Abstract: Oil spills on natural bodies of water are treated with amine-substituted water swelling clays. The organoclays are added to oil spills in an amount which herds oil into islands of oil separated by surfaces of water containing no oil. The clays can also be added to oil spills in an amount which produces quasisolid, buoyant organoclay/oil flocculate clumps which float in the water and which are amenable to collection from the surface of the water.

Abstract: An SRAM wafer is conventionally fabricated through the definition of the gate poly. The PMOS oxide is then applied in a layer that uniformly covers the surface and sidewalls of the gate poly, then the interpoly contacts are patterned and etched and the NMOS S/D's are implanted. The PMOS load poly is deposited, again in a layer that uniformly covers the PMOS oxide over the surface and sidewalls of the gate poly. Oxide spacers are formed on the PMOS poly along the gate poly sidewalls, and a P+ implantation forms the PMOS sources and drains. The oxide spacers protect an L-shaped region along the poly gate sidewall from the P+ implant, thus defining PMOS load channels on either side of the gate poly that are gated by the gate poly sidewalls. The foot of the L on one side and the extension of the L above the gate poly on the other create gate/drain offsets that reduce I(off). Optionally, a gate poly/oxide stack may be used to enlarge one of the gate/drain offsets.

Abstract: The present invention provides an attachment for a vehicular leaf spring suspension system which redistributes the load on the vehicle to provide a level vehicle. The present invention, in one embodiment provides shoe members mounted on body members attached to the vehicle frame adjacent the leaf spring suspension systems. The shoe members are mounted on the body members on an eccentric axis to be pivotable relative to the body members.The shoe members are held in a non-engaging position when the vehicle is not to undergo overloading. When heavy loading is to occur, the shoe members are pivoted to an engaging position near the upper surface of the leaf springs. Abutment portions on the shoe members contact the leaf springs in a position normal to the planar surface of the leaf springs at the point of engagement.

Abstract: Metal values are solubilized from ore by a lixiviant having a pH from 5 to 8, comprising an aqueous solution of a chloride salt and a hypochlorite salt. Cyanuric acid may be added to retard decomposition of the lixiviant. In one alternative embodiment, any remaining hypochlorite ions are then eliminated by adding hydrogen peroxide or a reducing agent to the pregnant lixiviant. Metal values are recovered by reduction using carbon, electrowinning, or other conventional techniques. In an alternative embodiment for extraction of gold or silver, the steps are combined by using finely ground ore containing sulfides or carbonaceous material to both reduce any remaining hypochlorite ions and precipitate the metal values from the lixiviant. The lixiviant can then be regenerated either by electrolysis or addition of hypochlorite salt.

Abstract: Mill tailings containing cyanide species can be treated with carbon dioxide in order to drive-off and/or recover the cyanide content of said tailings.

Abstract: A solute can be separated from a solute/solvent solution by dissolving a gas-forming material into said solution and then adjusting the temperature, pressure and solute concentration of a resulting single phase composite liquid such that a Joule-Thompson free expansion of said composite liquid will produce a three phase separation of its components.

Abstract: The automated library system stores and retrieves media cartridges for an associated plurality of media drives. Within this system, a virtual robot is implemented to create multiple virtual media libraries within the single automated cartridge library system. This capability enables the use of a plurality of types of media within the single automated cartridge library and a corresponding plurality of drive elements within the library. Thus, each drive element has associated therewith a number of object storage locations within the library which contain media of a form and content that matches the drive element. The automated cartridge library system manages the correspondence between object storage location, media type, designated drive element in an automated manner such that the single library appears to the user as multiple independent libraries.

Abstract: An agricultural irrigation system comprised of a plurality of unit pipes which constitute a water supply pipe line and another plurality of unit pipes which constitute a plurality water dispensing line each of whose respective pipe units are connected to respective center, valve/connectors which couple successive pipe units of the water supply pipe line.

Abstract: A vehicle seat liner is used to allow manual extrication of an injured driver from the vehicle seat. The liner is formed of two rigid board elements disposed against those portions of said vehicle seat normally contacted by the back and buttocks of the operator when seated. The board elements are pivotally joined to each other adjacent the juncture of the aforesaid portions of the vehicle seat. This permits the driver to sit on the liner when in the seated position in the vehicle seat and to lie upon the liner when the board elements are pivoted relative to each other to form a substantially planar configuration. The liner also has handles, hand grips, straps, or the like, that can be grasped by rescue personnel reaching into the interior of the vehicle to extricate the driver. This permits rescuers to lift the liner and the driver from the vehicle seat and out of the vehicle while stabilizing of the head and spinal cord of the driver.

Abstract: A printed circuit board is disclosed which includes a high capacitance power distribution core, the manufacture of which is compatible with standard printed circuit board assembly technology. The high capacitance core consists of a ground plane and a power plane separated by a planar element having a high dielectric constant. The high dielectric constant material is typically glass fiber impregnated with a bonding material, such as epoxy resin loaded with a ferro-electric ceramic substance having a high dielectric constant. The ferro-electric ceramic substance is typically a nanopowder combined with an epoxy bonding material. The resulting capacitance of the power distribution core is typically sufficient to totally eliminate the need for decoupling capacitors on a typical printed circuit board.

Abstract: A tape guide which includes a roller having a fixed lower flange and a tape contacting portion having a width less than the width of the tape. A compliant member formed from a flat spring is mounted on the top of the roller opposite the flange. The compliant member includes an outwardly and upwardly tapered peripheral portion extending beyond the diameter of the tape contacting portion of the roller. Since the tape width is greater than the width of the tape contacting portion of the roller, the tape is forced against the tapered portion of the compliant member. The compliant member thus biases the tape downward against the lower flange by applying a uniform distributed load against the upper edge of the tape. The tape is prevented from being vertically displaced regardless of variations in the width of the tape. Variations in the wrap angle will not affect the loading on the tape.

Abstract: A system for controlling and extinguishing oil and gas well fires, as well as a system for remotely controlling flow of a pipeline. The system of the present invention encapsulates a section of the pipe, such as beneath the oil and gas well. The encapsulated section of pipe is tapped to bleed off the maximum pressure and flow of the pipe which is diverted to a remote storage reservoir. The upper and lower sections of the encapsulated section of pipe are sealed to allow a valve to be installed in the pipe. The pipe is operated by remote-activation to control the flow to the surface. The flow can thus be stopped to allow the surface facilities to be rebuilt or replaced.

Abstract: A fastening system is used to attach architectural panels to a building structure in which three panel brackets are attached along the bottom and side edges of the panel. These panel brackets each have a front face adapted to extend along the rear surface of the panel adjacent to one of the panel's peripheral edges; a panel-gripping flange extending from the front face suitable for insertion into a groove extending along the peripheral edge of the panel; and a channel with an opening extending parallel to the peripheral edge of the panel. A top panel bracket is also attached along the top edge of the panel, which has a front face and a panel-gripping flange as before, and which further has a support member to secure the top panel bracket to the building structure; and a vertical flange extending upward at a predetermined spacing from the building structure.

Abstract: Apparatus for detecting leaks in fuel storage tanks. A float suspended in the tank liquid determines liquid levels and transmits the liquid level information via an infrared beam to a probe processor in the upper portion of the tank. The probe processor stores a plurality of level indications for subsequent uploading to an external computer which analyzes the level information to generate leakage rate information.

Abstract: The read/write head buffer provides a buffer memory for each read/write head in the rotating media data storage system to that a seek request from the processor can be handled as soon as the beginning of the requested data record is positioned below the associated read/write head. The data image stored on the rotating media is read from the rotating media by the read/write head and stored in the read/write head buffer independent of the availability of a data communication path to the processor. Thus, the read data operation need not be synchronized with the availability of a data communication path to the processor and the requested data is retrieved from the rotating media as soon as the data record is properly positioned. In no case is the data retrieval time greater than one revolution of the rotating media. The error correction codes written on the rotating media to protect the integrity of the requested data are maintained since they are stored in the read/write head buffer along with the data record.

Abstract: The disk drive array data storage subsystem functions as a conventional large form factor disk drive memory, using an array of redundancy groups, each containing N+M disk drives. The data storage subsystem does not modify data stored in a redundancy group but simply writes the modified data as a new record in available memory space on another redundancy group. The original data is flagged as obsolete. Virtual tracks that are least used are migrated as part of a free space collection process to low access cylinders, which are, in turn, migrated to secondary media, such as magnetic tape. The migration process is either periodic or demand driven to automatically archive little used data records.

Abstract: This invention is directed towards a means and method for interconnecting containers into structures, such as toys, displays or furniture as well as to provide packaging alternatives. The invention particularly relates to modifying a conventional six-pack of beverage cans so as to form the aforesaid structure without the use of additional components. Beverage cans are specifically utilized as said containers. The containers themselves have been modified such that they may be fastened together in a vertical manner without requiring any collars or other types of independent connecting means. "Connectors" have been provided for connecting the cans together in a side by side relationship. The interconnected containers form functional or promotional structures or a combination thereof as well as providing for packaging alternatives. Consequently, this serves as both a conservation and marketing aid.

Abstract: An accessory tray assembly for a golf bag cart. The assembly includes a tray having two apertures formed therein with pivotally mounted container holders. A golf ball holder is included having two upstanding, resilient walls spaced apart the distance of a golf ball. Tapered ridges are formed along the inner surface of each wall to hold the golf balls therein. Golf balls are inserted in the holder by pushing the balls by the ridges which cause the walls to resiliently move apart to allow golf balls inserted or removed.End stops are included at the end of the walls to prevent the balls from rolling off the tray and having holes for holding golf tees. Snaps are formed around the perimeter of the tray for attaching straps to hold towels or other items.A female portion of a bayonet mount is formed on the lower surface of the tray. A clamp having the mating portion of the bayonet mount is attached to the golf bag cart by a rubber bushing.

Abstract: A programmable universal signaling circuit for use in a universal channeling unit of a telephone network. The programmable universal signaling circuit uses a line converter and decoder circuit which under control of a microprocessor generates a unique set of configuration signals for configuring the universal signaling circuit into one of a plurality of standard signaling telephone circuits. The universal signaling circuit can be reconfigured either at the location of the universal channel unit or remotely.

Abstract: A balloon parachute is described that inflates at a controllable rate to gradually slow the descent of an attached instrument package. This balloon parachute is in the form of a pyramid that is closed on all sides in all three dimensions. The balloon parachute is tethered to an instrument package by means of a fabric loop attached to the peak of the parachute pyramid. The inflation of the balloon parachute is effectuated by the use of a set of openings in the peak, just above the loop attachment. As the balloon parachute and instrument package descend, air enters the balloon parachute through the openings in the peak thereof and gradually inflates the balloon parachute to its full pyramidal shape. A burble fence is attached to the base of the pyramid on all sides in order to provide additional drag and rotational stability, and to avoid a penduluming motion of the parachute upon its descent.