Abstract: A method for winding soft elastomeric ribbon on spools of substantially greater width than the width of the ribbon is provided which includes the winding of the ribbon on a surface driven spool. The ribbon passes through guides from a feed source, with the guides in proximity to the take-up spool. Traversing of the ribbon is provided by either shifting the guides or the take-up apparatus across the horizontal length less than the length of the spool to prevent overrunning of the outer edges of the spool. The invention also includes the spool wound with soft elastomeric ribbon to a thickness several times that of the ribbon and along a length several times greater than the width of the ribbon.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus for slitting sheet material. The apparatus includes a first arbor shaft for mounting and rotatably driving a first rotary cutter. The first cutter is comprised of at least one rotary knife element having two opposite side faces, and the first arbor shaft is constructed to allow axially movement of the knife element along the first arbor shaft. A second arbor shaft mounts and rotatably drives a second rotary cutter. The second rotary cutter is comprised of at least one rotary knife element which has two opposite side faces and is movable axially along the second arbor shaft. The second arbor shaft is also selectively movable radially with respect to the first arbor shaft to provide a selected intermeshing overlap region between the first cutter knife element and the second cutter knife element.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for reinforcing a substrate, which includes the step of coating at least a portion of the surface of the substrate with a layer of material that is curable by a high-energy-radiation. The coating material is cured with a suitable source of the high-energy-radiation to form a reinforcement layer affixed to the substrate. The reinforced substrate is particularly useful in the attachment zone of a refastenable, pressure-sensitive tape closure systems.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for heating selected portions of an article include transport means for moving the article into a heating compartment. Shroud means, which are disposed within the heating compartment and located adjacent to limited portion of the article, direct a stream of heated gas toward a marginal portion of this article. Supply means deliver a volume rate flow of heated gas to the shroud means, and discharge means remove a volume rate of exhaust gas flow from the heating compartment. The discharge means is constructed and arranged to provide a volume rate of exhaust gas flow from the heating compartment which is greater than the volume rate of heated gas flow supplied into the shroud means.

Abstract: The present invention provides an improved apparatus for sequentially dispensing individual, liquid-impregnated sheets along a dispensing direction from an interfolded array of the sheets while presenting a next available sheet from the array in a graspable position. The apparatus includes a container for holding the array of sheets and includes a distinctive guiding mechanism. The guiding mechanism is located on the container and extends substantially linearly along a direction transverse to the dispensing direction. It contacts a major surface of an overlapped portion between a preceding sheet and a successive sheet, and directs the sheets along a curvilinear path, which curves in a direction substantially perpendicular to the sheet surface. This configuration induces a separation between the individual sheets and presents a portion of the successive sheet in a graspable position outside of the container.

Abstract: A radio frequency excitor apparatus and method produce an inductively coupled plasma to heat an analytic sample. The apparatus includes a radio frequency generator mechanism for producing electrical power of selected radio frequency. The generator mechanism has a power output tuning mechanism comprised of at least one output tuning inductor for determining the generator radio frequency. A separate plasma load circuit is coupled to the generator mechanism and is comprised of a work coil and a series connected, impedance matching capacitor. The work coil is adapted to produce an inductively coupled plasma and the capacitor is adapted to substantially balance the combined inductive reactances of the work coil and plasma. A control mechanism for controlling the power input into the plasma load circuit stabilizes the plasma.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for applying a hot melt adhesive to a web of heat sensitive material in which the adhesive is heated and extruded in a continuous flat bead having a substantially rectangular cross-section onto a rotating chill roll, cooled, contacted by a web of heat sensitive material and thereafter pressed together so that the adhesive conforms to the web material and bonds thereto, and the bonded adhesive and web stripped from the chill roll.

Abstract: A fibrous web, such as a nonwoven liquid-pervious fibrous web, has reinforced marginal portions and an unreinforced medial portion, the fibers of the reinforced marginal portions being at least partially thermally fused or embedded within a cured bonding medium. A process for forming reinforced marginal portions on a fibrous web includes the steps of passing said fibrous web through a pair of nip rollers having heated marginal surface portions and at least partially thermally fusing fibers of the marginal portions, but not the medial portion, of the fibrous web. Alternatively, the method comprises applying a curable medium to the marginal portions of the fibrous web, but not to the medial portion, and curing the curable medium to embed the fibers of the marginal portions within the cured medium.

Abstract: A baby's bib is provided with a crumb catcher designed to retain an open position due to the use of an involute semi-rigid spacer means which connects the crumb catcher to the bib.

Abstract: A nozzle assembly for casting continuous metal strips includes a nozzle for extruding molten metal. The nozzle has a nozzle body, a nozzle inlet opening, a nozzle exit orifice and a nozzle mounting surface located proximate to the nozzle inlet. A reservoir contains the molten metal and is in fluid communication with the nozzle. The reservoir has a reservoir outlet opening for flowing molten metal therethrough and has a reservoir mounting surface located proximate to the reservoir outlet. The reservoir mounting surface is adapted to mate with the nozzle mounting surface and allow a relative, sliding-type movement therebetween due to a differing thermal expansion of the nozzle relative to the reservoir. A heat resistant seal between the nozzle mounting surface and the reservoir mounting surface minimizes molten metal leakage therebetween, and a force mechanism resiliently urges the nozzle mounting surface toward the reservor mounting surface to mate the nozzle and reservoir together.

Abstract: Metallic filament is continuously cast by directing a stream of molten metal onto the quench surface of a rotating quench wheel. Expansion mechanisms disposed about the quench wheel and between the quench surface and quench wheel drive shaft allow unrestrained radial and lateral thermal growth of the hoop-like quench surface while maintaining concentricity of the quench surface with the shaft. Crowning or thermal bowing of the quench surface is minimized and a transverse cross-sectional uniformity of the cast filament is maintained.

Abstract: The invention provides an apparatus and method for continuously casting a filament, such as a glassy metal filament, at high speed within a zone of preselected vacuum. A continuous extrusion mechanism and a rapidly moving quench surface are located within a casting module. A vacuum mechanism provides the preselected vacuum in the module as the filament is cast, and a transport mechanism continuously moves the resultant rapidly advancing filament across the boundary between the vacuum in the casting airlock mechanism substantially preserves the module vacuum as the cast filament is transported across the boundary and a passivator mechanism passivates the quench surface to prevent the filament from adhering thereto.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a moving multicavity texturing method for simultaneously texturing filaments which are commingled to form a yarn. The yarn readily knits producing a fabric which upon subsequent dyeing and shrinking produces a variable textured fabric similar in appearance to fabrics knit from natural fibers.

Abstract: A magnetic article surveillance system marker is adapted, when armed, to resonate at preselected frequencies provided by an incident magnetic field applied within an interrogation zone. The marker is a plurality of elongated ductile strips of magnetostrictive ferromagnetic material each of the strips being disposed adjacent to a ferromagnetic element which, upon being magnetized, magnetically biases the strips and arms them to resonate at the preselected frequencies. A substantial change in effective magnetic permeability of the marker at the preselected frequencies provides the marker with signal identity.

Abstract: A magnetic article surveillance system marker is adapted, when armed, to resonate at a frequency provided by an incident magnetic field applied within an interrogation zone. The marker is an elongated ductile strip of magnetostrictive ferromagnetic material disposed adjacent to a ferromagnetic element which, upon being magnetized, magnetically biases the strip and arms it to resonate at said frequency. A substantial change in effective magnetic permeability of the marker at the resonant frequency provides the marker with signal identity.

Abstract: A closed and environmentally safe odorant injection apparatus comprises a pressured gas supply, preferably nitrogen, an odorant storage tank, a panel which contains a level pot and sight glass and manually actuated, pneumatically operated switches for drawing a measured portion of odorant and injecting the measured portion into LPG being loaded into a tank truck.

Abstract: The method and apparatus of the invention provide a rotatable casting wheel having an outer peripheral quench surface and an interior, annular coolant chamber. A wheel hub has a concentric axis of rotation, and two spaced-apart, annular, radially extending side members connected thereto and located concentric therewith delimit the side walls of the wheel and the coolant chamber. A cylindrical, axially extending wheel rim member is connected between the peripheral circumferential edges of the side members to provide the wheel quench surface and delimit the peripheral, circumferential wall of the coolant chamber. The rim has a frusta-conical inner surface that is sloped radially outward along the intended direction of coolant flow. A flow director located within the coolant chamber is comprised of at least one annular, radially extending support member and a cylindrical, axially extending flange member connected to the support member.

Abstract: The invention provides an apparatus and method for heating a vessel having a vessel bottom and at least one vessel side wall. The invention includes a furnace housing which is adapted to contain the vessel and which has a housing bottom and at least one housing side wall. A heater mechanism, located at the housing bottom and at the housing side wall, heats the vessel and is adapted to contact selected portions of the vessel bottom and vessel side wall. Thermal insulation is disposed about the housing for reducing heat loss therefrom, and an extendable temperature sensor is adapted to contact the vessel and monitor the temperature thereof.

Abstract: A process of brazing using a copper based low melting point metal alloy composition consisting essentially of about 2.5 to 11 atom percent tin and about 11 to 15 atom percent boron, the balance being essentially copper and incidental impurities. The composition is such that the total of copper and tin ranges from about 85 to 89 atom percent.

Abstract: The invention provides a filter apparatus and method for removing inclusions from a molten metal alloy and includes a container having an inlet portion and an outlet portion. A filter bed is located within said container, interposed between said container inlet and said container outlet, and is comprised of a plurality of filter zones arranged in progressive layers. Each of the filter zones contains particles of filter material within a preselected size range, and the filter zones are successively arranged to selectively locate the largest filter particles at the container outlet and the smallest filter particles at the container inlet. Molten metal alloy is filtered by passing it through the filter bed.