Abstract: A mixer particularly designed for light, domestic use is provided. The mixer includes a base frame, a mixing drum, and a handle, all of which are readily assembled and disassembled for easy transportation, even in an automobile. The drum is supported on the base frame with a three-point suspension, including an axle rotatably carried by the base frame and two rollers on the base frame which engage the drum in a position spaced from the axle toward a discharge opening of the drum. The drum is of one-piece construction and has a ring gear formed of integral, circumjacent teeth, with the axis of rotation of the drum and the gear being at an angle to the horizontal. An electric motor is mounted on the base frame directly below the drum and has a drive shaft parallel to the axis of rotation of the drum and gear with a pinion gear engagable with the integral, circumjacent drum teeth. The drum can be readily lifted off the base frame and the handle also can separated therefrom.

Abstract: A drive for a self-propelled lawn mower is provided. A transmission is mounted on a deck of the lawn mower and has a drive shaft extending toward each of two wheels rotatably mounted on opposite sides of the deck. A driven gear is located adjacent each of the wheels and mounted for rotation therewith. Connecting means for connecting the drive shaft and each of the driven gears includes a pinion gear rotatably mounted on the drive shaft with an end of the gear having two diametrically-opposite shoulders. A drive pin extends transversely through the drive shaft adjacent the shoulders and a spring is located on the shaft urging the pinion gear toward the drive pin. When the drive shaft is driving the mower forwardly through the gears, the drive pin engages the shoulders of the pinion gear to provide a driving connection. When the pinion gear is rotating faster than the drive shaft, the drive pin rides up slanted surfaces adjacent the shoulders to accommodate the difference in rotational speeds.

Abstract: A continuous integrated process for the production of lithium hyroxide monohydrate and high purity lithium carbonate of large average particle size comprising converting impure lithium carbonate to lithium hydroxide by a causticization step, separating precipitated calcium carbonate from the resulting lithium hydroxide solution, precipitating lithium hydroxide monohydrate from a major portion of the lithium hydroxide solution and recovering same, introducing carbon dioxide or lithium carbonate to the remaining minor portion of the lithium hydroxide solution to precipitate additional calcium as calcium carbonate, separating the precipitated calcium carbonate from the lithium hydroxide solution, introducing carbon dioxide to the lithium hydroxide solution to precipitate high purity lithium carbonate of large average particle size, separating and recovering said lithium carbonate from the resulting lithium carbonate solution, and recycling said lithium carbonate solution to said causticization step.

Abstract: Manganese is alloyed into aluminum using a solid compact prepared by blending finely divided particles comprising beta manganese with aluminum particles and then compacting the mixture into a readily useable form such as a briquette. The resultant briquette provides rapid dissolution of the beta manganese in the aluminum and improved manganese recoveries. The beta manganese may be prepared by heating manganese to 1305.degree.-1990.degree. F. followed by water quenching and crushing to obtain a product of controlled particle size having a reduced percentage of fines.

Abstract: A gear guard is provided and specifically a guard for a pinion gear which meshes with a larger gear. The guard is specifically designed for use with a cement mixer and includes a U-shaped portion extending around part of the pinion gear and an elongate portion extending therefrom along a ring gear on the mixing drum in a direction from the U-shaped portion opposite to the direction in which the ring gear rotates.

Abstract: A composite gear of metal and plastic is provided and specifically a composite ring gear for a cement mixer. The ring gear for rotating the mixing drum of a cement mixer is commonly formed by stamping teeth in a metal flange circumjacent an intermediate portion of the mixing drum. Such gears have been noisy and lack impact resistance. The new ring gear comprises a metal flange to which is affixed a plurality of arcuate gear segments of a plastic material having gear teeth formed therein. The teeth of the plastic segments mesh with a drive pinion gear. The composite gear is much quieter and is also more impact resistant during operation. The segments can also be inexpensively and readily replaced, if necessary.

Abstract: A switch harness is provided for a cement mixer. The cement mixer has a motor housing which encloses an electric motor and the drive components for the mixer drum. A switch harness is located in the housing and includes an on-off motor switch which is accessible outside of the housing. The harness also has a power cord extending outside the housing for connection with an extension cord. The switch harness has an electrical outlet within the housing for receiving the motor cord.

Abstract: A portable cement mixer is provided with an improved supporting frame. The supporting frame includes a first, generally triangularly-shaped end frame comprising two upwardly-converging struts and intermediate cross struts. The second end frame comprises a single upright member. A transverse strut connects a central portion of the cross struts of the first end frame with an intermediate portion of the upright strut of the second end frame. The transverse strut is of rectangular cross section but varying in width and thickness from one end to the other. The new supporting frame is of simple construction and is easier to assemble. It is also sturdier and provides a three-point support for the mixer which can be more readily adapted to uneven ground.

Abstract: Lithium sulfide in the form of a finely divided, free-flowing powder of high purity is produced by reacting lithium carbonate powder in which the diameter of the particles is in the range of 1 to 10 microns with hydrogen sulfide at 500.degree. to 700.degree. C. Initial contact of the lithium carbonate with hydrogen sulfide takes place at a temperature substantially below the sintering temperature of lithium carbonate which is approximately 300.degree. to 400.degree. C.

Abstract: An improved hide processing machine has a hide-treating drum supported for rotation about a central longitudinal axis to retain and tumble hides and treating fluids at a closed end of the drum. The drum includes helical partition means extending across the interior of the drum and spirally along the drum axis from its closed end toward its open end, thereby dividing the drum into at least two longitudinally-extending spiral compartments. The partition means prevents movement of hides from one such compartment to another during rotation of the drum, and includes fluid-transmitting openings for free movement of treating fluid between such compartments. The helical partition means can provide a conveying force for retaining or discharging such hides when the drum is rotated in an appropriate direction.

Abstract: A belt-driven transmission designed particularly for self-propelled, walking lawn mowers is provided. The transmission is mounted on a deck of a mower between a front pair or a rear pair of wheels and is driven through a pulley on the engine drive shaft and a pulley on the transmission connected by a belt. With this arrangement, the engine requires no special power take-off shaft to drive the mower. Consequently, the transmission can be universally applied to many different self-propelled lawn mowers. The new transmission can also be equipped with a deadman's clutch. Further, it can be provided with a manually-adjustable pulley of variable diameter to provide different speeds and torque for the drive shaft of the driven wheels. Also, in accordance with the invention, the drive shaft has a ratchet coupling device near each driven wheel to provide a differential effect for the wheels when the mower is being turned.

Abstract: A process is described for the production of sodium, potassium or lithium tetrahaloaluminates, in which the halogen may be chlorine, bromine or iodine, by the reaction of an aluminum halide with at least the stoichiometric amount of an alkali metal halide in the presence of powdered aluminum metal and a stable liquid hydrocarbon solvent, preferably an aromatic hydrocarbon solvent or mixtures of aromatic and saturated hydrocarbon solvents, at a temperature in the range from about 60.degree. C. up to the reflux temperature of the reaction mixture, filtering the hot reaction mixture to remove remaining aluminum metal and other solids, cooling the filtrate to below about 30.degree. C., and separating and washing the resulting crystals to obtain the substantially pure alkali metal tetrahaloaluminate; the entire process being carried out under anhydrous conditions and an inert atmosphere.

Abstract: An improved method is described for processing pig iron containing vanadium to obtain a slag containing at least 8 percent vanadium and having a vanadium to iron ratio of at least 0.5 which is directly useful as a refining agent for producing ferrovanadium alloys, the improvement residing in simultaneously introducing a highly oxidizing gas and a protective fluid below the upper surface of a bath of the molten pig iron maintained at a temperature in the range of 2600.degree. to 2900.degree. F. to oxidize vanadium preferentially, as compared to iron, and thereby produce a vanadium-containing slag in which the ratio of vanadium to iron is increased.

Abstract: A compact transmission designed particularly for a self-propelled, walking lawn mower is provided. The transmission is mounted on the deck of the mower behind the engine and is connected to a power take-off shaft of it. The transmission has two forward speeds and is shifted by a short finger-operated shift lever extending rearwardly. The transmission is compact, light in weight, and low in cost. These are achieved, in part, by the gears being arranged to occupy a minimum space and a one-piece shifter fork and guide plate being made of plastic material and assembled through an opening in the top of the transmission housing. The transmission housing also can use either a horizontal or a vertical input shaft with minimum change in design.

Abstract: A process is described in which a brine from natural or other sources, containing lithium and other alkali and alkaline earth metals primarily as the halides, is preliminarily concentrated to a lithium content of about 2 to 7% to separate most of the alkali and alkaline earth metals other than lithium by precipitation, the pH of such a concentrated brine is then increased to about 10.5 to about 11.

Abstract: A transmission with multiple forward speeds and an improved shifting arrangement is provided. The transmission is particularly adapted for use on riding lawn mowers, garden tractors, and the like. The shift mechanism includes a pivotable shift lever which requires the operator to interrupt the motion of the lever when shifting from neutral to reverse and from neutral to successive forward speeds. This enables the operator to know by feel what gear the transmission is in. The transmission can also be quickly shifted from reverse to neutral or from any forward speed down to or toward neutral without interruption. The pivotable shift lever is located outside a cover of the transmission and is mechanically connected through the cover with an internal shift lever or arm which engages a pawl pivotally mounted on a carrier, with a stop member being engageable by the pawl to control the movement of the carrier, the pawl, and the levers.