Abstract: A fiber-reinforced raised pavement marker made of a composite material comprising an isotropic mixture of a polymeric material, reinforcing fibers and a filler material. The results of finite element analysis and composite technology have been combined to produce a pavement marker having high flexural strength and impact resistance without the need for an impact-resistant shell. Durable, high strength composite pavement markers are made by casting a homogenous mixture of chopped glass fibers and a filler material in a polymeric matrix. Placement of a retroreflective lens within the mold followed by pouring and curing the composite material results in a finished product upon release from the mold.

Abstract: Retroreflective glass or plastic beads have fluorescent properties when irradiated with ultraviolet light and are emplaced in signs in patterns indicative of alphanumeric characters, or embedded in a hot melt comprising road stripes or embedded in the road asphalt or aggregate during construction of the road, to provide effectively bright and clear indications of signs or the extent and direction of the road. The glass beads comprise spherodized soda lime, borosilicate, phosphosilicate or aluminosilicate glasses with low levels of rare-earth dopants mixed therein, such as compounds containing one of the rare earths, or lanthanides. The plastic beads may have fluorescent materials mixed therein, typically organic pigments or dyes based on coumarin and rhodamine or the like.

Abstract: A sleeve assembly for reducing the thermal conduction heat load from the bellows penetration tube to the heliumvessel of a superconducting magnet assembly. The sleeve assembly is designed to force helium boil-off gas to flow in intimate contact with the bellows convolutions. The helium boil-off gas thereby intercepts or removes a portion of the heat that would normally be conducted from the bellows convolutions to the helium vessel. The sleeve assembly consists of a circular cylindrical rolled tube made of laminated thermosetting material. The outer diameter of the tube is wrapped with tape in a helical pattern. The diameter of the sleeve and the thickness of the tape wrapping are selected so that the outer circumferential surface of the helically wrapped tape abuts the inner diameter of the bellows. The sleeve is fabricated with a relatively small thickness to minimize thermal con-duction load.

Abstract: The invention relates to apparatus for processing waste, in particular hospital waste, the apparatus including a gasification chamber (1) into which the waste is inserted to be subjected to degassing and to combustion, a post-combustion chamber (2) for the gases coming from the gasification chamber, and a melting chamber (3) in which the slag coming from the gasification chamber (1) is exposed to high temperature for vitrification purposes.

Abstract: Method for neutralizing waste, such as powder from luminescent tubes and similarly, residue from incineration of household waste, optionally comprising environmentally hazardous components, such as Hg, Cd, Zn, Co or Ba. The waste is fed into a melting furnace in conjunction with an SiO.sub.

Abstract: A special reinforcement basket of steel rebar for reinforcing concrete barriers has toe regions of increased strength. Above the toe regions, there is a shoulder region where windows, or gaps, in the rebar provide for uninterrupted passage of holes in the concrete for anchor bolts, in order that the cast barrier may be anchored to a foundation. The invention is especially useful for precast concrete road barriers, which are manufacturered in a plant and then brought to a site and anchored in place.

Abstract: A loosely wrapped multi-layer thermal insulation structure is provided by coextensively winding, a continuous thin metal foil and a superimposed continuous low thermal conductivity porous material spacer about a mandrel, preferably functioning as an inner metallic shell for such loosely wound metal foil and spacer assembly. A plurality of narrow low thermal conductivity porous material strips are interposed between adjacent turns of the spiral wound metal foil and spacer assembly at laterally spaced positions throughout the assembly to form localized, narrow dense wound material areas defining an integral load-bearing system for the thermal insulation structure. Longitudinally extending permanent getter material strips may be bonded to the outer peripheral surface of the inner metallic shell defining gas passages for gas diffusion within the metal foil and spacer assembly. The metal foil may be perforated to facilitate that action.

Abstract: A method of making a flexible, yet durable expansion joint that is at a general even grade with abutting roadway surfaces. The method includes cutting a recess into adjacent roadway slabs having a gap therebetween, and thereafter cleaning the recesses. A flexible membrane strip is placed across the gap from slab to slab and secured thereto. Then, the recesses and gap are substantially filled with a mixture of sealant and aggregate. A final layer of aggregate is applied on top of the mixture such that the final layer of aggregate is at about an even grade with the abutting roadway slabs.

Abstract: The present invention provides a white smoke generating apparatus for generating white smoke of a stable density unaffected by air temperature or humidity conditions. The apparatus comprises an apparatus main body 11 being provided with a white smoke discharge opening 11a; a cryogenic liquefied gas supply mechanism 12 for supplying a cryogenic liquefied gas into the apparatus main body 11; and a humidifying mechanism 13 for humidifying the atmosphere inside the apparatus main body. The cryogenic liquefied gas supply mechanism 12 is provided with a first pipeline 18 which communicates a cryogenic liquefied gas reservoir 16 and a cryogenic liquefied gas emission nozzle 17 placed inside the apparatus main body 11, preferably at the white smoke discharge opening 11a side.

Abstract: A paving stone, in particular made of concrete, is utilized to produce a stable, highly water-permeable flooring. The paving stones are provided with two opposed side surfaces and two opposed end surfaces, each side and end surface having a trapezoidal recess formed therein; and further, each recess of each side surface is bordered by a bordering surface having an additional recess formed therein.

Abstract: A drainage system includes a conduit connector which is integrally molded within a precast drainage system component in order to provide for the interconnection of a variety of drainage system components, such as drainage channel sections and catch basins. The conduit connector can include a connector body which defines an aperture of a predetermined shape and size which are selected to match and snugly engage the conduit. The connector body further includes at least one locking anchor to secure the connector body against movement relative to the precast component. The locking anchor can include a longitudinal movement resisting anchor and/or a rotational movement resisting anchor. In order to further secure the conduit connector within the precast component, the wall of the precast component is substantially continuous about the conduit connector. In addition, the connector body preferably has a predetermined thickness which is no greater than the thickness of the precast component walls.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for lime sludge reburning in a fluidizing bed. The method is characterized in that a cooling medium (10) is injected immediately above the fluidizing bed (3). The invention also comprises means for performing the method. The arrangement which is known per se is provided with an injection device (10) for a cooling medium above the fluidizing bed (3).

Abstract: A weldless grating comprising: (a) a plurality of longitudinally extending primary load bearing members having an upper portion, a lower portion and a web located between said upper portion and said lower portion, the primary load bearing member having a plurality of spaced-apart openings in said web, the openings in each of said primary load bearing members being aligned with the openings in adjacent primary load bearing members; (b) a plurality of secondary load bearing members having an upper edge and a lower edge, the secondary load bearing members provided with first slots extending downwardly through the upper edge to provide top slots and with upwardly extending slots through the lower edge to provide bottom slots located substantially opposite said top slots, the secondary load bearing members positioned in the aligned openings in said web of the primary load bearing members, said top and bottom slots in said secondary load bearing member forming a locking engagement with said web surrounding said ope

Abstract: The loading bridge for ramps has a bridge plate having a forward and a rearward end. It is connected with the rearward end to the ramp so as to be pivotable about a horizontal axis. An extension connected to the forward end of the bridge plate is provided and is extendable from an initial position into an extended position for supporting the bridge plate on a vehicle to be loaded and unloaded and retractable from the extended position into the initial position. At least one support leg with an upper and a lower end for supporting the bridge plate in a rest position is provided. The support leg is pivotably connected with the upper end to the bridge plate such that the lower end swivels upwardly toward the rearward end of the bridge plate when the extension is extended. The support leg has a positioning lever. The extension has a downwardly projecting beam.

Abstract: A pyrolysis system is provided for use in the pyrolytic distillation of various feedstock materials, such system including an elongate reaction chamber with an upstream end, a downstream end, an infeed port near the upstream end and a discharge port near the downstream end. An auger is disposed in the reaction chamber to convey feedstock from the infeed port to the discharge port through the reaction chamber. In one embodiment, the auger includes a reverse section downstream from the discharge port to create an accumulation zone. An input airlock coupled to the reaction chamber near the upstream end delivers charges of feedstock through the input port into the reaction chamber and an output airlock coupled to the discharge port of the reaction chamber receives therefrom pyrolyzed material. Heat is supplied by a furnace disposed around the reaction chamber to supply heat thereto.

Abstract: In the method, the liquid waste substance is vaporized and oxidized in a stream of hot flue gas 4. This stream of flue gas 4 contains the oxygen necessary for oxidation. The essence of the method is that the liquid waste substance is sprayed into the stream of hot flue gas 4 as a fan-shaped flat jet with a component which is perpendicular to the main direction of flow, by means of one or more dual-substance nozzles 6 which are operated in a pulsed mode at a frequency of 5 s.sup.-1 to 70 s.sup.-1, and preferably 10 s.sup.-1 to 20 s.sup.-1, a fan-shaped spray carpet 7 with relatively large droplets of large range and a fan-shaped spray carpet 7 with relatively fine droplets of small range being generated in an alternating cycle at each dual-substance nozzle 6, so that the stream of flue gas 4 is supplied alternately with finely sprayed droplets of small range and large droplets which penetrate the flue gas with a relatively large range of throw. Numerals refer to FIG. 1.

Abstract: Municipal or other solid waste is delivered in loose form to a processing facility where it is compacted into a supply chute adjacent the upper portion of a reactor. The compaction serves to remove most of the air and some of the water from the waste as well as to seal the reactor against air infiltration. The supply chute is equipped with a number of pusher units which are capable of pushing a portion of the compacted waste in the form of a block into the reactor. The blocks of compacted waste are deposited in the top of the reactor in response to a signal related to the height of waste in the reactor. A pivotally and extendible mounted plasma arc torch is employed as a heat source to pyrolyze organic waste components to generate desired by-product gases. Air and steam are added in controlled quantities to improve the operational efficiency and the by-product gas composition. Residual materials which do not pyrolyze are melted and cooled into a substantially inert vitrified mass.

Abstract: A method for repairing cracks in an asphalt or concrete parking lot includes brushing out the cracks to remove loose soil, filling the crack with an adhesive mixture formed of roofing materials, and placing a relatively flat molded cap of a mat saturated with a rubber and a high quality asphalt after the adhesive mixture has cured for a few minutes.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for using biofuel or waste material or both for energy production. The biofuel or the waste material is gasified in a fluidized bed gasifier (10), preferably a circulating fluidized bed gasifier. The gas produced in the gasifier is introduced into a boiler (12) equipped with fossil fuel burners (28, 28'28"), typically burners for pulverized coal. The gas is introduced at a level above the burners. Ash from the boiler may be used to form the bed of the gasifier. For control of NO.sub.x, the gas is burned in the upper part of the boiler at a low temperature level of 800.degree.-1050.degree. C. (1472.degree.-1922.degree. F.), preferably 850.degree.-900.degree. C. (1562.degree.-1652.degree. F.), and with a small excess air content of about 5-10 percent. In a second embodiment, the raw gas may be cleaned of harmful or noxious components, and cooled if desired, between the gasifier and the boiler in an additional circulating fluidized bed reactor (152) having a bed of coal ash.

Abstract: A control system for a fuel-fired furnace and more specifically the control of the stoichiometric ratio of the combustion process occurring within the furnace of a steam generating power plant. The control system, when so employed, is capable of regulating the distribution of air flow to the combustion process such that the formation of oxides of nitrogen are maintained at acceptable levels. The control system includes in general a stoichiometric subsystem that determines the mass flow rate of air required to maintain the stoichiometric ratio within the combustion process; an override protection subsystem which ensures control precedence of the windbox-to-furnace pressure differential over the stoichiometry subsystem; and an overfire air subsystem that acts to apportion air flow amongst the various levels of overfire air within the boiler.