Abstract: A washing method with polymer solid particles comprises: step 1: washing clothes with the polymer solid particles, the surface of said polymer solid particles is provided with absorption holes; step 2: dehydrating the polymer solid particles and the clothes together; step 3: separating the polymer solid particles from the clothes and collecting the polymer solid particles; step 4: rinsing the clothes; and step 5: dehydrating the clothes. Before separating the polymer solid particles from the clothes, there is a step of dehydrating the polymer solid particles and the clothes together, so the user can easily separate the polymer solid particles from the clothes.

Abstract: A method for tanning an animal substrate comprising the steps: i) agitating the animal substrate with a chromium-free tanning agent; and ii) agitating the animal substrate with a tanning agent having an oxazolidine group; wherein at least some of the agitation is performed in the presence of a solid particulate material having an average particle size of from 1 to 500 mm.

Abstract: The invention relates to an improved method and apparatus for the treatment of animal skin substrates which employs a multiplicity of solid particles.

Abstract: A mobile banking reconciliation application allows a user to reconcile a business's records with banking records associated with one or more accounts of the business. The mobile banking reconciliation application can access an accounting system to obtain business records and banking records associated with the business. The banking records and business records may be displayed as a set of cards that a user can scroll and/or flip through (e.g., using the touch screen of a mobile device). The related business records displayed may be a suggestion that is based on a determination that the banking record likely matches the business record. The user may identify the appropriate business record for the particular bank record being reconciled from existing business records, or the user may create a new business record.

Abstract: Automated provisioning, according to one example embodiment, enables a mutual customer to establish an intelligent and automated connection between an accounting software system and their financial institution. For example, this might be achieved by allowing a financial institution customer to make feeds from their bank accounts available to the accounting software system within financial internet software (e.g., hosted and operated by the customer's financial institution). Once a customer selects the bank account(s) they want to share with the accounting software system, they are passed along to the accounting software system to link the selected bank account with an account they have set up in the accounting software system.

Abstract: Methods for cleaning at least one soiled substrate in a rotatably mounted cylindrical drum of a cleaning apparatus with a multiplicity of solid particles are provided. One method includes the steps of: agitating the at least one soiled substrate in the drum with wash liquor and the multiplicity of solid particles for a first cleaning cycle wherein the wash liquor includes at least one cleaning agent; draining the wash liquor from the cleaning apparatus; and introducing an aqueous non-detergent medium into the cleaning apparatus and agitating the at least one soiled substrate with the multiplicity of solid particles in the drum for a second cleaning cycle. Another method includes rotating the drum such that the at least one soiled substrate moves about a generally circular path and introducing the multiplicity of solid particles into the drum through an annulus defined by the generally circular path as the drum rotates.

Abstract: In various example embodiments, a system and method for automated data reconciliation processing is presented. The system receives a data movement request with a first status indicator and appends a unique request code to the data movement request. The system causes presentation of the data movement request at a client device and receives a movement response from a second server via a network. The system modifies the first status indicator of the data movement request to a second status indicator to provisionally reflect the receipt of the movement response and verifies the indication of movement from a receiving entity.

Abstract: A system with access to regularly updated information regarding an entity can generate information regarding the performance of that entity. For example, values of various key performance indicators (KPIs) can be determined. One or more of the values can be compared to a corresponding threshold or range. Based on the results of the comparisons, an alert can be generated and sent to a user associated with the entity, a user interface (UI) that presents information to the user about the entity can include information regarding the KPIs, or both. The system may have access to data regarding a number of similar entities. Using the data for the similar entities, one or more benchmarks for the KPIs of the entity can be determined. The KPIs can be compared to the benchmarks and the results shown in a UI, an alert, or both.

Abstract: The invention provides an apparatus and method for use in the drying of substrates using a solid particulate material, the apparatus comprising: (a) housing means (1) having mounted therein a rotatably mounted cylindrical drum (2); (b) access means (15); and (c) at least one collection means (10), wherein said rotatably mounted cylindrical drum (2) additionally comprises capturing and transferring means, adapted to facilitate collection of said solid particulate material and transfer of said material to said at least one collection means (10). The invention also provides a method comprising treating the substrate with a solid particulate material at ambient or elevated temperature, said treatment being carried out using the apparatus of the invention. The apparatus and method find particular application in the drying of wet textile fabrics.

Abstract: An apparatus (10) for use in the treatment of at least one substrate with a multiplicity of solid particles comprising: a) a housing (20) in which a drum (40) is rotatably mounted; b) a door (60) moveable between an open position wherein the at least one substrate can be placed in the drum and a closed position wherein the apparatus is substantially sealed; c) a separator (100) mounted in the door, wherein the separator comprises a perforated portion; d) a flow pathway pipe (110) mounted on or in the housing, wherein the flow pathway pipe comprises an outlet (140); and e) pumping means (210) configured to pump treatment liquor and a multiplicity of solid particles from a first location through the flow pathway pipe and out of the outlet towards the separator; wherein the separator is arranged to direct the multiplicity of solid particles into the drum and wherein the separator is further arranged to direct a portion of the treatment liquor to a location other than the drum.

Abstract: Apparatus (200) for the treatment of one or more substrates comprising a treatment chamber configured to receive a liquid medium and one or more substrates; a supply of a treatment gas comprising ozone; and one or more conduits to convey said treatment gas to a bubble generator (41) wherein said bubble generator is operable to form bubbles of said treatment gas in said liquid medium, wherein the apparatus comprises a multiplicity of solid particles (46). A method of treating one or more substrates, the method comprising agitating said one or more substrates in a treatment formulation comprising a multiplicity of solid particles, a liquid medium and bubbles of ozone.

Abstract: The invention provides an apparatus and method for use in the treatment of substrates, the apparatus comprising housing means (1) having a first upper chamber having mounted therein a rotatably mounted cylindrical cage (2), a second lower chamber located beneath said cylindrical cage (2), at least one recirculation means, access means, pumping means, and a multiplicity of delivery means, whereby both the apparatus and the method find particular application in the cleaning of soiled textile fabrics.

Abstract: The invention provides a method and formulation for cleaning a soiled substrate, the method comprising the treatment of the moistened substrate with a formulation comprising a multiplicity of polymeric particles, wherein the formulation is free of organic solvents. Preferably, the substrate is wetted so as to achieve a substrate to water ratio of between 1:0.1 to 1:5 w/w. Optionally, the formulation additionally comprises at least one cleaning material and, in this embodiment, it is preferred that the polymeric particles are coated with the at least one cleaning material. Preferably, the cleaning material comprises a surfactant, which most preferably has detergent properties. Most preferably, the substrate comprises a textile fiber. Typically, the polymeric particles comprise particles of nylon, most preferably in the form of nylon chips.

Abstract: A method of removing at least a portion of an oxide layer from the surface of a metal substrate comprising exposing the metal substrate to a body of treatment liquor comprising a treatment formulation and a multiplicity of solid particles which comprise or consists of a multiplicity of polymeric particles and wherein said treatment formulation comprises one or more promoters selected from the group consisting of acids, bases and surfactants wherein the method further comprises causing the solid particles and the metal substrate to enter into contacting relative movement.

Abstract: The invention provides an apparatus and method for use in the treatment of substrates, whereby the apparatus comprises housing means having mounted therein a rotatably mounted drum (17), access means through which said substrates may be loaded into said drum (17), and a multiplicity of solid particulate material delivery means.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for the cleaning of a soiled substrate, the method comprising treating the substrate with a solid particulate cleaning material and wash water, the treatment being carried out in an apparatus comprising a drum comprising perforated side walls and having a capacity of between 5 and 50 liters for each kg of fabric in the washload, wherein said solid particulate cleaning material comprises a multiplicity of polymeric particles at a particle to fabric addition level of 0.1:1-10:1 by mass, each particle being substantially cylindrical or spherical in shape and having an average density in the range of 0.5-2.5 g/cm3 and an average volume in the range of 5-275 mm3, and wherein said drum comprising perforated side walls is rotated at a speed which generates G forces in the range of from 0.05 to 900 G. The polymeric particles may comprise foamed or unfoamed polymeric materials which may comprise either linear or crosslinked polymers.

Abstract: The invention discloses a method for treating an animal substrate comprising: agitating the moistened animal substrate with an aqueous treatment formulation and a solid particulate material in a sealed apparatus, wherein the aqueous treatment formulation comprises at least one colorant. There is also disclosed an animal substrate obtained by the method and finished leather goods obtained by the method.

Abstract: An apparatus for cleaning a soiled substrate using solid particulate material having a cleaning volume; a collecting volume; a pumping device having a pump inlet; and a circulation pathway by which solid particulate material and a transporting fluid can be transferred from the collecting volume to the cleaning volume via said pumping device. The apparatus further includes a flow regulating device disposed in the collecting volume and comprising a flow through enclosure defined by at least one wall, an enclosure outlet in communication with the pump inlet, at least one particle inlet orifice disposed at an underside of the flow through enclosure and configured to admit both solid particulate material and transporting fluid to the enclosure. The apparatus can further include at least one relatively smaller fluid inlet orifice configured only to admit transporting fluid to the flow through enclosure.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for the cleaning of a soiled substrate, the method comprising treating the substrate with a non-polymeric solid particulate cleaning material and wash water, the treatment being carried out in an apparatus comprising a drum comprising perforated side walls and having a capacity of between 5 and 50 liters for each kg of fabric in the washload, wherein the solid particulate cleaning material comprises a multiplicity of non-polymeric particles at a particle to fabric addition level of 0.1:1-10:1 by mass, each of the particles being substantially cylindrical or spherical in shape, and wherein the drum comprising perforated side walls is rotated at a speed which generates G forces in the range of from 0.05 to 900 G. The non-polymeric particles may comprise particles of glass, silica, stone, wood, or any of a variety of metals or ceramic materials.