Abstract: Methacoal Integrated Combined Cycle Power Plants comprise a thermal separation plant for producing condensate liquid fuel and particulate carbonaceous fuel from Methacoal fuels, coal-methanol suspensoids or slurries; gas turbine generator plants for burning the liquid fuel to produce electric power; steam turbine generator plants for producing electric power; a boiler plant for producing steam for steam turbines; a small firebox for burning reative particulate carbonaceous fuel, with minimum retention time for high temperature combustion gases and minimum oxygen required for combustion, thus minimizing emissions of nitrogen oxides and hazardous ultra-fine particulates; and means for controlling ash fusion and slagging problems. The two generating plants are respectively sized to provide the capacity required, and to consume the two fuels in the proportions produced from the Methacoal fuels, during normal operations, allowing fuel inventory control.

Abstract: What is disclosed is a method of accelerating the set of a retarded cement. The cement may range from a drilling fluid containing dispersants or retarders that will slow down the set of the drilling fluid when cementitious fluid is added thereto, through overwashing, or treating a retarded primary or remedial cement that may have been injected into fractures or areas within a well to overwashing a plug or any volume of retarded cement that needs to be set in a well.The specific uses are discussed.

Abstract: There is disclosed a method for chemically stabilizing cohesive soils. Sulfuric acid, citrus stripper oil, and water are admixed to the soil. Then the soil is packed to consolidate the soil particles.

Abstract: An edge cutter comprising a cutter member and support means therefore adapted to be moved to cut along a guide such as the edge of a path, comprising:means to support the cutter member on transport means,means to allow the cutter member to move laterally with respect to the direction of movement of the transport means,means to urge the cutter member to move toward the guide, and,means to allow the cutter member to caster to align with the guide.

Abstract: An apparatus mounts a sonar transducer to a boat. The apparatus includes a tubular member with a handle at one end and a transducer mounting bracket at the other end. The transducer mounting bracket is adapted to couple to a sonar transducer. Both the handle and the transducer mounting bracket are pivotally coupled to the tubular member and to each other by a linkage rod. By moving the handle up or down, the transducer mounting bracket will move correspondingly to a new elevational orientation. The tubular member is received by a cylindrical bore in a ball; the ball is mounted to the boat. By turning the handle to one side, the tubular member and the transducer mounting bracket will correspondingly turn to a new azimuthal orientation.

Abstract: The resistance of a cable conductor between a measuring point and a conductive fault is measured using an electronically regulated current source and a very high resistance voltmeter in such a way as to eliminate contact and fault resistance as a source of error. Distance to the fault is determined by calculation from the known resistance per unit length.

Abstract: A method of preparing a consolidating agent in the form of a polyurethane prepolymer for consolidating a proppant in a subterranean formation about a well employing the improvement characterized by a quasi prepolymer formed by reacting a diol with a stoichiometric excess of isomeric methylene diphenylene diisocyanate and a diluent; and allowing the reactants to stand for a period in excess of two hours at 25 degrees C., whereby to form oligmers of polyurethane chains. The method enables consolidating a proppant in fractures by a slow polymerization process, whereby the curing agent can be added at the same time the proppant is placed. Also disclosed are specific examples of diluents and curing agents.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for winding a tape smoothly onto an irregularly shaped mandrel or the like, including ends, characterized by tape storage and unreeling of packaged reels of tape to be wound smoothly onto the mandrel, mandrel rotational motor and gearing supporting and rotating the mandrel; delivery head roller for winding the tape onto the mandrel, a creel carrying the tape reel assembly, a creel rotating means adapted to rotate the creel to desired positions, an in-feed means carrying the creel and adapted to traverse normal to the mandrel, a traversing carriage carrying the in-feed means and adapted to traverse longitudinally of the mandrel; a controller for effecting movement of all the machines elements. The roller is freely rotatable and is pivotally mounted such that when moved longitudinally of the mandrel in both directions with the tape passing over it, the tape is wound smoothly onto the mandrel.

Abstract: A hip stabilizer for a patient who still has control of the muscles in his leg to prevent atrophy of the muscles, characterized by a non-inflatable, adjustable belt, serving to engage the hips, the belt being adjustable for fitting the hips of any patient; a hip pad disposed on a desired side of the patient when in place, at least one metal biasing means on one of the hip pads for controlling the thigh of the patient at a desired angle of abduction in the range of from 0-90 degrees, preferably 0-15 degrees, with respect to the downwardly extending hip pad; non-inflatable, adjustable thigh engaging mechanism. In the preferred embodiment, the thigh engaging means includes a longitudinally extending member, a deformable plastic pad and a plurality of straps that extend around the pad and the thigh. It is also preferred that suitable padded material be interspersed, or disposed between the respective elements and the body.

Abstract: A pipe wrench that is readily fitted to a desired size by engagement of rack-like teeth on a stem portion with a movable jaw with co-engaging rack-like teeth, the pipe wrench being of a modern type and including means for retrofitting conventional modern pipe wrenches.

Abstract: What is disclosed is a collapsible wire rack characterized by two substantially identical and planar ends for receiving a bottom; a pair of horizontal wire members having at both ends a bent hook eye structure for pivotally receiving respective side end wire members to allow collapsibility; the horizontal wire members being affixed to the rectangularly shaped centerpiece; two substantially identical planar sides; more elongate member defining a more supporting top; four sets arranged one at each end of each side of three shortened vertical wire members, two of each set being bent in a U-shaped configuration for carrying a nut means for screwingly, removably receiving a threaded shaft of a caster; and one of each set having a bent hook structure adjacent its lower end and disposed substantially level with the bent hook structure of the vertical wire member of each end for receiving the bottom; a plurality of substantially horizontal wire members connected with the elongate rectangularly shaped centerpiece and

Abstract: Method of treating subsurface layers of the earth for controlling movement of subsurface water and building strength of the subsurface layers characterized by injecting at a plurality of predetermined depths and at a plurality of predetermined spaced-apart locations a lime-fly ash slurry consisting essentially of water, particulate hydrated lime and particulate fly ash; the particulate lime and fly ash being present as particulate solids and a proportion of from twenty-five percent by weight of the water to as much as two hundred percent by weight of the water when employed along. The particulate solids comprise lime and fly ash in proportions ranging from three parts lime to one part fly ash to one part lime to ten parts fly ash. The injection is carried out by pumping the slurry of one of the particulate solids and water through a jet slurry mixing apparatus for aspirating in the other dry particulate solid. Preferably the fly ash will be aspirated into a slurry of the lime in water.

Abstract: An oil additive, particularly useful for railroad engines having reduced lacquer forming tendencies characterized by a novel alkaline earth phenate in which the normal tendency to form lacquers is reduced by the substitution of electron-donating groups; such as sulfur or tertiary amines for the secondary amine in the structural formula.

Abstract: A combination bag holder and bag therefor characterized by a bag holder that has no standing vertical member from a freestanding base with a hanger rack means adjacent the top and holding a flexible permeable collection bag above the floor, the bag having a yoke that is open along its bottom to receive the hanger rack. Also disclosed are the hanger rack and the bag, per se.

Abstract: An alarm system has an alarm unit that includes a siren, a stroboscopic light, and an address display. The alarm unit is located on a building so as to be visible from the building exterior. The address display is made up of one or more characters, arranged so as to make up the address of the building. The characters are formed by plural light emitting diodes. Switching circuitry activates the siren and the stroboscopic light, and switches the display to full brilliance. Reset circuitry deactivates the siren and the strobscopic light, and returns the display to a preactivation level of brilliance. A portable transmitter unit can be used to activate the alarm system. Interlock circuitry prevents the deactivation of the stroboscopic light and the address display before the siren is deactivated. The alarm system can be operated in one of two modes. The first mode has the siren operate continuously, and the second mode has the siren operate intermittently.

Abstract: A sheet-like inner member formed of prosthetic mesh has an opening formed therethrough. A tubular member formed of prosthetic mesh has two opposite ends with an opening extending therethrough between its two ends. The inner member is connected to the tubular member at or near one end thereof such that a passage extends through the openings of the two members. The tubular member is adapted to be located in the opening of an abdominal wall of a human inward of the outer skin thereof with the inner member being adapted to be attached to an inner portion of the abdominal wall around the opening thereof inward of the other end of the tubular member. The passage of the device has a size sufficient to receive and support a portion of the gastrointestinal tract.

Abstract: There is disclosed apparatus and methods for playing a game between two opposing sides. One version of the game is played on a board by two or more players. The board has a top surface with markings dividing the top surface into two areas of play and a neutral area. The areas of play are separated from one another by the neutral area. Markings delineate circular nonoverlapping zones within each area of play. Scoring pockets are located within each area of play. The playing ball includes two bowl shaped portions joined together at their open ends. A small shperical ball is inside the playing ball and openings in the bowl shaped portions communicate between the exterior and the interior space of the playing ball. Sticks having foot shaped protuberances are used by the players to strike the ball and to defend the scoring pockets. Men in the form of vertical playing pieces are adapted to be located in the zones and are used for defensive purposes.

Abstract: There is disclosed a steering control system for a boat propelled by either bow mounted or transom mounted trolling motors. The steering control system includes a steering cam assembly, actuating device for imparting relative rotational movement between the steering cam and the steering cam housing, and steering device for turning the trolling motors in a manner responsive to the actuation of the switching device. The steering cam assembly has a steering cam with actuating surfaces that form varying contours, a steering cam housing that houses the steering cam such that the steering cam rotates relative to the steering cam housing, electrical switching device coupled to the steering cam housing with actuating portions responsive to the actuating surface. Several different embodiments of the steering device are provided that either swing the trolling motors in an arc or rotate the trolling motors.

Abstract: There is disclosed an easy to assembly detonating cord retainer arrangement for shaped charges. A portion of a length of detonating cord is laid into the slot of a bifurcated cylindrical projection located at one end of the shaped charge case. A push nut is pressed onto the projection to retain the detonating cord within the slot.