from the parison escapement mechanism, move along the parison transporter to be pushed axially into stuffer tubes. The stuffer tubes hold the parisons in properly oriented, end-to-end relationship for delivery to the actual loading station of the blow-molding machine.

Abstract: A package is provided comprising an uprightly unstable thermoplastic bottle having a generally convex bottom and a peripheral sidewall extending upwardly therefrom and a base directly contacting and loosely supporting the bottle in an upright position the package further comprises predecorated heat shrunk annular label means in tight unitizing peripheral engagement with externally exposed surfaces of the base and sidewall for securely and integrally attaching said bottle and said base, the means being substantially the sole means for such attachment.

Abstract: A apparatus are disclosed for molding plastic articles, wherein the method includes the steps of filling a mold cavity at a first station with heated flowable plastic material and then displacing the mold to a second station where the plastic material is cooled under pressure. The apparatus includes a rotatable support for displacing the mold between the first and second stations, a plastic supply means at the first station to fill the molds, and a displaceable rod at the second station for insertion into the mold to apply pressure to the plastic material during solidification cooling.

Abstract: A method for making a hollow plastic article having a separate full ring-shaped member bonded to the article within the blow mold. Separate halves of the ring-shaped member are inserted into respective halves of the blow mold and such member halves are joined to form a full ring when the blow mold halves are closed. A parison is blow molded within the closed mold and bonds to the ring-shaped member held in the mold.

Abstract: There is disclosed an environmentally degradable plastic composition comprising an organic polymeric material having dispersed therein at least one trialkyl ortho ester as a readily autoxidizable organic substance.

Abstract: There is disclosed an environmentally degradable plastic composition comprising an organic polymeric material having dispersed therein at least one unsaturated wax as a readily autoxidizable organic substance.

Abstract: An improved shell mold and method are provided for thermal conditioning a thermoplastic parison prior to blow molding the parison into a hollow container and especially a biaxially oriented container. The mold has an inner shell and an outer shell defining a passageway therebetween for a circulated heat transfer fluid. Heat transfer between the fluid and the parison is controlled to adjust the thermal history at different locations of the parison as it will be required by the mode of stretching and the blow out ratio at the different locations.

Abstract: There is provided a plural part freestanding receptacle assemblage for storage and handling of bulk quantities of material which comprises a plastic drum and handling means concentrically and holdingly assembled about the drum grippable by chime-handling devices to enable transportation and movement of the receptacle by such devices; the drum includes a substantially circumferentially disposed reentrant portion having an upper ledge portion disposed substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the drum and the handling means includes a lug-like, substantially circumferential, inwardly extending portion inserted into the reentrant portion of the drum, the inwardly extending portion of the handling means includes an upper shoulder portion disposed substantially parallel to and immediately below and generally in contact with the ledge portion.