Abstract: A rail line sensing and safety system adapted to reliably sense the presence, and optionally the direction and speed, of vehicles traveling on a rail line, and when a vehicle is sensed, to indicate whether a safety device, such as crossing gates, lights, bells, etc., should be activated. The system comprises at least one detection module typically mounted on a rail, at least one remote module typically located near a detection module, and at least one control module typically located near a safety device. In operation, a detection module senses a vehicle traveling on a rail line and sends signals to a remote module. The remote module then processes signals received from the detection module and transmits signals to the control module. The control module then directs, either directly or indirectly as a backup or supplement to an existing sensing and safety system, whether a safety device should be activated.

Abstract: A basic assembly configuration for determination of relevant vegetation parameters includes a high repetitive pulsed excitation laser (1) for the stimulation of chlorophyll fluorescence, a fluorescence detector (3) including an imaging and separation optic (4, 5), a trigger and delay electronic (6) to adjust the laser and appropriate detector timing and a detector electronic (7), consisting of a signal recording and processing module. The assembly can be used for determination of relevant vegetation parameters for agricultural, horticultural and greenhouse application.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for the one-stage resalting and purification of oligopeptides. Oligopeptides are often not formed directly as acetates when synthesised. Acetate salts of oligopeptides are however desirable as bulk-active material for medical and formulation reasons. Processes known from the prior art have hitherto involved two separate steps or pyridine-containing solvents. The resalting and purification can be combined in one step and the use of pyridine as solvent can be avoided, if the oligopeptide in the form of its chloride salt is purified with an acetate-containing solvent by liquid chromatography methods.

Abstract: A method of restarting a loom after an interruption in the weaving process. A cloth fell (15) is moved from an operative or beating position (15) to a second position (15') away from a sley (4). The weft yarn is prevented from being fed into a shed (20) and the loom is then driven in a idling motion for a number of weaving cycles. A shed forming motion 3 and at least one of the warp let-off motion 10 and the cloth take-up motion 12 are driven independently of the predetermined weaving program. When the loom has reached its original dynamic operative state and the warp threads are at the original operative tension, the cloth fell is advanced to the beating position of the sley and the loom is restarted according to the predetermined weaving program. This method prevents visible points of start from occurring in the fabric because of the interruption in the weaving process.

Abstract: A rapier loom has a picking mechanism in which one rapier (a giver rapier) transfers a weft yarn to another rapier (a taker rapier) in mid-shed. Each rapier is oscillated toward and away from one another by a drive and includes a yarn clamp which is actuated by a clamp opener to provide reliable yarn transfer from one rapier to the other. The rapier drives and/or clamp openers are driven by programmed servomotors. In this way, the velocities of the rapiers and/or the interval in which the clamp openers are opened can be adjusted according to the properties of the particular weft yarns used to ensure reliable transfer without damaging the yarn.

Abstract: Alkylisothiocyanic acid esters having the formula R--N.dbd.C.dbd.S can be prepared by reacting N-alkyldithiocarbamates with hydrogen peroxide in aqueous phase at 95.degree. to 130.degree. C. The aqueous solution of N-alkyldithiocarbamate is reacted with a 20 to 40% by weight aqueous solution of hydrogen peroxide in a volumetric ratio of 1 to 0.8 to 1 while maintaining a pH of 1.5 to 4.5. The solutions are preferably sprayed into a reactor, at which time the alkylisothiocyanate formed distills off in vapor form and an aqueous phase containing the byproducts collects in the reactor. The method is capable of significantly increasing the space-time yield because much less sulfur is formed in comparison to the previously known method, which takes place at pH 5 to 9, thereby minimizing the shutdown times previously required for cleaning the reactor.

Abstract: Glowing coke descending through a cooling duct in a coking plant is quenched by two gas flows respectively traversing an upper compartment and a lower compartment of the duct, the two compartments meeting at a restricted gate for the passage of the coke. At least the lower gas flow, passing in countercurrent to the descending coke charge, is also circulated through a drying and preheating oven for coal to be fed to a coke-oven battery of the plant, thus containing some water vapor. When the upper flow is also constituted by coal-drying gas, it is passed downward through the upper compartment in order to reduce the height of a high-temperature zone in which combustion and thus loss of coke could occur. The coke gate is formed by a funnel-shaped upper partition and an upwardly pointing conical lower partition between which a scavenger gas passes in cross-flow.

Abstract: Thin-layer chromatography is employed to separate enantiomers of the general formula, ##STR1## in which C* represents an asymmetric center and the substituents R.sup.1, R.sup.2, and R.sup.3 are such that they supply the structural element ##STR2## for .alpha.-amino- or .alpha.-iminocarboxylic acids, particularly the well-known .alpha.-amino- or .alpha.-iminocarboxylic or for derivatives of such carboxylic acids, either of which contains no free thiol groups. In the thin-layer chromatographic separation operation a TLC plate is used which is coated with silica gel hydrophobicized by a silane derivative and which is further impregnated with an ionic compound of a divalent transition metal and a chiral selector. The mobile phase employed is a ternary mixture of a water-miscible alkanol, such as methanol, water, and acetonitrile, or a quaternary mixture of the latter ternary mixture to which a water-miscible cyclic ether, such as tetrahydrofuran, has been added.

Abstract: To increase the temperature at which a tar separator operates which separates tar from condensate obtained by cooling coking gas produced by coking preheated coal, the condensate is preheated by heat exchange with the coking gas entering a raw gas cooler and is then admitted into the coking gas collecting main of the coking ovens, from which it passes to the tar separator. A method and an apparatus are disclosed.

Abstract: Methyl isocyanate is prepared by reacting an alkali cyanate with dimethyl sulfate in the presence of an alkaline earth metal oxide and in an inert organic liquid. There can also be present an alkali metal or alkaline earth metal salt.

Abstract: A regenerator lining for regenerator chamber cells in coke ovens, comprises a stone or brickwork having either a honeycomb or lamellar structure, with a plurality of gas passages extending therethrough and terminating in openings on the top and bottom sides of the structure. The transverse portions or sides are made of frame portions having a material thickness of up to 20mm. The webs or spacing between the openings is up to 10mm in thickness. In the case of circular, hexagonal, or similar shape passages, the openings have diameters of up to 16mm and in a construction which includes a slot formation, the slots are made up to 16mm wide.

Abstract: Coal to be supplied to a coking oven is pre-heated, in a single pre-heating zone, such as in a conveying riser, first by heat yielded to it by a gaseous carrier medium entraining the coal for joint passage through the riser, and then additionally pre-heated by heat yielded to it by a gaseous fluid, such as hot combustion products, introduced into the pre-heating zone at a region thereof at which the temperature of the coal has already risen to a predetermined value, such as 80.degree. to 100.degree. C. The additional pre-heating of the coal results in a final temperature of the latter at the exit of the riser of more than 130.degree. C, preferably between 150.degree. and 250.degree. C. The stream of the carrier medium with the coal entrained therein flows upwardly through the riser which is substantially vertical, the coal being entrained at the lower end and separated from the mixture of the carrier medium with the gaseous fluid at the upper end of the riser.

Abstract: In a coking process wherein coal is subjected to coking in chamber furnaces by means of combustion of a fuel gas in the heat flues of the furnace and transfer of the generated heat through the walls of the furnace, the heat supply is effected, during the entire course of the coking operation, according to a preestablished programmed control scheme related to a uniform or mean rate of heat supply, the supply of heat being at a maximum at the commencement of the coking operation and being gradually reduced during the continuing coking operation.

Abstract: A cokable substance such as coal is admitted into a coking chamber. A quantity of heat which is sufficient to cause coking of the cokable substance is supplied to the chamber during preselected time intervals within the coking period in which coking of the cokable substance progresses in response to the supply of heat. On the other hand, during other time intervals within the coking period in which coking of the cokable substance is essentially unaffected by the supply of heat, the quantity of heat supplied to the chamber is reduced to a level below that required to sustain coking of the cokable substance during the preselected time intervals. In this manner, savings in energy may be realized. The supply of heat to the chamber during those time intervals in which coking of the cokable substance is unaffected by the supply of heat may be discontinued completely.

Abstract: A method for inhibiting dust formation while feeding coal into a coking chamber, comprising preheating coal and subsequently contacting the coal with an aqueous solution of 30-70% by weight of waste sulfite liquor in amounts of about 0.5 to 1.0 parts by weight of said solution per 1000 parts by weight of said coal.

Abstract: Coal is preheated and contacted with 0.5 to 3 percent by weight of moist coal tar, preferably bituminous coal tar. The thus-treated coal is admitted into a coke oven through the ceiling of the latter. The coal is poured into the coke oven, rather than being blown in, and is permitted to descend into the coke oven under the influence of gravity. Preferably, the coal is poured into the coke oven through at least two or three openings in the ceiling thereof. The coal tar serves to bind finely divided coal particles to the coarser particles and, in this manner, the development of dust during the introduction of the coal into the coke oven is restricted and, concomitantly, the danger of ignition or explosion is reduced.

Abstract: Improvements in the process of producing coke from bituminous coal in high-efficiency coking ovens, whereby the size of the lumps of coke and their strength are both increased, which comprises maintaining a coking rate between 1.2 and 2.8, and preferably between 1.44 and 2.0, inches per hour, based upon the width in inches of the coking chamber and the time required to complete the coking operation, and maintaining a rate of temperature increase between 1.6 and 3.3 centigrade degrees per minute during the heating of the coal while it is in the plastic range. The coal preferably is also preliminarily heated to a temperature between 160.degree. and 250.degree.C, preferably between 180.degree. and 200.degree.C, before being charged to the high-efficiency coking oven, and the width of the coking chamber of the high-efficiency oven that is used is at least 500 millimeters (19.7 inches).