Abstract: A fluidized bed apparatus comprises a chamber having a perforated floor, a spray nozzle located in the chamber above the perforated floor, whereby material to be granulated is introduced into the chamber in the form of a solution or dispersion, means for passing heated gas upward through said perforated floor, whereby solid particles of said material are formed in said chamber, particle size-reducing means outside of said chamber, whereby particles larger than a first predetermined size are reduced in size, a screw shaft located above said perforated floor and communicating with said size-reducing means, whereby particles are withdrawn from said chamber and conveyed to said size-reducing means, a pipe having one end located downstream of said size-reducing means and its other end communicating with said chamber, and means for generating a flow of air whereby particles smaller than a second predetermined size exiting from said size-reducing means are returned through said pipe to said chamber.

Abstract: A probe and method for using the same for supporting a sample in an ion source of a mass spectrometer comprises a target formed by a receptacle for a liquid sample in which the sample passes by diffusion to the high vacuum side of a semipermeable membrane and/or in which the sample is held as a droplet by surface tension. In order to replenish the droplet surface, the supply can be arranged to overflow the receptacle.

Abstract: A fluid transfer device having a cannula for piercing a stopper and a surrounding shroud to guide the cannula during piercing. The cannula is positioned parallel to and off-center from the shroud axis in a position opposite to the direction of the taper of the point of the cannula to compensate for the sideways movement created during the piercing of the closure and to cause the cannula tip to be located approximately on the receptacle axis after piercing.

Abstract: Alcohol pieces representing alcohol consumed are placed on one side of a balance board supported by as support structure. A time piece (or pieces) representing the alcohol oxidized by the body in a period of time is placed on the other side of the balance board and the tilt of the board tells the drinker what his or her blood alcohol level is.

Abstract: A continuous tritium radioactivity measuring system is disclosed, in which a sample gas containing tritium is mixed with hydrogen gas, water vapor and lower hydrocarbon gases with the assistance of a catalyst for causing an isotope exchange reaction between the tritium contained in the sample gas and hydrogen. The resultant tritium gas and lower hydrocarbons containing tritium are removed from the remaining hydrogen water, and radioactivity detection is performed thereon.

Abstract: A method for tagging an oil so that subsequently it may be identified as to source by incorporating into the oil as a tracer material an oil-soluble or oil-dispersible Group VIB, Group VIIB or lanthanum series rare earth metal salt of a fatty acid. The so-tagged oil may be utilized in any desired manner. Thereafter, an oil suspected to contain at least a portion of the so-tagged oil is analyzed for the presence of the added metal moiety. The method is especially useful in tracing a complex oleaginous and petroliferous material so that it may be recovered and identified following a theft or spill or to trace the flow of such oil injected through a subterranean reservoir.

Abstract: The presence of certain chemicals on the emitting surface of the surface-derivatized photoluminescent semiconductor alters the characteristics of radiation emitted from said surface. This alteration is used to indicate the presence of those chemicals in the environment.

Abstract: A sample aqueous stream including one or more organic compounds capable of partial oxidation to acid form are flowed continuously through an ultraviolet light reactor in which the sample is exposed to ultraviolet light in the presence of oxygen under conditions to partially oxidize the organic compounds to convert at least a portion of them to their corresponding ionized organic acids. Thereafter, the sample stream continuously flows through a conductivity cell in which the changing conductivity of the sample is detected as an indication of the presence of organic compounds in the sample stream.

Abstract: A breath alcohol detector measures and compensates for distance between the mouth of the individual exhaling breath into the ambient air and the detector, the atmospheric pressure, and the temperature. Blood alcohol content information is calculated using these compensation factors and a signal obtained from an electrochemical fuel cell which is indicative of the amount of alcohol or other gas contained in the sample. The detector also includes a reciprocally acting electromagnetically energized motor which drives a diaphragm pump to draw the sample into the electrochemical fuel cell.

Abstract: In a portable breath alcohol detector using a standard tubular mouthpiece, a breath direction and continuity sensor takes the form of a whistle mounted at a predetermined distance from the discharge end of the mouthpiece to leave a gap, open to the ambient atmosphere, between the discharge end and the whistle, the whistle being of sufficient sensitivity to be activated by a breath blown toward the whistle across the gap and the gap being of a size not appreciably to restrict the flow of breath, and permit air being inhaled to pass freely, whereby if the subject stops breathing, or inhales, the whistle stops sounding, and whereby residual alcohol in the whistle will not be drawn back into the mouthpiece when the subject inhales.

Abstract: A process for preparing a diamond thin film by an electron assisted chemical vapor deposition (EACVD) is disclosed, in which diamond crystal nuclei are caused to form and grow to a thin film on a heated plate substrate under electron bombardments in an atmosphere of a mixed gas of hydrogen and a hydrocarbon in a reduced pressure. A Boron doped p-type diamond semiconductor is prepared by an addition of a trace amount of diborane in the mixed gas of the hydrogen and the hydrocarbon in said EACVD.

Abstract: A disposable, self-contained, light weight integral device for detecting, by means of activating an indicator, the presence of a predetermined substance in a sample fluid which is introduced into a test chamber. The device has a deformable housing which forms a test chamber for interacting the indicator material with the sample fluid, wherein a rupturable vessel of reagent is contained adjacent the test chamber, which vessel can be ruptured by application of a predetermined pressure through the walls of the deformable housing. Upon rupturing the vessel, the contents thereof are exposed to the sample fluid introduced into the chamber. In the presence of the predetermined substance in the sample fluid, the indicator undergoes the indicated change. The device can contain more than one vessel and a receptacle. One or more of the vessels can contain more than one indicator substance.

Abstract: A precision reagent metering and delivery device including a threaded, disposable reagent container adapted to be threadably interconnected with a threaded base. The reagent container is provided with a fluid passageway leading to the exterior thereof. Sealably mounted within the reagent container is a plunger which is operably coupled with a stator disposed in the base so that rotation of the reagent container relative to the base will cause precisely predeterminable longitudinal movement of the plunger within the reagent container whereby the reagent within the container will be controllably forced out the fluid passageway in precisely determinable amounts.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for automatically detecting and quantitatively determining the presence of metals. The apparatus includes a sample collecting device for locating in an effluent and means to inject the sample into a chromatographic column to separate out the various metal ions present. Two analysing devices, namely, spectrophotometric detector and an electrochemical detector are used. These elements are monitored and controlled by a microprocessor which monitors the delay from injection of the sample and controls the conditions in the electrochemical detector to ensure maximum effectiveness in measuring metal presence. The microprocessor also controls the production of data output from the detectors and controls the frequency of the sample collection.

Abstract: A test module or reagent handling device for use with a clinical analyzer for conducting body serum assays and/or immunoassays; the test module coacting with the analyzer to selectively provide a plurality of liquid dilution and reagent materials to a serum sample, the test module having programmable valve means coacting with a dispense probe to serially: select a serum sample and to deposit said sample and liquid dilution material into a dilution cup or vessel; subsequentially withdraw a portion of the diluted serum from the dilution cup and to dispense said diluted serum portion along with at least one liquid reagent material into a reaction cup or vessel.

Abstract: Combustible gas detecting element for detecting the existence of combustible gas such as methane, ethane, propane iso-butane and hydrogen. The element comprises .alpha.-Fe.sub.2 O.sub.3 containing a small amount of sulfate ion (SO.sub.4.sup.--). By using a precipitation process with urea as a precipitant for preparing the above .alpha.-Fe.sub.2 O.sub.3, remarkably high stability and reliability can be released. Addition of quadrivalent metal of Sn, Zr or Ti to the .alpha.-Fe.sub.2 O.sub.3 greatly enhances the gas sensitivity to those gases. Furthermore the sensitivity to carbon monoxide was also enhanced by adding cadmium (Cd) and/or gold (Au).

Abstract: A gas sensor in which a compound of rhenium is added to tin oxide (SnO.sub.2). Rhenium inhibits the sensor from lowering its resistance over time and in particular increases its durability against overheating. Rhenium is preferably used together with vanadium. Rhenium is preferably added by impregnation in order to maintain temperature characteristic of the sensor.

Abstract: An apparatus for analyzing blood samples by detecting particle agglutination patterns formed on inclined bottom surfaces of reaction vessels formed in a microplate includes a diluted sample preparing section for delivering given amounts of blood cells and serum contained in a sample tube into diluting vessels mounted on a sample plate secured on a rotating endless belt and for discharging predetermined amount of a diluent into the diluting vessels to form diluted blood cell and serum samples, a diluted sample delivering section for delivering given amounts of the diluted blood cell and serum samples contained in the diluting vessels into an array of reaction vessels of the microplate in a selective manner according to test-items to be analyzed and a reagent delivering section for discharging given reagents into the reaction vessels.

Abstract: A dosing and mixing apparatus for fluid media comprising at least one delivery element and one isolating element. These elements are provided with through-flow or transfer passages and dosing chambers suitably mutually arranged for accomodating and isolating a voluminized specimen quantity or measured dose of test specimen as well as for delivering this measured out dose of test specimen to and mixing this dose of test specimen with a measured dose of thinning agent. The dosing and mixing apparatus manifests itself in that at least one channel suitably associated with the dosing chamber is provided in a surface of one of the elements, such as the isolating element at the surface thereof which faces the delivery element. Each such channel communicates with through-flow openings or circulation passages and is traversed by a cleansing fluid wetting the mutually facing and touching surfaces of the individual delivery and isolating elements in the transport path of the dose of test specimen.

Abstract: Method for measuring the coagulation time of a blood sample in which a sample-reagent mixture is formed by introducing the sample and at least one reagent into a cuvette. To reduce the operating and material costs, the sample-reagent mixture is so moved in a stationary cuvette that the mixture flows back and forth around an edge projecting into the cuvette, whereby a clot forms on this edge.