Abstract: Methods (and apparatus) for nondestructively testing a body of material having a surface in contact with a gaseous environment (e.g. air, nitrogen, or inert gas), that comprise (A) the step of (and means for) directing to a region at the surface of the body a pulse of laser radiation having sufficient energy density and sufficiently long wavelength to initiate in the adjacent gas a blast wave that impinges on the surface and provides an ultrasonic wave in the body, and (B) the further step of (and means for) detecting a portion of the ultrasonic wave that has been affected by the body. The radiation directing means typically comprises a laser that provides a pulse having a duration of about 0.01 to 10 microseconds, and means for focusing the pulse to provide an energy density of at least about 5 Joules per square centimeter. The detecting means typically comprises an electromagnetic or capacitive transducer.

Abstract: In a method of melting glass in burner-heated glass melting tanks wherein preheated pellets comprised of quartz, sand, sodium carbonate, potassium carbonate, lime, and magnesium oxide ae injected by a pressurized gaseous medium into a glass melt contained in the tanks, the improvement comprising injecting the pellets in a manner adapted to form a veil-like formation above the melt extending over substantially the entire melt surface and over substantially all of the burner flames.

Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed for measuring strain in a solid object, wherein the apparatus is arranged to use the deflection of a light guiding structure as a strain responsive element for determining the amount of applied stress to be measured. The apparatus typically comprises a curved light guiding structure including a medium of given refractive index surrounded by a medium of lower refractive index than that of the medium of given refractive index; means for injecting light into the structure and means for analyzing the change in the propagation characteristics of the light emerging from the structure; and, means for attaching and maintaining the light guiding structure to the solid object in such a way that stresses acting upon the object are translated into changes of the curved form of the structure, creating changes in the propagation of the injected light whereby the strain in the object can be determined.

Abstract: A stable, apparently polymeric, form of 1,1'-dimethyl-4,4'-dipyridyl dichloride is non-reversibly produced on a solid, minigrid electrode surface by means of electrolysis of a solution of the dicationic species using a negative applied potential in the range where the cation radical is heterogeneously formed but not negative enough to produce the neutral species. For example, a thin film is formed on a gold electrode at a potential of between about -0.750 V and -0.950 V vs a Ag/AgCl reference electrode.The electrode and stable surface films are electro-active in heterogeneous reduction and oxidation of large biological molecules, making the modified electrode useful, for example, in the quantitative analysis of heme proteins in biological fluids (blood, urine).

Abstract: The invention comprises methods and apparatus for forming filamentary material directly from a pendant drop of molten material, and provides for a significant improvement in the quench rate. A typical method of making filamentary material according to the invention, comprises the steps of: (a) heating a solid material, typically, a metal or metal alloy, so as to form a pendant molten drop of the material which is at a temperature within 25 percent of its equilibrium melting point in .degree.K, said molten material having a surface tension of 10 to 2500 dynes/cm. and a viscosity of 0.001 to 1.

Abstract: In order to reduce energy losses by convection and/or thermal radiation from the radiation-absorbing surface of a photothermal energy converter for the utilization of solar energy, the said surface is provided with a multiplicity of projecting fibres sufficiently close to one another to suppress convection, each fibre consisting of a material which is permeable to the incident luminous radiation to be absorbed and at least partly opaque to infrared thermal radiation which may be reemitted from the said surface whereby energy losses by radiation are reduced.The fibres can be, for example, glass or plastic fibres and can be integral with or implanted in the said surface. Preferably, the fibres have diameters in the range 25 to 500 micrometers, a height of the order of 5 cm, and an average distance between fibres in the range 100 to 5000 micrometers.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for separating objects having a density greater than a selected density value from objects having a density less than said selected density value.

Abstract: A method of treating fine particles of solid carbonaceous fuel of the coal or coke type that comprises mixing the fuel particles with a liquid aqueous solution comprising essentially (a) sodium, potassium, or lithium hydroxide together with (b) calcium, magnesium, or barium hydroxide or carbonate, or a plurality thereof, with a ratio of (a) to the fuel of about 0.04 to 0.70 (typically 0.10 to 0.35) by weight, a ratio of (b) to the fuel of about 0.02 to 0.30 (typically 0.08 to 0.20) by weight, and a ratio of water to the fuel of about 1 to 10 (typically 2 to 5) by weight; heating the resulting mixture, at an elevated pressure, to a temperature of about 150.degree. to 375.degree. C (typically 175.degree. to 300.degree. C) in such a manner as to improve the usefulness of the fuel particles; and cooling to below about 100.degree. C. The cooled mixture either is dried or filtered to separate the fuel particles from the solution, the particles then being washed and dried.

Abstract: Electric accumulators of the type comprising an anode compartment containing an anode formed from at least one metal selected from the group consisting of metals belonging to Groups Ia, IIa, IIb and IIIb of the periodic table of elements; a cathode compartment containing a cathode formed at least partly from a conducting member comprising a substance capable of accepting electrons, to form anions by cathodic reduction, and an electrolyte consisting of a substance capable of dissolving the product or products generated during discharge of the accumulator; the anode compartment and cathode compartment being separated from each other by a wall impervious to fluids and formed from a solid mineral electrolyte capable of allowing selective migration of the anode metal, in the form of cations are improved by adding to the anode compartment a salt of the anode metal between the anode and the separation wall.

Abstract: A motor speed control system which comprises: (a) a power modulator circuit having gating means adapted to control the power supplied to the motor; (b) means adapted to provide a voltage which is directly proportional to the instantaneous motor terminal current; (c) means adapted to provide a sensing current which is directly proportional to the voltage across means (b), and thus to the instantaneous motor terminal current; (d) means adapted to provide a sensing current which is directly proportional to the instantaneous motor terminal voltage; (e) summing means adapted to algebraically sum the instantaneous values of the two sensing currents; (f) integrator means adapted to average the sum of instantaneous values provided by means (e); and, (g) feedback means adapted to generate a signal for operating the gating means, said signal having a phase determined by the output of the integrator means, whereby the output of the integrator means controls the phase of the gating means and thereby controls the power su

Abstract: The present invention is a proteinaceous food product and a method of its production. A mixture of protein and water is formed into a thin film between successive parallel rolls rotating in opposite directions and at sequentially increasing speeds so as to impart at least a 40% stretch to the film prior to removing the stretched film from the last roll with a blade set at an angle to the roll. The scraping off of the thin film forms a structure consisting of groups of many small folds interspersed on substantially larger folds. Compaction of this material creates a fiberous structure composed of the numerous small folds of material surrounded by a matrix of the material once comprising the larger folds. This compacted structure approximates the structure of natural meat where fibers are dispersed in a matrix of connective tissue.

Abstract: The pH of milk is lowered to 4.5 to 5.5 by direct acidification without the necessity of cooling the milk to avoid local coagulation and casein precipitation by adding acid as a spray from above a portion of the milk surface undergoing high velocity mixing.

Abstract: Electric accumulators of the type comprising an anode compartment containing an anode formed from at least one metal selected from the group consisting of metals belonging to Groups Ia, IIa, IIb and IIIb of the periodic table of elements; a cathode compartment containing a cathode formed at least partly from a conducting member comprising a substance capable of accepting electrons, to form anions by cathodic reduction, and an electrolyte consisting of a substance capable of dissolving the product or products generated during discharge of the accumulator; the anode compartment and cathode compartment being separated from each other by a wall impervious to fluids and formed from a solid mineral electrolyte capable of allowing selective migration of the anode metal, in the form of cations are improved by adding to the anode compartment a salt of the anode metal between the anode and the separation wall.