Abstract: Non-phosphate laundry detergents in granular form having good detergency, good granular strength and little tendency to deposit zeolite on fabrics are obtained by using a combination of olefin sulfonate, linear alkylbenzene sulfonate, sodium silicate and type A zeolite detergent builder.

Abstract: A method is provided for spray drying a detergent slurry in a spray drying chamber having at least two different levels of uniformly spaced atomizing nozzles, which slurry consists of about 50 to 70% by weight of solid constituent comprising 20 to 40% by weight of active ingredient containing an anionic surfactant, 5 to 30% by weight of water-soluble silicate and at most 21% by weight of phosphate builder and about 50 to 30% by weight of water. The lower stage of the two adjoining spraying stages is positioned at a point in the spray drying chamber where the moisture content of the particles sprayed from the upper spraying stage becomes less than about 25% by weight. The lowest spraying stage is positioned at a point in the spray drying chamber which is at a temperature of from higher than the boiling point of the detergent slurry to less than 200.degree. C. From 30 to 70% of the slurry is sprayed from said lowest stage.

Abstract: Detergent compositions containing, as two essential ingredients, the alkaline earth metal salts of anionic surface-active agents having a sulfonic acid group or a sulfuric acid ester group and quaternary ammonium salt type cationic surface-active agents are presented. These detergent compositions can exhibit satisfactory fabric-softening effects for fabrics, without causing a substantial decrease in the cleansing effect.

Abstract: A restriction indicator having a contactless switch device for indicating a restriction in filter elements of fluid filters having an intake side and a negative pressure side. The restriction indicator includes a photointerrupter having a light emitting device and a light receiving device. The light receiving device provides an electrical signal indicative of increased negative pressure in the negative pressure side.

Abstract: A granular detergent composition comprising .alpha.-olefin sulfonate and poly(oxyethylene)-poly(oxypropylene) alkyl ether at the weight ratio in the range of from 4:1 to 1:1 and further comprising an inorganic builder possesses satisfactory powder properties and is sufficiently easy to rinse out after being used for washing.

Abstract: A level indicating apparatus indicates the peak level of an analog signal and also indicates the instantaneous value of the analog signal during a recurring time interval of predetermined length. The apparatus includes a circuit for generating, during each recurring time interval, a train of pulses whose number corresponds to the level of the analog signal, a storage device which may be a shift register for storing the train of pulses, a circuit for forming a pulse whose position corresponds to the peak level of the analog signal, a feedback circuit for feeding the pulse, whose position corresponds to the peak level, back to the storage device to be combined with the train of pulses corresponding to the instantaneous value of the analog signal, and a display for indicating the peak value. Preferably the display also indicates the instantaneous value of the analog signal. The circuit for forming the pulse whose position corresponds to the peak value can include a logic differentiation circuit.

Abstract: Granular detergent compositions with improved powder characteristics and good detergency are obtained by adjusting the proportion of an .alpha.-olefinsulfonate in anionic surfactants to 15-50% by weight, selecting the molar ratio of a silicate in terms of M.sub.2 O.xSiO.sub.2 wherein M stands for an alkali metal within the range of 2.5-3.6 and limiting the amount of an alkali metal sulfate to 4% or less in detergents containing builders comprising mainly silicates, carbonates and hydroxypolycarboxylates but being free of a polyphosphate.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing granular detergents containing 15-40% of surface active agent, 5-20% of sodium silicate and 0.5-5% of aluminosilicate on a dry weight basis, which comprises subjecting a detergent slurry and an aluminosilicate slurry to spray-drying separately within the same drying space. The granular detergent thus manufactured possesses improved fluidity as well as reduced degree of hygrocaking property and compression-caking property. Incorporation in the aluminosilicate slurry with a small amount of an inflating agent will provide a granular detergent which is further improved in fluidity, hygrocaking property and compression-caking property.

Abstract: A granular detergent composition contains substantially no phosphate builder component but has excellent powdery characteristics. The granular detergent composition comprises(a) 20 to 35 wt.% of a surfactant comprising an .alpha.-olefinsulfonate and an alkyl ether sulfate at a ratio of the .alpha.-olefinsulfonate to the alkyl ether sulfate of 1 : 1 to 5 : 1 by weight; and(b) 40 to 70 wt.% of a builder comprising a carbonate and a silicate at a ratio of the carbonate to the silicate of 2 : 1 to 5 : 1 by weight.