Abstract: This invention relates to an internal package spacer/protector device for frangible soft foodstuffs. The device is readily molded of thermoplastic material and especially suitable for insertion into the subject packages to support the cover portins of large flexible cartons used to package pizza, pies, cakes and similar foodstuffs. The device prevents damage to such foodstuffs when contacted by the box covers.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a laminated structural sheet material or board having a planar configuration and comprising a hollow core portion and metallic foil exterior surfaces especially useful for forming ductwork, headers and deflectors in heating and cooling systems. The sheet material is substantially moistureproof, smokeproof and fireproof for forming such ductwork, headers and deflectors in combination with ceiling and/or floor joists and flooring materials, the material or board being readily bendable and having scored edges for attachment to wooden ceiling and/or floor joists in planar or angled relation.

Abstract: This invention relates to the manufacture of flexible porous irrigation pipe having an essentially uniform porosity throughout its length which is produced by extruding an essentially moisture-free non-homogeneous, mixture of pre-vulcanized elastomeric particles such as reclaimed crumb rubber from vehicle tire treads in major amount and a thermoplastic polymer binder such as low-density polyethylene in minor amount. The mixture is intimately mixed and extruded from an unvented extruder through an annular extruder die at a precisely-controlled temperature and then through a lengthy cooling liquid bath, the rate of pull-off through the extruder die and liquid bath being maintained constant. The leak rate of the fluid delivered from the porous pipe is substantially uniform over a lengthy prescribed dimension exhibiting a delivery variation of less than about 5 percent per unit of length.

Abstract: This invention relates to improved apparatus and method for forming the rim portion of frustoconically-shaped containers, preferably formed of paper or thermoplastic material. The invention is especially adapted to forming the helicoidal rim on the mouth of drinking cups as well as other types of frustoconical-shaped containers. The container sidewalls adjacent the open mouth are fully supported during rimming to provide stronger and more dimensionally accurate, uniform rims on such containers.

Abstract: This invention relates to conveyor systems and more particularly to article handling or positioning mechanisms for serially conveying or transporting hot glass containers between two or more work stations and into precise locations on alignment. The systems utilize heat-resistant fingers or arms to provide spaced-apart modules for retaining the glass articles, the fingers or arms being readily replaceable and reversible in ready-releasing locking arrangement.

Abstract: This invention relates to apparatus and method for testing tube welds, and more specifically the seams or joints of tubular metal pipe which may be tested rapidly and efficiently under mechanical load conditions which are applied stepwise.

Abstract: The present invention relates to method and apparatus for preheating pulverous materials, such as glass batch constituents, prior to their introduction into a melting furnace to increase the efficiency and output of the melting installation. The pulverous materials are passed downwardly by gravity through a shell and tube preheater including an interior exhaust chamber to vent the contained moisture from the heated pulverous material. The venting prevents moisture condensation and build-up of the pulverous material within the tubes and batch materials, especially in cooler areas, which can cause tube pluggage. The subject invention is of particular utility to the glass industry and especially glass melting furnaces, but is also applicable to other types of furnaces.

Abstract: This invention relates to a laminated vacuum pad, and method of making same, comprising a heat-resistant woven fabric substrate having a continuous heat and wear-resistant continuous coating thereon for handling hot glass articles, and the like, without marring same. The heat-resistant flexible vacuum pad is formed from a tightly woven fabric such as glass fibers with a continuous imperforate coating of organic-inorganic silicone resin containing a filler of heat-resistant carbonaceous material adapted to withstanding extensive repeated contact with newly-formed hot glass articles. The flexible laminated vacuum pad is preferably used as a facing material for a rigid structural member formed of metal.

Abstract: This invention relates to a thermoplastic, foam composition having enhanced heat-shrink capability by the physical intermixing therein of a minor amount of a second polymeric material having superior infrared absorbing properties. The intermixed composition is able to be foamed and formed into an oriented sheet adapted to fabricating heat-shrink tubular labels or sleeves, for example, having improved thermal contraction properties when subjected to infrared radiation. The subject composition is thus able to provide markedly improved heat shrinkage at lower temperatures than heretofore required for a variety of fabricated products. Polyethylene foam or polystyrene foam can be taken as the thermoplastic base material having a minor amount of a second polymeric material such as polyethylene terephthalate dispersed therein, the latter having a high absorbing capability for infrared energy.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an aqueous printing ink composition and method for improving printing using such aqueous based printing inks. The composition is comprised of a physical mixture of polyurethane resin, polyethylene resin and water as the vehicle. The invention provides a family of water-based inks with enhanced physical and mechanical properties. The inks have superior abrasion resistance and good adhesion to various substrates including metal and plastics.

Abstract: Disclosed is a multiple container merchandising package comprising a group of similarly shaped containers held together in side-by-side fashion by a plastic overwrap comprising an opaque, uniaxially oriented, laminated, composite sleeve of thermoplastic foam and a thermoplastic film.

Abstract: The present invention relates to method and apparatus for improving the preheating of pulverous materials, their introduction into melting furnaces, and their melting therein, with application to the recycling of some of the vitrifiable starting materials delivered to a tank furnace for glass making through a heat exchanger to raise its entry level temperature.

Abstract: The present invention relates to method and apparatus for applying a tubular plastic sleeve or label to a rigid base article or container, such as a glass or plastic bottle. The sleeve may be formed immediately prior to its application and be comprised of oriented, heat-shrinkable, thermoplastic material which is telescopically assembled over the container while both are conveyed through a coincidental aligned path. The container preferably consists of a hollow glass or plastic bottle held upright by its neck or finish portion. The tubular sleeve is made slightly larger in diameter than the container body portion. The sleeve is telescoped upwardly over the container body portion and held in aligned relation during its transport through a heat-shrinking tunnel oven. Electrical heat energy having a high level of infra-red energy is employed to heat-shrink the sleeves in a thermoconstrictive operation during such transport, the sleeve being contracted into snug engagement with the container body portion.

Abstract: This invention relates to a composite material, and method of making same, comprising a heat-resistant woven fabric substrate having a continuous heat and wear-resistant continuous coating thereon for handling hot glass articles, and the like, without marring same. The heat and wear-resistant composite material is formed from a tightly woven fabric, such as glass fibers, with a continuous imperforate coating of organic/inorganic silicone resin containing a filler of heat-resistant carbonaceous material adapted to withstanding extensive repeated contact with newly-formed hot glass articles. The composite material is preferably used as a facing material for a rigid structural backing member formed of metal.

Abstract: The present invention relates to method and apparatus for preheating pulverous materials, such as glass batch constituents, prior to their introduction into a melting furnace to increase the efficiency and output of the melting installation. The pulverous materials are passed downwardly through a shell and tube preheater with sub-atmospheric pressure over the pulverous material to remove the contained moisture in vapor form from an upper region of the preheater. The decreased atmospheric pressure prevents moisture condensation and build-up on the pulverous material within the tubes, especially in cooler areas, which can cause tube pluggage. The subject invention is of particular utility to the glass industry, and especially glass melting furnaces, but is also applicable to other types of shell and tube heat-exchange applications.

Abstract: The present invention relates to method and apparatus for preheating pulverous materials, such as glass batch constituents, prior to their introduction into a melting furnace to increase the efficiency and output of the melting installation. The pulverous materials, including a dessicant-type constituent, are passed downwardly through a shell and tube preheater to absorb the contained moisture during their downward travel through the preheater. The inclusion of a dessicant material prevents moisture condensation and build-up of the pulverous material within the tubes, especially in cooler areas, which can cause tube pluggage. The subject invention is of particular utility to the glass industry and especially glass melting furnaces, but is also applicable to other types of furnaces.

Abstract: A molten glass feeder system and method of controlling the flow of glass through the feeder to deliver a plurality of uniform, molten glass gobs. The feeder has a heavy-walled bowl structure and a heavy-walled bottom transitional member mounted within the lower region of the feeder bowl, the transitional member having substantial height with a circular passageway at its upper region and an elongated slot passageway at its lower region, and an elongated discharge orifice member having a plurality of three or more, and preferably three to six, discharge orifices in lineal alignment with the elongated slot passageway. The feeder permits the simultaneous formation and delivery, when coupled with suitable glass shearing mechanism, of more uniform plural glass gobs having similar weight, temperature and heat characteristics to multiple-cavity gob-fed glass forming machines.

Abstract: The present invention relates to method and apparatus for preheating pulverous materials, such as glass batch constituents, prior to their introduction into a melting furnace to increase the efficiency and output of the melting installation. The pulverous materials are passed downwardly through a shell and tube preheater with super-atmospheric gas pressure over the pulverous material to force the contained moisture downwardly to be vented from a lower region of the preheater. The increased gas pressure prevents moisture condensation and build-up on the pulverous material within the tubes, especially in cooler areas, which can cause tube pluggage. The subject invention is of particular utility to the glass industry and especially glass melting furnaces, but is also applicable to other types of furnaces.

Abstract: The present invention relates to improved apparatus for forming a tubular plastic sleeve immediately prior to its application to a rigid base article, such as a glass or plastic bottle. A rectangular blank of plastic material is wrapped around a cylindrical mandrel and seamed lengthwise thereon to form the tubular sleeve. The mandrel has a plurality of spline-shaped grooves in its curved peripheral surface and a stripper ring mounted to closely surround such peripheral surface to be slidable thereon. The ring has a plurality of internal lugs which slidably fit within the spline-shaped grooves. The mandrel has a lineal array of vacuum ports for retaining the leading and trailing edges of the plastic blank on the mandrel for its wrapping thereon, and an axial resilient strip mounted in the curved peripheral surface of the mandrel for operation of a movable, axially-extending sealing bar thereagainst.

Abstract: There is disclosed herein improved packages, and methods of forming same, of the type wherein a container, such as for example a glass container, like a bottle or jar, is provided externally thereof with a heat shrunk, cellular thermoplastic member, circumferentially and snugly engaging a sidewall portion of the container; the improvement resides in employing as the thermoplastic member a composite structure, or laminate, of a closed cellular polymeric layer in which the polymer is a polymer of predominantly olefin moieties and, in adhered relationship to the closed cellular layer, a non-cellular polymeric layer in which the polymer is a polymer of predominantly olefin moieties with the cellular layer being in snug, heat shrunk engagement with the sidewall portion of the container and the non-cellular layer being disposed outwardly of the cellular layer.