Abstract: A building element for the construction of self-supporting interlocking grids which may be used, for example, as floors or roofs, comprises a beam having a longitudinally protruding projection at each end, and having at least one recess of sufficient size to receive the longitudinally protruding projection from a second identical beam. The projection from a third such beam rests on the recess of the second, the projection of a fourth such beam rests in the recess of the third, and the projection of the first beam rests in the recess of the fourth. Thus, the four beams are rigidly connected in a statically determinate self-supporting manner. An entire grid of such joints may be made as well as light arched and domed roof structures.

Abstract: An inductive device comprising a magnetic core and windings for producing two or three substantially orthogonal magnetic fields at all points within the core. The device may be utilized as an inductor or transformer in a variety of applications.

Abstract: A method and reagent means for the determination of small quantities of chemical compounds in man, animal and plants by a specific binding assay technique.The method involves the utilization of a labelling constituent comprising a conjugate of a labelling substance and a binding component said labelling substance being one or more metal atoms which can be easily determined. The labelling constituents are selected from various metalo organic derivatives or metal coordination complexes.The method is very specific and sensitive and can be successfully utilized for the determination of haptens selected from various groups such as alkaloids, barbiturates, steroids, cannabinoids, vitamins, aminoacids, tranquilizers, sugars, penicillins, etc.

Abstract: A solar collector panel consists of a metal sheet and a number of straight metal tubes intimately connected to the sheet in order to obtain maximum thermal conductivity. One tube each is connected to a sheet by slotting the latter along a straight line by equidistant parallel short cuts and pressing the areas between two consecutive cuts into semi-cylindrical bulges alternately in opposite direction from the sheet surface. These bulges have a concave semi-circular cross section of a diameter slightly larger than the outer diameter of the tube, and all bulges along the straight line form a continuous passage into which the tube is inserted. After insertion the tube is expanded by mechanical means or by hydraulic pressure and pressed onto the semi-cylindrical portions of the sheet, satisfactory contact being obtained by dimensioning the expanding pressure to a magnitude that the tube material is stressed beyond its yield point, while the sheet metal is stressed below its elastic limit.

Abstract: Polymers containing laterally substituted isocyanate groups, prepared from acyl azide monomers and at least one other vinyl monomer, and their preparation are provided. Utilization of the acyl azide monomers avoids the problems in handling and storage of the moisture sensitive and toxic isocyanate monomers.

Abstract: Seepage of water through soil is considerably reduced by providing plural layers of adjacent, thin impermeable strips wherein the strips of an overlayer are staggered by a half strip's width with regard to the strips of the underlayer, and the widths of the strips are substantially greater than the gaps between adjacent strips and the space between layers.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for manufacturing spheres from molten material, such as glass, by allowing drops of the molten material to pass from one end to another of a column containing a liquid, such as a mixture of salts, the temperature of the column being so graduated that the drops harden during passage through the column. The column can be bifurcated at the lower end into legs provided with cooling cuffs for alternate use.

Abstract: A method for laying subsoil membranes includes dragging a hollow cutting blade through the soil at a predetermined depth, providing a supply of sheeting to the interior of the blade and feeding the sheeting from the interior of the blade through an opening therein. The hollow blade has a cutting edge, a rear edge and an upper section having an upwardly sloping front portion and a downwardly sloping rear portion connected by a center portion. The bottom portion of the blade slopes in an upward direction from its front to form a release angle. The sheet material is fed out of an opening in the rear of the blade.

Abstract: A method for the generation of gelatin-based stabilized foams by passing a stream of air or other gas through a composition of the gelatin, an anionic surface-active agent and a water soluble ferrous salt. The resulting foams have a relatively long life term.

Abstract: The method of converting clayey or silty soil into stable and solid underground columns or piles suitable for carrying a building structure, comprises first the drilling of bores of a diameter considerably smaller than the external diameter of the column or pile to be created, to a predetermined depth, and secondly directing a focused laser beam gradually across the entire surface of each bore by mechanical and optical means, in such a manner that each point of the bore surface is irradiated and heated at an intensity sufficient for converting the soil surrounding the bore into a solid permanent mass of a predetermined thickness measured from the bore surface, which mass retains its strength and is resistant to moisture and temperature.

Abstract: An hydraulic power transmission circuit comprises a high-pressure section and a low-pressure section, which together include (a) an internal or external combustion free-piston engine to each of whose pistons is attached one piston pump, the pump piston and the engine piston being rigidly connected for the purpose of joint axial motion; (b) at least one rotary motor or linear actuator adapted to be driven by the hydraulic fluid pressurized by the said piston pumps; (c) valve means for directing the hydraulic fluid to and from the motors or actuators; (d) a charge pump; (e) accumulator means for balancing the fluctuations of pressure and quantity of the hydraulic fluid; and (f) means for controlling the operation of the free-piston engine, said means comprising a rotary auxiliary hydraulic motor of the positive displacement type in the low-pressure section of the circuit, which motor is provided with transmission means for driving a rotary distributor at a number of revolutions governed by the frequency of the

Abstract: An imaging method involves a substrate having a coating which undergoes a photochemical conversion upon being irradiated to yield only products whose vapor pressure under the operative temperature is higher than that of the coating. In this way as a result of the selective vaporization of the coating the desired image is obtained. The new method has wide applications such as photography, production of microfilms, electrophotographic document duplication, production of master prints for offset printing, etc.

Abstract: A detector for detecting phase-asymmetry in connection with a three-phase rotary machine includes a sensor couplable to the machine for picking up a signal associated with the leakage field during rotation of the machine. Circuit means are also provided for amplifying characteristic components of the signal (i.e., components whose amplitudes greatly increase relative to other components when phase-asymmetry occurs) and for attenuating other components of the signal, particularly at frequencies around f and 3f where f is the line frequency. Converter means converts the output of the circuit means into a control voltage, and control means are responsive to increases in the control voltage above a predetermined level established in the absense of phase-asymmetry for producing an output signal indicative of phase-asymmetry.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of, and a rig for, testing vertical foundation piles and foundations to determine the ultimate bearing capacity of the pile and the settlement behavior of the foundation soil.