Abstract: A method for obtaining a finished or semi-finished zirconia-based article having a gold metallic external appearance, the method including the steps of: providing at least one zirconia article previously shaped into its finished or semi-finished shape; partially reducing the zirconia forming said article; placing said article in a reaction vessel in which a plasma is generated from ammonia, or a mixture of nitrogen and hydrogen, or a combination of this gas and this mixture; and maintaining the article in the plasma for a period of at least 5 minutes, while adjusting the conditions so that the average temperature of the article is settled between 500 and 900° C.

Abstract: An improved pulp-forming mold-releasing machine having a turnaround table being reciprocatingly rotatable at a prearranged position within the machine body. A net mold (pulp-sucking mold) includes protruding forming members on the surface thereof while the turnaround table of the machine frame body can be fitted with a lower mold (male mold) having a heating pipe therein on the other surface thereof. A reciprocating slide frame is disposed on the top of the machine frame body and includes an upper mold driving device with an air-oil-pressure diversion cylinder adapted to drive the upper mold (female mold) with a heating pipe to lift. An elevating pulp material container is disposed under the net mold of the machine frame body. The forming members of the net mold turn over to an upward direction after sucking pulp fiber.

Abstract: A method for forming a ceramic part with an internal structure includes aqueous slip-casting and a polystyrene foam insert. An aqueous slurry is poured over the insert to form a green body. The insert is shaped to produce the desired internal structure upon being encased by the slurry. The insert is then removed from the green body by dissolving it in trichloroethylene. Because the polystyrene foam does not expand when exposed to trichloroethylene and rapidly dissolves, build up of shrinkage stress in the green body is avoided. The green body is then sintered to produce the ceramic part with an internal structure.

Abstract: A method of making carbon-carbon pistons and a limited variety of other products also requiring light weight, high strength and high thermal conductivity, and the resulting piston, including the steps of feeding impregnated fibers from spools into a layered bundle of fibers, coating the fibers with a carbonaceous material to form a preform, sleeving the preform with a thermoplastic sleeve, extruding the coated preform, passing the preform through an oven while compacting the preform further, and cutting the preform into standard lengths as the preform exits the furnace and achieves a degree of cool down. The pistons are machined from the cut preforms with the piston axis parallel to the fibers and layers. The pistons include crown, skirt, and wrist pin bosses and the axis of the wrist pin bosses is perpendicular to the fibers and layers.

Abstract: A puff-on-demand cigarette smoking apparatus for decreasing unnecessary tobacco burning as well as decreasing the generation of side stream smoke. The portable cigarette smoking apparatus can be used to smoke traditional cigarettes and includes a reusable lighter box housing including an aperture into which an end of a cigarette to be smoked is adapted to be inserted into. After the cigarette is inserted through the aperture, the cigarette is directed into a cigarette extinguishing sleeve. The cigarette smoking system includes an actuable trigger which is operably connected to a cigarette advancing mechanism for advancing the cigarette a preset distance along the cigarette extinguishing sleeve into the lighter box housing upon actuation of the trigger. As a result, a portion of the cigarette is advanced beyond the cigarette extinguishing sleeve.

Abstract: Superconductor containing filaments having embedments of superconducting material surrounded by a rayon matrix are formed by preparing a liquid suspension which contains at least 10 weight percent superconducting material; forming a multicomponent filament having a core of the suspension and a viscose sheath which contains cellulose xanthate; and thereafter, regenerating cellulose from the cellulose xanthate to form a rayon matrix.

Abstract: A cigar cutting device includes a rod with a bottom disk on an end and a kick member on the other end of the rod. A first tube with a first tubular blade is movably mounted to the rod and an operation disk is connected to the first tube. The first tube has a flange extending radially outward from the first tube and a second tube is movably mounted to the first tube. The flange engages with an inner periphery of the second tube. A second tubular blade is connected to the second tube and encloses the first tubular blade. The first tubular blade and the second tubular blade can be alternatively used to cut cigars with different sizes by moving the first tube and the second tube relative to each other.

Abstract: A process for manufacturing synthetic quartz glass involves feeding a quartz glass-forming raw material to a high-temperature gas zone within a chamber, converting the quartz glass-forming raw material into quartz soot, and forming synthetic quartz glass from the soot. A suspended soot-discharging gas which has been flow-straightened in a suspended soot discharging direction flows through the chamber in the vicinity of the high-temperature gas zone. This process keeps free suspended soot from settling onto the surface of the quartz ingot where fusion and growth take place, thereby preventing the formation of bubbles within the quartz glass under growth.

Abstract: A process for manufacturing an apatite ceramic, especially for biological use involves the preparation of a homogeneous mixture of powders to form a hydroxyapatite of formula Ca10(PO4)6(OH)2, stoichiometric or non-stoichiometric, possibly containing other additives or flaws, compacting the mixture under a pressure of 100 to 500 Mpa at room temperature, and subjecting it to hydrothermal treatment at low temperature (100 to 500° C.) in the presence of water and in a sealed chamber.

Abstract: A system and method for feeding a slurry of comminuted cellulosic fibrous material such as wood chips to the top of a treatment vessel such as a continuous digester also treat the material to remove metals before digestion. During pumping of the slurry with at least first and second series connected pumps, at or upstream of at least one of the pumps chemicals (acids and/or chelating agents) which dissolve the metals in the material are added, and preferably some of the liquid is removed so as to purge at least about 10% (e.g. about 20-80%) of the metals in the material. The metal removal preferably takes place substantially immediately before alkaline digestion.

Abstract: A poison-reduced cigarette includes adding hydrate of double salt of ferroso-ferric chloride into tobacco and cigarette filter to react with nicotine to form salt which will not be absorbed by the mucous membranes in the smoker's respiratory system for minimizing nicotine poison and for enhancing the smoker's health.

Abstract: A molded article having a highly accurate outer form accuracy, including various optical products, is produced from a preform having a simple form by a press-molding, in which a fine pattern can be highly accurately transferred and no burr is formed. A first mold member having a concave portion with an inner surface made of a molding surface and a second mold member which is to be opposed to the first mold member and has a molding surface are used to press-mold the preform. The preform is shaped in a polyhedral form to permit fitting of the preform in the concave portion of the first mold member.

Abstract: A process for coating an upper surface of a panel with a mesh reinforced coating includes the steps of: placing a cementitious mixture in a container having a measured slit in the bottom thereof; passing a length of mesh through the container to produce a cementitious laden mesh; moving said panel and container with respect to each other while laying said cementitious laden mesh onto the upper surface of the panel; and cutting off the mesh to provide a coated panel. The coated panel may be subjected to vibration to smooth the upper surface thereof.

Abstract: A method of internal molding and decreased supercritical fluid drying times for aerogels and exergels by means of using gas porous molding features that are compatible with the prestressed fiber reinforcing system.

Abstract: A system and method for feeding comminuted cellulosic fibrous material such as wood chips to the top of a treatment vessel such as a continuous digester provide enhanced simplicity, operability, and maintainability by eliminating the high pressure transfer device conventionally used in the prior art. Instead of a high pressure transfer device the steamed and slurried chips are pressurized using one or more slurry pumps located at least thirty feet below the top of the treatment vessel and for pressurizing the slurry to a pressure of at least about 10 bar gauge. A return line from the top of the digester may, but need not necessarily, be operatively connected to the one or more pumps and if connected to the pumps, the liquid in the return line may be cooled to a temperature at which it will not flash during handling. Recirculation loops may be established associated with one or all of the slurry pumps to facilitate startup.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of firing a green ceramic honeycomb structural body containing an organic or carbonaceous material which is characterized by removing at least a portion of the carbonaceous material released prior to reacting within the firing atmosphere during the initial firing of the green honeycomb structural body. The invention also relates to a tunnel kiln, which includes a vestibule region, a carbonaceous material release region, having a plurality of removal zones, located downstream of the vestibule region and a sintering region located downstream of the carbonaceous material release region. The tunnel kiln further includes an exhaust removal system which operatively communicates, via offtake openings located in each removal zone, with the release region for removing released carbonaceous material.

Abstract: A method of forming a monolithic, fired ceramic gas diffuser for injecting gas into a molten metal bath includes the steps of: preparing first and second batch materials, depositing the batch materials into a mold to form different portions of the diffuser, and firing the casting to obtain the monolithic diffuser. Various embodiments of the method include vibrating the mold at least while the second batch material is deposited therein, partially freezing a first portion of the casting, and freezing the entire casting prior to firing.

Abstract: A tobacco product is formed by rolling moistened tobacco leaves about a cylindrical form casing and allowing the leaves to dry to form a shell. After the form casing is removed a consumer can fill the shell with crushed tobacco leaves of a favorite blend, thereby eliminating some steps in the making of a “roll-your-own” tobacco product.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a seal pin indexed precisely in a resin transfer molding die to assure the desired resin-to-fiber ratio in the mold part, and, thereby, to produce reliably and consistently a part of minimum weight with adequate strength. The index/resin seal pin of the present invention for RTM mold dies is novel in that it provides the seal (via replaceable O-rings) on the threaded stem of the pin to prevent low viscosity resin from invading the threads, bolts pins, or other elements of the internal mandrel. The pin allows the entire inner mandrel to be enclosed and sealed within the mold cavity, simplifying the sealing system. The invention also relates to a method for using the seal pin in a resin transfer molding process.

Abstract: A method of producing mullite fibers by inviscid melt spinning includes providing mullite and excess silicate, melting the mullite at a temperature of 1800-2500° C., and extruding the mullite through an orifice. Apparatus for carrying out the method preferably includes a boron nitride (BN) crucible and an argon atmosphere, with a melt temperature of around 2000° C., and a spinning pressure of around 276 kPa (40 psi).