Abstract: A wet silica gel can be prepared by a process comprising the steps of contacting a stable, aqueous, fluid, silica system having a pH greater than 7.5 with an ion exchange resin which removes metal ions and replaces them with H+ ions and thereby reduces the pH to less than 5.0, adding an organic liquid to the aqueous silica system, providing, however, that the organic liquid added stays in one phase with the aqueous, silica, system, and does not cause the silica to precipitate, and adding a base to the silica system so that the pH of the silica system is in the range of from about 5.0 to about 7.5, and allowing the wet silica gel to form. The wet silica gel formed by this process is characterized by its high organic solvent content and the low concentration of basic metal ions.

Abstract: A thermoplastic polymer composition capable of being extruded comprises a reaction product of an ionomer and a polymer which contains a moiety which is reactive with the acid or neutralized acid group of the ionomer. The composition is sufficiently non-sticking that it can be extruded and calendered without substantial adherance to any hot metal parts. Since this thermoplastic polymer composition does not stick to hot metal parts, the composition is more than suitable as resilient flooring and welding rods.

Abstract: A structure of tiles comprising numerous tiles which together form a surface covering, wherein at least part of each tile rests on a piece of underlay that lays between the surface covered and the tile. The piece of underlay had previously been fixed to the tile (having pressure-sensitive adhesive). In the embodiments of this invention, the underlay, optionally and preferably, is still attached to the tile forming an underlay which is permanently fixed to the tile. The surface covering of the present invention comprises tiles, each tile being square or rectangular, and having two opposed surfaces, wherein the tile has edges A, B, C, and D, between the surfaces and further has a coating of a pressure-sensitive adhesive and an underlay fixed to the surface having the coating of pressure-sensitive adhesive.

Abstract: The apparatus is a spray shield to prevent ink and cleaning fluids from being spun off of the ends of printing cylinders. A cylindrical shield around the end of the printing cylinder is attached to a hub resting on the printing cylinder axle, and the hub and shield have sections held together by a hinge and a latch so they can be unlatched and removed for cleaning. An axial spring assembly is attached to the hub on the side opposite from the cylindrical shield so that the springs compress and friction is minimized if the hub is contacted by the printing cylinder.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for sealing and bonding the seams and edges of resilient and other types of floors, whereby specially formulated hot-melt sealants/adhesives are applied in molten form at the flooring installation site using a heated gun equipped with a specially designed tip. The hot-melt sealant/adhesive flows into and completely fills the seam and bonds to the edges of the flooring producing a bead of material that extends above the surface of the flooring. The specially designed tip facilitates this process by guiding along easily in the groove of the seam or joint and directing the molten sealant/adhesive accurately into the seam. The tip allows the seam or joint width to be very narrow and enhances sealing and adhesion by imparting heat to the edges of the flooring material. Upon cooling, a spatula knife or other appropriate tool is used to skive off the excess bead of material leaving it flush with the flooring.

Abstract: Floor coverings include a wear layer made from a coat composition including a multifunctional polyurethane (meth)acrylate oligomer. The multifunctional polyurethane is made by reacting a polyisocyanate with a functionality equal or higher than 3, a polyester polyol, and a hydroxyalkyl-(meth)acrylate with a number average molecular weight of about 344 to about 472. The coating composition preferably includes a reactive (meth)acrylate diluent and a photoinitiator.

Abstract: For sag-resistant ceiling boards, a board has at least two coatings, one on the front face (coating A) of the board and at least one other coating (coating B) on the back face of the ceiling board. Both of these coatings must have an elastic modulus of at least about 400,000 psi to make the board rigid. In addition to this, coating B, on the back face of the board, must have a higher coefficient of humidity expansion than coating A of the front face.

Abstract: The welding rod is a laminate structure in which a print layer is disposed between a first thermoplastic layer and a second transparent thermoplastic layer. Preferably the welding rod is in the form of an elongated element having a half-round cross-sectional shape. The welding rod is used to join two pieces of thermoplastic sheeting, particularly flooring, together. If the welding rod has a pattern similar to the printed pattern of the sheeting the resulting surface covering looks seamless.

Abstract: Phenolic foam which can be used as insulation is a foamed phenol-formaldehyde resole resin which contains a peptide, a proteinaceous material, cysteine, glutamic acid, glycine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, phenylalanine, serine, tryptophan, or mixtures thereof at an amount effective to reduce emission of free formaldehyde from the foamed resin.

Abstract: This invention describes two products both with a plain, fine textured, nonperforated surface visual consisting of a fiberboard substrate with or without a laminated porous nonwoven scrim and then a finished painted surface. The finish painted surface decorates or finishes the board, but most important, must remain acoustically transparent to retain the sound absorption properties of the fiberboard prior to painting. The fiberboard substrate is made to be porous or modified with hole perforations to cause it to be a good sound absorber. If the fiberboard substrate is sufficiently porous without hole perforations, then the sprayable, high solids, porous paint can be directly applied. If hole perforations are used to improve the sound absorption properties of the board substrate, then a porous, nonwoven scrim is attached and painted using the same high solids porous paint.

Abstract: A resin composition comprises an acrylated polyester, the polyester being the reaction product of an equivalent excess of 1,6-hexanediol and an aromatic polycarboxylic acid or anhydride, preferably trimellitic anhydride. In the preferred embodiment, the reaction product includes a highly ethoxylated triacrylate. Upon UV initiated polymerization or copolymerization, improved clear coatings for "no-wax" resilient floors are obtained. These coatings have better resistance to household and other stains than commercial urethane/acrylate floor coverings.

Abstract: A resilient surface covering has a wear layer including a crosslinked aminoplast/polyurethane which is directly adhered to a vinyl support surface. The adhesion between the wear layer and support surface is improved by including at least 20% polyurethane by weight based on the total amount of aminoplast, polyurethane and epoxy resin in the wear layer composition, or by applying the wear layer composition to a gelled, but unfused vinyl support surface by fusing the vinyl support surface and curing the wear layer in a single step.

Abstract: Vinyl heat welding rod for seam sealing vinyl resilient flooring, whether in sheet or tile form, are used to obtain a homogeneous, monolithic appearing surface. This rod is specifically made to duplicate the appearance of the flooring material. For a chip-image flooring structure, a sheet of multicolored chips having a similar, but different formulation from that of the flooring material is prepared and the sheet is cut into suitable strips, heat pressed in a rod mold, end adhered or further molded to form the desired length, and used as a vinyl heat welding rod for sealing seams in flooring. Thus, the chip pattern is evident in the seam area and does not appear different when compared to the adjacent surface.

Abstract: Described herein are textile fiber-working units and methods for preparing them. These units have at least one layer made of a mixture of a polyamide, a crosslinked acrylonitrilebutadiene rubber, a plasticizer and a crosslinking agent. This layer forms a ring and has an outer fiber-working surface which forms an endless path for processing fibers. The units are made by combining the ingredients to form a uniform blend which is then worked into a shape, heated to crosslink the rubber, and then producing the fiber-working unit using appropriate finishing techniques such as cutting, grinding, and polishing.

Abstract: A compressible gasket is provided which has at least one bolt area with a tapered densification. The tapered densification puts the lowest porosity at a center area of the bolt area. The center area is that part of the bolt area which surrounds and abuts the bolt aperture itself, and in use is covered by the bolt head. Two embodiments are provided. In one the gasket will have a substantially uniform porosity throughout the center area underneath the bolt head. In the more preferred embodiment, the densification gradually decreases in a porosity gradient beginning at the aperture and going through the center area.

Abstract: Disclosed is a fabric-faced wallboard product having a modular appearance and a method for preparing the composite product without using separate modules. By tucking the fabric into a grooved surface of the board, the appearance of a plurality of individual blocks, sections or modules is provided.

Abstract: The incorporation of a vinyl chloride/vinyl acetate/maleic acid terpolymer in the pigment particle containing decorative layer of a floor covering improves the cohesive strength of the pigmented decorative layer and adhesion of the decorative layer to the adjacent layers. The use of this vinyl terpolymer as the binder in the printed or coated decorative layer imparts improved bond strength particularly with platey pigments like pearlescents and metallics or in highly filled decorative layers containing titanium dioxide or other pigments.

Abstract: A flooring installation is characterized by installing an underlayment between the flooring material and the subfloor. The underlayment includes a polymeric layer, preferably a foamed polymeric layer, and a fiber mat, preferably a glass fiber. The foamed polymer interpenetrates at least the lower portion of the glass mat. A portion of the fiber mat is preferably unsaturated. The fiber mat may have an acrylic latex tie coat opposite the foamed polymer layer.

Abstract: A suspended ceiling system having a trim strip and ceiling runners. A trim connector fastens the trim strip to the ceiling runners. The trim connector being a two part structure is fastened to the trim strip by a releasable fastening action. One of the two parts of the trim connector is also fastened to the ceiling runner.