Abstract: A product and a process for the preparation of discrete calcium carbonate particles that result from preparing an aqueous calcium carbonate slurry containing carbohydrates, carbonating the aqueous calcium carbonate slurry while maintaining the selected starting carbonation temperature. The product of the present invention is discrete particles of calcium carbonate which are especially useful in paints, plastics, paper coating, paper filling, and because of the purity level of the calcium carbonate particle may be used in cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and food applications.

Abstract: A method is disclosed of producing a synthetic silicate. The method is advantageous in providing material useful in glass making. Such method involves the reaction of calcium oxides and magnesium oxides, water and sodium silicates. The glass formation is performed at a lower temperature than usual and performed with a lower amount of volatile gas release. Less cristobalite formation in the glass occurs. The synthetic silicate produced can be a cylindrical pellet.

Abstract: A method is disclosed of producing a synthetic silicate. The method is advantageous in providing material useful in glass making. Such method involves the reaction of calcium oxides and magnesium oxides, water and sodium silicates. The glass formation is performed at a lower temperature than usual and performed with a lower amount of volatile gas release. Less cristobalite formation in the glass occurs. The synthetic silicate produced can be a cylindrical pellet.

Abstract: Novel polymers are provided having phosphonated and sulphonated substituent groups such that the polymers is multifunctional in its use. Optional amide substituents are used to reduce electrostatic charge density or for hydrogen bonding. An advantage of the polymer is the flexibility of using it for multiple purposes. A particular application is for bonding paper fillers and paper fiber together.

Abstract: Apparatus for harvesting the cartilage connected to the breastbone on the skeletal portion of a poultry carcass including positioning means for positioning the breastbone for movement along a prescribed processing path and separating means for mechanically separating the cartilage from the breastbone as it moves along the processing path.

Abstract: Apparatus for harvesting the feet from poultry foot and leg parts including positioning means for positioning the a known feature of the foot and leg part at a prescribed location and severing means for severing the leg of the foot and leg part at a prescribed distance from said prescribed location to recover the foot.

Abstract: A fiber optic connector and an associated fabrication method where the connector has a connector housing having a base side, a and pair of sidewalls upstanding from the base side that are spaced apart in relation to each other, and each of the housing sidewalls define at least one aperture through which optical signals can be transmitted into and out of the housing by an input optical fiber and an output optical fiber, respectively, located in fixed positions outside the housing, a pair of optical lens elements are contained within the housing which collimate optical signals transmitted via the respective optical fibers, and a micro-alignable sensing fiber is arranged between the lens elements. The sensing fiber is precisely aligned with respective lens elements within submicron tolerances using internally-housed micro-aligners. As a result, the fiber optic connector of the present invention can provide efficient coupling between optical fibers, such as optical fibers in two spliced composite parts.

Abstract: A cored wire continuously formed by continuously inserting an extruded core inside a continuously roll formed sheath, the peripheral edges of the roll formed sheath joined by a continuous lock seam. Inspection of the partially formed lock seam at a designated process step serves to warn the user of malformed or defective lock seam portions in the finished cored wire.

Abstract: A process of purifying crystalline quartz to remove impurities within the lattice structure comprising the steps of heating the quartz to the tridymite polymorphic form and evaporatively reacting the heated quartz with an aqueous acid solution reactive with the impurities in the quartz to form water soluble metal salts. The residue of the evaporative reaction is washed with water to dissolve the metal salts leaving purified crystalline quartz. The disclosure also includes the product of the process.

Abstract: A method of modeling of the visible world using a spherical image data set includes steps for generating the spherical image data set, selecting a viewpoint within a p-surface, and texture mapping selected data from the spherical image data set onto the p-surface such that the resultant texture map is substantially equivalent to projecting the selected data onto the p-surface from the viewpoint to thereby generate a texture mapped p-surface. According to one aspect of the invention, the method also includes a step for either rotating the texture mapped p-surface or changing the direction of view to thereby expose a new portion of the texture mapped p-surface. According to another aspect of the invention, a first the texture mapped p-sphere is replaced by a second texture mapped p-sphere by interactively selecting the new viewpoint from viewpoints within the second texture mapped p-sphere.

Abstract: A method is disclosed of producing a synthetic silicate. The method is advantageous in providing material useful in glass making. Such method involves the reaction of calcium oxides and magnesium oxides, water and sodium silicates. The glass formation is performed at a lower temperature than usual and performed with a lower amount of volatile gas release. Less cristobalite formation in the glass occurs. The synthetic silicate produced can be a cylindrical pellet.

Abstract: A method for controlling a chemical reactor such as a gas-phase reactor using a non-linear predictive control includes steps for generating a plurality of signals representing a current state of the chemical reactor and reflecting a respective constituent of reactants in the chemical reactor, calculating a future state of the chemical reactor responsive to said plurality of signals and referenced to mass hold-up of the reactants in the chemical reactor, and controlling at least one parameter related to the chemical reactor so as to control the future state of the chemical reactor. Spurious control events due to noise in sensor or controller output signals are preferably minimized by filtering these signals using a N-sign filter subroutine.

Abstract: A method for generating a seamless spherical image combines at least two images separately captured from a single focal point and different directions of view. A spherical image data set produced by using a programmed computer to digitally stitch together at least two digital images that represent the visible world as seen from a fixed focal point and at least two respective directions of view is also described.

Abstract: An improved electrolysis system includes a cylindrical anode, a cylindrical cathode, a cathode material including nanocrystalline particles, and an insulator disposed between the anode and the cathode material to prevent contact between the anode and the cathode material.

Abstract: A method of modeling of the visible world using full-surround image data includes steps for selecting a view point within a p-surface, and texture mapping full-surround image data onto the p-surface such that the resultant texture map is substantially equivalent to projecting full-surround image data onto the p-surface from the view point to thereby generate a texture mapped p-surface. According to one aspect of the invention, the method also includes a step for either rotating the texture mapped p-surface or changing the direction of view to thereby expose a new portion of the texture mapped p-surface. According to another aspect of the invention, a first the texture mapped p-sphere is replaced by a second texture mapped p-sphere by interactively selecting the new viewpoint from viewpoints within the second texture mapped p-sphere. A corresponding apparatus is also described.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an acid-stabilized calcium carbonate slurry having a pH of less than 7, preferably between about 6 and about 7, containing water, calcium carbonate, preferably precipitated calcium carbonate, and an acid-stabilizer of a water soluble calcium salt, a weak acid, a chelating agent, a weak acid capable of chelating calcium ion, or a mixture thereof. The acid-stabilizer is present in an amount sufficient to provide an aqueous calcium carbonate slurry having an increased calcium ion concentration and an acidic pH. In a typical acid-stabilized calcium carbonate slurry of the invention, the acid-stabilizer is present in an amount sufficient to provide a calcium ion concentration of about 1 millimolar to about 5 molar, preferably from about 1 to about 120 millimolar.

Abstract: The present invention provides an electrochemical process for reducing metal contaminants in calcium carbonate by solubilizing the metal contaminate in an aqueous solution of calcium carbonate and then removing the solubilized metal contaminant by passing an electrical current through the aqueous calcium carbonate solution containing the solubilized metal contaminant. Calcium carbonate produced according to the process of this invention is particularly suitable for use as food or pharmaceutical additives. The calcium carbonate is also suitable for use in papermaking process as fillers, or coatings, or as additives in the production of plastics, paints and adhesive products. Other uses of high purity calcium carbonate include catalysts and catalyst supports, electrical/semiconductor applications, florescent lighting, and optical/laser applications.

Abstract: A synthetic silicate pellet is provided having component of calcium and magnesium, either together or in the alternative. Such pellet is further provided with either an aluminate silicate binder and/or an ion flow catalyst. The synthetic silicate pellet has use as a glass batch component.

Abstract: System and method for photodynamic therapy using a phased array Raman laser amplifier including a beam generator for generating a fundamental laser beam and a Raman seed frequency laser beam, and a fiber optic laser amplifier array for forming a diffraction limited output laser beam at the Raman seed frequency by amplifying the fundamental laser beam to a power level corresponding to the Stimulated Raman Scattering (SRS) threshold to thereby pump the SRS process and provide Raman gain to the Raman seed frequency laser beam.

Abstract: An attachment integrated claims (AIC) system includes an e-mail form (with specific fields that must be filled out) that adjusts itself, in both information required and formatting, to meet the demands of the receiving party. It is particularly advantageous for Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) situations where a user must send similar (but not necessarily identical) messages to several organizations. This is particularly important where, once an e-mail is received by those organizations, the information in the message must be digitally integrated into differing legacy information systems. In other words, the AIC system permits transmission of a dynamic claim form and integrated attachment to an insurance carrier via a non-clearinghouse communications channel. An AIC system including several computers connected via a communications channel, an electronic file, and an operating method therefor are also described.