Abstract: Compositions for application to a soil for retaining water in the soil for plants are prepared by applying an aqueous solution containing sodium and/or potassium methylsiliconate to a substrate so that the siliconate applied is in an amount of between 180 g and 1,000 g per m.sup.3 substrate and then, the treated substrate is allowed to dry at ambient temperature. The substrates employed include tree bark, sawdust, compost and vegetable mould and also gravel and sand. Additionally, porous articles prepared for containing plants also may be treated for improving retention of water.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for coating a moving web of paper or paperboard. The web to be coated is passed to a coater station, wherein a coat layer is applied to at least one surface of the web by means of high-pressure spraying nozzles, whereby the pattern width covered by a single nozzle is essentially narrower than the cross-machine width of the web being coated. The nozzles are located in an enclosure and the excess coat mist formed in the process is removed by means of suction tubes, and advantageously, with the help of a falling film of coating mix flowing down the internal wall(s) of the enclosure.

Abstract: A method for temporarily revealing the presence of a watermark on cellulose-based materials. The method comprises applying one of a perfluorocarbon ard hydrofluorocarbon to at least a portion of the cellulose-based material. The method also provides applying a solution containing both perfluorocarbon and hydrofluorocarbon to the cellulose-based material to vary the rate of evaporation of the solution.

Abstract: A sealant applicator is used with a sealant container and has a frame, a plug contained within the frame, a wiper connected with a first frame end, a biasing member connected between the frame and the plug, and a coupler that couples the sealant applicator with the sealant container. The frame has first and second opposing frame ends and defines a pathway between the opposing frame ends. The plug slides between the opposing frame ends along the pathway. The wiper wipes a portion of the plug when the plug slides to the first frame end. The biasing member biases or urges the plug toward the first frame end. The sealant applicator extends within the sealant container when coupled with the container. In other aspects, the plug further includes a tip and an opposing base, the plug is oriented with the base facing the second frame end, and the tip includes at least one of a group that includes a convex surface and a concave surface.

Abstract: Dispensing apparatus including a dispensing gun having a gun body and a valve mechanism disposed in the gun body. The valve mechanism is operatively coupled to a piston mounted for reciprocating movement and the valve mechanism is operable between opened and closed positions for selectively dispensing liquid from the dispensing gun. A hydraulic actuator is operatively coupled to the piston for moving the piston by way of an output of hydraulic pressure. A flow control device is operatively coupled to the hydraulic actuator for regulating liquid flow from the hydraulic actuator and thereby controlling at least one of the opening speed and closing speed of the valve mechanism. A method of dispensing liquid in accordance with the disclosure includes holding a supply of pressurized liquid in a liquid passage of the dispensing gun, moving the piston under the force of hydraulic pressure to move the valve mechanism from the closed position to the opened position, and dispensing pressurized liquid from the gun.

Abstract: A coating apparatus comprises a spin chuck for supporting a wafer rotatably, a driving mechanism for rotating the spin chuck, a nozzle for supplying a resist solution or a solvent to the wafer supported by the spin chuck, an outer cup arranged to surround the wafer supported by the spin chuck, an inner cup formed like a ring and arranged along an outer peripheral portion of the wafer to be coated over and in close vicinity of the outer peripheral portion upon coating, and an attaching and detaching mechanism for attaching and detaching the inner cup.

Abstract: A fouling release coating for marine vessels includes a first adhesive coating formed from a mixture of silicone elastomer and thinner and a second adhesive coating formed from a mixture of silicone elastomer, release additive, and thinner. When applied by spraying, the first adhesive coating is preferably formed from a mixture of approximately 60% silicone elastomer, approximately 20% hydrocarbon solvent, and approximately 20% silicone fluid. The second adhesive coating is preferably formed from a mixture of approximately 54% silicone elastomer, approximately 20% hydrocarbon solvent, approximately 20% silicone fluid, and approximately 6% release additive. A method for applying the fouling release coating to a marine vessel is also disclosed.

Abstract: A SOG coater nozzle pot includes a pot for containing fluid and letting the fluid in the pot flow out, a funneled nozzle including a wider opening for receiving fluid from the pot and a narrower opening on a protuberance inserted into a duct, and a mounting device for mounting the funneled nozzle on the SOG coater. The nozzle pot according to the invention makes the mounting/dismounting operations of the pot more convenient and less time-consuming. The stability of the SOG coater is maintained as well.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for coloring ceramic surfaces, wherein the surfaces are treated with an aqueous solution of alkali metal or ammonium dithiosulphatoaurate(I) with a gold concentration of 0.1-10% by weight, the water is evaporated and the dithiosulphatoaurate(I) is decomposed at temperatures of 300-1400.degree. C.

Abstract: A primer is thinly and uniformly applied by supplying a primer and a spraying air to a spray gun, in which an amount of the primer to be supplied to the spray gun is controlled, and a solvent for the primer is supplied to the spraying air to be supplied to the spray gun.

Abstract: In a nozzle system for feeding treatment liquid, a storage tank is equipped with a nozzle comprising an opening and a stopcock which opens and closes said opening. When the stopcock opens the opening, a predetermined amount of liquid developer is dropped from the tank onto a wafer through a narrow gap between the outer surface of the stopcock and the inner edge of the opening. Thereby, the large amount of the liquid developer can be discharged and diffused on the entire wafer surface for a short time. Besides, the liquid amount is controlled with ease, and damage to the wafer is reduced, which enables a high quality of the development.

Abstract: In a method of cleaning a paint application system when switching between two different types or colors of paint, at least a predominant portion of the first paint (35) remaining in a paint line (3) is caused to flow back into its paint supply container (5). Then the entire paint line is flushed out using a flushing medium, before supplying the second paint through the paint line. In this manner, the paint remaining in the painting system at the end of a painting cycle is not wasted, but rather is saved to later be reused. A paint application apparatus includes a paint supply switching device (4), at least two paint supply containers (5 to 8), a paint spray nozzle (2), and a paint line (3) connecting the color switching device (4) to the spray nozzle (2). Two receiver stations (28) and (31) are interposed in the paint line (3), and a shuttle element in the form of a pipe cleaner swab (29) is arranged in the paint line (3) so as to be able to shuttle back and forth between the two receiver stations.

Abstract: Polymeric beads made by a suspension or an emulsion process may be concurrently impregnated with blowing agent, an insecticide and a flame retardant, if required. The resulting bead is then washed and dried and then may be used for making a foam structure such as a sheet. The resulting foam sheet may be used in the construction industry, particularly where there is a concern of insect infestation.

Abstract: There is provided a spin coating process of forming a coating film through spin coating of a solution on a substrate, wherein periphery portions of the coating film are removed. The film forming method comprises the steps of: (a) initiating dropwise dispensing of a first solvent having a relatively low affinity for the coating film at a position slightly insider a periphery of the substrate covered by the coating film; (b) initiating dropwise dispensing of a second solvent having a relatively high affinity for the coating film at a position closer to the periphery of the substrate as compared to the position of the dropwise dispensing of the first solvent, where the dropwise dispensing of the second solvent is initiated simultaneous to or after the initiation of the dropwise dispensing of the first solvent; (c) stopping the dropwise dispensing of the first solvent; and (d) stopping the dropwise dispensing of the second solvent after stopping the dropwise dispensing of the first solvent.

Abstract: A treatment method for surface energy reduction is disclosed, which comprises subjecting a substrate to an interfacial contact reaction between the phase thereof and a phase containing a compound having at least one low-energy functional group to fix the low-energy functional groups to the substrate surface to thereby reduce the surface energy thereof. The method necessitates neither an expensive special solvent nor a curing step causing mechanical damage to the substrate, and can be carried out under simple conditions.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for evaluating a paint filter. The apparatus includes a duct, air supply, spray gun, target, filter holder and particle sensing device. The spray gun and target are disposed within the duct to simulate actual paint spraying conditions, including production of overspray. The filter holder maintains a test filter downstream of the target such that overspray interacts with the test filter. The particle sampling device is associated with the filter holder and is configured to sense and provide information indicative of paint filter efficiency and preferably includes a time-of-flight particle measurement instrument. During use, the spray gun sprays paint particles at the target. Overspray from the target interacts with the test filter. The particle sampling device senses data upstream and downstream of the filter, from which a filter evaluation is made.

Abstract: A method for producing an improved fire retarding compound for use with cellulose insulation materials uses the same concept as boric acid and borax, but substitutes liquid borates rather than powdered borates. Such liquid borates enables the amount of chemical to be reduced by approximately fifty percent. This offsets the high cost of the use of borates. Additionally, the inexpensive borate, borax, is the only boron containing chemical used in the present invention method and it is converted to boric acid once impregnated inside the cellulose insulation material.

Abstract: A process for treating metal surfaces that includes first contacting the metal surface with a particular acidic peroxide adhesion promoting composition, followed by contacting that metal surface with an alkaline solution. This treatment is particularly suitable for treating metal surfaces used in printed circuit multilayer construction.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a polymer/monomer (P/M) formulated system and method of making products from that system. The products have superior properties to and are substitutable for polyvinyl chloride (PVC) based products, as well as a variety of other polymeric coating systems. The present invention also relates to a process for the preparation of these P/M based coated substrates where the process takes place in a substantially inert atmosphere.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of producing an impregnated wooden product from a wooden article. The article is pressed isostatically with a pressure exceeding 1,000 bars in a first method step. The wooden article is then placed in a bath containing a liquid-impregnating agent in a second method step and allowed to swell so that at least a part of the impregnating agent is absorbed by the article. The method may optionally be supplemented with a third method step in which the article is pressed isostatically with a pressure exceeding 1,000 bars, so as to form a hard element. The third method step may alternatively be applied to a conventionally pressure-impregnated article.