Abstract: An escape chute comprising a frame adapted to be secured to a window opening or the like and a releasable pack chute containing spaced resilient transverse restriction bands for cushioning the descent of a body through the released chute.

Abstract: A safety device for enabling people to escape from burning buildings or the like comprises a normally folded flexible tube with a landing pad at its lower end that unfolds to vertical chute condition, the interior of the tube being slippery to provide against snagging and the like and the unfolded tube being formed with elastic restrictions at successive vertical levels that snub the descent to a safe speed.

Abstract: A process and installation for the production of powdered, surface-active agglomeratable, calcined material, specifically calcined lime, from material or raw material present in the form of sludge, scum or the like, such as the waste materials in the sugar industry. The specific example of the process is production of calcined lime and/or usable CO.sub.2 from waste materials existing in the sugar producing industry. The process includes reacting the raw materials in a special mixing chamber under controlled time and temperature conditions, preheating the materials by using the reaction exhaust gases, obtaining calcined lime particles isolated from CO.sub.2 gases, and recycling portions of the particles to obtain complete reaction of the material. The process provides calcined lime which can be discharged in solid form or converted through further stages to lime-milk for direct use in sugar making processes.

Abstract: A self-contained, portable animal commode including a base with a waste holding tank and a top pivoted to the base, the top including an end vertical panel, for satisfying a male dog's natural urinating instincts, and a platform underlying a movable belt upon which the animal stands to urinate and defecate. After the animal steps off the commode, the belt is rotated forwardly to deposit waste in the tank while, simultaneously, the end panel and belt are flushed of waste. Then the belt is reversely driven to its initial position, the belt being wiped clean when moved in both directions.

Abstract: Coffee roasting apparatus having a first reactor in which green beans are roasted and a second reactor in which the roast is arrested and the beans cooled. Both reactors are capable of carying out the operations conducted in them in a continuous as opposed to batch-type manner. In both the roasting and cooling operations the beans are circulated in patterns which bring them into intimate and uniform contact with a process fluid to promote uniform and efficient heating and cooling of the beans.

Abstract: Soap worked in a plodder with introduction of a color dye for color striation of the extruded column is extruded through a die plate that has a rectangular opening corresponding to the major face dimensions (length and width) of the product bar so that the extrusion grain is perpendicular to the major faces, and the extruded column is severed at distances equal to the product bar thickness to provide blanks that are pressed in a direction parallel to the extrusion grain to form the product bar. Special locations for color introduction are provided and a unique "carrara" marble effect is produced in the bar.

Abstract: A method for reducing loss of water from the leaves and stems of plants by transpiration and for protecting plants from damage by wind and cold consists of applying to the leaves and stems a transpiration-decreasing composition consisting essentially of an aqueous solution or dispersion of a carboxylated hydrophilic acrylic polymer, a cross-linking agent for the carboxylated hydrophilic polymer and an effective amount of an ultravioletabsorbing agent.

Abstract: Soap worked in a plodder with introduction of a color dye for color striation of the extruded column is extruded through a die plate that has a rectangular opening corresponding to the major face dimensions (length and width) of the product bar so that the extrusion grain is perpendicular to the major faces, and the extruded column is severed at distances equal to the product bar thickness to provide blanks that are pressed in a direction parallel to the extrusion grain to form the product bar. Special locations for color introduction are provided and a unique "carrara" marble effect is produced in the bar.

Abstract: Methods of modifying the viscosity of hydrocarbonaceous materials in which a fluoro or chlorofluoro derivative of a lower alkane is mixed therewith, and processes involving and employing products so modified.

Abstract: A capsule containing concentrated detergent liquid or like material has a frangible bottom wall. The capsule which preferably has stiff side walls and a considerable more frangible bottom wall may be mounted in a cradle in the upper or neck portion of a special dispensing container having a removable top closure and the body of which contains a diluent or like liquid such as water and is provided with one or more devices for puncturing the bottom wall of an inserted capsule. In a preferred form the capsule has an annular storage compartment. A formation of the upper end of the capsule coacts with the closure so that, after insertion of a fresh capsule, mounting of the closure upon the container body displaces the inserted capsule relative to the puncturing devices on the cradle to destroy the frangible bottom wall and empty the capsule contents into the body of the container. In one form the capsule may serve as the container closure.

Abstract: Rotary heat exchangers heated by circulating a heat transfer liquid through them. Methods for upgrading the performance of conventional rotary dryers.

Abstract: A plural channel amplitude modulated telephone carrier system having a plurality of transmitters to provide for the transmission of a like plurality of frequency division multiplexed, amplitude modulated carrier signals in a common direction along a transmission line to a remote termination of the transmission line, and an automatic carrier level coordination control circuit having a first circuit means for developing a d.c. control signal that varies as a predetermined function of the transmission line length, and a second circuit means connected to the first circuit means for controlling the transmit power of each of the aforesaid carrier signals as a function of its own carrier frequency and as a function of the d.c. control signal. The telephone carrier system may be of the station carrier type and may have two or more plural channel amplitude modulated carrier sub-systems, each having its own transmission line.

Abstract: Cup-shaped articles made of thermoplastic material which have their outer surfaces printed or coated with a heat-sensitive material are dried in apparatus wherein a feeding device conveys the printed or coated articles to the lower end of a vertical run of an endless belt in a drying device, so that the articles are placed in inverted position on the belt to be held on the belt by suction exerted through the belt, the articles being so handled in the feeding device that they enter the drying device in proper orientation and in alignment with and at the same speed as the belt. The feeding device may be an arcuate channel with pneumatic pressure advance of the articles, or may be a porous belt running over a suction chamber.

Abstract: A tool for cleaning flues or chimneys which has surface-engaging scrapers, levers for displacing the scrapers into engagement with the surfaces to be cleaned, and a resilient connector between the levers and an actuator therefor. The tool may be so made as to interchangeably accommodate scrapers of different sizes and shapes, and the blades may be made adjustable so that the same set of scrapers can be used in cleaning chimneys or flue surfaces of different dimensions.

Abstract: Thin-walled articles of thermoplastic material are formed in a continuous apparatus starting with heating and extruding granular thermoplastic raw material in the form of a continuous web which is immediately stabilized by rapid cooling of its opposite surfaces and the stabilized web wherein the material sandwiched between the precooled outer surface layers remains at or near extrusion temperature is fed into a thermal forming station wherein shaping tools form the articles in the web without the need for further heating of the web. Adjustments are provided for correlating the cooling action to different materials and web feed rates, for varying the web feed rates and increments, and for varying the shaping tool movements to adapt for different materials and sizes of articles. After the formed articles are separated from the web the web residue is fed back to be mixed with incoming raw material at the extrusion station.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for automatically packaging towelettes in envelopes positioned in succession at an insertion station wherein the longitudinally folded leading end of a web of absorbent towelette material is severed to provide successive strips of predetermined length, and each strip is folded transversely first to a J-fold condition wherein the longer leg of the J is about twice the length of the shorter leg, and the longer leg of the J of each strip is folded substantially about its midpoint to form a folded towelette of three times the original longitudinally folded strip thickness as it is being thrust into an envelope positioned in timed relation at the insertion station.

Abstract: A tanker for the storage and transport of liquified gas at low temperatures which includes a plurality of vessels arranged in an insulated hold in a vertical orientation and in an optimum space utilization pattern. The vessels have a cylindrical or prismatic configuration and a diameter-height ratio of about 1:2 to 1:5 and preferably of from 1:2.5 to 1:3.5. The vessels are arranged in spaced relationship and are interconnected exclusively at their upper and lower ends into one pack extending over the full width of the hold. The pack of vessels has at its center means acting on the bottom of the hold to position the pack horizontally.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for detecting and locating a fluid leak in an underground pipe or the like in which the vibration produced by the leak is intercepted at selected spaced apart points by microphones or other transducers, in which the vibration intercepted at each of the two points is converted into an electrical signal, and in which the extent of correlation of the two resulting signals is varied by variably time delaying one signal relative to the other to determine the leak's location from the occurrence of maximum correlation between the signals. In one embodiment, the variable time delay of one signal relative to the other is accomplished by a variable length time delay line and a means for progressively varying the length of the delay line. In another embodiment the variable time delay is accomplished by a recirculating delay line analyzer that does more data age comparisons with the same delays in the same time than the variable length delay line.

Abstract: An anti-fouling overcoating composition for watercraft or stationary underwater structures precoated with hard-surface leaching-type anti-fouling paint consists essentially of an aqueous solution or dispersion of a carboxylated hydrophilic acrylic polymer, a cross-linking agent for the carboxylated hydrophilic polymer, polyethylenimine or a hydrophilic polyethylenimine derivative and an effective amount of an ultraviolet-absorbing agent.

Abstract: 3,5-Dihalo-1,2,4-thiadiazoles and their preparation from corresponding 5 alkylthio compounds, useful as intermediates for fumigants are disclosed.