Abstract: Many embodiments of the present invention are imbued with both sight-facilitative and touch-facilitative characteristics. The invention's unitary resinous matrix configuration encompasses, in the form of small discrete bodies, three genres (luminescent, reflective, retroreflective) of visually enhancing material along with tactilely enhancing material. The retroreflective and abrasive bodies partially project at a light-exposable surface of the resinous matrix material; the luminescent and reflective (diffuse and/or specular) bodies lie beneath the light-exposable surface. The luminescent, reflective and retroreflective bodies are complementarily and cumulatively effective; in particular, they versatilely afford increased visibility at practically all angular lines of sight as well as under practically all deficient illuminative conditions. The abrasive bodies afford vehicular skid prevention, surefootedness and the capability to manually and/or pedally “feel one's way” to safety.

Abstract: Inflation of impact absorbing bags is effected in time delayed relation to selective jettisoning of damaged landing gear on a helicopter prior to landing for replacement of the landing gear by the bags, without puncture thereof by the landing gear being jettisoned.

Abstract: Oil and water continuously collected during an oil spill skimming operation s initially heated for flow through a separator wherein water is separated and discharged into the sea to reduce the water content of a heated oil and water solution fed to a combustion chamber under pressure for continuous in-situ burning interrelated by feedback control with the heating step to provide combustion products, including combustion gas that is cooled and cleansed by scrubbing before discharge to atmosphere, and a slurry of cooled non-gaseous combustion products that are evaporatively dried to form a reduced quantity of carbonaceous solid waste.

Abstract: Early fire detection and extinguishment is provided by a plurality of fire etection units, each associated with a localized portion of a protected space and including condition sensors specifically appropriate to the environment of that localized portion of a protected space by a selected combination of condition sensors. A fire alarm annunciator and at least one controlled fire extinguishment system portion, or a stand-alone fire extinguishment system, is provided for each fire detection unit. A central control unit preferably includes a profile detector which evaluates outputs of one or more condition sensors over time to reduce false alarm rates while increasing sensitivity to early stage fires.

Abstract: Hydrophilicity of hydrophilic polymers, in the form of heat-crosslinked cings on porous membranes, is increased by exposure to an oxygen plasma, preferably for about 60 seconds. The plasma is generated at an oxygen gas pressure of about 1.5 Torrs in a chamber subjected to radio frequency electromagnetic radiation with a power of 25-100 watts. Such highly hydrophilic membranes have increased efficiency and durability when used as ultrafiltration membranes for separating hydrophobic and hydrophilic materials, such as smoke-air and oil-water mixtures.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for fabricating textured pseudo-single crystal bulk superconducting materials, featuring introduction of a pressure gradient and/or of a magnetic field for enhancement of known melt-texturing directional solidification techniques using a steep temperature gradient furnace for increasing temperatures at which superconductive properties can be maintained in superconducting materials. The strengths of the temperature gradient, pressure gradient and/or magnetic field can be optimally varied, resulting in formation of superconducting material exhibiting superconductive properties at higher temperatures than previously achievable.

Abstract: A sealant in its liquid phase is placed between attachment portions of paint coated metallic parts for subsequent in-place solidification into a gasket for both sealing and permanent bonding purposes. The attachment portions are then interconnected by screws extending through the gasket to increase its bonding strength.