Abstract: This invention relates to improvements in engines of the reciprocating piston type, especially reciprocating piston internal combustion engines suitable for stationary and non-stationary uses. The pistons of the engine are operatively connected to the drive shaft of the engine via an elongated gear-roller gear pinion mechanism. In association with a cylinder-piston unit of the engine there is provided a roller gear pinion, engaged with the drive shaft such that rotation thereof rotates the drive shaft. An elongated roller gear is pivotally connected via an end to a piston, and the opposite open end of said elongated roller gear is meshed with the roller gear pinion. The elongated roller gear is guided through a path via appropriate mechanism which maintains continuous contact between said gears such that reciprocation of the piston within a cylinder produces rotation of the drive shaft.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to compositions characterized as porous solids on the surfaces of which thin films of chitinous material are dispersed, and to a process employing chitin per se, and preferably the chitin coated compositions, supra, as contact masses for the removal of metals contaminants, or halogenated organic compounds, from liquid streams contaminated or polluted with these materials.

Abstract: An improved automatic fluid injector is described which includes generally (A) a syringe, or syringe assembly, inclusive of a barrel of relatively large diameter into which a fluid specimen can be loaded, and fluid specimen displaced from the barrel into the inlet of an analytical instrument, (B) an injector feed assembly for the pick up and of a fluid specimen for delivery to the barrel of the syringe, and (C) a magazine for transporting fluid specimen-containing vials for pick up by the injector feed assembly. The combination is one wherein the syringe assembly is integral with a carriage upon which it is mounted, the carriage providing a mechanism for loading a fluid specimen delivered from a vial via the injector feed assembly into the large diameter barrel without the formation of bubbles, or foam.

Abstract: A multi-stage rotary kiln for burning waste, suitably skid mounted for ease of transport. The kiln includes a pair of concentric tubes affixed one inside the other and rotatable; a first large diameter tube and a second tube of smaller diameter, provided at one end with circumferential wall openings, mounted inside said first large diameter tube. An annular passageway between the two tubes, and opening through the second small diameter tube provides a continuous flow path for the introduction of waste and hot burning gases, the hot gases flowing cocurrently with the waste via the annular passageway, and circumferential openings into and through the second tube. A feed mechanism introduces waste into the annular passageway, elevator means lifts the burning waste from the annular passageway and passes same into the circumferential openings, and the burning waste is transported through the smaller tube and discharged.

Abstract: A wheel alignment system for measuring the angular values of the steerable and non-steerable wheels of a vehicle, including caster, camber, toe, set back and track, as computed from references taken from the chassis of the vehicle. The wheel alignment system includes apparatus comprised of one or more pairs of wheel unit sensor assembly units, each of a pair of which can be mounted via a wheel clamp assembly upon the parallelly disposed wheels of the vehicle, to measure the wheel alignment angles of the steerable and non-steerable wheels of the vehicle. These measurements can be progressively fed, as the alignment proceeds, into a microprocessor, or central processing unit of a computer, the computations displayed as a readout, suitably upon a video screen associated therewith, and these values compared with the manufacturer's specifications of the different wheel alignment settings of a given vehicle selected from the memory of the computer.

Abstract: Non-A, non-B hepatitis antigen, antigen compositions, vaccine and assay test for the detection of non-A, non-B hepatitis antigen. The antigen is characterized as having a particle size of about 2.0 nm to about 5.0 nm, a density of from about 1.24 to about 1.30 g/cm.sup.3, contains ribonucleic acid and occurs either free or bound to IgG molecules.The antigen can be isolated by isopycnic banding and chromatographic fractionation, and preferably by enzymatic digestion, isopycnic banding and chromatographic fractionation.

Abstract: A novel high sulfur capacity adsorbent capable of high rates of sulfur adsorption from process streams, which is readily regenerable by simple gas stripping. The adsorbent is characterized as a spinel compound of the formula M[N.sub.x Al.sub.2-x ]O.sub.4, where M is one or more divalent cations selected from the group consisting of copper, Group II-B, i.e., zinc, cadmium, and mercury, and chromium, and Iron Group metals, i.e., iron, cobalt, and nickel, and magnesium, N is one or more trivalent cations selected from the group consisting of Group VI-B, i.e., chromium, molybdenum, and tungsten, manganese, and Iron Group metals, i.e., iron, cobalt and nickel, x is a positive number of value greater than 0 and less than 2.0, and the total cationic charge of M[N.sub.x Al.sub.2-x ] is 8. The sorbent readily adsorbes sulfur, e.g., organosulfur compounds and hydrogen sulfide, from gas streams.

Abstract: A rhenium promoted cobalt catalyst, especially a rhenium and thoria promoted cobalt catalyst, and process for the conversion of methanol to hydrocarbons. Methanol is contacted, preferably with added hydrogen, over said catalyst, or synthesis gas is contacted over said catalyst to produce, at reaction conditions, an admixture of C.sub.10 + linear paraffins and olefins. These hydrocarbons can be further refined to high quality middle distillate fuels, and other valuable products such as mogas, diesel fuel, jet fuel, lubes and speciality solvents, particularly premium middle distillate fuels of carbon number ranging from about C.sub.10 to about C.sub.20.

Abstract: A zirconium, hafnium, cerium or uranium promoted cobalt catalyst and process for the conversion of methanol or synthesis gas to hydrocarbons. Methanol is contacted, preferably with added hydrogen, over said catalyst, or synthesis gas is contacted over said catalyst to produce, at reaction conditions, an admixture of C.sub.10 + linear paraffins and olefins. These hydrocarbons can be further refined to high quality middle distillate fuels, and other valuable products such as mogas, diesel fuel, and jet fuel, particularly premium middle distillate fuels of carbon number ranging to about C.sub.20.

Abstract: A hammer useful for driving tacks, or nails in normally inaccessible locations, or places. In brief, the new hammer can be characterized as including a central member having an arcuate lower face, and cross-members extended laterally outwardly from about the mid portion thereof to provide stability. An upper face of one terminal end of the central member provides a surface for directing a force against the head of a tack or nail to be driven, and the opposite terminal end of the central member provides a handle against which a force can be directed.

Abstract: An improved seal for use in couplings, and joints, as used in the formation of production tubing. Such seal is located in an inwardly tapered threaded section of the coupling, or joint, and it is characterized generally as an annular groove and ring-shaped extrudable generally non-resilient sealing member seated in said groove, said ring-member being extrudable into and confinable within said groove when said couplings, or joints, are made up by threadably connecting therewith a threaded end of pipe. The bottom face of said groove, in particular, is contoured sufficiently that a portion of the distorted ring-shaped sealing member is displaced therein to reduce the amount of pressure normally applied against the wall and, in its most preferred embodiment, the annular groove is provided with side walls, and interconnected angular sides cut into the threaded portion of the coupling, or joint.

Abstract: A process for the pretreating with steam, steam and carrier gas, steam and hydrogen, or with an oxygen-containing gas, suitably air, a particulate ruthenium catalyst, notably a ruthenium-titania catalyst, for improved start-up in the production of hydrocarbons via carbon monoxide-hydrogen synthesis and methanol conversion reactions.

Abstract: An improved sulfur trap for the sulfur level reduction of a reformer feed leaving a hydrofiner to render it suitable for use in a reforming unit employing a sulfur-sensitive reforming catalyst. The nickel catalyst contained in said sulfur trap is one wherein the average crystallite size of the nickel is at least about 75.ANG., and at greater than 50 percent of the nickel is in reduced state, based on the total weight of the supported component.

Abstract: A process wherein in a hydrofining zone, a sulfur- or nitrogen-containing distillate feed, or feed containing both sulfur and nitrogen, is hydrofined at hydrofining conditions sufficient to convert the sulfur and nitrogen to hydrogen sulfide, and ammonia, respectively, the hydrogen sulfide and ammonia are separated from the hydrofined product, and the hydrofined product contacted in a subsequent zone with hydrogen, or a hydrogen-containing gas over a catalyst which contains elemental iron and one or more alkali- or alkaline-earth metals at reaction conditions sufficient to reduce or restore the color of the hydrofined product. Operation in this manner permits hydrofining of the feed at higher severities, for longer periods, than heretofore possible because the adverse quality of the product reaction mixture normally caused by deterioration of the hydrofiner product at such conditions is remediated by treatment of the hydrofined product over the iron catalyst.

Abstract: A process for the start-up of a reactor which utilizes a feed comprising hydrogen and carbon monoxide for the synthesis of hydrocarbons. The feed is contacted with a bed of hydrocarbon synthesis catalyst in which perturbations of the temperature profile across the bed can develop, and which, at start-up is particularly acute. In practicing the process the feed is introduced into the reactor at a rate ranging up to about 100 percent of the total flow rate at which the feed is introduced to the reactor at line-out. Hydrogen is introduced into the reactor as a portion of said feed at a molar feed rate generally well below the feed rate in which the hydrogen is employed in the reactor at line-out, the molar ratio of hydrogen:carbon monoxide of the feed generally not exceeding about 90 percent, preferably 75 percent, of the molar ratio of hydrogen:carbon monoxide at line-out.

Abstract: An apparatus, viz. an automatic fluid injector, useful for the injection of very small, accurately measured quantities of fluid specimens into various media, e.g., the inlets of modern analytical instruments. The improved apparatus combination embodies an injector feed assembly wherein the probe sub-assembly comprises the combination of (i) an outer rigid tubular needle of relatively large inside diameter, and (ii) an inner flexible tubular needle, one terminal end of which is concentrically contained within said outer rigid tubular needle and of sufficiently small outside diameter to form an annulus between the external surface of said inner flexible tubular needle and the internal surface of said outer rigid tubular needle, while the opposite end of said inner flexible tubular needle is communicated with the barrel of said syringe. The outer rigid tubular needle protects the inner flexible needle on thrust of the probe sub-assembly through the septum of a fluid specimen-containing vial.

Abstract: A process for hydrocracking a hydrocarbon feedstock having a propensity to form polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbon compounds to suppress fouling the processing unit. The hydrocracking method includes contacting the hydrocarbon feedstock with a crystalline zeolite hydrocracking catalyst, contacting at least a portion of the resulting unconverted hydrocarbon oil containing polynuclear aromatic compounds with an iron catalyst in the presence of hydrogen to hydrogenate and hydrocrack the polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbon compounds, and recycling unconverted hydrocarbon oil having a reduced concentration of polynuclear aromatic compounds to the hydrocracking zone.

Abstract: In a process wherein, in a series of reforming zones, or reactors, each of which contains a bed, or beds of a sulfur-sensitive polymetallic platinum-containing catalyst, the beds of catalyst are contacted with a hydrocarbon or naphtha feed, and hydrogen, at reforming conditions to produce a hydrocarbon, or naphtha product of improved octane, the improvement wherein, at start-up, sulfur is added to the tail reactor of the series, and excluded from the lead reactor. Increased hydrogen purity, aromatics, and C.sub.5 + liquid yields are obtained, and there is less gas make.

Abstract: A process wherein, in a series of reforming zones, or reactors, each of which contains a bed, or beds of catalyst, the catalyst in the leading reforming zone, or zones, is constituted of supported platinum or supported platinum and rhenium, and the catalyst in the rearward reforming zone, or zones of the series, is constituted of platinum, rhenium, and iridium. The amount of (rhenium+iridium) relative to the platinum in the last reforming zone, or zones is present in weight ratio of at least about 1.5:1 and more preferably ranges from about 1.5:1 to about 10:1. The beds of catalyst are contacted with a hydrocarbon or naphtha feed, and hydrogen, at reforming conditions to produce a hydrocarbon, or naphtha product of improved octane, and the product is withdrawn.