Abstract: Bearings having an overlay (14) deposited by cathodic sputtering. In one example the overlay comprises an aluminum matrix (22) containing a dispersed phase (24) of tin. The overlay may contain a relatively low content of tin adjacent the interface (18) with the substrate (10;12) rising to a relatively high content at the surface. The surface may comprise a layer (26) of substantially pure tin to act as a sacrificial overlay during initial running of the bearing.

Abstract: A composite material, particularly useful for prestressing concrete and in stay cables for cable-stayed bridges and other such uses where strength, corrosion resistance and resistance to fatigue failure are particularly important, comprises high strength wire strand coated and impregnated with an impermeable and strongly adherent epoxy based resin. The impregnated and coated epoxy increases the flexural stiffness of the composite against bending fatigue in the areas of the anchorages in dynamically loaded situations and reduces relative movement and rubbing of the wires of the strand so as to reduce fretting and hence fretting fatigue, the principal mechanism for failure in dynamically loaded strand.

Abstract: A process for the treatment of a material which is or is suspected to contain or carry one or more actinides or compounds thereof to dissolve such actinides or compounds comprises contacting the material with an aqueous solution having a pH in the range 5.5 to 10.5 which is free of heavy metal ions and comprises ingredients which are naturally degradable to non-toxic products with or without mild physical assistance such as heat or ultra-violet radiation, said solution comprising:(a) carbonated water;(b) a conditioning agent;and (c) a complexing agent which comprises the anion of a carboxylic acid having from 2 to 6 carbon atoms.The process may be employed to separate spent nuclear fuel from its metal containment or it may be employed to decontaminate surface, e.g. concrete or soil or pipes carrying traces of actinides, or bulk materials such as soil or rubble.

Abstract: A water-based emulsion paint, for example, is formulated with high refractive index opacifying pigment particles, dispersant, and polymer particles in which substantially all of the pigment particles (40) are disjuncted from one another and contained within an attached cluster of polymer particles (41) or have appendant polymer particles to give opacifying units having a nodular outline. Preferably micro-voids are trapped between particles and the dispersant is less than 1% of the pigment by weight.

Abstract: An electrochemical cell (60) and method for treating waste having an anode in the form of a number of elements comprising spheres (80) which locate between plates (78, 81). The spheres (80) divide the anode compartment (64) into parts (110, 111). The porous pot (62) separates the anode compartment from the cathode compartment (63). The electrode liquor is circulated over the elements from part (110) to part (111) by an impeller (86) located in a tube (75) having inlets (77) and outlets (76), the outlets (76) being at a different level from the inlets (77). A rake may stir the contents of chamber (111) particularly for solid waste. There may be a plurality of porous pots, each housing a cathode, in the anode compartment.

Abstract: Bearings and a method of manufacture thereof are described, the method comprising the steps of forming a half bearing of a desired size from a leaded bronze alloy having a strong backing material, indenting the bore surface of the leaded bronze alloy, depositing a layer of a lead-based overlay material onto the indented bore surface, depositing a layer of indium onto the lead-based overlay material surface and heat treating to diffuse the indium at least into the lead-based overlay material.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are described for controlling the rate of pouring of molten metal. Examples are given of pouring metal onto a steel strip to form a coating having a uniform controlled thickness thereon. The method comprises the use of an intermediate holding dish having pouring means in the form of a generally vertical slot. The metal head presented to the slot is variable in response to signals from sensors measuring, for example, total strip thickness and the metal level within the holding dish. Signals from the sensors are also used to generate control signals to vary the rate of pouring from a holding furnace into the dish.

Abstract: A wave power apparatus (10) includes a chamber (16) which may be constructed over a coastal gully (12) so that waves (14) cause the water level to rise and fall in the chamber, and so cause air to flow to and fro in a duct (32). A Wells-type biplane turbine (34) in the duct (32) drives a generator (36). The turbine (34) comprises two turbine discs (45) 0.5 m apart, each defining a hub, a plurality of aerofoil section straight blades (80), and an outer ring (56). The ring (56) is sufficiently massive to act as an energy-storage flywheel, and has a greater moment of inertia than the hub and the blades. Each turbine disc (45) might have a kinetic energy of at least 1 MJ when rotating at 1650 rpm.

Abstract: Sintered materials and a method are described for the production of ferrous articles, particularly valve seat inserts. The materials are based on A1S1 H11, H12 and H13 materials plus diluent material.

Abstract: A process and device are disclosed for automatic sewing of a piece of fabric along its edges. The process is of the type in which a rolling element (12) orientable by pivoting around a vertical axis YY' bears against the fabric in front of the presser-foot in order to guide and entrain the fabric in front of the sewing zone. The rolling element (12) is driven into rotational movement by a cylinder (16) bearing against that element in its upper zone traversed by the pivoting axis YY' in such a manner that the contact of the cylinder against the rolling element leaves this latter free to pivot, especially at high frequency, about the axis YY' independently of the value of the friction coefficient between the cylinder and the rolling element.

Abstract: A container for material contaminated with a toxic substance or a radionuclide has a base with recesses. A highly absorbent cementitious material is disposed in the recesses for absorbing any liquid in the container. The cementitious material is made by mixing together a sodium bentonite clay slurry and a cement slurry at a water/solids ratio of about 1.5/1. Subsequent heating of the mixture removes capillary water without substantially dehydrating any hydrated cement.

Abstract: Particulates from a source fall into a tundish which discharges to a collection chamber. The build-up of particulates in the chamber is sensed, and a valve opened at the bottom of the chamber when a pre-determined level of the particulates is sensed in the chamber. A valve at the top of the chamber may be closed at the same time so that pressurized air can be injected into the chamber to expel the particulates through the bottom of the chamber through the valve. A filter circuit may be connected to the tundish to assist in removing particulates from the tundish.

Abstract: The die for the production of piston blanks having high dimensional accuracy comprises an integral body and crown forming part with separate internal and pin boss bore cores and a single runner and feeder. Metal utilisation is greatly increased and fettling costs are greatly reduced.

Abstract: A non-consumable electrode for tungsten inert gas welding. The electrode is formed from at least two portions in face-to-face relationship so as to define a longitudinal slit between them extending lengthwise of the electrode and terminating at the tip of the electrode. The slit acts as a cavity and ensures that spark initiation takes place from locations on the electrode where metal ion deposition is inhibited. The faces of the portions may be of flat form or of complementary contoured form.

Abstract: Wastes are placed in a container, and the container is closed by a lid having a port sealed by a disc. A cutting tool having a hollow drive stem pierces the disc. A grout slurry is fed through the stem so as to discharge into the container and embed the wastes in the grout when set. The wastes may be contained in a crate in the container, and may also take the form of a glove box which itself contains waste objects.

Abstract: A filter unit (10) for removing particulates from exhaust gases for example from a diesel engine, includes several filter elements (24) arranged so the gas flows through them are in parallel and that no individual element carries more than a fifth of the total flow. Each element (24) comprises a tubular heating element (50) of high voidage electrically conducting material, with a secondary filter layer (52) adjacent to its upstream surface, and with means (53-63) to ensure the gas flow and particulate deposition are substantially uniform over the upstream surface. At intervals the heating elements (50) are electrically energized, in turn, to burn off deposited particulates. At any one time only a subset of the elements (24) is energized through which at that time no more than a fifth of the total gas flow passes. The unit (10) might have thirteen such elements (24), energized one at a time.

Abstract: An apparatus for simultaneously monitoring the heart rate of each of a plurality of subjects comprises a main circuit for transmitting a predetermined signal of predetermined frequency and duration and at predetermined time intervals to cause each of a plurality of remote subcircuits to transmit subcircuit identity data and heart rate data in predetermined timed sequence, a receiver for receiving remote subcircuit transmissions and producing an output representative of the heart rate of a subject and a plurality of remote subcircuits, each remote subciruit having a pulse monitoring device adapted to be secured to a subject for detecting and producing an output in response to a heart beat, and a detector for detecting the pulse monitoring device output and determining the number of the outputs which occur within a predetermined time interval, and being responsive to the main circuit predetermined signal for transmitting to the main circuit a signal representative of subcircuit identity data and the number of t

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a bearing is described, the method comprising the steps of preparing a flat blank having a steel backing layer and a bearing alloy lining, the blank having an area corresponding to the projected surface area of the bearing, the flat blank also having required bearing features such as oil holes, grooves, and end-face chamfers and forming the flat blank directly into an associated bearing housing. The thickness of the flat blank should lie in the range from 0.25 to 0.75 mm. The blank may correspond in major dimension to a half bearing or to a full cylindrical bush.

Abstract: In a copper vapor laser, individual copper loads are each placed in a respective ceramic crucible and the crucibles are spaced apart at intervals along the length of the laser discharge tube.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a takraw ball comprising hoops woven into a spherical basket, each hoop being formed of an elongate, generally flat strip of plastics material, each strip having one convex side edge of constant radius and the other side edge of sinusoidal undulating profile and being joined by its ends to form a frustoconical hoop; pairs of hoops being arranged with the strip convex side edges opposed in a common plane or in parallel planes and the sinusoidal side edges relatively staggered so that interwoven hoops intersect at the troughs of sinusoidal side edges.