Abstract: In one aspect of the invention there is provided a gas scrubbing system for removing contaminants from a flow of fluid, comprising a container having an interior volume, an inlet for receiving the flow of fluid and an outlet for dispensing the stream of fluid, a treatment liquid, a porous medium positioned in the interior volume, between the inlet and outlet, said porous medium providing a high surface area to facilitate chemical interactions between the fluid flow and the treatment liquid and means to apply the treatment liquid onto the porous medium. A contact cell aspect of the porous medium and a method aspect are also provided.

Abstract: In one aspect of the invention there is provided a gas scrubbing system for removing contaminants from a flow of fluid, comprising a container having an interior volume, an inlet for receiving the flow of fluid and an outlet for dispensing the stream of fluid, a treatment liquid, a porous medium positioned in the interior volume, between the inlet and outlet, said porous medium providing a high surface area to facilitate chemical interactions between the fluid flow and the treatment liquid and means to apply the treatment liquid onto the porous medium. A contact cell aspect of the porous medium and a method aspect are also provided.

Abstract: The aerodynamics of a floatplane can be improved by providing a wing suitable for mounting on a spreader bar between floats of the floatplane, mounting said wing on the spreader bar between the floats of a floatplane, and preventing the wing from rotating around the spreader bar during flight operations. In one apparatus embodiment, the invention comprises a wing mountable on a spreader bar between floats of the floatplane, a plurality of ribs spaced along the wing's axis, each rib having a recess suitable for accepting the spreader bar, and torque-restraining means to prevent the wing from rotating around the spreader bar.

Abstract: A hitch for coupling a trailer to a towing vehicle includes a first coupling means for coupling with the trailer at a pivot point and a second coupling means for coupling with the trailer at a towing point. A displacing means is responsive to pivoting of the trailer with respect to the towing vehicle to move the hitch and the pivot point on the towing vehicle toward the rear of the vehicle when turning is effected and to move the hitch and the pivot point on the towing vehicle just forward of the vehicle's rear axle during normal longitudinal movement of the towing vehicle and trailer. The second coupling means is capable of transferring at least the majority of the towing force between the towing vehicle and the trailer.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to overcoming analog transmission difficulties by digitizing transducer signals at or near the transducer of an acoustic pulse gun and then transmitting the transducer signals in a digital form so that the signals can be recovered with greater fidelity by a remote computer or recorder. System, apparatus and method aspects of the invention are provided. Advantages of the present invention include better transmission of the acoustic signal from the pulse gun assembly to the computer or recorder, reduced noise and electronic interference, and better data capture.