Abstract: There is provided a plastic collar integral with the outer jacket of a cable. The plastic material includes a mixture of a plastic and an electrically conductive material such as carbon black. The plastic is melt bonded to the cable jacket by applying electric current through the material, thus melting the material onto the jacket of the cable. Upon melting, the semi-conductive plastic may be molded into the desired form, and upon cooling, it becomes bonded to the cable jacket. The collar may be used as a seal for the ends of a cable splice closure as well as a shoulder for securing a sealing gasket to a cable for use in such closures. The collar also may be used as strain-relief for the conductors which are inside the cable as well as other uses.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to a method for producing a class of quaternary ammonium borate compounds, and more particularly, to an improved method for producing quaternary ammonium borates by adding a glycol to the boric acid that provided the compound's anion so as to form a borate ester chelate complex having a rate-enhancing effect.

Abstract: A process for copolymerizing unsaturated polyester resins is disclosed wherein said resin is copolymerized in the presence of a perketal and an acid or acid-releasing compound.

Abstract: Novel peroxyketals having the general formula ##STR1## are provided, wherein R.sup.1 represents a tert. alkyl group having 4-12 carbon atoms and R.sup.2 represents a branched or a non-branched alkyl group having 1-12 carbon atoms or a substituted or unsubstituted cycloalkyl group having 5-12 carbon atoms. The peroxyketals can be used to advantage for initiating the copolymerization reaction of ethylenically unsaturated compounds such as unsaturated polyester resins containing both an unsaturated polyester and an ethylenically unsaturated monomer such as styrene.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to a process for the degradation of polymers in the presence of a free radical initiator. In particular this disclosure relates to a process for the degradation of polymers employing a free radical initiator selected from a class of hydroximic acid derivatives.

Abstract: A new and useful container is disclosed for storing "sharps", e.g., surgical needles or blades, comprising: (a) base means formed of a reusable and sterilizable material containing a source of magnetism; (b) collecting means for surgical needles or blades, said collecting means shaped to provide an interlocking fit with said base means; and (c) cover means with said collecting means to form an enclosure, said cover means capable of tight-fitting engagement with and placement over said collecting means to prevent said surgical needles or blades from escaping from said enclosure when said cover means is in tight-fitting engagement with said collecting means, said collecting means and said cover means attached to each other by hinge means, said collecting means being provided with locking means to lock said cover means with said collecting means when said cover means is in tight fitting engagement with said collecting means.

Abstract: Processes, reagents and test kits for the qualitative and/or quantitative determination of an immunochemically reactive component, in which one or more labelled components are used, that are obtained by direct or indirect coupling of such a component or components to particles of an aqueous dispersion of a hydrophobic dye or pigment, or of polymer nuclei coated with such a dye or pigment.During the reaction or after an adequate reaction time the nature and/or the quantity of the dye is determined in the test medium, or optionally after a separation of the bound and free labelled components in one of the fractions.

Abstract: Process and apparatus for the separation of mixtures of liquids insoluble in each other, e.g., water and oil, where the mixture of liquids is brought into contact, from one side, with a fabric allowing only one of the liquids to pass so that the liquids can be collected separately.

Abstract: A new and useful hydrophilic polyester fiber and process of making same are disclosed; the fiber has a stable pore system exhibiting a moisture pickup (regain) of at least about 2 percent by weight at 40.degree. C. and a relative humidity of 92%. Our experiments indicate that the proportion of moisture regain is attributable to capillary condensation in an amount of at least 25%. The hydrophilic properties are the result of a certain pore system within the fiber which enables capilliary condensation to occur significantly. The invention describes one way to accomplish this, namely by the addition of a predetermined amount of a suitable oxalato-complex to a suitable polyester mass. Most preferably, about 10% by weight K.sub.3 Al(C.sub.2 O.sub.4).sub.3 is added to the polyester mass.

Abstract: Production of drawn dilaments by cooling freshly spun filaments at a temperature below the setting point and taking them off at 3500 m/min while passing them over heated surfaces, such heated surfaces being 20 to 300 mm long heated to from 450.degree. to 650.degree. C. and arranged at a distance of from 1500 to 6500 mm from the spinneret.

Abstract: Fiber structures such as staple fibers, filaments, yarns as well as textile sheet structures such as woven or knitted fabrics as well as non-woven fabrics and the like made from multicomponent fibers of the matrix-segment type having in their cross sections a plurality of segments arranged peripherally without being fully surrounded by the matrix and being composed of polyalkylene terephthalate and copolyamides based on .epsilon.-caprolactam and hexamethylene diamine/adipic acid salt, are split by treatment with liquid or vaporous water. The difference in shrinkage between copolyamide and polyalkylene terephthalate in water is temporarily at least 10%. Corresponding short-staple fibers are particularly well suited for making wet-laid non-woven fabrics. The water used for treatment of the fiber structures may contain inorganic salts.

Abstract: Novel fabric softening compounds of the formulae ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 are independently selected from the group consisting of aliphatic radicals containing from about 8 to about 22 carbon atoms, R.sub.3 and R.sub.4 are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and methyl, R.sub.5 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and aliphatic radicals containing from about 8 to about 22 carbon atoms, x and y are independently integers from 1 to about 20, and z is 0 or 1, are disclosed. Also disclosed is a method for conditioning textiles utilizing said compounds.

Abstract: A multifilament yarn consisting of single filaments of the multicomponent matrix-segment type where the individual components of the yarn show a false-twist crimp and where all or part of the individual components, consisting of the matrix and at least three segment fibers split off such matrix, said segment fibers having shrunk by at least 10% in relation to the matrix fiber, are bonded to each other at irregular intervals.

Abstract: A new and useful process is disclosed for manufacturing a device for use in a bioprocess, comprising: (a) providing solid support means insoluble in water or organic solvent solutions; (b) coating said solid support means with water-based polymeric film means capable of applying one or more biomaterials; and (c) adsorbing or covalently bonding at least one functional biomaterial to said polymeric film means. The polymeric film means, for example, can be used to coat antigens, antibodies, haptens, enzymes, living bacteria, yeasts, etc. (i.e., biomaterials) to a glass (or other) support material, e.g., a glass tube, with surprising retention of the biomaterial's essential characteristic properties. The solid support means include but are not limited to those comprising glass, ceramics, metals, polymers and woods. The device of the invention is particularly useful in various immunoassays using a solid support for separation of phases.

Abstract: Novel and stable compositions of matter are disclosed which change color sharply upon a transition from a liquid state to a solid state or from a solid state to a liquid state, which change of state is at substantially a predetermined temperature corresponding to a temperature to be measured.The constituents of the novel compositions of matter comprise:1. a solvent (I) consisting of a single substance or a mixture of substances and adapted to change from a solid state at substantially a predetermined temperature to a liquid state and2. an indicator system (II) consisting of one or more substances different from (I), characterized in that(a) (II) is soluble in (I) when the latter is in the liquid phase, and(b) (II) changes color visible to the naked eye when (I) passes from the solid to the liquid phase or from the liquid to the solid phase.Thermometers containing said stable compositions of matter are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method of blanking wherein an endless V-shaped groove of desired contour is formed on at least one of the top and bottom sides of a material sheet. The groove is shaped so that the external side thereof is at a right angle to the groove-cut surface of the sheet. A blank having the desired contour is then cut out of the sheet along the right-angled external side of the groove.

Abstract: Fibrillatable multicomponent fibers of the matrix segment type and a process for production of fiber structures by splitting shrinkable, basically unset, multi-component fibers consisting of at least two incompatible components which in the fiber cross section are arranged in the form of a matrix and several segments, the latter accounting for about 20% to 80% of the total cross section. After having been processed into fiber structures such as staple fibers, yarns or fabrics, the multicomponent fibers are treated with a liquid or gaseous organic solvent, particularly chlorinated lower alkanes, to partially or completely split the segment filaments from the matrix component. Useful solvents are those which will reduce the zero-shrinkage temperature of the matrix or the segment polymer by at least 160.degree. C. and in which the polymer components constituting the fiber show different shrinkage behavior. Splitting may be further enhanced by the application of mechanical agitation, e.g. by ultrasonic waves.

Abstract: There is disclosed a sodium zirconium carbonate compound and the method of its preparation. The sodium zirconium carbonate compound is formed from a metastable aqueous solution comprising zirconium, sodium, sulfate, and carbonate ions.

Abstract: A method for inhibiting corrosion of a metal surface is disclosed. The method comprises contacting said metal surface with a corrosion inhibitor of the formula ##STR1## wherein R is selected from the group consisting of aliphatic radicals containing from about 6 to about 22 carbon atoms, R.sub.1 --C.sub.m H.sub.2m -- wherein R.sub.1 is alkoxy containing from 6 to 22 carbon atoms and m is an integer of from 2 to 6, and ##STR2## wherein R.sub.2 is alkyl containing from 1 to 20 carbon atoms, x is an integer of from 1 to 10 and each R.sub.3 is independently hydrogen or methyl; and R' is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, C.sub.1 -C.sub.12 alkyl, and C.sub.1 -C.sub.12 alkoxy, at a temperature and for a period of time sufficient to inhibit corrosion of said metal surface.A method for pretreating a metal surface to improve the adhesion of paint thereto is disclosed.