Abstract: A whirlpool bathtub has a plurality of devices positioned in the tub wall and/or tub floor for generating water or water and air jets. Each device has a pump wheel positioned behind an impeller both facing the tub interior and fixed on a drive shaft of an electric motor capable of reversing motor rotation. When the electric motor rotates in one direction, the impeller aspirates water from the tub interior and returns the water through a central outlet as a water jet. When the electric motor is rotated in the opposite direction, both the impeller and pump wheel rotate where the pump wheel also aspirate water which is used to aspirate ambient air and then injected into the tub, thereby generating an air bubble massage. In other embodiments, the impeller free-wheels when the motor rotates in the opposite direction, and the impeller can aspirate air when the motor rotates in the one direction.

Abstract: A detachable decorative insert which is insertable in an artificial fingernail fitted with a securing aperture. A cylindrical base of the decorative insert is designed to fit in the securing aperture where the decorative insert or a carrier for it is arranged on the base, the lower edge of which projects slightly beyond the base in a radial direction and forms two peripheral continuous S-curves along the outer surface of the base. A base foot has an outer surface which projects radially beyond the base on two opposite sides.

Abstract: A fast digital logic circuit for comparing two binary numbers and outputting the greater of the two is disclosed.

Abstract: A fully internally manifolded fuel cell stack is provided by each separator plate, current collector, electrode, and electrolyte in the fuel cell stack having a plurality of aligned perforations forming gas manifolds extending for the length of the cell stack. Each perforation through the separator plate is surrounded by a flattened manifold wet seal structure extending to contact the current collector and/or electrode on each face of the separator plate to form electrolyte/electrode wet seals under cell operating conditions.

Abstract: A device for heated wedge pressure draw welding of separating seams of a composite plastic profiled hollow section. The device is drawn through the hollow chamber of a plastic profiled hollow section, in the course of which heating bars plasticize the seam walls of the separation seams and the plastic welding wires needed for welding. The plasticized plastic welding wires are pressed into the plasticized separation seams by press elements as the device is continuously drawn through the plastic profiled hollow section by a drawing device and a drive motor, the speed of which can be controlled.

Abstract: A dispensing food container having a bottom wall and a side wall connected to the bottom wall, thereby forming an inner chamber. A cover is displaceably mounted with respect to the side wall for varying the volume of the inner chamber. At least a portion of an outer peripheral portion of the cover forms a seal against an inner surface of the side wall. The cover has a cover through hole which is in communication with the inner chamber. A flanged nozzle can be used to facilitate transfer of the fluidized food from within the inner chamber to a cracker, a chip, a vegetable or the like.

Abstract: A process is provided wherein hemoglobin, a fragile material, is formulated into high hemoglobin content water-in-oil-in-water multiple emulsion while maintaining high yields and high oxygen exchange activity. A multiple emulsion of aqueous oxygen carrying material in oil in outer aqueous phase is suitable for provision of oxygen for oxygen transfer processes. A hemoglobin multiple emulsion in physiologically compatible oil in an outer aqueous saline solution is provided in sufficiently small droplet size to provide oxygen flow through blood vessels to desired body tissues or organs thereby providing a blood substitute.

Abstract: An elongated C-channel construction member made of a wood composite material. The C-channel has a blank panel with a generally planar panel front and panel back, a top, a bottom and two sides. The panel front has two grooves extending from the top to the bottom of the blank panel. Each groove has a depth approximately equal to a thickness of the blank panel. A flat back support is adhered to the panel back. The flat back support retains the blank panel with the grooves in a sheet form. The two grooves divide the blank panel into a web and two flanges. The flanges fold upward and generally perpendicular to the panel front thus forming the C-channel.

Abstract: A connecting device for connecting two panels, particularly furniture panels, together in a preliminary position. A casing of the connecting device has an overall cylindrical shape. The casing is capable of receiving a bolt head through an enlarged opening into a hollow interior. A portion of an exterior circumferential side wall has a slot which is opened to only one side. The enlarged opening has an elastic narrowing section in which the width of the opening is less than the largest diameter of the bolt head.

Abstract: A low pollutant emission, high efficiency cyclonic burner and cyclonic combustion process for firetube boilers and heaters in which the combustion air required for complete combustion is introduced into the cyclonic burner in stages. Fuel and primary combustion air in an amount of about 30% to about 90% of the stoichiometric requirement for complete combustion of the fuel are tangentially injected into a primary combustion zone of a combustion chamber within the burner. Secondary combustion air in an amount of about 10% to about 90% of the stoichiometric requirement for complete combustion of the fuel is introduced into a secondary combustion zone in the combustion chamber downstream of the primary combustion zone. The combustion chamber walls are cooled to maintain the combustion chamber temperature between about 1600.degree. F. and 2400.degree. F.

Abstract: A process for combustion of the combustible material includes introducing the combustible material into the combustion chamber, advancing the combustible material through the combustion chamber, supplying combustion air to the combustion chamber for drying and partially combusting the combustible material and final ash burnout in a primary combustion zone, and removing ash products from the combustion chamber. The fuel or fuel/carrier fluid mixture is supplied into the combustion chamber to create an oxygen deficient secondary combustion zone for NO.sub.x reduction and other nitrogen bearing compounds decomposition. An oxidizing fluid is supplied into the combustion chamber above the oxygen deficient secondary combustion zone for thorough mixing with combustion products and at least partial burnout of combustibles in an oxidizing tertiary combustion zone.

Abstract: A molten alkali metal carbonates fuel cell porous anode of lithium ferrite and a metal or metal alloy of nickel, cobalt, nickel/iron, cobalt/iron, nickel/iron/aluminum, cobalt/iron/aluminum and mixtures thereof wherein the total iron content including ferrite and iron of the composite is about 25 to about 80 percent, based upon the total anode, provided aluminum when present is less than about 5 weight percent of the anode. A process for production of the lithium ferrite containing anode by slipcasting.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for oxygen-enriched combustion of a fuel in an industrial furnace in which a preheated primary oxidant from a heat exchanger and a fuel to be combusted are introduced into a combustion chamber and ignited, a secondary oxidant having an oxygen concentration in excess of the concentration of oxygen in air is introduced into the combustion chamber downstream of the flame, and the resulting combustion products are exhausted. In accordance with one embodiment, the secondary oxidant comprises preheated oxidant aspirated from the heat exchanger using industrial-grade oxygen, resulting in an oxygen-enriched mixture being injected into the combustion chamber downstream of the flame. As a result, NO.sub.x emissions are reduced without adverse effects on the overall furnace operation.

Abstract: An anionically stabilized lithium catalyst wherein the anion is sulfate, phosphate, aluminate, silicate and mixtures thereof. The anionically stabilized lithium catalyst may be supported on a metal oxide support of magnesium oxide, titanium oxide, zinc oxide, calcium oxide, barium oxide, strontium oxide, zirconium oxide, hafnium oxide, yttrium oxide, lanthanum oxide, samarium oxide, and mixtures thereof or when aluminate or silicate is used as the anion the aluminate or silicate may act as the support. The catalyst may be used to promote reactions at temperatures higher than prior lithium catalysts, particularly higher than about 600.degree. C., such as oxidative coupling of aliphatic and alicyclic hydrocarbons to produce higher molecular weight compounds and oxydehydrogenation of aliphatic and alicyclic hydrocarbons to produce unsaturated hydrocarbons or to change the functional group of the hydrocarbon.

Abstract: A process for thermal management by feed gas conditioning in high temperature fuel cell systems wherein at least a portion of a fuel feed stream is chemically reacted in an exothermic chemical reaction in an external zone thermally separated from the fuel cell system and at least a portion of the products of such exothermic chemical reaction are passed to an internal zone in thermal exchange with the fuel cell system and reacted in an endothermic chemical reaction thereby absorbing heat from the exothermic electrochemical reaction within the fuel cell system producing a process stream of higher thermal energy. At least a portion of the higher thermal energy stream is removed from the fuel cell system, thereby maintaining the desired operating temperature in the fuel cell system. The process significantly reduces energy requirements of the system and significantly increases overall system efficiency and the output voltage of the system.

Abstract: A device for preparing hot beverages such as coffee by extraction having an extraction cup (5) movable from an outset position to an extraction position along a control track (2) in a mounting plate (1) by a movable holder (4). The extraction cup (5) is detachably secured to the movable holder (4). The extraction cup (5) is filled from a coffee grinding unit (3) and is then displaced along the horizontal portion (2') of the control track (2) laterally until it is located vertically below an extraction piston (11), whereupon it moves vertically upward. In this manner, the ground coffee is compressed. Simultaneously, through a hot water inlet neck (8), communication with a hot water heater (10) is established. After the extraction, a stop (15) is displaced beneath a tappet (7) supported in the extraction cup (5) and keeps the tappet at the top of the extraction cup (5) during the downward motion of the extraction cup (5).

Abstract: A mutant Bacillus sphaericus strain ATCC No. 53969 which has the property of sulfur removal and sulfur metabolism by selective cleavage of C-S bonds in organic carbonaceous materials.

Abstract: Contaminated surface layers are decontaminated by treatment with an aqueous fluorine base-containing decontamination solution. The aqueous decontamination solution contains 0.05 to 50 Mol of decontamination agent per liter, and the decontamination agent preferably comprises at least one substance from the group.Iadd.: .Iaddend..[.colon.]. hexafluorosilicate acid, fluoroboric acid, and the salts of both of these. The decontamination solution produces the required high decontamination factors on metallic substances and brickworks as well. The used decontamination solution can, after regeneration, be recycled into the decontamination process.Release of decontaminated material by dissolution of the surface layer of the decontaminated objects provides decontamination of objects having complicated and hard-to-measure geometries.The decontamination agent (HBF.sub.4 -acid) is advantageously produced from contaminated boric acid from pressurized water reactor wastes by reaction with fluoride or hydrofluoric acid.