Abstract: A process for preparing a compound of formula (IV), wherein R1 is C1-4alkyl, CH2(C1-3haloalkyl), benzyl, CH2(C2-5akenyl or CH2(C2-5alkynyl), which comprises reducing a compound of formula (III). Compounds of formula (IV) are agrochemical intermediates.

Abstract: A process for preparing a compound of formula (IV) wherein R1 is C1-4 alkyl, C1-4 haloalkyl, benzyl, C3-6 alkenyl or C3-6 alkyny, (provided that the &agr;-carbon atom of R1 is neither unsaturated nor substituted with halogen), which comprises reacting a compound of formula (III) with a source of hydroxylamine in the presence of an acid. Compounds of formula (IV) are agrochemical intermediates.

Abstract: A method is disclosed comprising the steps of locating, on a surface of a downhole component, a plurality of thermally stable polycrystalline diamond (TSP) bearing elements, and then applying to the surface a settable facing material which bonds to the surface between the bearing elements and embraces the elements to hold them in place. A method in which bearing elements each comprising a body of TSP at least partly surrounded by a layer of less hard material are secured to the surface by welding or brazing part of the surface of each bearing element which comprises said less hard material to said component is also described.

Abstract: A system for noninvasively continuously monitoring arterial blood pressure includes a tissue stress sensor that has a continuous diaphragm for sensing stress within tissue adjacent a preselected artery caused by arterial pulsations within that artery. The stress sensitive diaphragm is coupled with electromechanical means for producing electrical signals that represent the stress within the tissue that is communicated to the sensor. These signals are then processed electronically in order to yield an output that is indicative of the arterial blood pressure of the preselected artery. The disclosed system includes methods of operation for determining blood pressure while maintaining a preselected artery in an optimum applanation state and an off-optimum applanation state.

Abstract: A method of applying a wear-resistant material to a surface of a downhole component for use in subsurface drilling comprises forming a plurality of bearing elements, applying a layer of an electrically conductive, less hard material to each bearing element, and then bonding each bearing element to the surface of the component by welding or brazing to the surface of the component a part of the surface of the bearing element which comprises said less hard material, wherein the layer is of thickness greater than 0.05mm.

Abstract: A switching apparatus, for use in an ATM network, includes a switch fabric for switching ATM cells, a segmentation-and-reassembly device for reassembling packets from ATM cells, and a plurality of traffic management devices. Each traffic management device receives ATM cells delivered to associated ports of the apparatus and is connected by a first data delivery path to the switch fabric and by a second data delivery path directly to the segmentation-and-reassembly device. The traffic management device identifies those received ATM cells that belong to one or more predetermined types of packets, requiring reassembly by the segmentation-and-reassembly device, as respective reassembly cells. The traffic management device then delivers received cells other than such identified reassembly cells to the switch fabric via its first data delivery path for switching by the switch fabric, and then delivers the reassembly cells to the SAR device via the second data delivery path for reassembly into packets.

Abstract: A method is disclosed comprising the steps of locating, on a surface of a downhole component, a plurality of thermally stable polycrystalline diamond (TSP) bearing elements, and then applying to the surface a settable facing material which bonds to the surface between the bearing elements and embraces the elements to hold them in place. A method in which bearing elements each comprising a body of TSP at least partly surrounded by a layer of less hard material are secured to the surface by welding or brazing part of the surface of each bearing element which comprises said less hard material to said component is also described.

Abstract: A process for preparing a compound of Formula (I); where Q completes an optionally substituted 5-or 6-member saturated carbocyclic ring and R is optionally substituted phenyl or optionally substituted C3-C6 cycloalkyl which comprises the rearrangement of a compound of Formula (II); where Q and R are as defined in relation to Formula (I) in a polar aprotic, dipolar aprotic or aromatic hydrocarbon solvent in the presence of a moderate base and an azole.

Abstract: A method of dyeing cellulosic fibers or fabrics using pre-metallized acid dye by pretreating the fabric with a cationic agent having a plurality of cationic centers and optionally after treating the dyed material with a cationic polymer is disclosed. The cationic polymer is desirably a polyquaternary amine material especially a poly(DADMAC) or polyvinylpyridine. Material dyed by the method has a “washed out” appearance similar to fabrics dyed using the “Jarofast” process, but the availability of a wide range of pre-metallized dyes gives a wider color range, and the method enables a wider range of substrates to be dyed successfully, including lyocell fiber materials e.g. those sold under Courtauld's trademark “Tencel” and blend/union materials with polyamides, easier processing and superior wash and light fastness.

Abstract: 5-Chloro-2-(4,4-difluorobutylthio)thiazole is prepared from 2-mercaptotriazole by a multistep process involving S-alkylation, chlorination and dehydrochlorination and is converted by oxidation to the corresponding sulfone which is useful as an agricultural nematicide.

Abstract: A deck of game playing cards is disclosed containing approximately 104 playing cards, each card having a back side which is similar to each of the other playing cards such that the cards cannot be distinguished by observing the back side, and a front side containing an indication of location, quantity and suit, such that when a first playing card is placed adjacent to a second playing card, the combination results in a playing card similar to a standard playing card, but approximately twice the size of the standard playing card.

Abstract: A rotary drill bit is manufactured by a powder metallurgy process by placing a metal mandrel in a mold, packing the mold with particulate matrix-forming material, infiltrating the material with a molten binding alloy, and cooling the assembly to form a solid infiltrated matrix bonded to the mandrel. The mandrel comprises an outer part surrounded by the matrix-forming material and an inner part, secured to the outer part but out of contact with the matrix-forming material. The outer part of the mandrel is formed from a material having thermal characteristics close to those of the matrix, so as to reduce the tendency for the matrix to crack under thermal stress, while the inner part of the mandrel is formed from a precipitation-hardening material, the strength and hardness of which increases in the infiltration process and the subsequent heating/cooling cycle for brazing the cutters on to the drill bit.

Abstract: A rotary drill bit is manufactured by a method including the step of forming at least a portion of the bit body from a precipitation hardening alloy, and brazing cutters to the bit body by a heating and cooling cycle during which the bit body is first heated to a temperature sufficient to melt the brazing material and is then cooled to room temperature, the heating and cooling brazing cycle being controlled in a manner so as also to effect precipitation hardening of the alloy from which the bit body is formed. In the case where the bit body is formed from solid infiltrated matrix material around a solid preformed mandrel, the heating and cooling cycle of the matrix forming process may also be controlled in a manner to effect precipitation hardening of the alloy from which the mandrel is formed.

Abstract: The present invention provides the novel chlorofluorohydrocarbon 1,1-difluoro-1,4-dichlorobutane, and a process for its preparation comprising reacting 1,1,1,4-tetrachlorobutane or 1,1,4-trichlorobut-1-ene with hydrogen fluoride in the liquid or vapor phase. The product has useful solvent properties and is also useful in synthetic chemistry for the introduction of fluorocarbon functionality.

Abstract: A process for the purification of a compound of general formula I: ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1 is hydrogen or C.sub.1 -C.sub.6 alkyl, C.sub.2 -C.sub.6 alkenyl or C.sub.2 -C.sub.6 alkynyl, any of which may optionally be substituted with one or more substituents selected from halogen and hydroxy; or COOR.sup.4, COR.sup.6, CONR.sup.4 R.sup.5 or CONHSO.sub.2 R.sup.4 ;R.sup.4 and R.sup.5 independently represent hydrogen or C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl optionally substituted with one or more halogen atoms;R.sup.6 is a halogen atom or a group R.sup.4 ;R.sup.2 is hydrogen or halo; andR.sup.3 is C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl, C.sub.2 -C.sub.4 alkenyl or C.sub.2 -C.sub.

Abstract: A process for the preparation of a sulfonamide of formula:RSO.sub.2 NR.sup.1 R.sup.2wherein R represents C.sub.1 -C.sub.10 alkyl; andR.sup.1 and R.sup.2 independently represent hydrogen, C.sub.1 -C.sub.10 alkyl or C.sub.6 -C.sub.10 aryl; which comprises reacting the corresponding alkane- or arenesulfonyl halide of formula:RSO.sub.2 Halwherein Hal represents halogen; with the corresponding compound of formula:NHR.sup.1 R.sup.2in an aqueous solvent and extracting the sulfonamide from the resulting mixture into a polar organic solvent.

Abstract: A process for the preparation of a compound of general formula I: ##STR1## wherein: R.sup.1 is hydrogen or C.sub.1 -C.sub.6 alkyl, C.sub.2 -C.sub.6 alkenyl or C.sub.2 -C.sub.6 alkynyl, any of which may optionally be substituted with one or more substituents selected from halogen and OH; or COOR.sup.4, COR.sup.6, CONR.sup.4 R.sup.5 or CONHSO.sub.2 R.sup.4 ;R.sup.4 and R.sup.5 are each independently hydrogen or C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl optionally substituted with one or more halogen atoms;R.sup.6 is a halogen atom or a group R.sup.4 ;R.sup.2 is hydrogen or halo;R.sup.3 is C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl, C.sub.2 -C.sub.4 alkenyl or C.sub.2 -C.sub.4 alkynyl, any of which may optionally be substituted with one or more halogen atoms; or halo;the process comprising reacting a compound of general formula II: ##STR2## wherein R.sup.1, R.sup.2 and R.sup.

Abstract: 5-Chloro-2-(4,4-difluorobutenylthio)thiazole is prepared from 2-mercaptothiazole by a multistep process involving S-alkylation, chlorination and dehydrochlorination and is converted by oxidation to the corresponding sulfone which is useful as an agricultural nematicide.

Abstract: A jounce stop apparatus for use in a motor vehicle includes a resilient jounce bumper (36) attached to a frame member and a jounce bumper barrier (50) attached to an axle housing (12) for receiving the resilient jounce bumper and thereby limiting upward travel of the axle housing. The jounce bumper barrier includes a first portion (54) for attaching the jounce bumper barrier to the axle housing. Second, third and fourth portions (58, 62, 72) are arranged to generally form a U-shape. The third portion (62) includes an impact face (68) for receiving the jounce bumper during extreme upward travel of the axle housing relative to the frame.

Abstract: 2-Hydroxy-6-trifluoromethylpyridine is prepared by reacting 2-chloro-6-trifluoromethylpyridine with an aqueous alkali metal hydroxide in a sealed vessel at a temperature of at least 140.degree. C. under autogenous pressure.