Abstract: A hand-held bagel slicer is described for circumferentially slicing a bagel into two equal halves. The slicer comprises a generally U-shaped clip attached to a handle. The clip comprises a generally semi-circular bight and two flexible legs. The legs converge slightly from the bight to their free ends to hold the bagel sideways, and the free ends are outwardly flared to facilitate insertion of the bagel for slicing. Midway between the two legs is a 2 edged knife blade. The blade has a base secured to the bight and a tip terminating in a point. The blade is about 50 to 75% of the length of the legs. The free end of the handle is generally elliptical in cross section. The handle decreases in cross-sectional size and becomes generally rectangular in shape toward the flared end. The clip is joined to a core which has one or more small cross ribs extending laterally from a center rib to match with a similarly shaped recess in the handle to prevent relative rotation between the handle and the clip.

Abstract: Metal pigment dispersions are proposed, which comprise flake-form metal pigments produced by crushing and binding agent or binding agent solution which contain no or less than 0.01% by weight of reaction or decomposition products of fatty acids which result from the reaction with the metal pigment in the presence of oxygen in the air. Also described is a process for the production of those metal pigment dispersions, wherein the metal pigment is crushed with the binding agent in a ball crusher, and the use of those metal pigment dispersions for the production of paints or lacquers and inks, in particular printing inks.

Abstract: A garlic press is described which utilizes a unique grater plate comprising a plurality of spaced apart drain holes and a plurality of conical projections. A corresponding press plate contains numerous recesses to receive the projections to facilitate the pressing of the garlic by penetrating the skin of the garlic clove. The garlic press may use a clean-out tool which includes a plurality of clean-out pins for engaging the drain holes in the grater plate. The tool can be stored by clipping it to one of the handles of the press when not in use. The pins of the clean out tool are a fixed length between three in four times of thickness of the grater plate. Alternatively, the clean out tool can be affixed to the press unit opposite the press plate with the top presser unit rotated about 270 degrees from a closed position to a fully open position, allowing the clean out pins to enter through the drain holes.

Abstract: Nickel hydroxide for use in an electrode of a rechargeable battery is prepared by controlled precipitation from a neutralized reaction mixture of a nickel salt and an alkali metal hydroxide. The controlled precipitation results in the formation of generally spherical particles having a high density. Pulsed or constant ultrasonic energy is applied to the mixture or to a portion thereof during the reaction to cause an alteration in the micro and macrostructures and the surface characteristics of the particles. These alterations result in enhanced performance characteristics of the resultant electrode.

Abstract: Acid, electroplating baths having consistent leveler activity contain levelers which are quaternized near-monodisperse polymers of acrylic or methacrylic trialkyl amine esters. The polymers may contain hydroxyalkyl acrylate or methacrylate ester components, unquaternized acrylic or methacrylic amine component as well as other polymeric components.

Abstract: An efficient spray displacement tin plating process of copper printed circuit innerlayers is disclosed for the manufacture of multilayer printed circuit boards. The displacement tin plating solution is stabilized and replenished by incorporating free tin metal in the plating solution reservoir. Unwanted tin(IV) ions which are produced by aerial oxidation during the spray process, are reacted with tin metal in the reservoir to produce sufficient tin(II) ions to compensate for losses due to plating, oxidation and the like. Not only is the plating bath stabilized, but its useful life is extended dramatically.

Abstract: A stabilized spray displacement tin plating process of copper printed circuit innerlayers is disclosed for the manufacture of multilayer printed circuit boards. During prolonged use of spray tin plating, the plating solution becomes saturated with cupurous thiourea complex which precipitates interfering with spray nozzles and other mechanical components. The tin plating solution is stabilized by removing portions from the reservoir before saturation is reached, selectively precipitating the thiourea complex, and returning the remaining solution back to the reservoir. The precipitated cupurous thiourea complex is redissolved in acid and either disposed of by conventional waste treatment or the acid solution can be electrowinned to reclaim copper and oxidize thiourea to form a more acceptable acid solution for waste treatment.

Abstract: An environmentally innocuous effective replacement for thiourea is disclosed for use as a complexing agent in displacement plating processes in which the plating solution is applied to the substrate surface to be plated by immersion or by spraying, cascading, pouring and the like. The replacement complexing agent is an imidazole-2-thione compound having the formula: ##STR1## wherein A and B are the same or different --R--Y groups, wherein R is linear, branched or cyclic alkenyl group containing 1 to 12 carbon atoms and Y is a hydrogen, halogen, cyano, vinyl, phenyl, or ether moiety. Of this class of compounds, 1-methyl-3-propyl-imidazole-2-thione is preferred for immersion tin plating. This class of complexing agents is particularly useful in spray displacement tin plating for the manufacture of printed circuit boards wherein free tin metal is added to the plating solution.

Abstract: Improved through-hole plating of printed circuit boards, wherein the ratio of the printed circuit board thickness to the diameter of at least one through hole is greater than 3 to 1, is achieved by a high-throw acid copper plating bath of this invention. The high-throw acid copper plating bath comprises an aqeuous solution of (A) copper sulfate, (B) sulfuric acid, (C) chloride ion, e.g., hydrochloric acid, (D) a carrier, (E) a brightener, and (F) an alkali metal salt; wherein the plating bath has a pH of not greater than about 1, the concentration of the hydrochloric acid is from about 6.0.times.10.sup.-4 to about 1.8.times.10.sup.-3 moles/liter, and the mole ratio of copper sulfate:sulfuric acid is not greater than about 1:25. Unlike previous high-throw acid copper plating baths, the bath of this invention contains an alkali metal salt. The use of the alkali metal salt makes it possible to maintain a lower acid concentration resulting in easier maintenance and more consistent plating.

Abstract: For acid copper plating baths containing a brightener used to produce smooth copper coatings of high brilliancy, it has been found that the "break-in" period normally needed after a brightener is added to the plating bath, has been virtually eliminated by use of the brightener of this invention. This brightener consists essentially of a peroxide oxidation product of a dialkylamino-thioxomethyl-thioalkanesulfonic acid wherein each alkyl and alkane group individually contains 1 to 6 carbon atoms and wherein the peroxide oxidation of the dialkylamino-thioxomethyl-thioalkane-sulfonic acid is carried out in an acid, aqueous medium having a pH of not more than about 1. In an added embodiment of this invention the acid copper plating bath also contains hydrolysis products of the peroxide oxidation product of a dialkylamino-thioxomethyl-thioalkanesulfonic acid.

Abstract: An extruded copper chromite-alumina catalyst is prepared by blending together from 40-82% by weight of copper chromite and 18-60% of an extrudable alumina, typically having a pseudoboehmite or .alpha. hydroxy boehmite structure. The extruded catalyst after calcining is useful for the liquid and vapor phase hydrogenation and hydrogenolysis of various carbonyl compounds and the functional side groups of aromatic compounds.The extruded catalyst is characterized as having a surface area of between 20 and 225 square meters per gram and a packed apparent bulk density of between about 0.70 and about 1.20 g/cc.

Abstract: The addition of a getter consisting essentially of reactive oxides of boron and silicon, to a melt of an alkali metal halide serves to overcome problems of unacceptable color, afterglow and hardness attributable to trace impurities present in the melt. These trace impurities are generally metals present in a concentration less than 1 part per million (ppm) parts of melt. An ingot melt-grown from charge stock treated with the getter provides high quality optical bodies such as light pipes, laser windows and scintillators. Specific problems characteristic of a scintillator ingot grown from a highly purified alkali metal halide "remelt", such as is obtained by crushing and melting portions of a melt-grown ingot, are overcome by adding to the remelt a portion of fresh powder stock in which the getter has been uniformly distributed.

Abstract: A light-reflective, flowable and curable composition is described which comprises a resin containing light-reflective solid particles in an amount and of average particle size sufficient to provide the desired light reflectance/transmittance characteristics to the cured composition. Preferably, the composition is self-leveling, and the solid particles may be particles of magnesium oxide, barium sulfate, aluminum oxide or mixtures thereof. The compositions of the invention are useful as reflective coatings in various applications such as for radiation detector devices including scintillator crystals.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for hot press-forging a normally frangible optically integral crystalline mass ("optical body") in a closed die, by directly pressing a surface of the mass while it is peripherally surrounded by a crystal powder the amount of which is computed from the deformation ratio desired and the geometry of the die. The crystal powder is compacted by the non-uniformly directed forces transmitted to it by the optical body, and eventually the crystal powder is sufficiently dense so as dynamically to constrain the optical body at its peripheral surface. The dynamic constraint of the optical body while it is being forged is effected in such a way as to permit deformation of the optical body without fracturing it, and, without affecting its optical integrity.

Abstract: A Geiger-Mueller ("GM") tube containing a noble gas mixture of about 98-99.9% Ne and the remainder Ar, and in addition containing from 2-5% ethylene as the quench gas, provides high stability and high count rates in the temperature range from about -100.degree. C. to about 200.degree. C. When this GM tube is provided with a sleeve-and-screen liner in electrical contact with an outer cathode, the tube exhibits exceptional sensitivity. The sleeve may be a continuous deposit of a heavy metal having an atomic number from about 73 to about 83, deposited on the inner surface of the cathode tube, or the sleeve may be a foil liner of tungsten or tantalum. The screen is woven of metal wire on which is deposited a heavy metal.

Abstract: The addition of a getter consisting essentially of reactive oxides of boron and silicon, to a melt of an alkali metal halide serves to overcome problems of unacceptable color, afterglow and hardness attributable to trace impurities present in the melt. These trace impurities are generally metals present in a concentration less than 1 part per million (ppm) parts of melt. An ingot melt-grown from charge stock treated with the getter provides high quality optical bodies such as light pipes, laser windows and scintillators. Specific problems characteristic of a scintillator ingot grown from a highly purified alkali metal halide "remelt", such as is obtained by crushing and melting portions of a melt-grown ingot, are overcome by adding to the remelt a portion of fresh powder stock in which the getter has been uniformly distributed.

Abstract: A new and distinct variety of peach tree, designated GW115, originated as a seedling in a block of `Loring`. It is an early season variety maturing before `Redhaven`. The fruit is yellow fleshed, semi-freestone, firm, medium to large sized, aromatic and flavorful. The surface of the fruit is attractive red with a rich golden background.

Abstract: A new and distinct variety of Peach tree, designated `HB110`, originated as a seedling in a block of `Jerseyqueen`. It is a mid-season variety maturing after `Loring` and before `Cresthaven`. The fruit is yellow-fleshed, freestone, firm, large sized and flavorful. The surface of the fruit is attractively colored with a dark red blush over a rich golden background.

Abstract: A cross of Guzmania `Lingulata` and `Wittmackii` which differs from other crosses of the same in the fact that the bract's coloration goes further down the peduncle, is bi-colored, and a carmine 31+ color with a suffusion of rose 38+, the habit being lax, except for the inflorescence.

Abstract: A new and distinct variety of Spathiphyllum plant characterized particularly as to novelty by demonstrating a greater suckering propensity than its parents at the juvenile stage, and producing more and shorter blooms and having shiny, dark green leaves without the burn problems of the pollen parent.