Abstract: The washer comprises an open-topped vessel having a tube mounted vertically and centrally therein. Post-primary bitumen froth is fed to the upper end of the tube. Pairs of down throw and up throw propellers mounted to rotate in the tube act to shear the froth as it passes down through the tube. At its lower end, the tube is closed off by a transverse wall. Slots are formed in the tube side wall to provide an exit. The sheared mixture thus changes direction as it leaves the tube. In the vessel chamber, solids and water sink downwardly and are removed as tailings through a bottom outlet. The sheared aerated bitumen rises and forms a new forth that is recovered in a launder. Middlings are withdrawn from the chamber and recycled to join the feed. The product froth is reduced in water and solids relative to the feed froth.

Abstract: A process for the reductive dehalogenation of halogenated aromatics. The process comprises reacting halogenated aromatics with sodium or calcium in the presence of a lower alcohol selected from the group comprising methanol, ethanol or isopropanol and mixtures thereof in order to convert the halogenated aromatics to hydrogenated aromatics. The halogenated aromatics are preferably reacted with sodium in the presence of methanol under reaction conditions whereby said sodium is in molten form. The preferred starting sodium/methanol/halogen molar ratio ranges from 30-40/15-20/1. The process is particularly useful for dechlorinating polychlorinated biphenyl found in electrical transformer oil.

Abstract: Froth, produced by induced air flotation in the hot water process circuit for extracting bitumen from tar sand, is recycled and added to the fresh slurry being introduced to the primary separation vessel. An increase in bitumen recovered as primary froth from the circuit is produced.

Abstract: A mechanism retains and releases the end of a swing-arm of an animal trap. The trap has a frame to which the swing-arm is mounted. Part of a trip-pan extends perpendicularly from the frame and engages it, being pivotable about the location of its engagement. An elongated release pin engages that part of the trip-pan at a location spaced from the frame, and the frame has as a support tab extending from it with an aperture through which one end of the pin extends. Part of the end extending through the tab engages the swing-arm when the trip-pan is swung toward the swing-arm, but disengages from the swing-arm when the trip-pan is swung away from the swing-arm.

Abstract: An exceptionally effective technique has been developed for desulphurizing hydrocracked petroleum pitch containing organic molecules having at least some chemically bound sulphur. Particles of petroleum pitch and a para- or ferromagnetic material catalyst are intimately mixed and this mixture in the presence of hydrogen is subjected to microwave radiation so as to generate a high intensity oscillating electric field thereby releasing at least part of the chemically bound sulphur from the pitch as sulphur-containing gases without substantial increase of the temperature of the pitch and separating the sulphur containing gases thus formed. To avoid temperature rise during desulphurization, the microwave irradiation is preferably gated in a train of short pulses.

Abstract: There is provided, for an animal trap having a portion which attaches to an animal when the latter springs the trap, said portion being capable of being affixed with respect to the terrain, the improvement of providing a shock-absorbing capability to the trap. This capability arises through the provision of an apparatus through which the previously mentioned portion can be affixed with respect to the terrain. The apparatus includes a resilient member between the portion attaching to an animal and the fixed location with respect to the terrain, the resilient member being in parallel with a substantially non-resilient connection also between the portion which attaches to an animal and the location of fixing with respect to the terrain. Thus, if the trapped animal should lunge away from the trap, the resilient member will absorb at least some of the resulting shock so that injury to the animal can be minimized.

Abstract: There is provided an animal trap construction, in which a coil spring is adapted, upon springing of the trap, to cause a swing arm to pivot upwardly through a vertical arc, and tighten a noose around the leg of an animal. The coil spring is contained between two upstanding brackets, and an end portion of the swing arm, bent at right angles to the latter, passes centrally through the spring, and passes through the two brackets. A first bushing of cylindrical form is fixed within the end of the spring remote from the bend location between the swing arm and its end portion, the first bushing having a smaller-diameter cylindrical extension passing through an aperture in the respective bracket. A second bushing is provided at the other end of the coil spring, the second bushing having a flange which is adapted to be located between the coil spring and the respective bracket. The end portion of the swing arm passes through both bushings.