Abstract: Unreacted phosphorus and heavy metals, such as arsenic and antimony, are removed in environmentally acceptable form from the non-aqueous still bottoms residue resulting from the production of PCl.sub.3, by reacting the residue with an excess of calcium hydroxide in the form of an aqueous lime slurry and separating the reaction product into a precipitate and a filtrate. The reaction with lime slurry may be preceded by hydrolysis with water. The precipitate passes the Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure (TCLP) test and the filtrate contains less than 5 ppm of the heavy metals, thus permitting disposal by landfill and sewering, respectively, under EPA regulations.

Abstract: A continuous process for producing alkyl and alkoxy alkyl phosphates in which an alkali metal alkoxide at a temperature at 50.degree. C. or less is continuously fed to a reactor while phosphorus oxychloride is continuously fed to the reactor under ratio control. Part of the contents of the reactor is circulated through a cooling device or apparatus to help maintain optimum reaction temperature. The phosphorus oxychloride ratio is adjusted to maintain proper reaction end point. Crude reaction product is continuously removed from the reactor and quenched with water to remove sodium chloride and stop the reaction.

Abstract: A continuous process for producing alkali metal alkoxides comprising continuously introducing an aqueous solution of an alkali metal hydroxide into an upper section of a column reactor; continuously vaporizing an alkanol or an alkoxyalkanol of 4 to 18 carbon atoms into a lower section of the reactor at a rate of at least about 2 to 4 moles of alcohol for each mole of alkali metal hydroxide introduced into the reaction zone; reacting the aliphatic alcohol with the alkali metal hydroxide in the reactor; concurrently removing water from the alkali metal hydroxide solution and the alkoxide formation from an upper section of the reactor as an azeotrope formed by excess alcohol and water; continuously condensing and separating the azeotrope into an alcohol phase and a water phase, the water phase being removed from the process and the alcohol phase being returned to the column reactor; and removing a substantially anhydrous reaction product consisting primarily of alkoxide product in excess alcohol from a bottom se

Abstract: A multi-diameter centering probe having a spherical outer surface portion for insertion into a hole whose spacing from another hole is to measured. The member is formed of a one-piece construction for attachment to an automatic reversing dial test indicator when the measurement is to be taken from a relatively high friction measuring device, such as a vernier, dial, or electronic height gage. The probe can be attached directly to relatively low friction measuring devices, such as air-bearing height gages or measuring machines. A preferred embodiment of the member uses a number of integral, substantially hemispherical sections integral with each other and extending longitudinally of the central axis of the body so that the smallest section is at one end of the body and the largest section is at the opposite end of the body, the sections of intermediate diameter being between the two end sections.

Abstract: A method for forming an adherent protective coating on articles, particularly pipes for burial in the ground where they will be subject to corrosion, which comprises wrapping a hot impregnated fabric strip spirally around the article, the said fabric, which is preferably of glass fibre, being impregnated with a hot, molten adhesive, e.g. coal tar or bitumen and forming a sheathing of a plastics material bonded to the impregnated fabric, preferably by winding a strip of polyvinyl chloride sheet over the wrapped article.