Abstract: The present invention is a jig system for precisely positioning the placement of multiple cuts such as in the placement of dovetail or box joints cut in a wood panel. A row of multi-use adjustable spacers controls the indexing of a workpiece and can be used with a stationary and/or a portable cutting tool. The movability of the spacers permits a workpiece to be cut on both sides of a guide bar fence thereby assuring that the first cut will always be made on the same side of a drawer and will be esthetically pleasing regardless of the width of the workpiece. Additionally, the adjustability of the spacers accommodates any desired cutting tool height, angle and/or size.

Abstract: The invention relates to a latch unit which includes a bolt, a housing for the bolt, guides for the bolt in the housing, a first spring for the bolt in the housing, the first spring urging the bolt in a forwards direction towards a holding position in which an end part of the bolt is outside the housing, and a slot arrangement for the bolt, the slot arrangement comprising a first part and a second part, the slot arrangement having an active condition in which the first part is engaged with the second part whereby to retain the bolt against movement in the said forwards direction, characterized by a second spring to hold the first and second parts in the active condition.

Abstract: A circuit driving an electroluminescent lamp at a frequency at or in the vicinity of the lower threshold of human hearing, thus reducing objectionable noise otherwise generated by such lamps when operated at high frequencies. In an electroluminescent lamp assembly including such driving circuit is described, the electroluminescent lamp is driven at low frequency, but nonetheless provides a high level of illumination output.

Abstract: A process for purifying and concentrating a gluconic acid derivative, such as 2-keto-L-gulonic acid, comprising introducing a non-viable and/or acidified fermentation medium or an in-vitro reactor medium comprising at least the gluconic acid derivative and/or salt thereof to electrodialysis thereby purifying and concentrating the gluconic acid derivative.

Abstract: A baseball chest protector comprises a pad body, a strap assembly, a neck-protecting cushion, a plurality of shock-absorbent pad blocks and a plurality of air vents, in which the pad blocks provide on the chest portion of the pad body are formed with inclined planes in such a shape that the thickness of the upper portion of each pad block is greater than that of the lower portion while the pad blocks provide on the stomach portion of the pad body are formed with curved surfaces; the neck-protecting cushion is a piece of curved plate body which flares out upwardly from the bottom and forms an inverted cone-shaped space. Further, the above-mentioned shock-absorbent pad blocks on the chest portion are formed as a laminate structure of materials with different characteristics.

Abstract: Liquid metal coolants, such as alkali metal used in nuclear reactor systems can be safely deactivated to form a disposable solid waste material. The alkali metal is dissolved in an ammoniacal liquid, such as anhydrous liquid ammonia to form a reaction mixture comprising alkali metal cations and solvated electrons. A precipitating agent that ionizes in the liquid ammonia is introduced into the reaction mixture to combine with the alkali metal cations and/or solvated electrons to form a precipitating alkali metal salt. Additionally, solidified alkali metal remaining within the coolant system after initial drainage of liquid alkali metal can be dissolved by circulating an ammoniacal liquid within the coolant system. Removal of the liquid ammonia having the alkali metal dissolved therein is combined with a ionizable precipitating agent to form a alkali metal salt.

Abstract: An antimicrobial multi-layer island dressing including an inner absorbent assembly having a first layer comprising a wound contacting non-absorbent, non-adhering porous polymeric film which is impregnated with a broad spectrum antimicrobial agent, a second layer comprising a semipermeable continuous polymeric film joined to the first layer to form a sealed interior reservoir compartment, an absorbent material positioned within the interior reservoir compartment to collect discharged exudate from a wound, and an outer layer extending beyond the peripheral edges of the inner absorbent assembly, the outer layer having at least a portion coated with an adhesive material for adhering the island dressing to the wound area. The preferred antimicrobial agent is 2,4,4′-trichloro-2′-hydroxydiphenyl ether and may be present in an amount from about 0.01 to about 25 percent by weight of film material.

Abstract: An amphibious shoe-like structure for swimming and walking having a shoe-like structure for receiving a foot and a fin structure that provides a fin blade surface that expands in the swimming mode and collapses in the walking mode to rest adjacent to the wearer's instep. The fin structure comprises a plurality of fin arms pivotally connected to the shoe-like structure for rotating the fin arms outwardly in the swimming mode position and for rotating the fin arms inwardly towards the instep of the wearer for a walking mode position. The fin arms diverge relative to one another when rotating outwardly and converge towards one another when rotating inwardly to rest adjacent to the wearer's instep. The fin structure further comprises a flexible web member that engages with the fins arms and is of the configuration and size to accomodate the area generated by the expanding and diverging side fin arms.

Abstract: Spent silver catalysts, from which the recoverable silver has already been stripped, was discovered to be useful for controlling microorganisms such as bacteria and fungi, including microorganisms in fluids such as water, or on surfaces to which coatings containing the stripped, spent silver catalysts are applied, and also in and on products or substrates in which the stripped, spent silver catalysts are incorporated.

Abstract: The invention relates to combustion catalyst compositions which when blended into liquid hydrocarbon-base fuels reduce deposits in fuel combustion systems, inhibit corrosion in fuel systems and facilitate a more efficient oxidation of fuel. The combustion catalyst compositions comprise a surface-active/emulsifier agent, a lubricating oil and a liquid saturated hydrocarbon having the general formula C.sub.n H.sub.2n+2 wherein n is from 14 to 17.

Abstract: Energetic materials, such as nitrocellulose, TNT, RDX, and combinations thereof, optionally in combination with chemical warfare agents, such as mustard gas, Lewisite, Tabun, Sarin, Toman, VX, and combinations thereof, are destroyed when chemically reacted according to the method of the invention. The method comprises reacting the energetic materials and chemical warfare agents, of present, with solvated electrons which are preferably produced by dissolving an active metal such as sodium in a nitrogenous base such as anhydrous liquid ammonia.

Abstract: Process for producing cellulosic moldings such as fibers, foils, casings and beads from cellulose, wherein (a) the initial cellulose is hydrothermally treated with water in a water/cellulose ratio on a weight basis of at least 1 at a temperature in the range from about 100.degree. to about 200.degree. C. and under a pressure in the range from 0.1 to about 1.5 MPa; (b) the treated cellulose is dissolved in an aqueous solution of alkali hydroxide at a temperature of at least 0.degree. C. to form a homogenous cellulose solution containing from about 5% to about 10% by weight cellulose and at maximum 10% by weight alkali hydroxide, and (c) the alkaline cellulose solution is formed and coagulated by contacting it with an aqueous solution containing 1 to about 30% by weight of an acid. This fully ecological process avoids handling of toxic products or by-products and uses aqueous solvents instead of expensive organic solvents. The cellulose solution is stable for at least 48 hours.

Abstract: An apparatus and method of use for effectively purging desiccant air dryers of moisture load by introducing heated purge air into the containment vessel holding the desiccant, directly into those areas of the desiccant bed where the moisture loads are most heavily saturated. The improved heat regenerated desiccant gas dryer utilizes parallel ports for introducing heated air or an internal heat distributor, the former automatically controlled by valves selectively operated to allow purge air to quickly cause water vapor adsorbed by the desiccant to be released and discharged from the vessel, allowing the dryer to be returned to service in the gas drying mode with greater confidence that undesirable dew point spikes have been eliminated. More efficient use of heated purging air enables shorter turn-around times for the dryer and energy savings.

Abstract: The present invention relates to identifying protein epitopes and more particularly to a novel method for identifying, determining the location, optimal length of amino acid residues and immunobiological potency of protein epitopes by applying a custom negative cosine function fit algorithm to a protein hydropathy scale. This fit analysis is supplemented with experimental immunobiological data. The amino acid sequence of the protein epitopes of the present invention exhibit a hydrophobic-hydrophilic-hydrophobic hydropathy pattern of an approximately fixed length in a given protein.

Abstract: Methods for decontaminating toxic waste, particularly solid carrier materials, such as soil contaminated with a toxin, or solid mixed wastes are more efficiently decontaminated with solvated electrons by first extracting the toxin from the carrier with a nitrogenous base at elevated temperatures, followed by a temperature reduction before initiating chemical reduction of the toxin with solvated electrons. Pre-extraction of the toxin at elevated temperatures followed by temperature reduction minimizes competing side reactions, improves selectivity of solvated electrons for the toxin and improves the economics of the process with more efficient metal utilization. The process can be performed without separation of the toxin from the extraction vessel holding the solid carrier material. Alternatively, elevated temperatures can be used to perform one or more extractions of toxin with nitrogenous base followed by reduction with solvated electrons by performing the reaction in a separate reactor.

Abstract: A wide variety of reactions can be advantageously affected and directed by a spectral catalyst which duplicates the electromagnetic energy spectral pattern of a physical catalyst and when applied to a reaction system transfers a quanta of energy in the form of electromagnetic energy to control and/or promote the reaction system. The spectral catalysts utilized in this invention can replace and/or augment the energy normally provided to the reaction system by a physical catalyst. A spectral catalyst may also act as both a positive catalyst to increase the rate of a reaction or as a negative catalyst to decrease the rate of reaction.

Abstract: The present invention relates to electrochemical methods for the recovery of ascorbic acid from an ascorbate salt without the co-generation of a waste salt stream and while maintaining high conductivity of the electrochemical cell thereby providing for quantitative conversion of the salts to ascorbic in both batch and continuous mode processes. In one embodiment the feed stream comprising an ascorbate salt is dissociated under the influence of an electric field and subjected to water splitting electrodialysis. The ascorbate ion combines with a proton and the salt cation combines with a hydroxyl ion to form ascorbic acid and base, respectively. The feed stream further comprises an inorganic salt which maintains high conductivity in the cell, facilitates quantitative conversion of ascorbate salts to ascorbic acid in both batch and continuous mode processes, and promotes precipitation and crystallization of ascorbic acid as a fine powder.

Abstract: Chemical warfare agents, including vesicants and nerve agents distributed throughout the world, are destroyed when chemically reacted according to the method and utilizing the apparatus of this invention. The method comprises reacting the chemical warfare agents with nitrogenous base, optionally containing solvated electrons which are conveniently produced by dissolving an active metal like sodium in a nitrogenous base such as anhydrous liquid ammonia.

Abstract: Amphibious shoes which may be used as walking shoes with easy convertibility to swim fins. The amphibious shoes of the present invention comprise a shoe-like structure and a one-piece continuous sole-fin structure affixed to the shoe-like structure. The one-piece continuous sole-fin structure comprises a fin-like extension integrally fused to a sole portion of the shoe-like structure and a flexible folding zone, thereby facilitating the easy movement of the fin-like extension for engaging with the shoe-like structure. The fin-like extension folds upward and is secured to the shoe-like structure in the walking mode and unfolds with minimal manipulation for swimming without the need for mechanical pivoting or locking devices. The fin-like extension has a length not exceeding the distance to the user's ankle when secured in the walking mode thereby allowing for unencumbered walking but still providing ample surface area for increased propulsion during swimming.