Abstract: The present invention provides novel preformed base blocks that may be used with thermoplastic ophthalmic lens blocking compositions. The preformed base block has a rear portion that is sized and adapted to fit the chuck of a lens processing machine and a front portion that has a negatively tapered peripheral edge. The front portion is adapted to mechanically retain the thermoplastic blocking composition to form a lens block against a lens blank.

Abstract: All-ceramic retroreflective elements which may be used in pavement markings comprising an opacified ceramic core and ceramic optical elements partially embedded into the core.

Abstract: A transfer sheet material for forming retroreflective graphic images on a substrate, the sheet material comprising a monolayer of transparent microspheres; a color layer printed over the microspheres in a first graphic segment of the sheet material in an imagewise pattern, the color layer comprising a transparent colorant in a transparent resin; a reflective layer printed over the microspheres in a second graphic segment of the sheet material in an imagewise pattern, the reflective layer comprising reflective flakes in a transparent binder, wherein the microspheres are partially embedded in at least one of the color layer and the reflective layer, individual microspheres having the reflective flakes arranged in cup-like fashion about their embedded portions; and a bonding layer printed over the color layer and the reflective layer, the bonding layer being sufficiently thick to embed all exposed surfaces of the color layer and the reflective layer and being adapted for use in securing the sheet material to a s

Abstract: Sheets to be coated with water-based coating material, for example a primer and a low adhesion backsize, are supplied from a feeder (1), in end-to-end overlapping relationship, to a dual coater (3) in which the sheets are coated individually on both sides. A sheet inserter (2) is provided, upstream of the dual coater, to insert sheets from a second supply into the sheets from the feeder (1). The dual coated sheets are dried as individual sheets or as a pseudo-web of overlapped sheets. The sheets are then overlapped, unless previously overlapped, and the direction of overlap changed, if necessary, to provide the trailing edge of each sheet on top of the leading edge of each succeeding sheet. The overlapped sheets are conveyed through an adhesive transfer station (7) where stripes (236) of at least partially dried adhesive are coated onto the dual coated sheets from a transfer belt (71).

Abstract: A steam sterilization indicator composition comprising a bismuth compound, a sulfur source, and a compound capable of generating alkaline conditions when exposed to steam; wherein when exposed to steam the composition noticeably changes color and when exposed to dry heat either does not change color or changes color to one that is markedly different from the color formed when the same composition is exposed to steam.

Abstract: An abrasive article is provided that includes at least one binder system formed from a polymeric additive and a thermosetting resin. The polymeric additive includes a polymeric backbone having substituents attached thereto, wherein the substituents include at least one urethane linked nitrogen bonded side chain having about 5 carbon atoms or more and a terminal methyl group and at least one oxygen linked water solubilizing group. An abrasive article that includes the binder system exhibits an increase of workpiece surface abraded in a Woodsanding Normal Force Test as compared to an abrasive article including a binder system formed from a composition containing substantially no polymeric additive.

Abstract: An improved method and apparatus for machine reading of license plate numbers on license plates uses separate illumination sources to (1) identify and locate the license plate image within a field of view, and (2) to read the license plate number from the license plate image. The use of separate sources allows the use of preferred equipment and reduces power consumption of the system.

Abstract: A cube corner article and method of manufacturing the article from a series of directly machinable unitary substrates. The method of manufacture comprises the first step of providing an initial unitary directly machinable substrate of material suitable for forming retroreflective surfaces. Then, a first cube corner element array zone is formed having a plurality of geometric structures including cube corner elements. The zone is created by directly machining at least two sets of parallel grooves in the substrate. A replica of the cube corner element array zone is formed as an additional unitary substrate suitable for forming retroreflective surfaces. Portions of the replica substrate material are removed. The removal of these portions forms at least two intersecting cavities bounded by side walls in the replica at a depth at least that of the cube corner elements formed by the groove sets.

Abstract: A photographic element comprising a polymeric film base, a silver halide emulsion layer, and an antistatic layer comprising a colloidal vanadium oxide and a vinyl addition polymer dispersion in a dry weight ratio of from 1:30 to 1:500. The antistatic layer may be present as a backing layer on the side of the base opposite the silver halide emulsion layer, as a subbing layer between the base and the emulsion layer in a single or double side coated photographic element, and/or as a subbing layer between the base and a different backing layer. No barrier layer is used over the antistatic layer.

Abstract: An adhesive sheet article comprising a porous backing coated on one side with a polymeric migration barrier and said migration barrier is further coated with a pressure-sensitive adhesive to provide novel adhesive tape articles. A method of manufacturing such articles is also disclosed.

Abstract: Strippable, primerless, radiation curable protective coatings for silver, nickel, brass and aluminum surfaces comprising(a) colloidal inorganic oxide particles of diameter less than 50 nanometers;(b) non-silyl polyethylenically unsaturated monomers and oligomers; and(c) catalytic amounts of suitable photo-initiators.The cured protective coatings are useful for shaped metal objects and for metal coated thermoplastic substrates.

Abstract: The present invention provides a reinforceable orthopedic casting article comprising a backing and a curable resin having an activator capable of assisting in the initiation of the cure of an addition polymerizable reinforcement compound. Reinforced casts are made by providing a curable casting tape comprising a backing and a curable resin containing an activator capable of assisting in the initiation of the cure of an addition polymerizable reinforcement compound; initiating the cure of the casting tape; wrapping the casting tape into the form of a cast; applying a hardenable reinforcement compound to at least a portion of the casting tape; and allowing the casting tape to cure and the reinforcement compound to harden to form a reinforced orthopedic cast.

Abstract: The incorporation of a non-thermosettable phenolic tackifying resin surprisingly provides improved solvent free, hot melt processing of hydrocarbon elastomers with crosslinking promoters to form pressure sensitive adhesive tapes. The tapes advantageously have a desirable balance of the properties of resistance to slow rate peel and fast rate peel adhesion.

Abstract: A heat-resistant anti-static pressure-sensitive adhesive tape comprising a substrate having coated thereon an acrylic microparticulate adhesive having an average diameter of at least about 1 micrometer, wherein the microparticles have a surface bearing thereon a conductive material formed from a polymer electrolyte base polymer, and at least one ionic salt selected from the group consisting of salts of alkali metals and salts of alkaline earth metals, and at least one thermal stabilizer selected from the group consisting of hindered amines, salts of substituted toluimidazoles, and mixtures thereof, said substituted toluimidazoles having the formula: ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, a methyl group, an ethyl group and a propyl group, R.sub.

Abstract: A process for polishing a workpiece. The process comprises the steps of:(a) placing a structured abrasive article bearing precisely shaped abrasive composites on at least one major surface thereof in contact with a surface of a workpiece having a surface having a scratch pattern having an initial Ra value thereon such that said composite bearing surface is in contact with said workpiece surface;(b) moving at least one of said workpiece or said structured abrasive article relative to the other in a first abrading direction, while simultaneously moving at least one of said workpiece or said structured abrasive article relative to the other in a second abrading direction not parallel to said first abrading direction such that said second abrading direction crosses said first abrading direction while contact is maintained between said composite bearing surface and said workpiece surface, whereby said initial Ra value is reduced.

Abstract: A process for producing a tungsten oxide precursor solution that includes converting a peroxypolytungstate solution to a stable oxide polytungstate solution. The precursor solution may subsequently be transformed to tungsten oxide having electrochromic properties.

Abstract: A method for removing dissolved species from a fluid while allowing suspended solid particles to remain within in the fluid, where the fluid includes dissolved species and suspended solid particles. The method includes providing a solid phase extraction article comprising a first end, a second end opposite the first end, an axis extending from the first end to the second end, and a porous, particle loaded, fibrous sheet material formed into a spiral configuration about the axis. The sheet material is wound around itself to provide multiple layers of sheet material, each layer of sheet material is spaced from each adjacent layer of sheet material, and the sheet material comprises a first working surface, a second, opposite working surface, and an inner portion comprising active particles between the first and second working surfaces.

Abstract: A cable splice closure includes a closure body having mating surfaces sealed together. An end seal in the closure has an opening for receiving a cable. The end seal is sealed to the closure body by an adhesive bond. An adhesive injection port is provided in the end seal to communicate an adhesive injected into the end seal and to bond into a sealed unit the surf aces of the end seal and the cable to be received. The adhesive is a low surface energy adhesive based on acrylic monomers with organoborane amine complexes.

Abstract: A composition of matter comprises an aromatic cyanate ester silane comprising at least one cyanate ester group and at least one hydrolyzable silyl group. In the presence of a cyanate ester resin the aromatic cyanate ester silane acts as a coupling agent to improve the adhesion of the cyanate ester to a substrate. The curable compositions are useful as reinforced composites, and as adhesive and coating compositions.