Abstract: Method and apparatus for forming can ends is disclosed wherein ends are blank from sheet material and formed in a die in which the completed end is formed and removed from the die at a vertical position below the blanking position. Formation and removal of the end beneath the cut line enables better control of the ends after forming. Vacuum is applied to the end underside to positively seat the end against lower die forming elements as the lower elements raise the end to the level of an ejection slot where pressurized air blows the air from between the dies. An automatic lubrication circuit for properly lubricating seal members forming pneumatic cushions for resiliently biasing the various die members is also disclosed.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for treating polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) contaminated soil includes providing a contaminated soil having PCBs therein and treating the soil with elemental zinc powder. The elemental zinc powder reacts with the PCBs in the contaminated soil to at least partially dechlorinate the PCB component of the soil. Also provide are means for treating the PCB contaminated soil including grinding means for achieving a preferred size range for the soil and mixing means to provide intimate contact between the contaminated soil and elemental zinc powder. The method may be practice in-situ such that the PCB contaminated soil is treated at a soil site containing the PCB contaminants.

Abstract: An aluminum based alloy useful in aircraft and aerospace structures which has low density, high strength and high fracture toughness consists essentially of the following formula:Cu.sub.a Li.sub.b Mg.sub.c Ag.sub.d Zr.sub.e Al.sub.balwherein a, b, c, d, e and bal indicate the amount in wt. % of alloying components, and wherein 2.4<a<3.5, 1.35<b<1.8, 0.25<c<0.65, 0.25<d<0.65 and 0.08<e<0.25, and the alloy has a density of 0.0945 to 0.0960 lbs/in.sup.3. Preferably, the relationship between the copper and lithium components also meets the following tests:more preferably the relationship meets the following tests:6.5<a+2.5b<7.5, 2b-0.8<a<3.75b-1.9.

Abstract: A method for making a polymer laminated drag cast aluminum alloy container stock material includes, in a preferred embodiment, drag casting an aluminum alloy suitable for forming into beverage containers into a sheet. The sheet is then cold rolled, at least one of the sheet's surfaces is cleaned and pretreated and a polymer material is laminated thereto. The polymer laminate on the drag cast aluminum alloy surface permits the use of drag cast aluminum alloy sheet material to be utilized, for example, as aluminum beverage container stock material.

Abstract: A deli bag dispenser includes front, rear and bottom wire frames cradling a plurality of successively stacked bundles of plastic bags which are rolled unattached to each other. Support legs projecting rearwardly from the bottom frame enable the dispenser to be self supported on a flat surface with the stack being rearwardly and upwardly inclined for stable support. A pair of brackets secured to upper portions of the dispenser enable same to be wall mounted.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for recovering metallic aluminum from furnace dross. The method includes reducing the particle size of the dross and passing the resulting dross particles over the surface of an inclined linear induction motor to separate the more conductive, aluminum-metal-containing particles from the less or non-conductive particles that contain little or no metallic aluminum. The linear induction motor provides an electromagnetic field that operates to levitate the conductive, aluminum-containing particles, while those particles that include little or no aluminum are not affected by the electromagnetic field. A flow splitter positioned at the lower end of the motor separates the conductive particles from the substantially non-conductive particles. Metallic aluminum recovery rates of about 55% and higher of the aluminum contained in the furnace dross have been achieved. The resulting product has been enriched by a factor of twelve times over that of the infeed material.

Abstract: Drag cast coils of aluminum metal are homogenized to achieve grain refinement by cooling said coil initially from a temperature of around 900.degree. F. to ambient temperature under controlled conditions at a cooling rate ranging from about 5.degree. F. per hour to 90.degree. F. per hour.

Abstract: An engine block for an internal combustion engine including at least one bore, and a cylindrical liner that is pressed into the bore to define the inner cylindrical surface along which the piston reciprocates. The inner surface of the bore and the outer surface of the liner are each coated with a zinc or zinc alloy coating that is metallurgically bonded to the respective surfaces to form intermetallic bonds. The liner is pressed into the bore while the liner and bore are at an elevated temperature approximately corresponding to the melting temperature of zinc, in order to unite the liner and block by means of a metallurgical bond. The metallurgical bond is substantially continuous to provide a continuous metallic path for improved heat transfer and structural strength between the liner and the block material. The liner can be formed either from cast iron or from an aluminum alloy, and the engine block is preferably cast from an aluminum alloy.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for measuring coolant quenching rates includes a metallic disk supported on a ceramic tube, the metallic disk including a plurality of thermocouples therein. The metallic disk is heated from above by a torch and coolant is sprayed on the underside of the disk. Changes in temperature throughout the metallic disk are detected by the thermocouples to measure various quenching parameters. The metallic disk may be surrounded by insulating material to maintain heat flow through the disk in a predetermined manner. By heating, insulating and cooling the metallic disk, temperature measurements can be quantified into heat transfer rates to investigate various heat transfer mechanisms and different types of coolants.

Abstract: An aluminum-lithium based alloy which comprises 10-20 wt. % silicon, 1.5-5.0 wt. % copper, 1.0-4.0 wt. % lithium, 0.45-1.5 wt. % magnesium, 0.01-1.3 wt. % iron, 0.01-0.5 wt. % manganese, 0.01-1.5 wt. % nickel, 0.01-1.5 wt. % zinc, 0.01-0.5 wt. % silver, 0.01-0.25 wt. % titanium and the balance aluminum. The alloy is utilized to cast high temperature assemblies including pistons which have a reduction in density and similar mechanical properties including tensile strengths to alloys presently used.

Abstract: An image to be printed on shrink film for packaging an object is predistorted before printing so that the printed image will return to substantially its original form when the part of the film bearing the image is shrunk against a predetermined part of the object. The image is subdivided and the subdivisions are enlarged to provide the desired predistorted image.

Abstract: An apparatus 10 for inspecting the surface of an object S moving in the direction of travel 23 relative to the apparatus comprises a modular sensing head assembly 11 including a plurality of sensing head modules 12, 13, each of which includes a number of sensing stations 16-21. Each sensing station includes a light source 77, 81, 84 for generating a line of light extending across substantially the width of the surface of the object and a plurality of optical detector means for detecting light scattered from the line of light by the surface of the object. The optical detectors are positioned and oriented to receive scattered light scattered along paths lying in detection planes which are perpendicular to each other and perpendicular to the surface of the object.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for detoxification of aluminum spent potliner by thermal treatment in a rotary kiln while blended with limestone and metal silicates to destroy cyanides and convert the soluble fluoride salts to relatively insoluble calcium fluoride and fluoride-bearing minerals, quenching the hot kiln discharge with an aqueous lime slurry to convert residual soluble fluoride salts on the particle surfaces to an insoluble form, and treating aqueous landfill runoff and capture with lime or limestone and recycling the treated water to the process. The treated material is suitable for landfilling in a non-hazardous waste landfill or marketing as a raw material. Air emissions are innocuous and there is no aqueous discharge.

Abstract: The adjustable film folding tooling assembly includes a frame assembly supporting a pair of shoe assemblies. The shoe assemblies are horizontally adjustable with respect to the frame assembly to accommodate varying widths of flexible film to be folded. Each shoe assembly includes an internal shoe and an external shoe. The internal shoes are configured in a defined geometry to provide two or three turning edges depending on whether single or double folding of flexible film material is desired. The pair of external shoes include features to permit angular adjustment with respect to a longitudinal axis of the tooling assembly as well as extension and retraction thereof to accommodate loose or baggy film material as well as positioning of the overlap of film after folding. The internal and external shoes of the adjustable film folding tooling assembly have a defined geometry which facilitates production and manufacture of the tooling assembly without costly empirical research or modeling.

Abstract: A coated wire or other elongated article production system having means to form wire or other elongated article in tandem with an extruder of substantially solvent-free polymer in tubular form around the wire or article. The tubular polymer is applied to the wire or article with the aid of a vacuum, and the froming speed relative to the rate of polymer extrusion is controlled to thin the tubular polymer between its extrusion and its contact with the wire or article.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for reflective enhancement of printed images includes forming a plurality of element schemes in the surface of a printed continuous web of material. The element schemes are in preselected registration with colors, shapes or densities of colors in the printed image. By controlling the various element schemes, the reflectivity of portions of the printed image may be enhanced.

Abstract: A reversed can end ejector system for detecting and ejecting a can end in reverse orientation with respect to a moving stack of otherwise similarly aligned and nested can ends is disclosed. The system utilizes a reversed end extractor bar having a hook formed at a lower end thereof. The bar is supported above the stack with a support frame so that the hook is free to ride on a cylindrical exterior ridged surface of the stack. When a reversely oriented end is encountered, the hook is sized to drop by gravity into the peripheral gap formed between the reversed end and adjacent non-reversed end. The extractor bar is pivotally connected to a mounting bar which is in turn pivotally connected to the support frame whereupon further advancement of a reversed end with the stack during hooked engagement causes the reversed end to be lifted and removed from the stack via controlled rotation of the extractor bar relative to the mounting bar and then both as a unit relative to the suppport frame.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for separating shredded particles, for instance particles of used beverage cans, into respective fractions that contain greater amounts of one of a plurality of alloys from which the cans have been made. The method includes screening the shredded material to provide particles having a desired particle size, and gravimetrically separating the screened particles into a plurality of groups based upon the mass of the particles. The heaviest bulk density group of particles is selected for further processing and is first preferably passed through a flattening device to flatten the particles, which are then conveyed through a varying magnetic field provided by a linear induction motor so that the particles containing higher concentrations of higher conductivity alloys can be further separated from particles of alloys having lower electrical conductivities.