Abstract: A catalyst composition containing one or more binary oxides of palladium and rare earth metal such as Ce, La, Nd, Pr and/or Sm. The catalyst composition is used for the catalytic combustion of gaseous combustion mixtures of oxygen and carbonaceous fuels such as methane, e.g., a natural gas/air combustion mixture. Specific preferred binary oxides may be, for example, M.sub.2 O.sub.3.sup.. PdO (e.g., La.sub.2 O.sub.3.sup.. PdO) or 2M.sub.2 O.sub.3.sup.. PdO, wherein in each case M Is La, Nd or Sm. A process of combusting gaseous carbonaceous fuels includes contacting a catalyst as described above under combustion conditions, e.g., 925.degree. C. to 1650.degree. C. and 1 to 20 atmospheres pressure, to carry out sustained combustion of the combustion mixture, including catalytically supported thermal combustion. Regeneration of over-temperatured M.sub.2 O.sub.3.sup.. PdO catalyst is also provided for.

Abstract: A process for removing NO.sub.x and/or SO.sub.x from a gaseous stream by oxidation with a fine flocculent acidic catalyst slurry which is regenerable during the process, in particular by pH adjustment in the absence of added heat. The catalyst slurry comprises MnO.sub.2, Mn.sub.2 O.sub.3, and Mn.sub.3 O.sub.4 having pH in the range from about 0.5 to about 6.5 and is prepared by aerating a divalent manganous salt in an aqueous solution having a pH in the range from about 8.0 to about 13.5.

Abstract: An in situ method for removal of contaminants from soil imposes a vacuum on the soil through perforated heater wells that are positioned in the soil. The heater wells heat the soil to elevated temperatures by thermal conduction. The heater wells are permeable to vapors which emanate from the soil when heated and which are drawn towards the heater wells by the imposed vacuum. An impermeable flexible sheeting on the soil surface reduces the amount of air that is being pulled into the heater well from the atmosphere. A thermal insulator covers the soil surface and reduces heat losses from the soil surface. The heater wells are connected to a vacuum manifold for collection of vapors. A heat front moves away from the heater wells through the soil by thermal conduction, and the superposition of heat from a plurality of heater wells results in a more uniform temperature rise throughout the well pattern.

Abstract: A folding collapsible frame assembly for an automatic folding umbrella, which includes a lower shaft, an upper shaft made to slide in the upper shaft, a collapse control spring, a lock ring moved to lock the collapse control spring in the compressed condition as the umbrella is opened, a stretch control spring controlled by a bottom spring on the handle of the umbrella to automatically push the umbrella into the open condition, a guide control mechanism controlled by a control bottom on the handle of the umbrella to release the lock ring from the collapse control spring for allowing the umbrella to be collapsed automatically.

Abstract: A combination chair is provided which includes a top chair stacked on a base chair and releasably coupled thereto by respective male and female fasteners. A first back chair and a second back chair, releasably coupled together are respectively fastened to the top chair and the base chair through sleeve joints. Therefore, the top chair, the base chair, the first back chair and the second back chair may be disconnected from one another for use separately, or connected together, to form a single chair, thereby reducing storage space requirements.

Abstract: A CPU interface recognizing a large very number of I/O interruption queues in a logically partitioned data processing system. Different partitions may contain different guest operating systems. The CPU interface controls how plural CPUs respond to I/O interruptions put on numerous hardware-controlled queues. A host hypervisor program dispatches the guest operating systems. The guests use the I/O interruptions in controlling the dispatching of their programs on the CPUs in a system. The invention allows the number of guest partitions in the system to exceed the number of I/O interruption subclasses (ISCs) architected in the system, and enables the dispatching controls of each guest operating system to be sensitive to different priorities for plural programs operating under a respective guest. The invention provides CPU controls that support alerting the host to enabled I/O interruptions, and provides CPU controlled pass-through for enabling direct guest handling of the guests I/O interruptions.

Abstract: The top layers of soil contaminated with halogenated organic chemicals are remediated by initial heating at moderate temperature and reduced pressure to remove soil moisture and volatile contaminants and subsequently heating the soil of minimum clay content or acidity at higher temperature, thereby decomposing the halogenated organic chemicals contained therein. Means for effecting such remediation is provided which includes a heat source, pressure regulating means, and vapor collection and treatment means.

Abstract: An in situ method for removal of contaminants from soil imposes a vacuum on the soil through perforated heater wells that are positioned in the soil. The heater wells heat the soil to elevated temperatures by thermal conduction. The heater wells are permeable to vapors which emanate from the soil when heated and which are drawn toward the heater wells by the imposed vacuum. An impermeable flexible sheeting on the soil surface reduces the amount of air that is being pulled into the heater well from the atmosphere. A thermal insulator covers the soil surface and reduces heat losses from the soil surface. The heater wells are connected to a vacuum manifold for collection of vapors. A heat front moves away from the heater wells through the soil by thermal conduction, and the superposition of heat from a plurality of heater wells results in a more uniform temperature rise throughout the well pattern.

Abstract: A shaped charge device having a cylindrical housing, an explosive charge with a cavity at one end, a fuze, booster, a multimaterial vertically layered liner having a hemispherical, semi-hemispherical, arcuate or conical shape with a number of segments of materials, each segment in contact with the explosive charge and the cavity, each segment oriented normal, parallel or oblique to the charge axis. The detonating of the explosive charge causes the liner to form a jet of a plurality of the segments. A method of manufacture is also disclosed wherein the liners made in the vertical manner avoid mixing or interaction between dissimilar materials undergoing the jetting action. Vertically layered liners provide excellent material flow and liner collapse diagnostics.

Abstract: A novel praseodymium-palladium oxide compound has the formula Pr.sub.4 PdO.sub.7. The compound has utility as a catalyst for oxidation of combustion mixtures comprising oxygen (e.g., air) and gaseous carbonaceous fuels such as methane and displays excellent regeneration characteristics after exposure to decomposition-causing temperatures. The compound may be used in a catalyst composition by being coated as a washcoat on a suitable carrier. Catalytic combustion processes are carried out by contacting such combustion mixture with the catalyst under combustion conditions, including catalytically supported thermal combusiton. Regeneration of over-temperatured catalyst is also provided for.

Abstract: An improved process for the remediation of soil contaminated by the presence therein of organic or semi-volatile inorganic contaminants which comprises (1) supplying thermal energy to the soil at one or more locations under the surface of the soil, (2) collecting the vapors resulting from contaminant vaporization or decomposition under the influence of the thermal energy, after passage horizontally through the soil, at one or more locations under the surface of the soil and separating from the collected vapors the environmentally undesirable components thereof.

Abstract: A novel praseodymium-palladium oxide compound has the formula Pr.sub.4 PdO.sub.7. The compound has utility as a catalyst for oxidation of combustion mixtures comprising oxygen (e.g., air) and gaseous carbonaceous fuels such as methane and displays excellent regeneration characteristics after exposure to decomposition-causing temperatures. The compound may be used in a catalyst composition by being coated as a washcoat on a suitable carrier. Catalytic combustion processes are carried out by contacting such combustion mixture with the catalyst under combustion conditions, including catalytically supported thermal combustion. Regeneration of over-temperatured catalyst is also provided for.

Abstract: Moist, warm, clean air from a vapor treatment system is injected into wells which are screened only at the contaminated depth forcing vapor flow only through the contaminated region. Intermediate the injection wells is an extraction well which is also screened only at the contaminated depth. A vacuum is drawn on the extraction well drawing the flushing vapors from the injection wells and toward the extraction well through the contaminated soil thereby entraining some of the contaminants. The contaminants are preferably non-volatile hydrocarbons such as diesel fuel, aviation and jet fuel, crude oil or pesticides. The contaminated, flushing vapor is then treated and recycled. An MW/RF heating system heats the earth's surface and the contaminated soil, thereby enhancing volatilization of the contaminants and their removal via the vapor flushing system.

Abstract: The present invention provides a high productivity, high density container storage yard adjacent to a facility for loading and unloading containers, such as to and from ships, with the individual containers stored therein being stacked up to four containers high. An integrated container handling system is designed to move the containers from the container storage yard to the loading and unloading facility, and includes an overhead grid rail system on which container carrying shuttle vehicles are routed to designated yard locations by a master control system. Passive switching mechanisms are utilized to selectively move the shuttle vehicles through the grid rail network, wherein the actual switch mechanism is carried on the shuttle vehicle rather than on the track. One disclosed embodiment of the loading and unloading facility comprises overhead cranes and associated buffers in a marine terminal for loading and unloading a container ship.

Abstract: Directed to a process for producing a tungsten product of enhanced purity from ammonium paratungstate (APT) with a minimum number of processing steps which comprises mixing the APT with an ammonium solution, autoclaving the mixture at a temperature above the boiling point thereof to dissolve the APT and recrystallizing APT from the solution to yield an APT product of enhanced marketability.

Abstract: An overlapped end of a strap is secured to a member such as a hook by an attachment device comprising a substantially U-shaped clamp made of deformable material such as metal plate and having a flat bottom formed with a plurality of openings, a securing member including a plate body formed with a plurality of openings and rivets. Said overlapped end of strap extends between the securing member and flat bottom of the clamp for connection by press to flatten side walls of the clamp and plunge the rivets into corresponding openings in the securing member and clamp member by piercing the overlapped end of the strap with bottom ends of the rivet being hammered flat under the flat bottom of the clamp member to prevent slipping.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for reducing the level of sulfides in aqueous solutiuons which comprises contacting a sulfide-containing solution having a pH value in the range from about 8.5 to 12 with oxygen in the presence of a flocculent manganese-containing catalyst having been prepared by aerating an aqueous solution of a divalent manganese salt, said salt solution having a pH value in the range from about 8.5 to about 12.

Abstract: Sulfate solutions containing nickel and cobalt ions are treated by solvent extraction to provide a nickel raffinate with a high Ni:Co ratio and a cobalt raffinate with a high Co:Ni ratio and with low recycle of cobalt by treating the solution with a cobalt extractant to provide a nickel raffinate of high Ni:Co ratio and a loaded extractant, acid stripping the loaded extractant to provide a cobalt sulfate solution containing some nickel and a regenerated cobalt extractant, treating the cobalt sulfate solution with a nickel extractant to provide a cobalt raffinate with a high Co:Ni ratio and acid stripping the loaded nickel extractant to regenerate the extractant and to provide a recyclable sulfate solution containing only a small proportion of the original cobalt.