Abstract: An apparatus for continuously casting a solid member is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a mould forming support configured to form an open channel, a flexible conveyor having a feed end and a peel off end extending across the mould forming support along its length and conforming to the configuration of the mould forming support along its length to form an open channel mould, the open channel mould receiving a settable material which is displaced along the conveyor belt and forms a solid member, the mould forming support and the conveyor transitioning to a flat belt downstream of the open channel mould to facilitate separation of the solid member that is cast in the open channel mould. A method for continuously casting a solid member is disclosed.

Abstract: A method for making a dye mixture to produce a target colour on a given substrate, comprising the steps of: ?a) measuring reflectance values RT(?i) of the target colour at a plurality of wavelengths ?i=1, 2 . . . n; b) measuring reflectance values Rs (?i) of the substrate at the same wavelengths ?i; forming a set of concentrations cj of M dyes in the calculated concentrations; the database having been compiled by aa) making dyeings of combinations of the dyes Dn at different concentrations; bb) measuring the reflectance values R of the dyeings at different wavelengths; cc) defining a function f(R); dd) defining a relationship between f(R) and c involving constants g and k; and ee) for each dye Dn determining constants gn, kn, such that the calculated values for f(R), c, gn kn approximate closely the measured values.

Abstract: A method for making a dye mixture to produce a target colour on a given substrate, comprising the steps of a) measuring reflectance values RT(&lgr;i) of the target colour at a plurality of wavelengths &lgr;i=1, 2 . . . n; b) measuring reflectance values Rs(&lgr;i) of the substrate s at the same wavelengths &lgr;i; c) forming a set of concentrations cj of M dyes, j=1, 2, . . . M from a database of N dyes Dn, b=1, 2 . . . N with associated constants gn, kn; d) making dye mixtures using the M dyes in the calculated concentrations; the database having been compiled by aa) making dyeings of combinations of the dyes Dn at different concentrations; bb) measuring the reflectance values R of the dyeings at different wavelengths; cc) defining a function f(R); dd) defining a relationship between f(R) and c involving constants g and k; and ee) for each dye Dn determining constants gn, kn, such that the calculated values for f(R), c, gn, kn approximate closely the measured values.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a phenolic resin composition useful for preparing a binder for reinforced composites, to a binder for reinforced composites made using the phenolic resin composition, and to a reinforced composite made using the binder. The phenolic resin composition of the present invention contains an aqueous mixture of: (a) a resole formed by reacting phenol with formaldehyde at a mole ratio of formaldehyde to phenol ranging from about 0.6:1 to about 4:1 and (b) a sulfite or bisulfite, wherein the resole has a pH at least about 7 and less than 9.5 and the composition contains from about 0.007 to about 0.4 mole equivalent of sulfur per mole of phenol.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a phenolic resin composition useful for preparing a binder for reinforced composites, to a binder for reinforced composites made using the phenolic resin composition, and to a reinforced composite made using the binder. The phenolic resin composition of the present invention contains an aqueous mixture of: (a) a resole formed by reacting phenol with formaldehyde in the presence of an ortho directing catalyst at a mole ratio of formaldehyde to phenol ranging from about 0.7:1 to about 3:1 and (b) a water-soluble borate, wherein the composition contains at least about 0.02 equivalent of the ortho directing catalyst per mole of phenol, has a pH at least about 7 and contains from about 0.02 to about 0.5 mole borate per mole of phenol. When the ortho directing catalyst has a cation that forms an insoluble material with a borate anion, the cation is removed after the resole is formed and prior to adding the water-soluble borate.

Abstract: Subterranean geological formations such as those surrounding oil well bore holes, are treated by placing in or adjacent the formation a particulate material coated with a two-step, curable, novolac-type phenolic resin. The resin is thereafter cured in situ to bond the particulate matter together. In order to achieve desired compressive strengths, the resin must have an insolubility parameter of greater than about 1.0.

Abstract: A fast curing shell molding composition having the tensile strength of a conventional novolac resin when cured contains a fast curing novolac resin comprising a methylene chained polyphenylol wherein a major portion of the methylene linkages are coupled to adjacent phenylol groups at the o-o' and p-p' position, wherein at least about 19% of the methylene linkages are coupled to adjacent phenylol groups at the o-o' portions, and wherein at least about 3% of the total number of methylene linkages are coupled to adjacent phenylol groups at the p-p' positions. The shell molding composition is produced from the fast curing novolac resin by uniformly coating refractory granules with the fast curing resin. The fast curing novolac resin can be prepared by blending a conventional novolac resin with a novolac resin having a large proportion of methylene linkages coupled to adjacent phenylol groups at the o-o' position.

Abstract: A fast curing shell molding composition having the tensile strength of a conventional novolac resin when cured contains a fast curing novolac resin comprising a methylene chained polyphenylol wherein a major portion of the methylene linkages are coupled to adjacent phenylol groups of the o-o' and p-p' position, wherein at least about 19% of the methylene linkages are coupled to adjacent phenylol groups at the o-o' portions, and wherein at least about 3% of the total number of methylene linkages are coupled to adjacent phenylol groups at the p-p' positions. The shell molding composition is produced from the fast curing novolac resin by uniformly coating refractory granules with the fast curing resin. The fast curing novolac resin can be prepared by blending a conventional novolac resin with a novolac resin having a large proportion of methylene linkages coupled to adjacent phenylol groups at the o-o' position.