Abstract: In critical filtration applications, filter cartridges are employed to replace ion exchange resin precoat filters to minimize the waste produced. The filter cartridges are backwashed with all gas and the liquid in the filter housing provides an active scouring effect as a result of the high levels of turbulence produced. The liquid, with entrained debris from the filter is minimized in volume.

Abstract: An improved microporous, modular filter structure assembled from replaceable filter cartridges (25) housed within a filter cartridge assemby (10) connected at opposed ends by means of symmetrical headers (41). The headers include a tube within a tube structure whereby they are adapted to conduct first and second fluids independently to both adjacent, like interconnected headers and into and out of filter cartridges (25) to which each header (41) is connected at both ends of each cartridge. Manifolds (100, 101) include a similar tube within a tube structure which allows them to be connected to the ends of rows of interconnected headers (41) whereby a modular filter bank can be constructed of indefinite dimension and capacity.

Abstract: Extrusion of hollow membranes is improved by coextruding a coating fluid layer about the extrudate of heated polymer solution with its interior lumen forming extrudate. The coating fluid is disposed between the forming hollow fiber and a cooling fluid, and controls the rate of heat transfer to afford superior control over the structure and form of the hollow fiber produced in the invention. The coating fluid is typically the same material as the cooling fluid, and often is the same material as the solvent for the polymer in the heated polymer solution.

Abstract: In an electromagnetic flowmeter for obtaining a signal corresponding to flow rate of conductive fluid in a magnetic field, a noise detector detects a noise superimposed on the fluid, and a timing signal generator produces timing of generating an exciting current to produce the magnetic field and timing of sampling electrical potential generated in electrodes in the fluid, based on the noise detected by the noise detector.

Abstract: An abrasive flow machining and polishing apparatus is provided having a hydraulically actuated reciprocating piston (42) and a extrusion medium chamber (10) adapted to receive and extrude a visco-elastic dispersion of an abrasive unidirectionally across the internal surfaces of a workpiece (40) having internal passages (41) formed therein to perform abrasive work on said surfaces. A fixture (24) directs flow of the viscoelastic abrasive dispersion from said hydraulic extrusion medium chamber (10) into the inlet of internal passages (41) in a workpiece (40), while a collector (30) is set to gravitrimetrically collect flow of the viscoelastic abrasive dispersion as it extrudes from an outlet of the internal passages and drops into the collector. The extrusion medium chamber (10) is provided with an access port (16) to periodically receive gravimetric return flow of the viscoelastic abrasive dispersion from the collector (30) into extrusion medium chamber (10).

Abstract: Microsphere wet cake is mixed with a surface barrier coating effective to prevent agglomeration and surface bonding of the microspheres, and removing water by drying with continuous mixing at high shear. In a subsequent step, by the control of the application of heat and balancing temperature and low shear mixing, it is possible to also control expansion of the microspheres.The surface barrier coating in the present invention is any one of a wide diversity of materials which meet the requirements of the intended function, i.e., to prevent the agglomeration of the microspheres during the process. Suitable materials include, by way of example, dry inorganic pigments or filler materials, and the like, and related organic materials.

Abstract: A precoat septum in the form of a winding onto a core of textured yarn produced of continuous filaments of an organic or inorganic material. The yarn is texturized by air blowing a plurality of said filaments utilizing an air jet, and drawing off the filaments at a speed which is lower than the speed at which they enter the jet so that the resulting yarn is characterized by the filaments having a plurality of random entangled loops.

Abstract: A process for making a polymeric, porous hollow fibre (21) by heating a mixture of a thermoplastic polymer and a solvent to a temperature and for a time for the polymer and solvent to mutually dissolve, then introducing the molten mixture into an extrusion head (FIG. 1) adapted to shape the hollow fibre. The shaped fibre is then cooled in the extrusion head to a temperature so that non-equilibrium liquid-liquid phase separation takes place to form a bi-continuous matrix of the polymer and solvent in which the polymer and solvent form two intermingled separate phases of large interfacial surface area. Finally, the solvent is removed from the polymer.The extrusion head for forming the abovementioned polymeric, porous hollow fibre has an elongated body (17, 18) defining an axial passageway (11) for receiving a lumen-forming fluid (14) and a first annular passage (12) therearound for receiving the molten mixture (15) from which the hollow fibre (21) is formed.

Abstract: A luff roller reefing and roller furling sail is provided with a luff pad (6) made up of a laminate of a sail fabric (1) adhesively bonded to a polyurethane elastomeric foam (3). The pad is then adhesively bonded and/or stitched to the length of the luff of a sail (5), tapered from mid-luff to the tack and head. A luff tape is preferably adhesively bonded and stitched over each face of the laminate. When the sail is furled, the tapered luff pad provides bulk to cause more fabric to be drawn from the central portion of the sail, reducing draft and controlling position of the draft in partially furled conditions, and maintaining aerodynamically sound shape in the sail for windward performance.

Abstract: An apparatus for processing fuzzy information based on a membership function defining a fuzzy set, which generates the membership function with an elliptic, parabolic or rectangular, shape of equi-grade contour plane or line, incorporates the membership function at any position in a multi-dimensional space with a plurality of input variables and grade of compatibility as coordinates, and calculates and outputs a value of the grade of compatibility with respect to the incorporated membership function for given input variables.

Abstract: Cut resistant, abrasion resistant and electrically conductive yarns (1) are formed in torque-free form from stainless steel and other metallic yarns (2) served with or formed into composite twists with non-metallic yarns and fibers (4) and (5). The metallic yarn (2) is made up of at least about 60 ends, and up to as many as about 300 ends, of metal fibers (3) having a diameter of from about 2 to about 25 .mu.m. The absence of torque permits facile knitting into protective garments, such as cut resistant, abrasion resistant and/or electrically conductive gloves (10), or yarns which are as much as 85 to 90% by weight metallic fiber. When knit into gloves, added protection may be provided from puncture injuries if the palm (12), finger stalls (14) and thumb stall (16) are coated or impregnated with an elastomer or the like.

Abstract: A method of making a porous polymeric material by heating a mixture of a thermoplastic polymer and a cationic or non-ionic surfactant having a hydrophilic-lipophilic balance range of 4.0 to 6.0 to a temperature and for a time sufficient for the polymer and surfactant to mutually dissolve. The mixture is then cooled to a temperature so that non-equilibrium liquid-liquid phase separation takes place to form a bi-continuous matrix of the polymer and surfactant so that the polymer and surfactant form two intermingled separate phases of large interfacial surface area. The surfactant is then removed from the polymer. The porous polymeric material produced by the above method has a lacey or filamentous structure consisting of a plurality of polymer strands connected together at spaced apart locations along each strand.

Abstract: A concrete delivery truck having an electronically controlled transmission is shown and described. There are two (2) electronic control units, one in the truck cab and one at the rear of the truck. The rear electronic control is operative when the cab electronic control is in an neutral position. An actuator interface is connected to the cab and rear-mounted electrical control units for selecting the control unit and providing signals for the electronically controlled transmission.

Abstract: A device for pulling a bushing from a housing comprises a collet having legs which are expanded outwards by a cam action. The collet and cam are mounted on a shaft and the collet legs pushed onto a conical cam surface of the cam to expand them outwards. Ribs on the outer surface of the legs engage the end of the bushing as the shaft is withdrawn through the bushing and housing, pulling the bushing from the housing.

Abstract: Cut resistant, abrasion resistant and electrically conductive yarns (1) are formed in torque-free form from stainless steel and other metallic yarns (2) served with or formed into composite twists with non-metallic yarns and fibers (4) and (5). The metallic yarn (2) is made up of at least about 60 ends, and up to as many as about 300 ends, of metal fibers (3) having a diameter of from about 2 to about 25 .mu.m. The absence of torque permits facile knitting into protective garments, such as cut resistant, abrasion resistant and/or electrically conductive gloves (10), or yarns which are as much as 85 to 90% by weight metallic fiber. When knit into gloves, added protection may be provided from puncture injuries if the palm (12), finger stalls (14) and thumb stall (16) are coated or impregnated with an elastomer or the like.

Abstract: Friction welding is preformed by linear or non-rotating orbital motion in which both parts to be joined by friction welding are moved in identical paths, out of phase to produce friction until welding temperature is attained, and then in phase, with the parts registered in alignment, during the bonding phase. Because the registered, in phase control of the mechanism is attainable with great certainty and rapidity, friction welding with a far higher precision and accuracy of alignment is attained. The high precision and accuracy of the technique permits application of friction welding to fabrication of parts, such as turbine engines, not usually made by such techniques. A preferred apparatus for practice of the invention involves an opposed pair of orbital tables (110 and 120), on which parts to be joined are mounted and fixed in place by mounts 113 and 123).

Abstract: X-ray attenuation, particularly for protective garments is provided by a film of a thermoplastic elastomer containing from about 60 to about 90 weight percent of barium sulfate or other barium salt. Films having a thickness of about 1 mm provide attenuation equivalent to that of about 0.2 to 0.25 mm of lead foil. The film is pliant, durable, and resistant to cracking from normal flexure during use and wear.

Abstract: A method for chemical milling a workpiece utilizing a chemical milling fluid that is passivating to the workpiece, wherein the tool is provided with an abrasive surface, and said tool and workpiece are brought together with a contacting relative motion so that said abrasive surface will selectively abrade the workpiece to remove any passivation layer therefrom in those areas to be machined and such that the unabraded surface areas will retain the passivation layer to prevent chemical milling thereof, and a reciprocal motion between the tool and workpiece is also effected to pump the chemical milling fluid through the gap between the tool and workpiece and prevent reduction of the milling rate of the milling fluid.

Abstract: The major component of the carbonate fraction of free acids extractable from alfalfa has shown excellent control of symptoms in patients with sickle cell disease. Its structure has been established by proton NMR spectrometry as being 16-hydroxy-9Z,12Z,14E-octadecatrienoic acid and closely related compounds, such as simple esters, amides, triglycerides, or other derivatives of the carboxylic acid function, and a method for its synthesis from linseed oil or methyl linolenate has been developed. The product from linseed oil, both in the form of the initially formed triglyceride and in the form of its free acid obtained by saponification, is useful for the treatment of sickle cell disease.