Abstract: A method for recording information about a particular patient being processed through a hospital or medical facility that has a number of departments, each of which may perform a different type of procedure on a patient is described. A physician may enter an order into a computer which describes the procedure to be performed on the patient. A computer has various inputs respectively operable by different workers in various departments of the hospital to provide information about the patient and which is compared with a standard protocol for medical procedures performed in the various departments. The computer may then print out a description of the patients stay in the hospital including an variations from the standard protocol.

Abstract: A large vault or tank receives the runoff water to be cleaned. There are one or more small tanks in the large tank (vault). Each small tank is inverted and receives water at its open lower end, from the large tank. The water entering the small tank rises, as the water level in the large tank rises, and flows upward through a filter. When the water level rises above the top of the filter it enters an outlet tube or pipe and then flows downwardly along the center-line of the filter. A float, a valve and a check valve may cause the system to function as a siphon and feed the filtered clean water to an outlet. Alternatively the siphoning effect will occur if the inside diameter of said outlet tube is small enough to form a partial vacuum.

Abstract: Runoff water from parking lots and filling stations is cleaned by first passing via an inlet pipe tangentially into a vortex chamber where the swirling action separates the contaminants from the water. Floating contaminants are stored in the vortex chamber, trapped at the top of the chamber by the roof of that chamber and at the lower part of the chamber by a skirt. That roof has an access opening to permit removal of the floating contaminants. The body of the fluid thereafter moves downward into a settling chamber where heavier-than-water contaminants settle. As the fluid in the settling chamber builds up, it passes through cleaning screens to a clean water outlet. A by-pass overflow pipe to process very large volumes of water extends upward from the settling chamber. Each screen may have louvers for preventing contaminants from blocking the screen.

Abstract: A system is provided for treating runoff water in which there is a separator and a filter for cleaning the water. A reservoir is provided to hold large quantities of water during prolonged rainstorms. The output of the reservoir is fed to the filter. The rate of flow from the reservoir to the filter is controlled and limited to flow rates at which the filter can efficiently clean the water.

Abstract: A route guidance system for vehicles comprises central computing apparatus (6), transmitting apparatus (1) by way of which the central computing apparatus (6) is informed of the positions of respective vehicles on a road network and by way of which the vehicles are supplied with route guidance data calculated by the central computing apparatus as to the best routes for the respective vehicles to take to respective desired destinations, the transmitting apparatus (1) including transmitting devices (4) for carrying by the respective vehicles and by way of which the central computing apparatus (6) is informed as to the desired destinations, computing apparatus (8) serving to inform the central computing apparatus (6) as to traffic congestion on the network, and speech synthesisers (4) for carrying by the respective vehicles and arranged to speak instructions to the drivers of respective vehicles as to the routes to be taken to their respective desired destinations.

Abstract: The present invention filters runoff water containing oil and an emulsion of oil and water. A tank receives the inlet water and feeds it to a reservoir which in turn feeds the water to the cylindrical filter cells. The water passing through the filter cells is received by a manifold which feeds the clean water to an outlet. However, when the runoff water has a high rate of flow the reservoir soon overflows and the excess water flows directly to an outlet. The reservoir may be either above or below the filter cells. If above, the water entering the inlet flows downward to a reservoir which is perforated to provide water to the filter cells. If, however, the reservoir is below the filter cells it has a perforated top which feeds the filter cells. The water in the reservoir is under pressure. The filter cells may be cylindrical. They have an inner vertical cylindrical passageway surrounded by one or more cylindrical layers. One filtering media is in said inner passageway.

Abstract: The current invention provides a process and apparatus for determining the density of a flowing fluid without requiring knowledge of the fluid's Theological properties. The process of the current invention is capable of providing continuous “real time” analysis of fluid density. The apparatus of the current invention comprises at least two pressure assessment zones fitted with fluid pressure sensing points. Pressure sensing devices connected to the pressure sensing points provide the data necessary to enable the calculation of fluid density.

Abstract: The current invention provides a method for determining the rheology of a mixture of gelled hydrocarbon and liquid carbon dioxide. The method of the current invention precludes the negative impact of the Weissenberg effect when determining the rheology of a non-Newtonian fluid. Additionally, the method of the current invention produces a homogenous mixture without generating the Weissenberg effect.

Abstract: The current invention provides improved methods and compositions for completing a well bore. In one aspect, the current invention provides a process for preparing a foamed cement composition. The process utilizes air to foam the cement after the air has been treated to lower the oxygen content below that concentration necessary to support combustion. Additionally, the current invention provides a process for completing a well bore using foamed cement wherein the foam is generated with reduced oxygen content air. Finally, the current invention provides a foamed cement composition wherein the gaseous portion of the composition is air having a reduced oxygen content.

Abstract: A postal envelope system has an outgoing envelope containing a billing statement and a reply envelope. The reply envelope has a flap for closing the envelope. The outgoing envelope has a tab for opening it. The tab has a portion which is held and pulled in order to open the envelope. The flap of the return envelope and a small portion of the billing statement is directly under the tab of the outgoing envelope. The flap and the billing statement are positioned and have a shape, which keeps them outside of the paths of a finger and thumb that are moving into a position for grasping said tab portion so that the billing statement and flap are not grabbed and pulled along with the tab portion and tab.

Abstract: A tubular main frame (2) for an aeroplane, bridge, or pressure vessel, for example, comprises a honeycomb structure with cells (4) thereof distributed round the periphery of the frame and along the frame, the cells each being at least pentagonal, preferably largely hexagonal.

Abstract: The present invention employs a unique method that allows a user to create at least one standard pattern about how a particular type of x-ray examination of a body part of a patient is routinely performed, then monitors the machine when a operator uses it to perform this same type of examination. The invention creates and records certain data during the performance of the examination then combines the data from a standard protocol with the data that is created during the actual performance of an examination to produce certain desired results that include the performance and skill level of the operator during the examination, the revenues and expenses involved in performing the examination as well as the productivity of the machine and operator(s) who use the machine.

Abstract: An improved process is disclosed for producing a unique metals-containing anisotropic pitch suitable for carbon fiber manufacture. Soluble, aromatic-organometallic compounds are added to a carbonaceous feedstock which is substantially free of mesophase pitch and the resulting composition is heat soaked to produce an isotropic pitch product containing mesogens and soluble, aromatic-organometallic compounds. Next, the pitch product is solvent fractionated to separate mesogens which contain metals from the organometallic compounds. The metals-containing mesogens are heated to a temperature sufficient to cause fusion to produce a metals-containing mesophase pitch. In another method, the carbonaceous feedstock is heat soaked to produce an isotropic pitch product containing mesogens and high molecular weight, soluble, aromatic-organometallic compounds are added to the mesogen containing isotropic pitch product prior to solvent fractionation.

Abstract: Apparatus for separating oil from water is provided. A container has a divider which divides the container into two tanks. These two tanks have three separate paths for the incoming run-off water, one path for a low rate of flow of the run-off water, one for an intermediate rate of flow of the water and one for a high rate of flow. The divider is a resilient plate which relies on its resilience to hold the plate in the container. The divider is a large vortex plate that divides the space in the tank. That space has a lower level than the lower end of the vortex plate. That space allows water to flow under the vortex plate to the part of the tank outside of the vortex plate. An inlet pipe feeds raw run-off water into the upper space. When water enters the container at a slow rate, it passes through a weir to an outlet. When the run-off fluid has an intermediate rate of flow more water enters the inlet tank than can pass through the small opening of the weir.

Abstract: A packet of toothpicks has a one-piece plastic sheet, folded onto itself to provide two layers of plastic toothpicks, each of which toothpicks has a handle portion and a cleaning portion. The cleaning portion is embossed to form a surface that will abrade plaque. Flavoring, or other chemical, may be placed in pockets or grooves formed in the embossed area.

Abstract: A method of monitoring traffic flow comprises reading registration plates of the vehicles of a multiplicity of series of vehicles passing respective locations on a road network, if necessary selecting samples of readings from the readings relating to the vehicles of the series, and determining whether readings of the samples are deemed to contain matching readings. The samples are used as probes or targets to measure average journey times which are compared with reference journey times. The selecting of the samples at the respective reading locations is performed according to an algorithm common to all of the locations.

Abstract: The present invention provides a process for thermosetting pitch fibers in reduced times, at low concentrations of oxygen and at higher temperatures than previously possible. Additionally, the present invention provides a pitch fiber which has an oxygen diffusion rate to the center of the fiber which is competitive with the rate of oxidation at the fiber's surface. Further, the present invention provides a high density pitch fiber batt which thermosets without loss of fiber structure.

Abstract: A computer is mounted closely adjacent the underside of a table top. Mounting brackets are attached to and carried by the table top. The computer is connected to the brackets by a first set of guides which permit the computer to move along a path which at one end has the computer under the table top and has the computer out from under the table top at the other end. A keyboard is attached to the computer by a second set of guides. This second set of guides allows the keyboard to move from a position under the computer to a location at which the keyboard is not under the computer.

Abstract: A permanent magnet direct current machine is provided. The rotor has permanent magnets acting as poles for feeding magnetic flux to the stator. The stator has a multiplicity of "slot paths". Each slot path has as many slots as there are poles on the rotor and also has as many coils as there are poles on the rotor. The coils of a slot path are equally spaced around the axis of the machine and each coil of the slot path is wound through two slots. The coils of a slot path may be switched from series to parallel to hybrid relationships to vary the operating characteristics of the machine.