Abstract: A method of bonding a component in a piston, involves the steps of coating the component surfaces to be bonded with an oxidation-resistant particulate material, preheating the coated component, placing the preheated component in a casting die and then casting an aluminum alloy around the component. The casting technique may comprise squeeze-casting.

Abstract: A workstation within a containment cell is provided with a services-supply module or unit by means of which a range of services such as electrical power, hydraulics, pneumatics etc are made available for in-cell use. The services are provided by means of a number of replaceable and exchangeable services-connection cartridges which sealingly engage in the unit and provide continuity between out-of-cell supply lines connectible to adaptors and in-cell supply lines connectible to adaptors. The cartridges are replaceable without breaking cell containment conditions with the aid of a tool (by which a replacement cartridge is fed forwardly to displace in nose to tail relationship the cartridge to be replaced.

Abstract: An air-vapor barrier continuity device for installation across an airspace between a window (or door jamb) and a wall stud (or rough sill) so as to provide an air-vapor barrier across the airspace. The continuity device comprises a flexible first generally rectangular longitudinal planar member and a second generally rectangular longitudinal line of the second member. The angle between the first and second members is greater than 90.degree. to provide biased contact with the wall stud or rough sill. The second member attaches to a door (or window) jamb at the inner wall surface of the jamb. The first member is of sufficient breadth to extend from the jamb across the airspace to the first wall stud (or rough sill) adjacent the air space. Preferably, the continuity device is extruded from a polymeric material as a single sheet bent along a longitudinal line, one side forming the first member and the other side forming the second member.

Abstract: When constructing walls beneath suspended ceilings of the type including T-bars, the usual practice is to connect C-shaped channel members directly to the T-bars. If the walls are disassembled or moved, unsightly holes remain in the exposed bottom surfaces of the T-bars. A simple connector for solving the problem includes a strip of material which, in use, includes a generally inverted U-shaped central portion for straddling the top stem of the T-bar, and a pair of arms perpendicular to the central portion for extending outwardly beyond the arms of the T-bar into overlapping relationship with the channel member. Screws are used to connect the device to the T-bar and to the channel member. Thus, the T-bar remains intact and undamaged.

Abstract: The cord system comprises a relatively thin detonating cord which can be readily bent round small diameter corners and is of low weight per unit length, the cord comprising an outer relatively thick tube and an inner relatively thin tube of a different material of greater density than the outer tube, the secondary explosive for detonation being within the inner tube. When ignited the cord remains thereby protecting any apparatus positioned close to it from damage by the explosion contained within the cord.

Abstract: Flanged bearings are described wherein flanges are joined to a journal bearing by means of co-operating lugs on the flange and slots in the journal bearing end face. The lugs are offset from the remainder of the flange material in order to provide increased mechanical interlocking after machining of the bearing.

Abstract: Pistons are described comprising a crown having an associated piston ring groove belt and which crown is supported by gudgeon pin bosses connected thereto by two generally axially extending planar webs which are orientated transversely to the gudgeon pin axis and also supported by at least one subsidiary support rib associated with each planar web and pin boss and which support rib extends in a generally axial direction between the crown underside and pin boss and generally transversely to the planar web. The piston may be of either articulated or monometal construction.

Abstract: A shaft seal comprises a rigid case ring 1 and a sealing ring which has a PTFE or like ring component 4 secured in the case ring by a molded elastomeric ring component 5 molded into and face-bonded to the case ring, to secure the PTFE ring component in place, and having elastomeric material 7 extending over the air side face of the PTFE ring component, toward a sealing periphery thereof, and forming the wiping seal. Optionally, the elastomeric material is molded into a hydrodynamic, positive sealing configuration of ribs or grooves 8.

Abstract: A sphincter seal, to accommodate variations in diameters of drums, is employed at a posting port into a containment. The seal comprises an annular assembly of inner and outer brush seals between which are sandwiched rings of resilient material. An elastic garter is secured to the resilient rings to resist deformation of the rings through use.

Abstract: A liquid-liquid contactor column 10 has a solvent input 16 and an aqueous phase input 22. Lighter phase liquid is discharged at 31 and heavier phase is moved by an air lift 26 to a receiver. The air supply line 28 to the air lift 26 includes valve 32 and a pressure sensing transducer 34 senses pressure in line 28 and sends electric signals to signal processing unit 52 which may for example close down operation of the column, or effect other changes to maintain operating characteristics of the column. The column could be pulsed by means which also send signals to unit 52, and could deliver to an external settler.

Abstract: A heating element comprises a body provided by fibrous tubes of an electrically conductive material, a voidage between the tubes providing a path for a fluid to be heated. The material may be silicon, silicon carbide, or silicon rich-silicon nitride. The heating element is manufactured by coating a fibrous carbon precursor with the material, and heating the coated precursor in an oxidizing environment so as to remove the carbon precursor by oxidation. The heating element has one application for a heat transfer system for controlling the temperature of a hot working device. The system comprises a fluid circuit including the hot working device, the heating element through which the fluid is driven by a pump, and a temperature controller for sensing the temperature of the device and controlling the temperature of the heating element as a function of the device temperature.

Abstract: A method of inhibiting or reducing contamination of out-of-core components of the primary coolant circuit of a pressurized water reactor due to absorption by oxide films of such components of cobalt and other radioactive contaminants generated by neutron irradiation of coolant impurities while in the reactor core. The method consisting of intermittently (e.g. at reactor shutdown for maintenance purposes), and/or once-off during commissioning of the reactor, holding the temperature of the circulating coolant within a suitable range below normal operating temperature for an extended period while maintaining its boric acid concentration substantially higher than during normal operation. Inhibition of absorpotion by component oxide films persists long-term and predisposes to preferential and improved removal of contamination by the usual purification equipment which operates continuously during normal operation of the reactor.

Abstract: Waste material is passed from a cell 10 through a port 12 into drum 48 which has a mouth 49 with a removable lid 54. A port door 28 includes an electromagnet 54a to hold the lid to the door 28 and both are moved into the cell to allow loading of the drum and after re-closure of door and lid swaging tools 34 operate to deform the lid to form one or more lips which engage under the margin around mouth 49 to resist separation of the lid from the drum.Seals 30, 32, 52 are provided.

Abstract: A patented valve control for use in a toilet tank having a bottom outlet for discharging water to a toilet bowl, a valve for closing the outlet, a conventional actuating lever and a chain connecting the lever to the valve for opening the latter, includes an arm carrying the valve pivotally mounted in the toilet tank for actuation by the chain to open the bottom outlet, a float on the arm biasing the valve to the open position when the tank is full and biasing the valve to the close position when the tank is empty, and a drainable container on the arm biasing the valve open when the latter is open and biasing the valve closed when the latter is closed. The amount of water discharged through the outlet during each flushing operation can be reduced by mounting a flush control device on the arm of the valve control. The flush control device is a rectangular parallelepipedic body with a groove in one side thereof for mounting the body on the arm.

Abstract: A combustion chamber formed in the crown of a piston for an indirect injection diessel engine is described the combustion chamber having an elongate entry channel adjacent the gas efflux of a precombustion chamber, the channel leading into four branches which generate vortices in the burning charge and which vortices are coherent and mutually self-reinforcing.

Abstract: A flask assembly for the transfer of objects, in particular objects contaminated by radioactivity, into and out of an enclosure. The assembly includes a levelling system to sit over a posting port in an enclosure for the objects and which supports a stool assembly. The stool assembly includes a lower gamma gate which cooperates with an upper gamma gate on a flask body which is removably mounted on the stool assembly. The flask body carries a winch system for flasking objects through the posting port. A shock absorber unit is housed within the stool assembly.

Abstract: A metering apparatus has a metering chamber which has at least one boundary surface in the form of a flexible diaphragm. The diaphragm is operatively connected to an actuating device so that the volume of the chamber for metering and deliveirng the substance can be varied. An inlet opening and an outlet opening in the metering chamber can preferably be closed off directly by the diaphragm, more specifically by means of closure devices arranged in the region of those openings. The metering apparatus is particularly suitable for die bonders for the delivery of a bonding agent onto a substrate which is then equipped with electronic components.

Abstract: A heating panel includes an electrical heating element fully embedded in a base of refractory material, the element being embedded in a region of high thermal conductivity refractory material integrally backed by low thermal conductivity refractory material. The element and surrounding high-thermal conductivity refractory may be fully or partially raised above the general surface of the base. In another aspect, a heating device is in the form of an electrical heating element coil supported and retained on a base of castable refractory material by ribs molded with the base and around part of the periphery of the coil, the material of the base being molded between adjacent turns of the coil, the core of the coil being free of refractory and open to the surface of the device, and at least part of the coil periphery is raised above the surrounding surface of the panel. Methods of making the heating device are disclosed.

Abstract: A porous body is formed around an element which has the shape of the desired cavity and the body is heated to a temperature such that the element melts and infiltrates the porous body at least in the immediate vicinity of the resulting cavity. The article may then, for example, be incorporated into a piston for an internal combustion engine so as to form a cavity in the crown region thereof.

Abstract: In a liquid metal cooled fast neutron nuclear reactor plant, surfaces (12) which are immersed in the flowing liquid metal and are vulnerable to liquid metal temperature fluctuations are provided with fins (20) defining cavities (22) for at least temporarily trapping the liquid metal to produce a thin layer of the liquid metal on the surface and thereby attenuate the effect of temperatures fluctuations occurring in the liquid metal flow.