Abstract: A fire extinguishing apparatus for dispensing a dry chemical agent from a container by using a suitable supply of compressed gas such as carbon dioxide. The compressed gas is used to fluidize the chemical agent and carry the agent to a hand manipulated nozzle which is aimed at the fire. The extinguishing apparatus is actuated by removing a safety pin from the actuating lever, depressing the lever depresses a plunger valve that opens a passage from the container to the nozzle outlet and simultaneously transfers a linear motion to a tubular spool through a connecting lever. The tubular spool punctures a seal on a compressed gas cartridge releasing the gas into the container aerating the dry chemical and transporting it through the open plunger valve and out the nozzle.

Abstract: High molecular weight polyester resins are sometimes produced from low molecular weight polyester prepolymers having the same composition by solid state polymerization. Polyester prepolymers are generally converted from the amorphous state to the crystalline state prior to solid state polymerization in order to raise their sticking temperature. This is done in order to keep the polyester prepolymer from sticking together as a solid mass in the solid state polymerization reactor. Such polyester prepolymers have traditionally been crystallized by heating them to elevated temperatures. It has been found that polyester prepolymers can be crystallized by exposing them to the vapors of certain volatile organic compounds. By utilizing such vapors to crystallize polyester prepolymers the need for a thermal crystallization step can be eliminated.

Abstract: Polyesters are often polymerized to higher molecular weights in the solid state in the presence of an inert gas stream. The inert gas stream removes volatile reaction products and helps to heat the polyester. It has been found that the amount of inert gas needed to solid state polymerize a polyester can be greatly reduced by pulsing the inert gas through the polyester.