Abstract: Magnetic stripe media reader/encoders include reader/encoder body modules made of two complementary body elements that provide a track or path for guiding a magnetic stripe-carrying medium over a magnetic reader head, and magnetic head-carrying devices for magnetic stripe medium reader/encoder magnetic heads including a magnetic head-holding frame linked to a gimbaling frame-and-shaft combination linked, in turn, to a springy mounting mechanism.

Abstract: A system for automatically storing one or more pauses in a device for memorizing a dialing sequence such as a telephone number includes a device for instantaneously detecting the appearance, persistence and interruption of a substantially continuous signal on a line such as a telephone line in a time period shorter than a human listener requires to perceive this signal and dial one number of the sequence; a device for detecting engagement of a key for generating, on the telephone line, a signal representing at least one member of the dialing sequence; a device for delaying generation of the signal associated with the engaged key to test for persistence or interruption of the substantially continuous signal on the telephone line in a time period substantially imperceptible to the human listener; and a device for memorizing each member of the dialing sequence at its correct position in the sequence with a pause automatically stored before any member if the substantially continuous signal persisted on the teleph

Abstract: A device for storing and automatic drawing of so-called intermediate elements for loading, feeding and discharge of certain products, from a freezer to horizontal plates, having thereto connected a system outside of the freezer cabinet for carrying the intermediate elements coming out of the cabinet back to the cabinet inlet, characterized by comprising means outside of the cabinet for receiving and supporting said intermediate elements, a device being provided for bringing the intermediate elements coming out of the cabinet onto said means.

Abstract: A method for separating and recovering substantially pure aluminum, iron and silica from fly ash, a by-product of coal combustion, includes reacting the fly ash with aqueous fluosilicic acid and aqueous hydrogen fluoride at temperatures sufficiently high to form aqueous silicon fluoride vapor and fluorides and fluosilicate of aluminum and iron, separating the aluminum and iron fluorides and fluorosilicates from the aqueous silicon fluoride vapor, hydrolizing the silicon fluoride vapor to form silicon dioxide in substantially pure form and hydrogen fluoride, recovering and recycling the hydrogen fluoride for reuse in the process, and separating the aluminum and iron fluorides and fluosilicates from one another, and recovering substantially pure aluminum fluoride, substantially pure iron and other substantially pure metals, by electroplating or otherwise.

Abstract: Edge-supported and fully supported membranes having substantially uniform thickness, and substantially parallel surfaces, and having the capacity to transmit at least about 90% of incident light with very little diffraction, dispersion or absorption of incident light are made by forming a polymer/solvent mixture, spin-coating a film of the polymer from the mixture onto a rotatable surface, which may have a release agent thereon, and, where a release agent is present, joining a frame or other support to the membrane and removing the membrane with its attached support from the surface. Apparatus for making such membranes includes a dispenser for dispensing a polymer/solvent mixture onto a rotatable support; a device for spinning the rotatable support at gradually increasing speeds from a first to a second speed; and a device for maintaining the speed of rotation of the support at the second speed until the membrane forms.

Abstract: A system for transferring pneumatic carriers from one pneumatic carrier receiving/dispatching station to another includes a first pneumatic carrier diverter, or a plurality of such first diverters, each with an inlet/outlet linked through pneumatically-sealed tubes to at least one such station, a multiplicity of outlets, and a device for shiftably linking the inlet/outlet of the diverter to any one of its multiple outlets; a second pneumatic carrier diverter, or a plurality of such second diverters, each with a multiplicity of inlets and a single outlet, and a mechanism for shiftably linking the multiplicity of inlets to the outlets; the system including either a plurality of such first diverters, or a plurality of such second diverters, or both; pneumatically-sealed tubes joining, in parallel, all the diverters of the first kind of all the diverters of the second kind; and a pressure/vacuum supply device joined to the outlet of one or more of the second kind.

Abstract: Good color in fresh meat, fresh poultry, and fresh fish is established and maintained by subjecting such meat, poultry and fish to an atmosphere containing a low oxygen concentration to convert oxymyoglobin on the surface of the meat and poultry to reduced myoglobin, and both oxymyoglobin and oxyhemoglobin in fish to reduced myoglobin/hemoglobin, respectively, then subjecting the fresh meat, fresh poultry and fresh fish to a modified atmosphere containing a small amount of carbon monoxide to convert the reduced myoglobin to carboxymyoglobin to a depth of not more than about 0.375 inch below the surface of the meat and poultry, and to convert the reduced myoglobin/hemoglobin to reduced carboxymyoglobin/carboxyhemoglobin in the fish. The modified atmosphere is a new composition of matter.

Abstract: A method for treating water or waste water to remove pollutants therefrom includes treating fly ash comprising aluminum, iron and silica with an aqueous base, recovering a base-treated, solid fly ash, washing the base-treated solid fly ash with water, recovering a rinsed, base-treated fly ash solid, reacting the rinsed, base-treated fly ash solid with mineral acid, and recovering an aqueous, solubilized acidic fly ash leachate, then mixing the aqueous, acidic solubilized fly ash leachate with water or waste water to remove pollutants therefrom, or with sludge to reduce its resistant to dewatering.

Abstract: A mineral polymer of the silicoaluminate family has a composition expressed in terms of oxides as follows:yK.sub.2 O:Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 :xSiO.sub.2 :w H.sub.2 Owhere, in the fully hydrated form, "w" is a value at the most equal to 4, "x" is a value in the range of about 4.0 to about 4.2, and "y" is a value in the range of about 1.3 to about 1.52. These mineral polymers are solid solutions which comprise one phase of a potassium polysilicate having the formula:(y-1)K.sub.2 O:(x-2)SiO.sub.2 :(w-1)H.sub.2 Oand one phase of a potassium polysialate polymer having the following formula: ##STR1## where "n" is the degree of condensation of the polymer.

Abstract: A reversible nursing mother's garment includes a single shoulder loop attached to and carrying a drape for the wearer's breast nearer the loop. The drape includes front and rear panels. The front panel extends downwardly from the single shoulder loop towards the wearer's waistline and laterally from the wearer's side across the wearer's breast that is near the shoulder loop.

Abstract: A method for measuring accurately the optical thickness and index of refraction of thin, optical membranes includes directing light onto the membrane at one or more known angles of incidence, finding at least one angle of incidence, called a null angle, where the membrane reflects substantially none of the incident light, then calculating the optical thickness of the membrane, its index of refraction, or both, from one or more such null angles. Apparatus for this purpose includes means for directing a light beam onto thin, optical membranes, means for varying the angle of incidence of a light beam upon the membrane, and means for detecting the angles of incidence of the light beam on the membrane, including the null angles.

Abstract: This invention concerns a device for insertion and feed of products on the plates in a freezer, particularly to horizontal evaporating plate freezers.

Abstract: A waterbed mattress includes a buoyant honeycomb core structure attached only to the bottom wall of the mattress. The core structure includes a plurality of openings and a plurality of buoyant members integrally formed with the core and containing buoyant, flotation-promoting means sealed inside them.

Abstract: Modern refrigerated container ships have a hold in which insulated containers carrying perishable products are stacked and are connected to a source of cold air, which is circulated through the containers to cool the products. This system has disadvantages such as the dehydration of the products by the constant circulation of the cold air. The invention provides that the containers in such a conveyance are sealed and their interiors contain a modified atmosphere being cooled by circulation through a heat exchange unit which is sealed in the container and which receives cold air from the exterior source. The invention can analogously be applied to the warming of products.

Abstract: The growth of harmful fungi on fresh fruits and vegetables is inhibited by maintaining them in a modified atmosphere including carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, oxygen and nitrogen.

Abstract: A thermograph for automatically recording variations of temperature correlated with the passage of time and characterized by a light weight and durable construction protectively combined with a shipping container which serves as a housing enclosing the instrument while exposing a heat transfer element for quick response and a direct recording of prevailing temperature upon a chart. The instrument is a permanent and reuseable unit that is carried within the expendible shipping container to produce a thermogram from a prepared chart of pressure sensitive material that is transported over a thermometer stylus by means of a clock motor drive.