Abstract: An air-cleaning apparatus presenting an appearance of a flowerpot comprises: a hollow container provided with a ventilating hole in its lower portion and an opening in its upper portion; a fan disposed inside the container; driving means for driving the fan; an air-cleaning filter disposed above the ventilating hole; an air-permeable supporting plate disposed above the fan and the filter; and a natural and/or imitation garden plant mounted on the supporting plate, which plant is covered at its root with an air-permeable filter.

Abstract: A process for the preparation of a porous membrane is provided which comprises the steps of preparing an aqueous dispersion system by dispersing a first material in water, said first material being selected from the group consisting of waxy substances, fatty substances and mixtures thereof and having a melting point of from the room temperature to 100.degree. C., admixing with said aqueous dispersion system an aqueous solution or aqueous dispersion of a second material selected from the group consisting of high polymers and compounds forming high polymers when irradiated by light rays, forming a membrane from the admixture, drying said membrane to evaporate water therefrom and removing said waxy substances and said fatty substances contained in the dried membrane by extracting the same by the use of a solvent.

Abstract: A dispersant-free liquid dye preparation comprising (1) a vehicle consisting of a particular water-soluble-COONH.sub.4 group-containing polymer and a water-miscible organic solvent with or without water, and (2) a water-insoluble or sparingly water-soluble dye dispersed in the vehicle. The dye preparation can be prepared simply by mixing these ingredients and grinding the mixture. Textile articles can be dyed or printed in deep and brilliant shades by using dyeing baths or printing pastes containing the liquid dye preparation.

Abstract: A process for modifying a fibrous product containing cellulosic fibers which comprises treating said fibrous product with a solution or dispersion containing a particular acrylic copolymer having a glycidyl group and an alkylene oxide sidechain, drying the fibrous product; and heat-treating it in the presence of an acid catalyst at a temperature sufficient to cleave the oxirane linkage of the glycidyl group. This process can impart superior dry and wet crease resistances, shrinkage resistance and wash and wear properties and also soil removing ability, resistance to redeposition, water absorption and water penetrability to fibrous products containing cellulosic fibers while retaining their mechanical strength characteristics.

Abstract: A process for modifying a fibrous product containing cellulosic fibers which comprises treating said fibrous product with a solution or dispersion containing a particular acrylic copolymer having a glycidyl group and an alkylene oxide sidechain, drying the fibrous product; and heat-treating it in the presence of an acid catalyst at a temperature sufficient to cleave the oxirane linkage of the glycidyl group. This process can impart superior dry and wet crease resistances, shrinkage resistance and wash and wear properties and also soil removing ability, resistance to redeposition, water absorption and water penetrability to fibrous products containing cellulosic fibers while retaining their mechanical strength characterics.

Abstract: A process for modifying a fibrous product containing cellulosic fibers, which comprises impregnating said fibrous product with a treating liquor containing a chemical textile finishing agent, and then heat-treating the impregnated fabric in the presence of an acid catalyst which comprises a fluorocarboxylic acid of the formulaC.sub.n F.sub.p H.sub.q COOHwherein n is an integer of 1 to 5, p is 2 to 10, and q is 0 or 1, with the proviso that the sum of p and q equals 2n + 1. The fibrous product thus treated has markedly improved shrinkage resistance, dry crease resistance, wet crease resistance and wash and wear properties while retaining mechanical strength characteristics.

Abstract: A method for treating a knitted fabric containing cotton fibers with an alkali hydroxide, which comprises impregnating said fabric with an aqueous solution of an alkali hydroxide while continuously feeding it in the open form in the longitudinal direction, allowing the fabric to shrink in the longitudinal direction, then feeding it to a tenter while giving an overfeed, thereby to hold it to a given width, and then washing the fabric. The knitted cotton fabrics so treated have superior dimensional stability, especially dimensional stability in the widthwise direction, a deep silky luster, a soft bulky hand, and a superior dyeability.

Abstract: In a method of preparing color separation printing patterns from a multi-color original design, the design is irradiated by light and multi-color light components reflected from minute picture elements constituting the design are detected. The detected light components are converted to picture element data representative of the optical energy level of the reflected light corresponding to each picture element. The picture element data are stored and filtered to form quantized picture element data indicative of several series of reflected light components respectively falling within different preselected ranges of color. This is done by comparing successive picture element data to detect significant differences in energy level indicative of color changes. The reason for each substantial difference in output level is determined, e.g., pattern defect or imperfection, and the filtered picture element data are stored along with change codes indicative of the reason for the difference.