Abstract: A novel smelting process and furnace for the economical recovery of vanadium, in the form of ferrovanadium alloy, from oil ashes and/or coal ashes while producing non-hazardous slag for safe and inexpensive disposal in landfill areas. A preferred embodiment of the present process involves the steps of (a) mixing the waste ashes with a contained or added carbon source, such as coal, and a binding material, such as cement; (b) pelletizing the mixture; (c) feeding the pellets, optionally together with steel scrap, through a vertical preheater shaft furnace into a slag pool; (d) impinging fuel gas jets upon the surface of the slag layer to heat and circulate the slag and to burn the carbon added to the pellets, generating additional heat, to produce a layer of molten ferrovanadium alloy at the bottom of the molten pool, covered by a protective layer of molten slag, (e) withdrawing the valuable molten ferrovanadium alloy for use, and (f) withdrawing the molten slag for safe disposal in landfill areas.

Abstract: This invention is that of high temperature polyamides containing the hexafluoroisopropylidene group. The high temperature polyamides of the invention and photo or radiation sensitizers provide improved high temperature positive resists which can be developed in aqueous alkaline developer and thermally anneal to form heat resistant, polyoxazole relief structures suitable for use in microelectronic and printing applications. The positive photoresists of the invention have improved solubility in coating solvents and improved photospeed. The polyamides of the invention can be prepared by conventional condensation reactions; e.g. the condensation of a diamine and diacid chloride. In addition the polyamides of this invention provide high temperature protective coatings with superior adhesion properties in applications other than the photoresist area.

Abstract: A closure locking means for the opening of a self-service device, in particular an automatic teller machine includes a locking flap, the outside of which is indented. The locking flap, pivotable about an axis, is positioned behind a projecting upper wall panel and in front of a recessed wall panel. A gap is created when the locking flap is pivoted, and as the flap opens the width of the gap increases, so that any ice formed is broken up or jammed objects are released. A self-locking latch and actuator means for the locking flap uses an actuating lever which is pivotable about an axis. The actuating lever includes a shaped guide slot which is engaged by the actuator means. In a first part of the guide slot, no displacement work is performed by the actuator means, whereas in a second part, which is positioned at an angle to the first part, displacement work is performed to move the lever and locking flap.