Abstract: Apparatus for converting an enclosable food cooker having a food supporting surface into a food smoker which can be advantageously used to smoke food at a very slow rate without significant dehydration or loss of natural juices. The apparatus includes an open topped container or pan containing a water filled, heat absorption cavity and suspension means, such as upstanding hooks, for detachably suspending the container or pan from the food supporting surface. A method for employing the apparatus in a conventional home charcoal grill is disclosed.

Abstract: A method of compacting granular material with continuously vibrating a hollow pipe. The vibrating pipe is lowered into the material to be compacted with a crane type apparatus, maintained in a lowered position for a period of time and then withdrawn from the material. The vibration imparted to the material is increased by a number of annular rings located along the outer surface of the vibrating pipe.

Abstract: Improved liquid smoke compositions which do not form undesirable solids during use or storage can be prepared by admixing a natural liquid smoke solution including constituent phenols, carbonyls and acids, an acidulating agent in addition to the constituent acids and a solubilizing agent, the quantities of the acidulating and solubilizing agents varying with the concentrations of phenols and carbonyls, respectively, in the natural liquid smoke solution. For presently known, commercially available liquid smoke solutions, the compositions comprise about 1.5-3% by weight acidulant and 3-8% by weight solubilizing agent, all percentages being stated by weight of the composition.

Abstract: There is disclosed a process for making fibrous material which is particularly suitable for the manufacture of baler twine. The material is preferably made from polypropylene and is produced from film which is roll-embossed and fibrillated, the roll-embossing temperature being substantially lower than the conventional roll-embossing temperature. In the case of polypropylene film this is within the range 60.degree. C to 90.degree. C, preferably about 80.degree. C. As a result, the fibrous material has a high proportion of clusters of from 2 to 5 unseparated incipient filaments. Baler twine made from the material is economical to produce and has improved physical characteristics especially good strength combined with good knot retention ability.

Abstract: A continuous method and closed cycle system for converting thermal energy to mechanical energy comprises vaporizing means for converting a liquid working fluid stream to a predominately, by volume, vapor or an all vapor stream; turbine means operated by the stream for converting a portion of the vapor stream energy to mechanical shaft work; means for increasing the thermal and potential energy of the turbine exhaust stream and for condensing it to a substantially liquid stream; and means for recycling the liquid stream to the vaporizing means.The means for converting a working fluid liquid stream comprises a tube having a plurality of flow converging areas alternating with a plurality of flow diverging areas, each flow converging area confining said flow to a greater extent than the flow converging areas upstream thereof, and each flow diverging area expanding said flow to a greater extent than the flow diverging areas downstream thereof.

Abstract: A method of compacting granular material with continuously vibrating a hollow pipe. The vibrating pipe is lowered into the material to be compacted with a crane type apparatus, maintained in a lowered position for a period of time and then withdrawn from the material. The vibration imparted to the material is increased by a number of annular rings located along the outer surface of the vibrating pipe.

Abstract: Plant material containing hemicellulose and lignin is prehydrolyzed in the presence of steam and the vapors of a dilute acid solution having a pH of 1.5-3.5 at a temperature of 105.degree. C to 135.degree. C for 7-20 minutes to hydrolyze the hemicellulose into pentoses and hexoses and to leave a fibrous material and a liquid, said liquid containing said pentoses and hexoses. The liquid is separated from the fibrous material, and the pentoses and hexoses are recovered from the liquid. The fibrous material is digested with white liquor at a temperature of 105.degree. C to 135.degree. C.

Abstract: A correcting device for a typewriter comprises a mount for fixedly mounting the device on the typewriter, a cover member slidably supported from said mount, a cassette containing rotatable feed and take-up spools for feeding and winding up, respectively, type correcting strip, said cassette removably supported from said cover member, said cover member and said supported cassette being moveable on said mount between operative (correcting) and inoperative (normal typing) positions. Ratchet teeth are provided on the take-up spool which cooperate with a lever actuated pawl whereby a segmental movement is imparted to the take-up spool upon depression of a key of the typewriter. A curved cam in cooperative association with the correcting strip roll periphery on the take-up spool are also provided to control movement of the lever so that segmental movement of the take-up spool is substantially uniform regardless of the diameter of the correcting strip roll wound onto the take-up spool.

Abstract: A process for scouring, desizing and bleaching cotton greige goods comprises the steps of immersing the goods for a time sufficient to achieve commercial brightness in an aqueous solution have a temperature in the range from 100.degree. to 212.degree. F and consisting of from 0.3 to 70% by volume hydrogen peroxide, water and sufficient hydroxide to adjust the solution to a pH in the alkaline range, the solution being substantially free of heavy metal ions and maintained out of contact with all metals while the goods are immersed therein and cycling a portion of the solution through a filtration means to remove solid impurities therefrom while maintaining the volume, composition and pH of the solution in contact with the goods substantially the same. Preferably, the process is conducted as a simultaneous scouring, desizing and bleaching process in a temperature range 160.degree. to 212.degree.

Abstract: A process for scouring, desizing and bleaching cotton greige goods comprising immersing the goods for a time sufficient to achieve commercial brightness in an aqueous solution having a temperature in the range from 100.degree. to 212.degree. F and consisting of from 3 to 70% of volume hydrogen peroxide, water and sufficient hydroxide, if necessary, to adjust the solution of a pH in the range 2 to 7, the solution being substantially free of heavy metal ions and maintained out of contact with all metals while the goods are immersed therein and cycling a portion of the solution through a filtration means to remove solid impurities therefrom while maintaining the volume, composition and pH of the solution in contact with the goods substantially the same. In a preferred form of the invention, the scouring, desizing and bleaching are accomplished simultaneously.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for high volume distillation of impure liquid comprises evaporating the impure liquid in an evaporator to form a vapor at a temperature above the freezing point and at or below the boiling point of said liquid at atmospheric pressure and at a pressure corresponding to the evaporation temperature under saturated conditions; compressing said vapor adiabatically; admixing in a mixing chamber the compressed vapor under substantially isobaric conditions directly with hot gases having a temperature sufficiently greater than the temperature of the compressed vapor that the resulting vapor-gas mixture temperature is greater than the temperature of the compressed vapor prior to the mixing; passing the vapor-gas mixture through an expansion engine to motivate the engine and to produce shaft energy, whereby the vapor-gas mixture adiabatically expands and cools; compressing the expanded vapor-gas mixture adiabatically in an independently powered compressor to a predetermined pressure corresponding

Abstract: Apparatus for magnetically treating seeds comprises a magnet for producing a unipolar magnetic field, an enclosed generally cylindrical housing having a closable access opening therein in which said seeds are placed for treatment, drive means associated with the housing for rotating said housing and imparting rolling and tumbling motion to the seeds within the housing, the housing being disposed with respect to the magnet such that the seeds move through the magnetic field as they roll and tumble. By magnetically treating the seeds in a unipolar magnetic field while rolling and tumbling the seeds, the characteristics of plants grown therefrom are favorably altered.

Abstract: A method for converting a high magnetic retentivity, high magnetic conductivity aluminum, nickel, cobalt and iron alloy to a substantially magnetically non-retentive alloy comprises heating the alloy to a temperature in the range 1400.degree. - 1500.degree. F. for about 30 minutes and quenching the heated alloy in a room temperature liquid coolant.

Abstract: A surgical instrument for making a closed periphery incision, preferably navicular in shape, comprises a handle including an enlarged cutting head rigidly mounted at one end thereof to prevent relative rotation between the handle and the cutting head, the head being hollow and defining a pair of elongated cutting blades arranged in generally side-by-side relation and including cutting edges therealong facing in generally the same direction, corresponding pairs of ends of the blades being convergent toward and joined with each other, and the cutting edges being outwardly convex in the direction in which they face. By virtue of at least one pair of corresponding blade edges intersecting to form an acute angle included therebetween, the incision is advantageously started by applying the corner defined by the intersecting blade edges to the skin with a firm pressure and then rocking the tool along its outwardly convex edges to complete the incision.

Abstract: A process for fractionating the whole wheat kernel into its bran, germ and endosperm components includes the steps of tempering the wheat kernel in water, pin milling the wheat kernel, sifting the milled kernal to separate the germ and bran components from the endosperm, hydrating and agitating the endosperm to just saturate it and to form a thick, dough-like mass and mechanically working, by kneading, cutting and stretching, the dough-like mass while continuously washing it with water to separate the non-gluten endosperm components from the gluten. The bran and germ components can be separated from each other by conventional gravity table techniques.

Abstract: A process for preparing substantially salt-free, sugar-based flavor enhancers comprises hydrolyzing protein in hydrochloric acid; liquefying starch, preferably with alpha-amylase; and admixing the hydrolyzed protein, the liquefied starch and an enzyme selected from amyloglucosidase and .beta.-D glucoside glucohydrolyase at a pH in the range 3.5 to 5, preferably 3.5 to 4.0, and a temperature in the range 40.degree. to 75.degree.C, preferably 60.degree.C, whereby the enzyme and the liquefied starch react in situ to produce reducing sugars which in turn react with the hydrolyzed protein to form the substantially salt-free, sugar-based protein hydrolyzates.