Abstract: A phosphorus vanadium oxide catalyst for the oxidation of a C.sub.4 hydrocarbon. The catalyst comprises a shaped body having a volume, or a fixed bed comprising shaped bodies having an average volume, of at least about 0.02 cc, and contains a promoter selected from among Bi, Sb, Ge, Ti, Zr, La, Ce, Ni, Zn, U, Sn, Si or mixtures thereof. The promoter is present in a proportion that enables the catalyst to have a developed surface area of at least about 28 m.sup.2 /g, and to exhibit a weight/area productivity of at least about 3.5 mg maleic anhydride/m.sup.2 -hr and/or a weight/weight productivity of at least about 100 g maleic anhydride/kg.cat.-hr. when contacted with a gas containing 2.4% by volume n-butane in air, at a gas flow volume to catalyst weight ratio of 2180 cc/g-min., under a pressure of 1.055.times.10.sup.2 -kPa-G, and at a temperature sufficient to maintain a hydrocarbon conversion of 85 mole percent. Methods for the preparation of the catalyst include activation by ANST.

Abstract: An electrode assembly for an EEG headset has a cylinder and piston, at least one disk-shaped mounting element with an inner portion for mounting the cylinder therethrough and an outer portion overlapping onto the liner of the headset, an electrode body made of insulative material mounted to the piston and holding an electrode tip, and an electrode tip made of conductive material with a wire lead for transmitting electrical signals from the tip to an external signal processing unit separately from the rest of the electrode assembly. Preferably, the mounting element is a pair of rubber washers supporting the cylinder from each side of the liner. The electrode body has a threaded end for threading in the piston, and a central passage for supplying electrolyte gel to the electrode tip. The electrode tip has a disk shape with a relatively large surface area for maintaining good contact with the subject's scalp.

Abstract: A laminate cover member is provided for upgrading the appearance of a deteriorated drain hole or other surface of a sink or bath fixture. The cover member includes an upper layer which is resistant to corrosion and has an attractive visual appearance, a pressure sensitive adhesive layer, and a removable liner layer. The layers are diecut from stock laminate sheets. A preferred cover member, for upgrading the surfaces of a drain hole, has a metallized plastic upper layer, and is shaped with an outer annular portion that is adhered to the surface surrounding the drain hole, an inner annular hole, and a plurality of radial lines extending from an intermediate diameter to the inner annular hole, such that they can be bent downwardly to cover an inner part of the drain hole surface.

Abstract: A compact, hand-held electrical line tester includes a normally-open relay switch which is closed by connection of its relay portion to a line of a predetermined voltage level, and a piezoelectric tone generator, connected in series with the relay switch and a battery, which emits an audible sound to indicate that the tested line is electrified with the predetermined voltage level. The tester circuit can include a plurality of relay switches and/or tone generators for emitting different sounds in response to different line voltages, so that the user can determine the line voltage(s) without having to check a light indicator or read a dial.

Abstract: A light weight coated paper is provided by a process wherein paper stock having a weight ranging from about 22 to 26 pounds per ream is coated with from about 4 to 8 pounds per ream of an aqueous coating formulation comprising:a) a pigment composition comprising:i) from about 60 to 80 parts by weight of delaminated clay;ii) from about 15 to 30 parts by weight of calcined clay; andiii) from about 5 to 15 parts by weight of a whitening pigment;b) from about 15 to 30 parts by weight of a starch binder;c) from about 3 to 7 parts by weight of a starch cross-linking agent per 100 parts by weight starch;d) from about 0.5 to 1.5 parts of a lubricant per 100 parts by weight pigment;e) water in an amount sufficient to provide a coating formulation having from about 45 to 50% by weight solids; andf) sufficient basic buffer to raise the pH to about 8 to 8.5.

Abstract: An electrode assembly for an EEG headset has a cylinder and piston, at least one disk-shaped mounting element with an inner portion for mounting the cylinder therethrough and an outer portion overlapping onto the liner of the headset, an electrode body made of insulative material mounted to the piston and holding an electrode tip, and an electrode tip made of conductive material with a wire lead for transmitting electrical signals from the tip to an external signal processing unit separately from the rest of the electrode assembly. Preferably, the mounting element is a pair of rubber washers supporting the cylinder from each side of the liner. The electrode body has a threaded end for threading in the piston, and a central passage for supplying electrolyte gel to the electrode tip. The electrode tip has a disk shape with a relatively large surface area for maintaining good contact with the subject's scalp.

Abstract: A process and apparatus is provided for removing color from a wastewater stream. The process includes directing the wastewater stream through at least one UV reactor and simultaneously injecting a hydrogen peroxide charge into the wastewater stream exactly at the UV irradiation zone of the reactor. The apparatus of the subject invention includes a UV reactor having a smooth flow channel for wastewater and a zone for exposing the wastewater to UV irradiation. The reactor further includes tubing for directing hydrogen peroxide into the reactor exactly at the UV irradiation zone, such that the hydrogen peroxide is introduced simultaneously to the wastewater stream and the UV irradiation zone.

Abstract: A contraceptive diaphragm has a cup-shaped body molded from a thermoplastic or thermosetting material, and a rim formed with the diaphragm body having a thickness and an inner core structure sufficient to provide a desired bending resilience for use of the diaphragm without any metal spring therein. The thermoplastic or thermosetting material is preferably a silicone rubber. In one embodiment, the rim is molded with a solid inner core structure with a circular cross-section of between 0.060 to 0.375 inch outer diameter. In another embodiment, the rim is formed by an outer layer molded around an inner core in the form of a plastic, injection- or compression-molded ring. The molded plastic ring is preferably made of an acetal plastic material with an outer diameter of between 0.040 to 0.250 inch. The plastic ring may have two or more cutout portions formed spaced apart along its circumference for defining flexing points on the diaphragm rim.

Abstract: An apparatus for applying a heat responsive melt sealant to the side edge of a carton, such as a gable-top liquid carton prior to folding the carton into its tubular form. The apparatus forces the sealant to flow evenly along an edge of the carton to be sealed and confines the sealant adjacent to the edge. The apparatus has a reverse C-shaped channel through which the carton blank edge is fed and a duct opening in the bight portion of the channel through which the sealant is fed onto the carton blank edge. In the process of the invention, after the heat responsive melt sealant is applied to the interior edge of the carton blank, the latter is conveyed to a heat station where the heat responsive melt sealant is cured preparatory to final erection of the tubular carton.

Abstract: A soccer training shoe has a multiplicity of target sectors affixed over different shoe portions which have a different shape corresponding to an optimal area of kicking contact for a respective kicking technique and a different color from the other target sectors to allow one to visually distinguish what type of kicking technique has been performed and whether it has been performed optimally. In the preferred embodiment, the soccer training shoe has target sectors on the heel, forward instep, middle instep, lace, outside foot, and toe portions of the shoe.

Abstract: An absorbent pad for use with an ostomy appliance or similar apparatus connected to a stoma extending through the skin of a patient, is formed of a flexible laminate with a liquid-permeable inner layer facing toward the patient's skin, an intermediate layer of absorbent material, and a liquid-impermeable outer layer. The layers are sealed together, and the laminate has a central opening for fitting around the connection between the ostomy appliance flange and body portion. An adhesive layer is provided on the peripheral border of the pad for sealing to the patient's skin. The adhesive layer is applied so that it encircles the absorbent surface area of the pad. The adhesive layer cooperates with the impermeable outer layer of the laminate to surround the fluid-absorbing intermediate layers of the pad and prevent fluid and odor absorbed therein from being released. The absorbent pad is further characterized in that it can be applied and disposed of separate and apart from the ostomy appliance.

Abstract: A laminate providing an effective barrier to migration of essential oils and flavorings and for retention of vitamin C, essential oils and flavor in a juice and cartons made therefrom, wherein the laminate comprises, from the outer surface to the inner surface contacting the juice: an outer polyethylene layer for heat sealing and graphics, a bleached sulfate paperboard substrate, a nylon barrier layer constituting a barrier for oxygen, a first tie layer of modified polyethylene acting as an adherent, another polyethylene layer acting as a heat seal layer and bonded to the nylon barrier layer by the first tie layer, a second tie layer acting as an adherent, and an inner skin layer, which contacts the contents of the carton, which is bonded to the polyethylene layer by the second tie layer, and which may be ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer (EVOH), polyethylene terephthalate or nylon.

Abstract: A wire breaker blade and a wire puller member are provided for an automatic kraft paper bale dewiring machine for respectively breaking and removing a plurality of baling wires from a bale of kraft paper pulp. The wire breaker blade includes a hook-shaped wire cutting notch having an arcuate cutting edge with an inwardly extending protrusion formed therein for engaging and retaining a plurality of baling wires until fracture of the baling wires occurs. The wire puller member includes a hook-shaped wire pulling notch having an arcuate pulling edge with a radially inwardly extending protrusion form therein for engaging and retaining a plurality of fractured baling wires until the baling wires are completely removed from the kraft paper bale.

Abstract: A process and apparatus is provided for removing color from a wastewater stream. The process includes directing the wastewater stream through at least one UV reactor and simultaneously injecting a hydrogen peroxide charge into the wastewater stream exactly at the UV irradiation zone of the reactor. The apparatus of the subject invention includes a UV reactor having a smooth flow channel for wastewater and a zone for exposing the wastewater to UV irradiation. The reactor further includes tubing for directing hydrogen peroxide into the reactor exactly at the UV irradiation zone, such that the hydrogen peroxide is introduced simultaneously to the wastewater stream and the UV irradiation zone.

Abstract: An improved container structure is formed from a tube blank and a layer of transparent, plastic material having at least one pair of opposed edges adhered to the outer surface of the tube blank, in order to form a clear outer pouch on the container for convenient insertion of promotional or visual material. In the preferred embodiments, an improved paper bag has the clear outer pouch formed over either its face panel, gusset panel, or back panel. The pouch may be formed with a lateral cut dividing an upper part of the transparent layer which is adhered to the container surface, and a lower part which is not adhered and forms a lower pouch. The pouch may similarly be formed on cartons of paperboard, laminate, plastic, and other stock materials.

Abstract: A feedblock is provided for producing a laminated plastic sheet with each layer of the laminated sheet being of substantially uniform thickness. The feedblock includes a plurality of lamella channels each of which is of non-rectangular cross-sectional shape. The particular non-rectangular cross-sectional shape of each lamella channel is selected to offset the tendency of the extruded plastic to thin and spread non-uniformly. Thus, the thinning and spreading of the extruded plastic will urge the plastic into a layer of substantially uniform thickness.

Abstract: A pressure pad is provided for bottom sealing of a gable carton. The pressure pad cooperates with a mandrel which is urged into an opened-top gable carton for sealing the carton bottom. The pressure pad is provided with a sealing bar matrix which is disposed thereon to register with at least selected raw edges of paperboard material on the carton bottom. Each sealing bar functions to compress the fibrous paperboard material from which the carton is formed to render the raw edges less likely to absorb liquids that may be wicked from the raw edges to other locations in the carton. The carton formed by the pressure pad is characterized by reduced thickness raw edges adjacent the bottom.

Abstract: A technique and equipment for grafting are disclosed. The technique involves forming a wedge on a scion, forming a cleft or side cut in rootstock, forming a union with the scion and rootstock, binding the union with budding strips, and coating the wrapped union with liquid paraffin wax. Clothespin type clamps are advantageously employed to releasably close the cleft, prior to forming the union, and for securing the union during binding. Grafting tools are provided in a grafting tool kit and include a knife, budding strips, paraffin wax, a brush, a metal cup, hand pruners, whet rocks and honing oil, alcohol and paper towels, and clothespins. The paraffin wax is applied to the bound union in a clear liquid state at 175.degree.-200.degree. F., and preferably at an ambient temperature of at least 38.degree. F. and less than 15 mph winds.