Abstract: An environmentally safe abrasive composition which contains at least about 60 weight percent of ferrometalsilicate, at least about 5 weight percent of spinel, and at least about 70 weight percent of crystalline material. This composition has a Vickers hardness of at least about 550 and a density of from about 2.8 to about 4.1 grams per cubic centimeter. It is crystallized in situ from a thermally crystallizable mixture comprising from about 50 to about 75 weight percent of electric arc furnace dust, from about 5 to about 40 weight percent of glass, and at least about 10 weight percent of silica sand.

Abstract: A glass-ceramic composition which is is crystallized in situ from a thermally crystallizable mixture containing from about 40 to about 80 weight percent of electric arc furnace dust and from about 10 to about 40 weight percent of glass. The composition has a Vickers hardness of at least about 5.5 gigaPascals, a Vickers fracture toughness of from about 0.6 to about 1.5 megaPascals.meters.sup.0.5, and a density of from about 2.8 to about 4.1 grams per cubic centimeter; and it contains from about 20 to about 40 weight percent of an iron oxide. When the composition is tested in accordance with the Environmental Protection Agency's Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure, it produces a leachate which contains no detectable mercury, no detectable barium, no detectable selenium, less than 0.2 parts per million of detectable lead, less than 0.5 parts per million of detectable chromium, less than 0.1 parts per million of detectable cadmium, less than 0.005 parts per million of detectable arsenic, and less than 0.

Abstract: A process for making an abrasive composition. In the first step of this process, from about 50 to about 85 weight percent electric arc furnace dust is mixed with at least about 10 weight percent of silica to prepare a thermally crystallizable mixture; the electric arc furnace dust has a particle size distribution such that at least about 70 weight percent of its particles are smaller than about 20 microns, and it contains from about 35 to about 65 weight percent of at least an iron material selected from iron, iron oxide, and mixtures thereof. Thereafter the mixture is melted by subjecting it to a temperature of from about 2,300 to about 2,900 degrees Fahrenheit to form a glass melt, the glass melt is quenched by reducing its temperature at least 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit in less than about 5 seconds to form a quenched glass, and the quenched glass is crushed by subjecting it to a pressure of at least 1.0 MegaPascal.

Abstract: A process for preparing a coated substrate in which mist particles are created from a dilute liquid, the mist particles are contacted with a pressurized carrier gas and contacted with radio frequency energy while being heated to form a vapor, and the vapor is then deposited onto a substrate. The coated substrate is then heated to a temperature of 450 to 1,400 degrees centigrade for at least ten minutes.

Abstract: An automated fruit picker with a base, a flexible arm containing two segments movably attached to each other, a cutting assembly attached to the flexible arm, and a controller for varying the angle between the arms and the height of the flexible arm. A cutting assembly is attached to one of the arm segments and contains a multiplicity of sensors for evaluating the color of the fruit to be picked, the location of the fruit, and the distance between the fruit and the cutting assembly.

Abstract: A process for preparing an electrical connector from a glass plug, a rigid metal shell, and at least one pin conductor is disclosed.The glass plug is made by mixing glass powder with binder, forming a green body, debindering the green body, and heating the debindered green body.The metal shell and metal pin conductor(s) are first cleaned by heating them in a hydrogen-containing atmosphere, and thereafter forming an oxide coating on their surfaces.An assembly is then formed from the rigid metal shell, the glass plug, and the pin conductor(s). This assembly is then heat treated to form the electrical connector.

Abstract: A process for moving a magnetized object at a velocity in excess of 10 kilometers per second is provided. In this process, a symmetrical chamber which contains alternating portions of superconductive material and electromagnetic coils is provided. A magnetized object is disposed within the chamber and caused to levitate there because of the Meissner effect. The magnetized object is accelerated within the chamber by supplying asynchronous direct current pulses to the coils within the chamber.

Abstract: An apparatus designed to move mass without contact is described. The apparatus contains a chamber which is formed by alternating sections of superconducting material and electromagnetic coils. The chamber is cooled to below the critical temperature of the superconducting material, and a magnetic object is disposed in the center of the chamber. A series of coils along the chamber are sequentially energized by direct current to form electromagnetic fields. The sequence and direction of these fields causes the movement of the magnetized object within the chamber.