Abstract: Apparatus is provided to feed controlled quantities of a catalyst slurry to an olefin polymerization reactor in a controlled time sequence. The apparatus includes a feed line for continuously feeding an inert hydrocarbon liquid such as hexane or isobutane to the reactor. A bypass loop is provided in the feed line and is equipped with auxiliary apparatus to charge the loop with a predetermined quantity of catalyst slurry. At preselected timed intervals, the hydrocarbon feed is fed through the bypass loop to sweep the charge of catalyst slurry to the polymerization reactor.

Abstract: A class of amides disclosed to be useful as selective post-emergent herbicides are those having the general structural formula ##STR1## in which R.sup.1 is hydrogen or lower alkyl, R.sup.2 is amino, lower alkyl, lower chloroalkyl, lower alkylamino, lower alkenylamino, lower alkoxy or C.sub.3 to C.sub.5 cycloalkyl and R.sup.3 is phenyl, thiazolyl, thiadiazolyl or lower alkyl-substituted, halogen-substituted or trifluoromethyl-substituted phenyl, thiazolyl or thiadiazolyl.

Abstract: Gaseous and liquid products discharged from the outlet of an in-situ retort for the retorting of oil shale are delivered into an underground separating chamber located substantially at the level of the bottom of the retort. The lower portion of the separating chamber is divided by a weir into a first sump adjacent the inlet end of the separating chamber and a second sump adjacent the outlet end of the separating chamber. Oil and water separate in the first sump and the oil overflows the weir into the second sump. Water is withdrawn at a level below the oil in the first sump and pumped to the surface. Oil is withdrawn from the second sump and pumped to the surface separately from the water.

Abstract: Operation of a downhole reciprocating oil well pump is controlled by displacement of the fluids discharged from the pump into a displacement cell closed at its upper end. Gas is trapped in the upper end of the displacement cell. Fluids flow from the lower end of the displacement cell through a dump valve into a flow line. The dump valve opens when the pressure in the displacement cell rises to a predetermined high pressure and remains open until the pressure drops to a predetermined lower pressure which may be the flowline pressure. Operation of the dump valve resets a timer that actuates a switch controlling a pumping unit that drives the downhole pump. Thus, control of the pumping unit is based on the volume of fluids displaced from the well by the pump.

Abstract: This invention relates to copolymers containing an alpha-olefin and alpha, beta-ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid plasticized with a selected long-chain fatty acid. In a preferred embodiment, ethylene-acrylic acid copolymers, ethylene-methacrylic acid copolymers and their respective salts, i.e. ionomers, are plasticized using a selected long-chain fatty acid. The plasticized copolymers so obtained are generally characterized by having higher melt index, lower glass transition temperature (TG), greater flexibility, lower stiffness, higher resiliency and easier processibility than the corresponding unplasticized copolymers.

Abstract: A class of 3-benzyl-2-methylimino-5-phenyl-.DELTA..sup.4 -1,3,4-thiadiazolines which may have certain specific substituents on the benzyl and phenyl rings are useful in combating various weeds in grain crops, for example, grassy weeds in wheat and rice fields.

Abstract: A homogeneous mixture of polyanhydride molecules and epoxide molecules is prepared by the copolymerization of an olefinically unsaturated monomer capable of polymerization by free-radical means with an olefinically unsaturated monoanhydride in the presence of an olefinically saturated polyanhydride, an epoxy composition, and an anhydride accelerator without substantial anhydride-epoxide cross-linking. As an example, reinforcing glass fibers are impregnated with a solution of 1-hexene, maleic anhydride, styrene-maleic anhydride copolymer, a diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A and 1-methylimidazole and the resin is thickened in situ by copolymerization of the 1-hexene and maleic anhydride to form a moldable, homogeneous mixture of 1-hexene-maleic anhydride copolymer, styrene-maleic anhydride copolymer, diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A, 1-methylimidazole and reinforcing glass fibers.

Abstract: Chloro and dichloro tert.butyl-1,3,4-thiadiazole-di- and trimethylurea compounds are extraordinarily phytotoxic compounds which are particularly useful for non-selectively combating unwanted vegetation.

Abstract: A homogeneous mixture of a polyanhydride and an epoxy compound is prepared by the copolymerization of an olefinically unsaturated monomer capable of polymerization by free-radical means with an olefinically unsaturated monoanhydride and an olefinically saturated polyanhydride in the presence of a saturated epoxy compound and an anhydride accelerator without substantial anhydride-epoxide cross-linking. As an example, reinforcing glass fibers are impregnated with a solution of styrene, maleic anhydride, styrene-maleic anhydride copolymer, phenyl glycidyl ether and 1-methylimidazole and the resin is thickened in situ by copolymerization of the styrene, maleic anhydride and styrene-maleic anhydride copolymer to form a moldable, homogeneous mixture of styrene-maleic anhydride copolymer, phenyl glycidyl ether, 1-methylimidazole and reinforcing glass fibers.

Abstract: Compounds which are useful as selective herbicides have the general structural formula ##STR1## in which R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are selected from hydrogen, and lower alkyl, alkenyl, alkylene and alkoxy structures and together possess a total of 1 to 6 carbon atoms when R.sup.3 is ethyl, propyl, isopropyl, cyclopropyl, methoxy or tert-butyl.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a pycnometer designed to measure the density of particulate porous polymer samples, particularly polymer samples having hydrocarbons and/or air absorbed in the pores thereof. The apparatus includes a sample cell of fixed volume fitted with a sample container of fixed weight, a gas reservoir of fixed volume, a valved line providing gas communication between the sample cell and the gas reservoir, a linear variable differential transducer to measure the weight of the polymer sample in the sample cell, a variable capacitance quartz crystal for measuring gas pressure in the gas reservoir, and a computer which calculates the density of the sample from the sample weight, and the volume of the sample determined by measurement of a super-atmospheric gas pressure in the gas reservoir when isolated from the sample cell and the equalized pressure established when the gas reservoir is placed in open communication with the sample cell.

Abstract: A filled, plastic container of hydrocarbon lubricating oil having a reduced tendency to panel is provided by fabricating a widemouth cylindrical container from an ethylene polymer having a density of at least about 0.950 g/ml. A concentration of about 10-1,000 ppm of carbon black is incorporated into at least the inner surface of the container. A concentration of at least about 1.0 weight % TiO.sub.2 is included throughout the body of the container.

Abstract: This application discloses a melt extrusion process for preparing articles of manufacture of improved properties from very high molecular weight linear ethylene polymers having an annealed density greater than about 0.94 gms/ml. The ethylene polymer employed in the process has melt flow properties such that the relationship between its slope parameter (S) and its apparent melt viscosity in poises at 1 sec..sup.-1 (A.sub.o) is defined by the formula:S.gtoreq.0.0830A.sub.o - 0.442where S is the negative slope of the curve obtained from a plot of the natural logarithm of the polymer's apparent melt viscosity in poises versus the natural logarithm of the apparent shear rate in sec..sup.-1 at 190.degree. C, said slope measured at 10 sec..sup.-1 ; and where A.sub.o is the natural logarithm of the polymer's melt viscosity in poises measured at 1 sec..sup.-1 at 190.degree. C. The ethylene polymer has an S value in the range of about 0.61 to about 0.90 and an A.sub.o value in the range of about 12.0 to about 14.5.

Abstract: Barban (4-chloro-2-butynyl m-chlorocarbanilate) is formulated as liquid emulsifiable concentrates containing as much as twenty to thirty percent of the herbicide which have improved efficacy and unlike other formulations of higher concentration, are also safe to use in wheat fields. A particularly critical component of the improved concentrate is a condensation product of C.sub.12 to C.sub.18 fatty alcohols with from ten to forty units of ethylene oxide.

Abstract: A process is provided for preparing a copolymer of ethylene and acrylic or methacrylic acid. Typically, a copolymer of ethylene and methyl acrylate is dissolved in a diarylalkane such as 1,1-dixylylethane. A transesterification catalyst and either isopropanol or tertiary butanol is added to the polymer solution which then is heated to reflux to convert the polymerized methyl acrylate moiety to the isopropyl or tertiary butyl acrylate moiety. Following completion of the transesterification reaction, any excess isopropanol or tertiary butanol is removed from the reaction system by distillation. The polymer solution then is heated to a temperature of the order of 320.degree. C to thermally crack the isopropyl or tertiary butyl acrylate and form the corresponding ethylene-acrylic acid copolymer. The ethylene-acrylic acid copolymer is insoluble in the diarylalkane and can be recovered by filtration.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a process of dissolving a high molecular weight olefin polymer having an inherent viscosity of at least 3.5 in a hot hydrocarbon solvent to form solutions which are totally free of undissolved polymer particles. Apparatus for carrying out the process also is described.The process includes stirring a slurry of fine particles of the polymer and the solvent in a chamber whose inlet and outlet are covered with screens. The outlet screen has a smaller mesh than the inlet screen. The solution is filtered through the outlet screen into a second chamber which is similar to the first one except that the second outlet screen is finer than the first outlet screen. The stirring and filtering through successively finer outlet screens is repeated in a series of chambers until a solution which is free of undissolved polymer particles is obtained. The solution is kept at least 190.degree. C throughout the process.

Abstract: Wild oats are killed over a substantial period of growth from two-leaf through four-leaf stages by applying post-emergently to the oats plants an effective amount of a combination of one part of barban with from about two to five parts, preferably three to four parts of CIPC, a herbicide which is normally applied pre-emergently.

Abstract: Broadleaf weeds, including sicklepod are selectively controlled in soybean fields by applying post-emergently to the plant foliage one of a restricted class of 5-chlorobenzylthio-1,3,4-thiadiazolylurea compounds, for example, 1,1,3-trimethyl-3-(5-p-chlorobenzylthio-1,3,4-thiadiazol-2-yl)urea.

Abstract: Insects of the orders Coleoptera and Orthoptera are selectively killed in the presence of living plants by applying to the locus of the insects an effective amount of 1-N,N-dimethylcarbamyl-3-tert.butyl-5-methylthio-1,2,4-triazole.

Abstract: A shear sub for installation in the drill string used to rotate a drill bit in the drilling of wells includes a mandrel extending upwardly for connection to the drill string. A housing slidably enclosing the mandrel extends downwardly below the mandrel and is threaded for connection directly, or indirectly, through joints of drill pipe to the drill bit. Rotation and longitudinal movement of the housing relative to the mandrel during drilling is prevented by shear pins which engage the housing and the mandrel to hold the housing in a position in which lugs extending inwardly therefrom are directly above and in alignment with splines extending outwardly from the mandrel. If an obstruction to drilling occurs that results in excessive torque on the drill string, the shear pins are sheared. On lifting and rotating the drill string, the mandrel moves upwardly relative to the housing whereupon the lugs interlock with the splines to allow rotation of the drill bit as it is lifted off bottom.