Abstract: A shovel accessory features a main longitudinal beam having opposing front and rear ends for supporting the handle shaft of a shovel thereon, an undercarriage depending downward from the beam to define a fulcrum point when in contact with the ground, and front and rear handle arrangements residing above the main beam at locations respectively nearer to the opposing ends thereof. The front and rear handles provide gripping points for respective hands of the user for pivoting of the main beam and shovel about the fulcrum in a direction lifting the shovel head under rearward pulling of the front handle arrangement. The dual elevated handle arrangement is particularly well suited for a rearward throwing action of material from the shovel head compared to prior fulcrum/lever shovel solutions.

Abstract: A shovel accessory features a main longitudinal beam having opposing front and rear ends for supporting the handle shaft of a shovel thereon, an undercarriage depending downward from the beam to define a fulcrum point when in contact with the ground, and front and rear handle arrangements residing above the main beam at locations respectively nearer to the opposing ends thereof. The front and rear handles provide gripping points for respective hands of the user for pivoting of the main beam and shovel about the fulcrum in a direction lifting the shovel head under rearward pulling of the front handle arrangement. The dual elevated handle arrangement is particularly well suited for a rearward throwing action of material from the shovel head compared to prior fulcrum/lever shovel solutions.

Abstract: A porous glass membrane for reverse osmosis desalination of salt water is made by heating a membrane of a sodium-boron-alumino silicate glass so that it separates into two inter-connecting phases, removing one phase to make the membrane porous, and then coating the pores with a metal oxide to modify the pore size distribution and strengthen the membrane to enable it to withstand the high pressure applied in the reverse osmosis process. The porous glass is first treated with a volatile metal chloride such as titanium chloride, and the resulting surface layer is hydrolyzed to produce the metal oxide coating. A further reduction in pore size with an accompanying increase in strength can be made by partially sintering the treated membrane.

Abstract: A fully dense high silica glass is made by taking a silica glass, causing it to phase separate into two inter-connecting phases, then removing one phase to leave a porous high silica glass, forming a layer of metal oxide over the surface of the pores of the glass and finally sintering the metal oxide-coated porous glass. Preferably a titanium oxide layer is formed by first producing a layer of titanium chloride and then hydrolysing this layer to form a surface layer of titanium oxide. The formation of a metal oxide layer on the pores of the glass allows a lower process temperature to be used, for sintering and providing the fully dense high silica glass.