Abstract: A method of breaking rock from a free surface which uses hydrofracturing to induce rock failure. Initially, a hole is cut in the rock face to a depth suitable for spalling by a high pressure water jet drill. Next, at the bottom of this hole a thin circular slot is hydraulically cut into the rock. The slot's circular axis is cut parallel to the transverse axis of the hole and the slot is made larger than the hole diameter. Following this step, a high pressure packer, with a high pressure tube passing through its center, is inserted into the drill hole. This packer is placed near the bottom of the hole above the slot and inflated. A fluid, like water, under high pressure is pumped down the hole past the packer into the slotted area. This high pressure fluid initiates a tensile fracture in the rock at the circular periphery of the slot. Tension is induced in the rock at this peripheral location due to the small radius of curvature existing there.

Abstract: A water spray cooler with a pair of water collecting mesh structures and having a water spraying nozzle assembly disposed therebetween. Air entering the cooler is directed through the mesh structures and towards a cooler outlet port. The entering air is cooled as it passes through a cool water spray from the nozzle assembly and through the mesh structures which have collected water.

Abstract: A capacitance probe sensor device is disclosed which has a probe formed of KYNAR insulated wire spaced from an uninsulated metallic ground electrode. An oscillator and associated capacitance-resistance network connected to the probe serve to provide a linear output voltage proportional to the change of capacitance between the insulated wire and the ground electrode. The capacitance probe sensor device can be used in a number of applications. They include the measurement of water level, the determination of a liquid's flow rate, and the moisture content of soil.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method of gathering information from sensors from which the Young's modulus, Poisson's ratio, and the two principal stresses can be obtained. The absolute secondary principal stresses can also be obtained. The method involves the placement of two inclusions of different, but known, physical properties in a single bore hole with a strain or displacement rosette sensor placed in each inclusion and oriented so as to measure physical properties on a plane normal to the bore hole axis. It is extremely important that intimate contact exists between the inclusions and the bore hole surface, because the physical properties of the two inclusions are different and the interactions between each inclusion and the rock mass will be different. The measurements from each rosette sensor and the known physical properties of each inclusion, the Young's modulus, the Poissons ratio, and the two principal stresses for the rock mass can be derived by known mathematical formula.

Abstract: A process for recovery of aluminum from clay comprising treating the crushed clay with water in the form of a fine mist, and in an amount sufficient to form compact surfaces on the particles without agglomeration thereof, and subsequently drying the misted clay to cause the particles to shrink and harden, and calcining and leaching with a mineral acid to extract aluminum from the clay.

Abstract: A method is provided for recovering energy from wasted coal by the steps of creating at least one channel through the wasted coal, igniting the wasted coal in said channel, subjecting said wasted coal, at least at said channel, to a negative pressure applied at a preselected point, connecting said wasted coal, at least at said channel, to a source of air remote from said preselected zone whereby air is induced through said ignited coal to burn said coal to produce hot gaseous products of combustion, and the hot gaseous products of combustion are drawn from said zone, and utilizing said hot gaseous products of combustion in a heat exchange relationship to recover the heat energy therefrom.

Abstract: In a transducer signal processing system wherein the output signal generated by a transducer (14) includes a nearly d.c., relatively large amplitude drift component (12), a higher frequency end point, data component (10) and a high frequency noise (hash) component (11), the drift and hash components are substantially eliminated by supplying the composite transducer output signal to a pair of parallel integrator circuits (28, 30) having different integration time constants. The faster integrator (28) passes the drift and data signal components, while attenuating the hash component, whereas the slower integrator (30) passes the drift component and attenuates the data and hash components. The output of the slower integrator (30) is subtracted from the output of the faster integrator (28) to provide a resultant signal containing essentially only the transducer data component.

Abstract: A system for determining the concentration of polymers in solution by measuring a differential pressure across a section of tubing through which the solution flows, where the tubing is bent in a loop. A drag reduction can be computed from the differential pressure value and the concentration may be determined by referring to calibration data which shows the drag reduction for known concentrations of polymers.

Abstract: Nonfibrous suspended solids, such as quartz, clays and phosphate slime solids, are removed from water by filtration through a bed of MgO.

Abstract: Zirconium- and uranium-containing hydrocarbon-amine solutions are treated for separation of zirconium and uranium by means of a process comprising: (1) selective stripping of zirconium with an aqueous chloride solution, and (2) scrubbing the resulting aqueous solution with chloride-loaded hydrocarbon-amine solution to selectively remove uranium, thereby yielding an aqueous zirconium solution of low uranium content.

Abstract: A battery powered paging and intercommunication system for application in a mine or other environment where it is necessary to conserve battery power comprises a plurality of transceivers electrically coupled to a common pair of signal lines. Each of the transceivers includes a push-to-talk switch for applying voice signals onto the lines as well as a push-to-page switch that amplifies received voice signals for reproduction through a loudspeaker. Each transceiver also includes dual tone multifrequency (DTMF) encoder and decoder circuitry for addressing a preselected transceiver on the lines for paging. A timer circuit within the transceiver limits the period of time the transceiver limits the period of time the transceiver is in the paging mode to reduce battery consumption. As a system check during paging, the called transceiver generates "beep-back" signals on the lines indicating to the calling transceiver that it is receiving paging signals.

Abstract: A fire protection system which senses the fire and actuates the dispensing of a fire suppressant without the use of electronics or electrical devices. This invention utilizes the process known as occlusion to storage large amounts of hydrogen gas in relatively small confined volumes. When an external heat source is presented to the system, such as that from a fire and/or explosion, the storaged hydrogen--via a metal hydride--is released and thereby builds up a pressure in its confined volume. This pressure is used to do work, namely moving a piston. After the piston moves a predetermined distance, it actuates the release of a gas which in turn fluidizes a dry powder suppressant which is dispensed via hoses and nozzles to the same fire and/or explosion. After the fire is suppressed, cooling of the metal hydride occurs which causes the hydrogen gas to reenter the metal hydride and the pressure in the piston to decrease.

Abstract: To recover chromium and other metals from scrap such as superalloy scrap, the scrap is sulfided to provide a molten matte which is cooled and fragmented, the fragments are leached selectively in an aqueous solution with chlorine at a controlled temperature and with agitation while controlling chlorine flow by redox potential to provide the major portion of the chromium in the leach residue and dissolving other valuable metals present as chlorides and thereafter recovering the chromium from the solid.

Abstract: A calibrateable light ray scattering reference rod utilized in a light scattering dust monitor. This light ray rod scatters an amount of light equivalent to a given concentration of dust. Adjustability is provided so that several concentrations of dust can be represented. This adjustment is accomplished by moving a threaded opaque slug axially inside the translucent rod.

Abstract: Rutile is recovered from copper ore tailings by means of a froth flotation process comprising: (a) flotation of sulfides and carbonates at a pH of about 9 to 10, using sodium isopropyl xanthate and sodium oleate as collectors, and detrine as rutile depressant, and (b) flotation of rutile from the resulting tailings at a pH of about 2 to 3, using hydrofluoric acid as a rutile selectivity-assisting agent and water-soluble petroleum sulfonate as rutile collector.

Abstract: Oxide impurites are removed from the titania slag by: (1) admixing the slag with an alkali metal carbonate, sulfate or chloride, (2) reacting the admixture with SO.sub.3 or mixed SO.sub.2 --O.sub.2 gases at elevated temperature to form sulfates of the impurities and (3) leaching the sulfates from the reaction product with water.

Abstract: An air diversion and dust control system for primary use on longwall shearer mining machinery, consisting of directional fluid sprays and passive curtain barriers. The air moving characteristics of fluid sprays are combined with the splitting and blocking characteristics of passive curtain barriers in order to produce an air stream splitting and diversion system which acts to keep dust away from the breathing zone of the machine operator and contained in the area of the coal face until beyond the mining machine. The fluid sprays have a double function in that they both divert and suppress the dust generated during the cutting operation.

Abstract: The use of a catalytic coating which acts to combine both the heat source and heat-transfer mechanism for a working fluid, such as that used in an external combustion engine. Maximum heat exchange is accomplished by the direct bonding of the coating, per se, to the engine head with a compound of catalytic agents which confines heat of combustion directly thereto. The preferred embodiment of the engine head surface may be finned or otherwise enlarged to provide for an increased surface area necessary for the heating of the engine head. This means of surface combustion results in a highly fuel-efficient engine and/or heat source with very low exhaust pollutants.

Abstract: A process for the in-situ mining of subterranean uranium ore deposits comprising pretreating the deposits by the steps of injecting an aqueous inorganic chloride solution therein to substantially saturate the deposits and injecting an aqueous alkaline lixiviant solution therein to flush the chloride solution from the deposits. Thereafter, the pretreated deposits may be solution mined in conventional fashion such as by injecting an oxidant-containing aqueous alkaline lixiviant therein and recovering uranium-containing lixiviant solution. The inorganic chloride solution is preferably potassium chloride and the preferred lixiviants are potassium carbonate, sodium carbonate and ammonium carbonate.

Abstract: Metal values are recovered from ore concentrates by means of dry grinding, followed by a two-stage leaching process in which the ground concentrate is first leached with sulfuric acid at a temperature of about 90.degree. to 100.degree. C. to selectively leach nickel and iron. The residue is then leached with a solution comprising sulfuric acid and NaOCl or H.sub.2 O.sub.2 to extract platinum, palladium, copper and gold.