Abstract: A heating and ventilating system has a space heating device, in which heat is generated by combustion of a fuel, and which heats air for a building. A heat exchanger has one side through which exhaust air from the building flows to the exterior. Through the other side of the heat exchanger, fresh, makeup air for the building is supplied, and this may pass through the heater. An exhaust conduit from the heater, for combustion products, opens into the exhaust air line connected to the one side of the heat exchanger. This enables heat to be extracted from air leaving the building and further heat to be extracted from the combustion products, this heat being transferred to the incoming air in the heat exchanger.

Abstract: A dispenser is provided having a chamber for a roll of material, for example a roll of paper towels. It has a base, a front wall and a slot in the base adjacent to the front wall for the free end of a roll of material. A control member is pivotally mounted to the body above the slot within the chamber. It has a control surface, which, in use, abuts a roll of material to maintain the roll of material adjacent to the front wall and slot. This enables a user to pull out the roll and tear off single sheets, by a single handed operation. The control member provides the necessary friction, while enabling the roll of material to be unwound. The dispenser can have a catch assembly for a door, which includes first and second part recesses. The first part recess has a vertical locking face. A catch can engage this locking face. The catch can also be displaced into the second part recess, to enable it to be disengaged.

Abstract: A sod harvester in which sod is cut, conveyed upwardly, and then travels downwardly over a floppy conveyor and falls into a roll forming enclosure formed by a bottom conveyor and a vertical conveyor. The floppy conveyor swings downwardly at the start of roll forming, to reduce the free fall of the sod, and swings upwardly as the roll grows. When the roll is formed, the bottom conveyor is unlatched and tilts downwardly to discharge the roll, at the same time pulling into cocked position a core tube injector arm. When the roll discharges, the bottom conveyor snaps upwardly, releasing the core tube injector arm which injects a fresh core tube into the roll forming enclosure. The sod is rolled with its grass side outwardly to facilitate laying and to protect the grass roots. A tray on a cart at the end of the harvester receives the discharged roll and can convey it to either side of the cart.

Abstract: An apparatus for electroplating metals in an electroplating bath having an anode and a cathode. The cathode is formed by a workpiece to be plated and the anode includes soluble material in the form of the metal to be plated and insoluble material in a proportion selected so that the anode efficiency equals the cathode efficiency. This avoids metal salt build-up in the bath. Metal salt solution carried out of the bath with the workpiece is recovered and recycled to the bath, avoiding loss of metal to the system and waste disposal problems.

Abstract: A pulse combustion dehydration apparatus includes a pulse combustor designed to operate with a low pressure fuel gas supply and having valve means to stop the supply of gas to the combustion chamber during high pressure portions of the pulse combustion cycle. Gas enters the combustion chamber through a fuel distributor having a series of radial gas outlets downstream of an annular flame trap through which combustion air is admitted to the combustion chamber from an air cushion chamber. These features increase the amplitude of the combustion cycle and reduce the amount of residual flame in the combustion chamber, resulting in a strong cycle. An air bypass pipe from the air cushion chamber to the exhaust pipe apparently increases the compression in the combustion chamber from the returning pressure waves. The deydration apparatus further includes a rotary drum into which material is to be dehydrated is delivered in the exhaust gas stream from the exhaust pipe of the pulse combustor.

Abstract: A jack as provided for use with a lifting device having two parallel support platforms. The jack has base and top elements, and a scissor mechanism between them. Two air piston and cylinder assemblies are disposed vertically and actuate the scissor mechanism. The jack is mounted for free movement along the length of a lifting device. The piston and cylinder assemblies can be connected to mid points of the arms of the scissor mechanism on either side of it. This provides a compact assembly with the piston and cylinder assemblies working at an optimum angle. The base element of the jack includes openings for the piston and cylinder assemblies.

Abstract: A disposable plastic cartridge contains three fine lightweight wire mesh collectors, each of phosphor bronze. One collector has an oxidized surface for collecting drug particulates. The other two have surfaces electroplated with zinc to form a rough multi-fissured surface for trapping low volatility vapors. In use, a portion of a warm sample air stream is chilled and passed through the collectors in parallel for sample collection. Simultaneously part of the sample air stream by-passes the chiller and is fed directly into a mass analyzer for real time analysis. Next, both collection and real time analysis are terminated, and each collector is desorbed in sequence with a pulse of hot air which flows into the mass analyzer for sequential analysis.

Abstract: A hinge arrangement for the lid and seat of a toilet is disclosed. Hinge pins extend outwardly from lugs on a bowl unit of the toilet through corresponding openings in flanges on the seat and lid and are provided with cam surfaces co-operating with corresponding surfaces on the lid. The co-operating cam surfaces generate frictional forces when the lid is raised so that the lid will tend to stay in a position to which it has been raised. The cam surfaces also define open and closed detent positions in which the lid is positively retained. The seat can be hinged freely when the lid is raised and is trapped against the bowl unit when the lid is closed.

Abstract: Apparatus for treating waste water by the solids contact aerobic biological treatment process comprises a clarifier and a reaction basin in liquid communication with one another. In one embodiment, the reaction basin has an aerator which also circulates liquid through the clarifier by way of pipes arranged to collect liquid from the surface of the reaction basin and deliver it to a location adjacent a back wall of the clarifier. The clarifier has a bottom wall which slopes towards the reaction basin. Sludge particles in the liquid settle out in the clarifier and liquid discharged from the pipes flushes the settled biological sludge back into the aeration section of the reaction basin. In another embodiment the clarifier and reaction basin together form an oxidation ditch defining a closed loop. An aeration device continuously circulates liquid around the loop and through the clarifier.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for causing earthworms to come to the surface of soil in which electric pulses are applied to the soil. The pulses are characterized by high power during a brief burst followed by a relatively long rest period. The method requires a small power supply and may therefore be put into practice with portable equipment.

Abstract: A ski bag for receiving a pair of skis positioned with their sliding surfaces facing one another and tail and tip ends of the respective skis together. In a preferred embodiment, the bag is disposable and is made of polyethylene film. The bag is of narrow elongate shape and is closed at one end for receiving the tail end portions of the skis. A pair of inwardly directed pleats extends down both sides of the bag and the opposed faces of the pleats are sealed together in the region of the tail end portions of the skis to form permanent inwardly directed flaps that fit between the skis and prevent the edges rubbing against one another. The pleats are open in the region of the bindings and forwardly thereof so that the bag can expand to accommodate the bindings. Forwardly of the bindings, the pleats can be tucked between the skis for protecting their edges.

Abstract: A book containing question or other instruction pages permanently bound therein by a binding such as a spiral wire binding. A holder of small lateral dimension is also bound by the permanent binding and carries loose-leaf answer or work pages secured to the holder by a loose-leaf binding such as a bendable metal strip. The book can be laid open flat or folded back on itself. The work pages can be used up and then replaced.

Abstract: A ring mechanism has a cover rail, and a pair of carrier rails nested in side by side relationship between the side edges of the cover rail. Ring elements are mounted on the carrier rails, and the carrier rails can be moved between open and closed over center positions. To lock the carrier rails, a locking member is provided. In one position, it permits free movement of the carrier rails. In a locking position, it engages the carrier rails to prevent them being moved from the closed over center position, thereby preventing opening of the ring elements.

Abstract: A water sensing apparatus has a housing and a circuit within the housing. An alarm, e.g. a piezoelectric horn, is driven by the circuit. An elongate sensor is secured to the housing and is connected to the circuit. The other end of the sensor is adapted for sensing the presence of water, to activate the alarm. The sensor is both sufficiently rigid to enable it to maintain a configuration in which the apparatus is hung by the sensor, and is sufficiently flexible to enable it to be bent manually to a desired configuration.

Abstract: An axle for a rail vehicle is pivotally connected to two equal length swinging arms, each of which is pivotally connected to the rail vehicle. The axle rotates about a virtual vertical axis away from the axle and nearer to the center of the rail vehicle. The axle is then radial for all curves over which a rail vehicle would usually traverse. In addition, the overhang of the rail vehicle while traversing a curve is reduced since the rail vehicle chords between virtual axes.

Abstract: A process is described for recovering vanadium and zeolitic alumino-silicates from flyash and similar carbon-bearing heat treated materials. The process includes steps for the separation of carbon, followed by pressure leaching the carbon-depleted flyash in relatively dilute alkali metal hydroxide solutions at elevated temperatures. The leach liquor is separated from the residue and is subsequently treated in an amine containing solvent extraction process step for vanadium recovery, and optionally, for other metals present in the leach liquor. The vanadium in the strip liquor is precipitated to obtain vanadium containing compounds.The leach residue is treated separately to recover zeolitic alumino-silicates therefrom.

Abstract: Electrical power is generated by means of an hydraulic air compressor that produces compressed air from a water stream. The compressed air is delivered directly to burners of a turbine without significant additional compression and after preheating using waste heat from the turbine exhaust. The turbine is used to drive a conventional electrical generator for producing power.

Abstract: Solid or liquid phase wastes containing organic contaminants which can be photodegraded are treated. The contaminants are extracted into a perfluorinated solvent which is inert to the photodegradation step. In the case of solid wastes, such as contaminated soils, sediments or sludges, the contaminant is preferably first extracted into a hydrophilic solvent, such as acetone or methanol, and/or water, and is then extracted into the perfluorinated solvent. Photo-oxidants such as ozone are preferably used in the photodegradation step.