Abstract: A birefringent interference polarizer which may be fabricated from readily available materials using established coextrusion techniques is provided. The polarizer has a level of light absorption near zero and can be fabricated to polarize and reflect light of specific wavelengths while transmitting light of other wavelengths. The polarizer includes multiple alternating oriented layers of at least first and second polymeric materials having respective nonzero stress optical coefficients which are sufficiently different to produce a refractive index mismatch between the first and second polymeric materials in a first plane which is different from the refractive index mismatch between the first and second polymeric materials in a second plane normal to the first plane. The refractive index mismatch in the first plane is preferably at least 0.03.

Abstract: Landfill sites or other refuse deposits are temporarily covered by sheet material between successive filling or dumping operations. The sheet material may be left in place and more refuse deposited on top, or removed and re-used. The material is preferably woven, biodegradable and permeable, such as hessian. A number of sheets of the material may be placed together side-by-side and joined together such as by stitching, stapling or staking.

Abstract: Apparatus for forming an opening in a pipe from the interior thereof comprises a hydraulic ram having a cylinder within which slides a piston rod. A sharpened wedge-shaped tool is mounted in the free end of the piston rod, and the end of the cylinder remote from the tool has a rounded profile similar to that of the pipe to be cut. The cylinder is affixed to a carrier tube with the axis of the tube at right-angles to that of the tube. Using the tool, it is possible to cut an opening through a pipe extending within a tank which may contain combustible or explosive liquids or vapors, without risk of heat, sparks or the generation of swarf. As such, a replacement fill-pipe containing an anti-over-fill valve may be fitted to an existing fill-pipe of a petrol tank without the need to open the tank.

Abstract: A birefringent interference polarizer which may be fabricated from readily available materials using established coextrusion techniques is provided. The polarizer has a level of light absorption near zero and can be fabricated to polarize and reflect light of specific wavelengths while transmitting light of other wavelengths. The polarizer includes multiple alternating oriented layers of at least first and second polymeric materials having respective nonzero stress optical coefficients which are sufficiently different to produce a refractive index mismatch between the first and second polymeric materials in a first plane which is different from the refractive index mismatch between the first and second polymeric materials in a second plane normal to the first plane. The refractive index mismatch in the first plane is preferably at least 0.03.

Abstract: A formable multilayer reflective polymeric body which has a substantially uniform broad bandwidth reflectance over substantially the entire range of the visible spectrum to provide a substantially uniform reflective appearance is provided. The body includes at least first and second diverse polymeric materials, the body comprising a sufficient number of alternating layers of the first and second polymeric materials such that at least 40% of visible light incident on the body is reflected. A substantial majority of the individual layers of the body have optical thicknesses in the range where the sum of the optical thicknesses in a repeating unit of the polymeric materials is greater than about 190 nm, and the first and second polymeric materials differ from each other in refractive index by at least about 0.03.

Abstract: A head balance apparatus is provided determining the face and the loft angles of the club face when the club is balanced in its impact orientation. It includes a base, a vertical post on the base, and a balance member movable on the base and located at a point spaced from the post. The balance member has a balance element extending upwardly therefrom, and the post, base and balance member are dimensioned to support a club between the balance member and post. The grip end of the club is seated against the post, its head is seated on the balance element and its shaft extends upwardly at an angle to the post in substantially the orientation of the club as at the time of impact with the ball. The balance member is positioned so that the bottom surface of the head extends in a plane substantially perpendicular to the post.

Abstract: This invention provides novel copolycarbonates that exhibit improvements in glass transition temperature, refractive index, and limiting oxygen index compared to prior art thiodiphenol/bisphenol A copolycarbonates. The copolycarbonates of this invention comprise the reaction products of 4,4'-thiodiphenol and compounds such as 9,9-bis (4-hydroxyphenyl) fluorene with phosgene. They are useful as components of multilayered polymeric reflective bodies.

Abstract: A birefringent interference polarizer which may be fabricated from readily available materials using established coextrusion techniques is provided. The polarizer has a level of light absorption near zero and can be fabricated to polarize and reflect light of specific wavelengths while transmitting light of other wavelengths. The polarizer includes multiple alternating oriented layers of at least first and second polymeric materials having respective nonzero stress optical coefficients which are sufficiently different to produce a refractive index mismatch between the first and second polymeric materials in a first plane which is different from the refractive index mismatch between the first and second polymeric materials in a second plane normal to the first plane. The refractive index mismatch in the first plane is preferably at least 0.03.

Abstract: A formable multilayer reflective polymeric body which has a substantially uniform broad bandwidth reflectance over substantially the entire range of the visible spectrum to provide a substantially uniform reflective appearance is provided. The body includes at least first and second diverse polymeric materials, the body comprising a sufficient number of alternating layers of the first and second polymeric materials such that at least 40% of visible light incident on the body is reflected. A substantial majority of the individual layers of the body have optical thicknesses in the range where the sum of the optical thicknesses in a repeating unit of the polymeric materials is greater than about 190 nm, and the first and second polymeric materials differ from each other in refractive index by at least about 0.03.

Abstract: The present invention provides a two-component infrared reflecting film which reflects light in the infrared region of the spectrum while suppressing second, third and fourth order reflections in the visible spectrum. The film comprises alternating layers of first (A) and second (B) diverse polymeric materials having a six layer alternating repeat unit with relative optical thicknesses of about .778A.111B.111A.778B.111A.111B. The polymeric materials differ from each other in refractive index by at least about 0.03.

Abstract: A multilayered reflective body which is thermoformable and capable of being fabricated into a number of parts while maintaining a uniform reflective appearance is provided. The reflective polymeric body is formed from at least two diverse polymeric materials which differ in refractive index and which are arranged in substantially parallel alternating layers. The polymeric body is reflective in appearance yet is transparent or, colored if a coloring agent is included, upon illumination from a back light source. The polymeric body has application in variety of areas such as in an automobile lighting lens which is reflective and thereby indiscernible yet transmissive upon exposure to a back light source. Additionally, various parts of consumer appliances, for example a refrigerator door, can be formed from the polymeric body.

Abstract: A multilayered reflective body which is thermoformable and capable of being fabricated into films, sheets and a variety of parts while maintaining a uniform reflective appearance is provided. The reflective polymeric body includes at least first and second diverse polymeric materials of a sufficient number of alternating layers of the first and second polymeric materials such that at least 30% of the light incident on the body is reflected. A substantial majority of the individual layers of the body have an optical thickness of not more than 0.09 micrometers or not less than 0.45 micrometers, and adjacent layers of the first and second polymeric materials differ from each other in refractive index by at least about 0.1. The reflective body may be fabricated into sheets, mirrors, noncorroding metallic appearing articles and parts, reflectors, reflective lenses, and the like.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for the coextrusion of a multilayer polymeric body is provided which incorporates protective boundary layers into the body, protecting the layers from instability and breakup during layer formation and multiplication. The process includes the steps of providing at least first and second streams of heat plastified extrudable thermoplastic material which are combined to form a composite stream having the first substreams and second substreams interdigitated. A third stream of heat plastified thermoplastic material is supplied to the exterior surfaces of the composite stream to form protective boundary layers adjacent the walls of the coextrusion apparatus through which the heat plastified polymer streams pass. Layer instability and breakup are avoided using process conditions which would otherwise adversely affect the optical and/or mechanical properties of the articles which are formed.

Abstract: A multicomponent, multilayered, highly reflective polymeric body which is thermoformable and capable of being fabricated into films, sheets and a variety of parts while maintaining a uniform reflective appearance is provided. The reflective polymeric body includes at least first, second, and third diverse polymeric materials having a sufficient number of alternating layers of the polymeric materials such that a portion of the light incident on the body is reflected. A sufficient number of the individual layers of the body have optical thicknesses of not more than 0.09 micrometers or not less than 0.45 micrometers, such that there is an absence of visibly perceived color in the body. The polymeric materials having the highest and lowest refractive indices differ from each other in refractive index by at least about 0.03. The reflective body may be fabricated into mirrors, noncorroding metallic appearing articles and parts, reflectors, reflective lenses, and the like.

Abstract: A multilayered reflective polymeric body of alternating layers of polymers wherein at least a portion of the layers are in a folded-over relationship is provided along with a coextrusion apparatus and method of preparing the multilayer polymeric body. The reflective polymeric body includes at least first and second diverse polymeric materials having a sufficient number of alternating layers of the first and second polymeric materials such that a portion of the light incident on the body is reflected. The first and second polymeric materials differ from each other in refractive index by at least about 0.03. The reflective body is thermoformable and may be fabricated into wall panels, dishware, decorative trims, and the like, and may also find use in security applications such as credit cards, credit card emblems, or on currency.

Abstract: A polymeric multilayered film which reflects wavelengths of light in the infrared region of the spectrum while being substantially transparent to wavelengths of light in the visible spectrum without the effects of visibly perceived iridescent color is provided. The polymeric multilayered infrared reflecting film comprises at least two diverse, substantially transparent polymeric materials, with the layers having an optical thickness of between 0.09 .mu.m and 0.45 .mu.m and the polymeric materials having a different index of refraction such that light is reflected in the infrared portion of the spectrum. A color masking film is associated with the polymeric film which reflects light substantially uniformly over the visible portion of the spectrum to eliminate perceived iridescent color.

Abstract: A multilayer film including contiguous layers of two or more diverse thermoplastic materials of differing refractive indices whereby the film retains a permanent color change as evidence of tampering or an attempt at tampering when the yield point of at least one of the diverse materials has been at least equalled by the strain associated with such tampering or with such an attempt at tampering, and where before such yield point is at least equalled the wavelength of an unsuppressed reflectance of normally incident light is not within the visible spectrum while after such yielded point is at least equalled the reflectance is retained in the visible spectrum.

Abstract: A multilayered, highly reflective polymeric body comprising at least two types of optical layers which is thermoformable and capable of being fabricated into films, sheets and a variety of parts while maintaining a uniform reflective appearance is provided. The reflective polymeric body includes at least first and second diverse polymeric materials having a sufficient number of layers of the first and second polymeric materials such that at least 30% of light incident on the body is reflected. A portion of the layers have optical thicknesses between 0.09 and 0.45 .mu.m, and the remaining layers have optical thicknesses of not greater than 0.09 .mu.m or not less than 0.45 .mu.m. The first and second polymeric materials differ from each other in refractive index by at least about 0.03.

Abstract: A multilayered reflective body which is thermoformable and capable of being fabricated into films, sheets, and a variety of parts while maintaining a uniform reflective appearance is provided. The reflective polymeric body includes at least first and second diverse polymeric materials of a sufficient number of alternating layers of the first and second polymeric materials such that at least 30% of the light incident on the body is reflected. A substantial majority of the individual layers of the body have an optical thickness of not more than 0.09 micrometers or not less than 0.45 micrometers, with at least one of the individual layers having an optical thickness of not more than 0.09 micrometers, and adjacent layers of the first and second polymeric materials differ from each other in refractive index by at least about 0.03.

Abstract: The present invention provides an optical interference film, made of multiple layers of polymers, which reflects wavelengths of light in the infrared region of the spectrum while being substantially transparent to wavelengths of light in the visible spectrum. The optical interference film includes multiple alternating layers of at least first, second, and third diverse, substantially transparent polymeric materials A, B, and C, with the layers being of an optical thickness of between about 0.09 and 0.45 micrometers. Each of the polymeric materials has a different index of refraction, n.sub.i, and the refractive index of the second polymeric material is intermediate the respective refractive indices of the first and third polymeric materials.