Abstract: A control system to monitor and maintain various operations, which can include plant maintenance operations, including having a computerized database of the operations to be monitored, providing a data-logger onto which can be downloaded the required operations, selected in any required way, means on the data-logger to indicate that the operation has been effected, and means whereby the records on the data-logger can be uploaded to the computer to update the records thereon. There is also provided a data-logger for use with such an system.

Abstract: A protective mat for the pavement area surrounding an open manhole comprises a bottom layer of petroleum and contamination impervious preferably polyethylene sheet material laminated to an upper fibrous mat sheet layer preferably comprising cotton fibers bonded together to form a porous liquid absorbent layer.

Abstract: Newspapers and other printed matter fed from a printing press or inserting machine are generally folded or delivered in a continuous stream with the papers oriented in an overlapped or imbricated relationship. The stream of papers are received and stacked by the stacking apparatus or stacker which must operate at high speeds. The stacker orients the papers in the stacks and ejects the bundles of papers. The present invention relates to devices intended to reduce the prospects for inadvertent interference with the stacking mechanism or to reduce the potential for injury.

Abstract: A technique and machine for transferring discrete areas of material, such as hot stamping foil, from a carrier onto positions spaced apart along a substrate, such as paper. The carrier is dispensed at a rate that is much less than the speed of movement of the substrate. During transfer, a segment of the carrier is moved at the same speed as the substrate while, in between such material transfers, the speed of the carrier is sharply reduced and even reversed in direction in order to maintain the average speed of this carrier segment equal to the reduced speed at which the carrier is being dispensed. This is accomplished by a shuttle mechanism that is moved by its own motor, under control of a microprocessor-based motor control system, in synchronism with the speed of the substrate and transfer operations. This significantly improves the utilization of the material on the carrier, with an improved flexibility to adapt to various substrate speeds and ease of implementation in machinery.

Abstract: A method of charging a rechargeable battery which comprises charging the battery with a charging current; sampling conditions of the battery during charging to recognize potential adverse conditions within the battery; interrupting the charging current periodically to create current-free periods and sampling an open circuit voltage of the battery during each current-free period to identify potential overcharge conditions in the battery; lowering the charging current if any adverse conditions are identified and continuing charging with the charging current if adverse charging conditions are not identified; and terminating charging when a predetermined value is recognized. The method of charging nickel-metal hydride and nickel-cadmium batteries is based on switching charging current as soon as temperature related battery open circuit voltage reaches the first predetermined value, tapering current and continuing charging up to terminating point.

Abstract: A removable storage system includes a disk drive sled assembly for supporting a disk drive and for insertion and removal of the disk drive from a mating bay assembly. The bay assembly includes a pivotable cam assembly that includes a pair of cam legs configured to pivot about a cam rotation axis when a cam grip member is rotated. The sled assembly includes a conductive support frame. The disk drive is disposed in the conductive support frame and is attached to respective inner surfaces of the sled floor wall and the sled ceiling wall. A pair of rails is fastened to respective outer surfaces of the sled floor wall and the sled ceiling wall for supporting the sled assembly in corresponding channels disposed in the bay assembly. A is bezel attached to the sled end wall and includes a handle member for manually gripping the sled assembly. A trough having a first and a second surface is formed in the bezel.

Abstract: An assembly for turning bundles includes a planar surface that receives bundles from an upstream station. A sensor detects movement of the bundle toward the surface and initiates a timing sequence. The sequence includes slowing the bundle over the surface so that it does not contact the stop at high speed. The stop is then retracted after the bundle movement is terminated and a portion of the surface is lifted and rotated through approximately ninety degress to re-orient the bundle. After the bundle is lowered to the planar surface, it is then advanced by a drive assembly from the surface toward a downstream station.

Abstract: A wellhead device for the isolation of solid particles carried by production fluid includes a closed housing to be integrated with a wellhead element, a lining tightly fixed on the inner wall of the body producing the fluid upstream of the side outlet(s) provided with the valves, and a cylindrical partition arranged inside the housing around the lining, from which it is separated by a second ring-shaped space. First openings are provided in the upper portion of the partition above the lining, second openings are provided in the lower portion of the partition, and a filter is arranged inside the housing at the periphery of the partition lower portion, opposite the second openings. The filter is arranged such that all the fluid entering through the first partition openings into the volume separating this partition from the housing outer portion passes through the filter before entering the second ring-shaped volume through the partition second openings.

Abstract: A barrier extendable and retractable beneficially in response to a changing environment of use, is disclosed. In use, the barrier is attached at its ends to support surfaces. An extension and retraction mechanism for the barrier beneficially exerts substantially constant force regardless of the barrier extent. In a preferred embodiment, a ball screw, an axially movable ball screw nut, and gas springs are used.

Abstract: A process for hydrotreating a hydrocarbon feedstock (1) involving the use of at least one hydrotreatment, particularly hydrodesulfurization, reactor (2) and a fractionation unit (3), which latter contains two distinct injection zones (4,5) for the hydrocarbon feedstocks, a common zone (8) of vaporization of the light fractions and two distinct draw-off lines (6,7) for the liquid bottoms;

Abstract: An alkylation catalyst including a least one porous refractory metal oxide with at least one halogen on the surface thereof. The catalyst contains 0.005-1 wt % of at least one metal from groups IA and IIA of the periodic table of the elements and is particularly useful in an isobutane alkylation method using light olefins.

Abstract: A process for hydrotreating a hydrocarbon feedstock (1) involving the use of at least one hydrotreatment, particularly hydrodesulfurization, reactor (2) and a fractionation unit (3), which latter contains two distinct injection zones (4, 5) for the hydrocarbon feedstocks, a common zone (8) of vaporization of the light fractions and two distinct draw-off lines (6, 7) for the liquid bottoms; the hydrocarbon feedstock (1) being subjected to a preliminary treatment either in a first hydrodesulfurization reactor (20) the operating conditions of which (P, T, LHSV) may be different from those of the hydrotreatment reactor (2), or in a sweetening apparatus or else in a sulfur trap, the hydrocarbon feedstock being then injected into the first injection zone (4) of the fractionation unit (3), the liquid bottoms being removed through the draw-off line (6) of the injection zone (4) and passed into a hydrotreatment reactor (2), the effluents from said reactor (2) being injected into a second injection zone (5) of the

Abstract: The invention relates to a process of activating a supported acid catalyst, and consists in the conversion of Lewis acid-type acid sites which are deposited on a solid substrate into activated acid sites in a non-oxydizing acid medium. The catalyst is exposed to a phase of activation in a medium containing a holohydric acid or a halohydric acid precursor, in the presence of at least one preferably parafinic hydrocarbon or hydrocarbon derivative, at a temperature greater than 20° and preferably between 100° C. and 250° C., and at a pressure of between 105 and 50,106 Pa, for a length of time sufficient to ensure conversion into activated acid sites.

Abstract: The invention relates to an acid catalyst containing a substantial quantity of supported or mass sulfated zirconia and at least one hydrogenating transition metal. This catalyst is characterized by the fact that the sulfated zirconia is in crystallized form and that it shows a specific surface area greater than or equal to 150 m2/g, a pore volume greater than or equal to 0.20 cm3/g and an average pore diameter greater than or equal to 20 Angstroms (20×10−10 m). The invention also relates to methods of making this catalyst and to the uses of this catalyst in hydrocarbon transformation chemical reactions requiring the use of an acid type catalyst, such as for example, isomerization, alkylation, oligomerization reactions or even light hydrocarbon dehydration reactions, and also heavier hydrocarbon hydrocracking and hydroisomerization reactions.

Abstract: An asphalt-fines matrix contains a quantity of millings that ranges between 1 and 70% of the total weight of the incorporated mineral material, mixed with a heavy grade bituminous binder, and has a stiffness modulus E*, measured at 15.degree. C. and at 10 Hz, that ranges between 9.10.sup.3 and 15.10.sup.3 MPa.