Abstract: The ballast system for a portable basketball system is composed of dual ballast fillable tanks, which together form the base for supporting the pole, backboard and goal. The dual tank system includes a primary tank and a secondary tank cooperatively configured such that the secondary tank may be disposed in one position for compact shipping/storage and in another position to ensure stability during play. In particular, the secondary tank is centrally disposed within the dimensions of the primary tank during shipping. During play, the secondary tank is repositioned in a manner that elongates the primary tank to increase the footprint of the portable basketball system and concentrate the ballast of the secondary tank at the rear of the base.

Abstract: .epsilon.-Caprolactam is continuously recovered from carpet made from nylon 6 face fibers and a backing. The carpet is fed to a separator to prepare scrap containing nylon 6 and auxiliary materials. The scrap from the separator is fed to a depolymerizing reactor to produce an .epsilon.-caprolactam containing distillate and more auxiliary materials. The .epsilon.-caprolactam in the distillate is separated from other volatiles and purified. The auxiliary materials are also recovered or re-used.

Abstract: A process for producing a calcium-supplemented milk drink, by adding to cow's milk, a whey mineral being of a calcium content of 2 to 8% by weight and produced by removing the protein and lactose from whey and concentrating the resulting whey by ultrafiltration and/or microfiltration. By the process, there is produced a calcium-supplemented milk drink having good flavor with no precipitate of calcium salts or being provided with attractive flavor, and being capable of passing through the sterilization process to be prepared into a commercially aseptic state.

Abstract: A compressor comprising a compressor housing including a cylinder block forming seven cylinders equiangularly spaced apart and extending axially therein. Each of the cylinders is slidably fitted with a piston, and a drive mechanism is coupled to the pistons to reciprocate them within the cylinders to create fluid suction and discharge. The drive mechanism includes a drive shaft rotatably supported in the housing and coupling means for converting the rotary motion of the drive shaft to reciprocating motion of the pistons. The coupling means may also include a rotor coupled to the drive shaft and a slant plate having a surface disposed at an inclined angle relative to the drive shaft. A valve plate fabricated from steel having a hardness in a range of about 120 to 450 Hv seals the cylinders, such that fluid is compressed between each of the pistons and the valve plate.

Abstract: A process for recovering caprolactam from waste containing both polycaprolactam and materials which are insoluble in acidic solvents for polycaprolactam includes agitating the waste in an acidic solvent capable of dissolving polycaprolactam without degrading the acid insoluble materials, separating the solution containing polycaprolactam from the acid insoluble materials, feeding the solution containing the polycaprolactam to a depolymerization reactor, without substantially precipitating the polycaprolactam and depolymerizing the polycaprolactam solution to obtain substantially pure caprolactam.

Abstract: A process for the continuous recovery of .epsilon.-caprolactam provides a carpet made from nylon 6 fibers and having a backing to a separator to prepare scrap containing nylon 6 and waste. The scrap from the separator is fed to a depolymerizing reactor where the scrap is subjected to a depolymerization catalyst, temperatures of at least the melting point of nylon 6 and superheated steam to produce an .epsilon.-caprolactam containing distillate and more waste. The .epsilon.-caprolactam in the distillate is separated from other volatiles therein; and purified.

Abstract: Disclosed is a plug valve for installation in a water supply line which will shut off flow through the line when a downstream emitting element, such as a sprinkler head, is destructively removed from the line. A fracture groove on the exterior of the valve body defines a structurally weakest point and is axially located on the body between an upstream valve seat and a downstream limit stop. The limit stop maintains the valve in an open position during normal operation. Should the downstream emitting element be destructively removed, the supply line will break at its weakest point. The limit stop, being located downstream of the weakest point, will also be removed allowing the valve to close in response to inlet water pressure only, preventing loss of water from the supply line.

Abstract: A plastics container and closure assembly in which the closure has a cap part, a tear away band, an anchor band, a hinge connecting the cap part to the anchor band and a bung to seat within the mouth of the container. The bung is deeper on one side than on the other whereby when viewed from one side the bottom of the bung is formed by an oblique line extending upwardly from the deepest part of the bung to the shallowest part and wherein the shallowest part of the bung is adjacent to a thumb tab by which the cap may be manipulated and the deepest part of the bung is adjacent to the hinge. The anchor band has an auxiliary band retaining projection positioned when in use below the auxiliary bead on the container and a main band-retaining projection when in use below the main band-retaining bead the arrangement being such that when the tear-off strip is removed the cap part remains connected to the anchor band by a hinge and the anchor band is firmly held in position.