Abstract: There is disclosed an improved stacker, method of stacking sheets such as tags, and a stack of sheets. The stacker and the stacking method produces a stack of sheets, wherein same-size sheets are stacked so that the endmost sheet or sheets in one batch are offset or staggered to provide batch separators in a stack of sheets. The stacker includes an improved sheet feed mechanism that enables sheets having different characteristics to be fed without disassembling any portion of the mechanism or the stacker.

Abstract: Disclosed are a printer and a stacker and methods. The printer prints selectively on one or both sides of a printable web and sheets or labels are cut from the web and stacked in the stacker. The printer has an unwind mechanism that accepts and holds web rolls of different widths in center-justified relationship with respect to a print head. The printer has a spindle for mounting an ink ribbon core with a detent for center-justifying the ink-ribbon with respect to the print head.

Abstract: Disclosed are a printer and a stacker and methods. The printer prints selectively on one or both sides of a printable web and sheets or labels are cut from the web and stacked in the stacker. The printer has an unwind mechanism that accepts and holds web rolls of different widths in center-justified relationship with respect to a print head. The printer has a spindle for mounting an ink ribbon core with a detent for center-justifying the ink-ribbon with respect to the print head.

Abstract: Disclosed are a printer and a stacker and methods. The printer prints selectively on one or both sides of a printable web and sheets or labels are cut from the web and stacked in the stacker. The printer has an unwind mechanism that accepts and holds web rolls of different widths in center-justified relationship with respect to a print head. The printer has a spindle for mounting an ink ribbon core with a detent for center-justifying the ink-ribbon with respect to the print head.

Abstract: Disclosed are a printer and a stacker and methods. The printer prints selectively on one or both sides of a printable web and sheets or labels are cut from the web and stacked in the stacker. The printer has an unwind mechanism that accepts and holds web rolls of different widths in center-justified relationship with respect to a print head. The printer has a spindle for mounting an ink ribbon core with a detent for center-justifying the ink-ribbon with respect to the print head.

Abstract: A coating composition including a copolymerization product of a mixture of monomers including one or more carbamate-functional monomers and (meth)acrylic monomers, some having carboxylic acid-functionality. The monomer mixture is essentially free of hydroxyl monomers. The coating composition may be a solvent-borne clearcoat coating composition, preferably an automotive clearcoat coating composition, that may be applied over a water-borne basecoat coating composition.

Abstract: Supported stereospecific catalysts and processes for the stereotactic propagation of a polymer chain derived from ethylenically unsaturated monomers which contain three or more carbon atoms or which are substituted vinyl compounds, specifically alpha olefins, particularly the polymerization of propylene to produce syndiotactic or isotactic polypropylene. The supported metallocene catalyst comprises a stereospecific metallocene catalyst and a co-catalyst component comprising at least one of an alkyl alumoxane and an alkylaluminum compound. Both the metallocene catalyst and the co-catalyst are supported on a particulate silica support comprising silica particles having an average particle size of 5-40 microns and an average effective pore size of 50-200 angstroms. The silica support further has a differential pore size distribution of a pore volume of at least 0.01 cm3/g. within a range having a maximum pore width of no more than 300 angstroms.

Abstract: A method and device for preventing a flag from furling is disclosed. The device includes a fastener for attaching the device to a flag; an elongated tensile element having a first end attached to the fastener and a second end; and a weighted object attached to the second end of the tensile element. The method includes fastening a first end of an elongated tensile element to a flag and attaching a weighted object to the second end of the elongated tensile element. The elongated tensile element may include a rigid element, such as, a rod or bar, or a pliable element, such as, a cord or chain. According to aspects of the invention, the interaction of the elongated tensile element and the weighted object counteracts flag motion tending to furl the flag around its flagpole. The weighted object may include a support structure and a source of source of illumination for the flag.

Abstract: Disclosed are a printer and a stacker and methods. The printer prints selectively on one or both sides of a printable web and sheets or labels are cut from the web and stacked in the stacker. The printer has an unwind mechanism that accepts and holds web rolls of different widths in center-justified relationship with respect to a print head. The printer has a spindle for mounting an ink ribbon core with a detent for center-justifying the ink-ribbon with respect to the print head.

Abstract: A carbamate or terminal urea functional vinyl polymer is prepared by reacting a compound having an hydroxyl group and a carbamate group, terminal urea group, or a group that can be converted to a carbamate or terminal urea group, with a cyclic carboxylic acid anhydride group to form an ester bond and a free acid group from the anhydride; and reacting the free acid group with a compound having an epoxide group. The cyclic carboxylic acid anhydride group may be pendant to a vinyl polymer, or one of the compound having an hydroxyl group, a compound having the cyclic carboxylic acid anhydride group, and the compound having an epoxide group may have polymerizable ethylenic unsaturation that is polymerized, optionally with one or more copolymerizable monomers to form a vinyl polymer. When the compound having an hydroxyl group has a group that can be converted to a carbamate or terminal urea group, the group is converted to the carbamate or terminal urea group after step (a).

Abstract: A thermosettable powder coating composition of solid particulates having, in admixture, an oxazolidine blocked aminoplast and an active hydrogen functional material does not generate a volatile by-product on curing.

Abstract: A thermosetting composition containing a compound an oligomer thereof, or both, wherein each R is independently selected from aliphatic alkyl groups having, on average, five or more carbon atoms, which are solid when the alkyl groups have, on average, less than six carbon atoms, has reduced aquatic toxicity. Overspray from spray application of the thermosetting composition can be safely discharged, directly or indirectly, to a sewer.

Abstract: There is disclosed an improved stacker, method of stacking sheets such as tags, and a stack of sheets. The stacker and the stacking method produces a stack of sheets, wherein same-size sheets are stacked so that the endmost sheet or sheets in one batch are offset or staggered to provide batch separators in a stack of sheets. The stacker includes an improved sheet feed mechanism that enables sheets having different characteristics to be fed without disassembling any portion of the mechanism or the stacker.

Abstract: The invention provides an acrylic polymer or oligomer comprising random repeating units of the formula: a method of making said polymers and curable coating compositions comprising the same.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for making nongelled functional addition polymers from linear unsaturated anhydrides. The method subjects a linear unsaturated anhydride compound, an active hydrogen compound, and an epoxide compound to reaction conditions such that each of the following three reactions occur: (i) polymerization of polymerizable C?C bonds, (ii) ring opening of an anhydride functional group of the linear unsaturated anhydride compound by the active hydrogen compound to create an acid functional group, and (iii) reaction of the acid functional group resulting from the anhydride ring opening with the epoxide compound. At the time of reaction (iii), the acid functional group resulting from the anhydride ring opening may be selected from an ethylenically unsaturated monomer, a polymer, or both. In one embodiment, the method does not include the physical removal of any acid functional monomers or polymerization products. Also disclosed are a curable coating composition and a coated substrate.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for making nongelled addition polymers, especially carbamate functional additional polymers from linear unsaturated anhydrides. The method comprises reacting an unsaturated linear anhydride with an active hydrogen compound to provide two monomers comprising polymerizable C?C bonds, at least one of said monomers comprising an acid functional group; polymerizing the polymerizable C?C bonds of the two monomers to provide an acid functional polymerization product; and reacting the acid functional polymerization product with an epoxy functional compound to provide a nongelled addition polymer, wherein the disclosed method does not include a step comprising the physical removal of any acid functional monomers or polymerization products. Also disclosed is a curable coating composition containing the resulting carbamate functional polymer, as well as a coated substrate comprising a cured film resulting from the application and curing of the disclosed curable coating composition.

Abstract: The present invention provides a test method for simulating outdoor exposure conditions for testing a coated substrate to evaluate environmental etching of paint caused by acid rain. The test method requires that the test substrate have an acid solution having a pH of less than 6.0 applied thereto by spray or in atomized droplets. The substrate is held in a substantially horizontal position of less than 15° to the horizontal and exposed to heat of above a black panel temperature of 30° C. and light during testing. The light source must emit light in the spectral distribution of at least visible and ultraviolet light, including the spectral distribution of sunlight. Following exposure to testing the substrate is evaluated for environmental etch.

Abstract: A carbamate or terminal urea functional vinyl polymer is prepared by reacting a compound having an hydroxyl group and a carbamate group, terminal urea group, or a group that can be converted to a carbamate or terminal urea group, with a cyclic carboxylic acid anhydride group to form an ester bond and a free acid group from the anhydride; and reacting the free acid group with a compound having an epoxide group. The cyclic carboxylic acid anhydride group may be pendant to a vinyl polymer, or one of the compound having an hydroxyl group, a compound having the cyclic carboxylic acid anhydride group, and the compound having an epoxide group may have polymerizable ethylenic unsaturation that is polymerized, optionally with one or more copolymerizable monomers to form a vinyl polymer. When the compound having an hydroxyl group has a group that can be converted to a carbamate or terminal urea group, the group is converted to the carbamate or terminal urea group after step (a).

Abstract: A thermosettable powder coating composition of solid particulates having, in admixture, an oxazolidine blocked aminoplast and an active hydrogen functional material does not generate a volatile by-product on curing.

Abstract: The invention provides coating compositions having improved scratch and mar resistance. The curable coating compositions of the invention comprise a film-forming component (A) comprising one or more active hydrogen containing components (a), and one or more curing agents (b) comprising at least one aminoplast resin (bi) having from 0.5 to 3.5 moles of NH per mole of aminoplast resin (bi), a blocked acid catalyst (B) having a blocking agent which is not a tertiary amine, and a tertiary amine (C) present in an amount equal to 10 to 150% by weight of the blocking agent. The invention farther provides a method of making cured coated substrates having improved scratch and mar resistance as well as a method of making multilayer coating compositions.