Abstract: A restored metallic extrusion processing element comprises a tubular metal core around which is consolidated a powdered metal extrusion component that includes metallurgically bonded interior shell and exterior working portions. The interior shell portion covers the core and is characterized by a first multiple-crystalline microstructure, and the exterior working portion is characterized by a second multiple crystalline microstructure of densified powdered metal particles. The exterior working portion has an outside surface including outer working surface features that extend along the length of the extrusion processing element. A bond interface of metallurgical type defines a crystalline microstructure boundary between the first and second multiple-crystalline microstructures.

Abstract: A conformable structured therapeutic dressing (120) has maximum available surface area (102) of a therapeutic agent (122) to stimulate therapeutic response in wounded tissue of a mammalian subject. In preferred embodiments, the therapeutic agent includes a procoagulant to quickly arrest bleeding and prevent life-threatening blood loss. The wound dressing exhibits a structured adsorbent (104) that maximizes available surface area of a functional filler (72). This is achieved with a minimal amount of binder (82) and small, porous particles of the functional filler. Minimizing the binder maximizes the amount of functional filler and reduces the chance that the binder will block access to the surface area of the functional filler. Porous particles have a large internal surface area. Structured adsorbents with higher surface areas, higher inter- and intra-fiber porosities, and low internal mass transfer resistances produce higher rates of mass transfer of an adsorbent onto the functional filler.

Abstract: An prehensile excavator bucket includes a bucket and a reinforced thumb hingedly affixed to the bucket and that is controlled in conjunction with the bucket for purposes including seizing very heavy items. The thumb may be a single internally-static unit having multiple tines reinforced with metal tubes. The prehensile bucket may have a quick couple receptor so that it can be quickly attached to and detached from an excavator stick with a quick couple mechanism. Because the thumb is permanently attached to the bucket, the thumb and bucket together form a single unit strong enough for gripping and moving very heavy items.

Abstract: An extruder barrel segment includes an integral heat-exchanger fluid flow passageway device that is formed into a desired shape. The barrel segment is formed employing a process, such as near net shape casting or lost wax shape casting. A mold pattern is used to make a casting mold of the barrel body. The passageway device is then located into the mold and positioned to ensure that there is no interference. The mold is filled with molten metal that flows around the passageway device and encapsulates it into the barrel body. The mold gates are removed, and the casting is ready for machining.

Abstract: An extruder die assembly adapted for attachment to the output end of an extruder barrel. The die assembly includes an adapter member and a die head. The adapter member is attached to the extruder barrel, and the die head is pivotally attached to the adapter member by a hinge. The die head can be rotated about the hinge from a first, closed position to a second, open position. First and second clamp plates are slidably attached to the adapter member. The clamp plates are movable from a first, clamping position to a second, unclamped position, and have clamp fingers extending therefrom. The die head has clamp ears extending therefrom in a location such as to lockingly engage the clamp fingers when the die head is in its closed position and the clamp plates are in their clamping position. The clamp fingers and clamp ears are configured to lockingly engage each other by means of tongue and groove joints.

Abstract: A quick connect system for attaching excavator buckets and other tools to the arm of a hydraulic excavator. The excavator bucket has a first and second mounting plate connected thereto in a spaced parallel relationship. Each mounting plate has a front and rear mounting assembly aligned to receive the front and rear pins respectively of the arm of the hydraulic excavator. Each mounting assembly has a "U" shaped opening formed therein for receiving one end of one of the respective front and rear pins. A pair of locking pads are mounted to the exterior side of each of the mounting assemblies. One end of each of the front and rear pins has a locking head fixed thereto which is adapted to engage one of the locking pads. A pair of retaining clamps receive the other end of each of the front and rear pins after they are positioned within the "U" shaped opening of the mounting assembly. The retaining clamps secure the other ends of each pin to the mounting assembly.

Abstract: An extruder barrel for twin screw extruders. The barrel body has a removable insert firmly seated in an insert receiving opening extending centrally and longitudinally therethrough. The insert has two circular bores with parallel axes extending centrally and longitudinally therethrough, the bores being in communication along a common chord. The walls of the bores have a wear and corrosion resistant layer that is a powder metallurgical material that is preferably applied by hot isotactic pressing. The preferred powder metallurgical material forming the wear resistant layer is a composition containing at least 50% by weight tungsten carbide with the remainder being nickel. The outer surface of the insert has a thin layer of a heat conductive, malleable material, such as copper, adhered thereto.

Abstract: A method of making metal hydroxide plate blanks for use in an electrochemical cell which includes compressing a porous metal web in at least one compression zone to a substantially non-porous state, attaching at least one a non-porous strip of the same metal to the porous metal web in the area of the compression zone, impregnating the porous metal web with a coating of electrochemically active material to form an impregnated web, removing excess coating from the impregnated web, drying the impregnated web, and dividing the dried web into plate blanks in the area of the metal strip. The metal is selected from the group consisting of nickel, silver and copper, with the preferred metal being nickel.

Abstract: A method of enveloping and assembling positive and negative plates into a group suitable for use in an electrochemical cell by forming at least one row of alternating positive and negative plates of a predetermined number with the top edges of said plates in longitudinal alignment, enveloping the plates with a separator material by bringing a continuous sheet of separator material into contact with both planar faces of the plates and sealing the separator material along the side and bottom edges of the plates to thereby form a row of enveloped plates interconnected to each other by the separator material, assembling the interconnected row of enveloped plates into a folded group by folding the row in an accordion-like manner, and compressing the folded group into a cube of predetermined size. The product of this method is a group of plates located in interconnected pockets of separator material that has been folded in an accordion-like manner and compressed into a cube of predetermined size.

Abstract: Fibers and filaments of an ultra-high-molecular-weight polyolefin that have a void volume greater than about 20% and are wettable. Wettability is imparted to the fibers and filaments by incorporating a filler into the composition that is hygroscopic, has a particle size less than about 10 microns in diameter and a surface area greater than about 30 square meters per gram. The preferred fillers are those that contain surface silanol groups. The fibers and filaments are formed by the process of preparing a mixture of an ultra-high-molecular-weight polyolefin, filler and plasticizer, metering the mixture to an extruder, heating and kneading the blend in the extruder, conveying the extrudate to a fiber or filament forming type die, expressing the extrudate through the die openings to form fibers or filaments, and extracting at least a portion of the extractable plasticizer to provide the desired porosity.

Abstract: Fibers and filaments of an ultra-high-molecular-weight polyolefin that have a void volume greater than about 20% and are wettable. Wettability is imparted to the fibers and filaments by incorporating a filler into the composition that is hygroscopic, has a particle size less than about 10 microns in diameter and a surface area greater than about 30 square meters per gram. The preferred fillers are those that contain surface silanol groups. The fibers and filaments are formed by the process of preparing a mixture of an ultra-high-molecular-weight polyolefin, filler and plasticizer, metering the mixture to an extruder, heating and kneading the blend in the extruder, conveying the extrudate to a fiber or filament forming type die, expressing the extrudate through the die openings to form fibers or filaments, and extracting at least a portion of the extractable plasticizer to provide the desired porosity.

Abstract: Fibers and filaments of an ultra-high-molecular-weight polyolefin that have a void volume greater than about 20% and are wettble. Wettability is imparted to the fibers and filaments by incorporating a filler into the composition that is hygroscopic, has a particle size less than about 10 microns in diameter and a surface area greater than about 30 square meters per gram. The preferred fillers are those that contain surface silanol groups. The fibers and filaments are formed by the process of preparing a mixture of an ultra-high-molecular-weight polyolefin, filler and plasticizer, metering the mixture to an extruder, heating and kneading the blend in the extruder, conveying the extrudate to a fiber or filament forming type die, expressing the extrudate through the die openings to form fibers or filaments, and extracting at least a portion of the extractable plasticizer to provide the desired porosity.

Abstract: Fibers and filaments of an ultra-high-molecular-weight polyolefin that have a void volume greater than about 20% and are wettable. Wettability is imparted to the fibers and filaments by incorporating a filler into the composition that is hydroscopic, has a particle size less than about 10 microns in diameter and a surface area greater than about 30 square meters per gram. The preferred fillers are those that contain surface silanol groups. The fibers and filaments are formed by the process of preparing a mixture of an ultra-high-molecular-weight polyolefin, filler and plasticizer, metering the mixture to an extruder, heating and kneading the blend in the extruder, conveying the extrudate to a fiber or filament forming type die, expressing the extrudate through the die openings to form fibers or filaments, and extracting at least a portion of the extractable plasticizer to provide the desired porosity.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for removing processing oil from thin sheets of microporous plastic material is comprised of a tank having a liquid zone in its bottom portion which is divided into three sub-tanks having decreasing depths extending across the tank. Heating coils in each sub-tank vaporize the solvent to form a cleaning zone, containing vaporized solvent, above the liquid portion, and condensing coils located at the top of the tank condense the vaporized solvent and deposit it into the deepest sub-tank which also is supplied freash make up solvent when required. A series of rollers feeds the material through the tank, from the side having the shallowest sub-tank toward the side having the deepest sub-tank, while repeatedly passing it between the cleaning zone where solvent is condensed on it to clean it, and the condensing zone where it is cooled to a temperature below the temperature of the vaporous solvent.

Abstract: A method for removing processing oil from thin sheets of microporous plastic material is comprised of a tank having a liquid zone in its bottom portion which is divided into three sub-tanks having decreasing depths extending across the tank. Heating coils in each sub-tank vaporize the solvent to form a cleaning zone, containing vaporized solvent, above the liquid portion, and condensing coils located at the top of the tank condense the vaporized solvent and deposit it into the deepest sub-tank which also is supplied fresh make up solvent when required. A series of rollers feeds the material through the tank, from the side having the shallowest sub-tank toward the side having the deepest sub-tank, while repeatedly passing it between the cleaning zone where solvent is condensed on it to clean it, and the condensing zone where it is cooled to a temperature below the temperature of the vaporous solvent.

Abstract: The calender rolls of the present invention are comprised of relatively thin-walled hollow shells which are supported at each end by shafts having bores which extend into the cavities formed in the rolls. Fittings located at the ends of the shafts are rotatable relative to them so that by tying the fittings together they do not rotate along with the rolls. The fittings at one of the ends of the rolls are connected to a source of wet steam through a pressure regulator and the fittings at the other ends carry probes which extend through the shafts and curve downwardly towards the bottoms of the rolls. A valve regulates the amount of material which flows out of the cavities through the probes. The method by which the rolls are used comprises introducing wet steam into the cavities, maintaining its pressure at a constant level.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for removing processing oil from thin sheets of microporous plastic material is comprised of a tank having a liquid zone in its bottom portion which is divided into three sub-tanks having decreasing depths extending across the tank. Heating coils in each sub-tank vaporize the solvent to form a cleaning zone, containing vaporized solvent, above the liquid portion, and condensing coils located at the top of the tank condense the vaporized solvent and deposit it into the deepest sub-tank which also is supplied fresh make up solvent when required. A series of rollers feeds the material through the tank, from the side having the shallowest sub-tank toward the side having the deepest sub-tank, while repeatedly passing it between the cleaning zone where solvent is condensed on it to clean it, and the condensing zone where it is cooled to a temperature below the temperature of the vaporous solvent.