Abstract: Proteinaceous materials, especially gelatin, are hardened by incorporating therein at least one bis-epoxy compound corresponding to one of the formula: ##STR1## wherein: X represents a 1,4-piperazinylene group or a monomethyl or dimethyl-substituted 1,4-piperazinylene group, or represents a 1,2-pyrazolidinylene group,And n is 0 or an integer from 1 to 4.The proteinaceous material, especially the gelatin, is subsequently applied to form a photographic silver halide emulsion layer, a backing layer, a protective layer, a filter layer or any other photographic auxiliary layer.

Abstract: A removable fixing system for the needle bars on chain gills, for supporting and driving the bars, in which each bar is pivotally connected, by its two ends on two chains, and has, at one of its ends, a bent extension the free end of which is engaged in a fixed cam groove the configuration of which determines the orientation of the bar at every point on its path. Each bar is mounted for pivoting, by its two ends, respectively adjacent the inner lateral face of one of the two chains and adjacent the external lateral face of the other of the chains, the pivotal connections between each of the two members constituted by each bar and the corresponding chain each being provided by a respective pivot mounted in overhung manner on one of these two members, in a direction transverse to the direction of the chain, and engaged in a corresponding bore of the other member, while locking means ensure axial positioning of the bar on its pivots.

Abstract: The apparatus includes a liquid crystal cell having transparent front and back walls with transparent electrodes on their facing sides and a liquid crystal material between the walls. The electrodes are segmented into matrix elements according to the cumulative pattern of all characters desired to be displayed or recorded, and are electrically addressable in response to selection circuitry. The front wall is in the form of a fiber-optic plate comprising a plurality of parallel arranged optical fibers. The apparatus is particularly useful to display or record measurement data, such as from a weighing device.

Abstract: Reactions in heterogeneous systems containing reactants in gaseous, liquid and solid phases are carried out in a tower composed of a series of superimposed reaction compartments mutually separated by horizontal shelves, through which the gaseous phase moves countercurrent to the liquid and solid phases and at the same time effects turbulent mixing with the liquid phase. The liquid and solid phases are introduced into the top compartment. The shelves are suitably perforated for upflow of the gas through bodies of mixed liquid and solids which are held on the shelves at levels determined by the heights of overflow pipes which conduct excess reaction mixture from each reaction compartment into the mixture in the compartment next below. Reaction products are taken off from the bottom compartment.

Abstract: Novel quaternary imidazolium salts substituted on one nitrogen of the imidazolium cation with a ##STR1## group in which each A is an aryl radical and B is an aliphatic, aryl-substituted aliphatic or aromatic radical, said salts being useful as antimicrobial agents.

Abstract: An electromagnetic transportation system for a vehicle which is adapted to travel along the inside of a tube. The system includes a series of electrical coils about the periphery of the tube which are connected to a three-phase alternating current supply. The vehicle is a capsule adapted to move within the tube and is essentially a ferro-magnetic container. The coils are energized by the three-phase alternating current supply to produce bundles of magnetic energy moving in one direction and the capsule is propelled by the magnetic energy in the same direction. The capsule also includes spaced coil members in order to utilize both radially and axially directed magnetic energy to propel the capsule in the tube and includes means to create a plurality of magnetic pole faces to increase the efficiency of propulsion.

Abstract: A machine for manufacturing triaxial fabrics, primarily of the type disclosed and claimed in U.S. Pat. No. Re. 28,155, comprises a vertically oriented warp yarn supply means based upon a horizontally disposed rotating creel, on which is preferably mounted a plurality of beams each supplying a plurality of warp yarn ends. Guide holders travelling on a cam-shaped track compensate for warp yarn path length changes so as to maintain path lengths from creel to weaving means relatively constant independent of angular position of an individual warp yarn in the course of the weaving process. Preferably, a multiplicity of such guides are combined on a single trolley carrier several of which are mounted at spaced intervals on the cam-shaped track, the movement of which is co-ordinated with the rotational movement of the warp yarn supply creel.

Abstract: Endless plate belts for use in a double belt press are formed from a plurality of articulated plates whose leading and trailing edges are provided with a series of projections and corresponding recesses. Each face of each plate at the leading and trailing belt plate edges defines a series of projections and recesses for meshing with the recesses and projections of adjacent plates. The projections and recesses on one face of a plate edge are arranged alternately with respect to the projections and recesses on the other face of the same plate edge.

Abstract: New alicyclic ketoesters having the generic formula ##STR1## wherein R represents a hydrocarbon radical containing from 4 to 8 carbon atoms, and R' represents an alkyl radical containing from 1 to 2 carbon atoms, are prepared, in one embodiment, by condensing the methyl or ethyl ester of propane-1,2,3-tricarboxylic acid with methyl or ethyl esters of 2-bromo acids containing from 6 to 9 carbon atoms, and hydrolyzing, decarboxylating and re-esterifying the resulting cyclic keto-triesters.The new compounds have olfactory properties and are useful in the production of a great variety of perfumes.

Abstract: A building is constructed by utilizing pre-fabricated elements with the load carrying and supporting sections being constructed of hat-shaped sections generally U-shaped in cross section. A plurality of these hat-shaped sections having at least one upwardly extending flange are secured around a floor member so that the flanges extend vertically from the floor. A series of other hat-shaped sections are then secured to the vertically extending flanges, at their basis and disposed peripherally in spaced parallel relation extending upwardly from the floor. Wall panels are then secured between adjacent vertical hat-shaped sections and additional hat-shaped sections constituting wall plates are placed on top of the wall panels and vertically extending hat-shaped sections. A series of tie-beams are then disposed on top of the wall plates adjacent opposing vertically extending hat-shaped sections.

Abstract: A cellulosic substrate is provided with an adherent polymeric coating by wetting the substrate first with a coagulant for the polymer to be used, contacting the resulting coating with an aqueous dispersion of an oxidatively drying binder and a polymer of an ethylenically unsaturated ester.

Abstract: A process for recovering ammonium sulphate from an aqueous ammonium sulphate solution containing organic contaminants is disclosed. The aqueous solution is contacted with an organic substance which is water soluble and which is capable, in combination with a saturated ammonium sulphate solution, of forming a two-layer system. The organic substance is selected from the group consisting of lactames of 4 to 20 carbon atoms, and mixtures thereof. The resultant two layers may be separated into an aqueous phase containing the ammonium sulphate, and an organic phase containing the organic substance and the organic contaminants. Typical organic contaminants include acrylonitrile prepared from propylene, methyl methacrylate prepared from acetone cyandihydrin, and methyl methacrylate prepared from acrylonitrile. The ammonium sulphate is readily crystallized from the aqueous phase.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for making an (ar)alkane carboxylic acid in high yield when reacting an (ar)alkene with a carbonyl compound having at least one hydrogen atom attached to the alpha-carbon atom in the presence of a manganese compound which is at least trivalent by observing the following reaction parameters: (a) having at least 60% by weight of a carboxylic anhydride in the carbonyl compound, (b) having a manganese compound concentration of from 10.sup.-.sup.3 to 10.sup.-.sup.10 moles/l and (c) maintaining the (ar)alkene concentration below 0.1 mole/l.

Abstract: A liquid toner composition comprising carrier liquid and toner particles for the development of electrostatic charge patterns is described wherein the said liquid comprises (1) a bivalent or trivalent metal salt of an oxyacid derived from phosphorus containing at least one organic residue and (2) one or more members selected from the group consisting of amines, polyurethans and alkylated polymers of a heterocyclic N-vinyl monomer. By means of the materials (1) and (2) the polarity of the toner particles can be controlled to obtain optimum image density and contrast. When carbon blacks are used as toner material it is possible to control the polarity to obtain either positive-working or negative-working toner compositions.

Abstract: In a procedure of preparing fibrous metal material by electrolytically deiting metal on conductive fibres forming a skeleton, the fibres are carded during deposition of the metal. The fibres are carded in a rotatable drum containing a fibre carding device which operates during rotation of the drum to card fibres while metal is being electrolytically deposited on the fibres.

Abstract: An improved method of consolidating the surface of a borehole in an incompetent formation and simultaneously strengthening the bond between the surface of the borehole and cement placed in the borehole is achieved by forcing an aqueous solution of a multivalent cation salt into the formation, thereafter forcing an alkali metal silicate solution which has a pH less than 12.0 containing at least 12% by weight silica into the formation, and thereafter forcing an aqueous cement slurry containing at least 2% by weight of a water soluble multivalent cation salt to contact the surface of the borehole. A cementitious piling intimately bonded to the formation is prepared by filing the stabilized borehole with an aqueous cement slurry and allowing the cement to harden.

Abstract: Polyoxyethylene compounds carrying thioether groups as substituents on the linear chain are described for accelerating or activating development of exposed silver halide elements.

Abstract: Traditionally flowers are dried for decorative purposes by being left immersed in a bed of fine sand. The sand holds the flower in a constant conformation and prevents damage such as the crinkling of petals during dehydration. The invention provides a process in which the labor-intensive operation of covering the flower manually with the sand is avoided. The sand is fluidized by means of a gentle current of air rising therethrough, enabling the flower to be simply immersed in the sand without damage or change in conformation. Fluidization is stopped, and the flower is instantly locked in place by the sand ready for dehydration. After dehydration, the flower can be removed from the sand easily by re-fluidizing the sand.

Abstract: A valve which may operate as either a check valve or a relief valve includes a chamber which is connected to a first hydraulic conduit by a restricted passage. A relief valve vents the chamber at a predetermined pressure to unbalance the valve member and allow fluid to flow from the first conduit to a second. The valve member is made with a telescoping portion to allow reverse flow when the first conduit is at a lower pressure than the second.

Abstract: A stable panchromatically sensitized zinc oxide having a low moisture sensitivity with dark discharge properties rendering it suitable as the photoconductive material of elements for indirect as well as direct electrophotography is produced by reacting finely divided zinc oxide with gaseous ammonia and carbon dioxide, while keeping the zinc oxide particles in motion, until a critical stage is reached corresponding usually to a weight increase of 4 to 7.5%, at which point the reacting is terminated and the product is heated to constant weight at a temperature between 190.degree. and 350.degree. C. Photoconductive elements made with the panchromatically sensitive zinc oxide not only are reusable indefinitely under varying atmospheric humidity conditions without loss of their sensitivity, but also exhibit a memory effect much lower than that of known photoconductive zinc oxides.