Abstract: A drum handling tool is provided by a lever having a plurality of gripping cradles. Each gripping cradle has a plurality of gripping elements disposed relative to one another to allow positioning of the gripping elements in impinging contact with both major surfaces of a cylindrical rim section to provide at least two, spaced areas of contact between the gripping cradle and each major surface of the section. The spacing of the gripping elements of each gripping cradle is different from the spacing for the gripping elements of the remaining gripping cradles allowing each gripping cradle to be used with cylindrical rim sections different widths and circumferences.

Abstract: The patent discloses apparatus for removing and containing spills occurring upon filling of a delivery tank truck. The spill catching basin and more particularly the drains mounted to the tops of tanks are modified to deliver liquid spilled into the basin to a single outlet along the side of the truck. A receptacle, such as a buried tank is provided to receive the runoff from the truck. Provided for connection to the outlet is a fitting which may be releasably clamped to the outside of the outlet. The fitting is coupled to the buried tank by a flexible hose and a slip coupling between the hose and the fitting.

Abstract: The invention relates to a carrier for sports equipment having a long shaft. The carrier has a base with shaftholders at opposite ends and a handle. The shaftholders hold the shaft in place to allow the sports player to carry the shafted equipment for long distances and alter the carrier's position while reducing stress on the wrist.

Abstract: A cue tip is provided from a polyurethane elastomer having a hardness between Shore A 60 to Shore D 50. The cue tip has a hemispherically shaped striking surface having a diameter of between 7.0 and 15 millimeters and exhibiting a high coefficient of friction with billiard balls in an unchalked condition.

Abstract: The tire shredder includes a frame, a conveyor assembly depending from the frame defining a feed path for the tires and debris from an input end to a discharge end, a carriage supported with respect to the conveyor assembly to have a reciprocating linear travel across the linear feed path at the discharge end, and a plurality of rotary cutting elements mounted on the carriage with axes of rotation parallel to the travel of the carriage. By providing a plurality of rotary cutting elements tires coming in a wide variety of sizes can be handled.

Abstract: The invention involves a photosensitive composition and a printing element made from the photosensitive composition as well as a method of making the printing element. The photosensitive composition is made from a blend of a crosslinking photoinitiator with an asymmetric, multi-branched, block copolymer containing (a) a polymer block A having at least predominantly a polymerized alkenyl arene block, (b) a polymer block B having at least predominantly a polymerized conjugated diene block, (c) a polymer block C having at least predominantly a polymerized conjugated diene block, and (d) the residue of a multifunctional coupling agent. Block A and block B form the structure A-B and the multifunctional coupling agent is between at least one block C and the block B of at least one A-B. The photosensitive composition may optionally include an ethylenically unsaturated crosslinking agent.

Abstract: The invention relates to the use of effective amounts of UV absorbers in a thermoplastic, elastomeric, composition layer of a photosensitive printing element, wherein said layer comprises a thermoplastic, elastomeric, asymmetric, star-shaped block copolymer, to produce enhanced exposure latitude, as well as a method of producing a printing plate with the printing element. The UV absorbers most likely act as internal scavengers of scattered UV light and thereby enhance the exposure latitude of the printing element. The invention also relates to the photosensitive composition of the element.

Abstract: A method of fracturing a subterranean formation in a well bore is shown in which a gellable fracturing fluid is first formed by blending together an aqueous fluid, a hydratable polymer, a suitable crosslinking agent for crosslinking the hydratable polymer to form a polymer gel and a breaker comprising a slightly water soluble, organic peroxide. The crosslinked polymer gel is pumped into the well bore under sufficient pressure to fracture the surrounding formation. The breaker is allowed to degrade the crosslinked polymer with time to reduce the viscosity of the fluid so that the fluid can be pumped from the formation back to the well surface.

Abstract: A method and formulation are shown for capping the exposed surface of an aggregate of materials, such as exposed land areas with fine particulate mining wastes. A mineral formulation is prepared by mixing together lime, a pozzolanic component, a sulfate component, a cellulosic component and water. The mineral formulation is applied to the exposed aggregate and is allowed to harden to form a surface coating thereon. A seed component or a coloring additive can be incorporated within the slurry for revegetating land areas and to enhance the esthetic appearance of the hardened cap.

Abstract: An oil and gas well cementing composition and method is shown utilizing hydraulic cement, water and an additive having pendant phosphonate groups on a polymeric backbone. The additive provides improved fluid loss and settling characteristics while maintaining desirable viscosity and setting time characteristics. Pendant phosphonate groups are added to the polymer by adding about 0.2% to about 10.0% by weight phosphonic acid either during or after polymerization.

Abstract: A method of merging a head suspension assembly into a plurality of disks for disk drives using a low melting wax is shown. The wax in the method of the invention protects and guides the heads during assembly into a disk drive. A preferred embodiment of the invention guards the head from damage during packaging and transport. The invention also describes a head suspension assembly for information storage and retrieval systems featuring a slider with wax covering at least part of the slider.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of making a local structure from an organic mandrel on a substrate at the submicrometer level. The mandrel is formed from an organic layer deposited on the substrate. The mandrel is then removed by exposure to an oxygen plasma environment, thus leaving a cavity. A local structure material is deposited into the cavity and polished to form the local structure. In the preferred method of the invention, an electrically conducting, local interconnect is formed from a polyimide mandrel on a wafer used to make integrated circuits.

Abstract: The invention is a method for using periphyton to treat flowing water in a waterway. The periphyton reduces the quantity of undesirable chemicals polluting the water. Fish, in turn, control the density of periphyton by grazing on the periphyton and convert the undesirable chemicals associated with the periphyton into removable forms such as fish tissue or fish feces.

Abstract: The invention shows a method of degrading damaging material within a subterranean formation of a well bore using an enzyme treatment. Filter cakes and very viscous fluids are such damaging materials. The enzyme treatment degrades polysaccharide-containing filter cakes and damaging fluids which reduces their viscosity. The degraded filter cake and damaging fluid can then be removed from the formation back to the well surface. The particular enzymes utilized are specific to a particular type of polysaccharide and are active at low to moderate temperatures. The enzymes attack only specific linkages in filter cakes and damaging fluids and are active in the pH range of about 2.0 to 10.0.

Abstract: A vacuum cleaner bag is treated with a dual component, antimicrobial composition which is attached to the bag material and reduces harmful bacteria and fungi safely and effectively. The vacuum cleaner bag is shown of the type used on an upright vacuum cleaner having an airflow generating means contained in a main housing for producing an airflow out of an air duct of the housing. The bag includes a porous cloth body defining a normally closed interior and a mouth opening. The mouth opening of the bag connects to the air duct of the main housing and produces airflow through the flexible body which exhausts into the atmosphere. A flexible oscillator tube, located in the bag interior, vibrates the bag during use to prevent the buildup and clumping of dirt on the bag interior sidewalls.

Abstract: A method of degrading a blocking gel in a subterranean formation of a well bore is shown in which a gellable blocking fluid is first formed by blending together an aqueous fluid, a hydratable polymer, a suitable crosslinking agent for crosslinking the hydratable polymer to form a polymer gel. The polymer gel may contain an enzyme breaker incorporated within. The cross-linked polymer gel is pumped into the well bore. If required, an externally applied enzyme breaker is added prior to gel degradation. The enzyme breaker is allowed to degrade the cross-linked polymer with time to reduce the viscosity of the fluid so that the fluid can be removed from the formation back to the well surface. The particular enzyme breaker utilized has an activity in the pH range from about 1.0 to 8.0 and is effective to attack only specific linkages in the cross-linked polymer gel.