Abstract: Thermoplastic polymer compositions comprising starch and articles made therefrom are water stable or may be rendered so. One method of making water stable thermoplastic compositions comprises the steps of mixing destructured starch with polyhydric alcohol and acid, and forming an ester condensation reaction product from at least a portion of the polyhydric alcohol and acid. In some embodiments, a pre-polymer formed from the ester condensation reaction may be provided as a pre-polymer that is mixed with the starch.

Abstract: Thermoplastic polymer compositions comprising starch and articles made therefrom are water stable or may be rendered so. One method of making water stable thermoplastic compositions comprises the steps of mixing destructured starch with polyhydric alcohol and triglyceride, and forming a transesterification reaction product from at least a portion of the polyhydric alcohol and triglyceride.

Abstract: Thermoplastic polymer compositions comprising starch and articles made therefrom are water stable or may be rendered so. One method of making water stable thermoplastic compositions comprises the steps of mixing destructured starch with polyhydric alcohol and acid, and forming an ester condensation reaction product from at least a portion of the polyhydric alcohol and acid. In some embodiments, a pre-polymer formed from the ester condensation reaction may be provided as a pre-polymer that is mixed with the starch.

Abstract: Water stable fibers and articles made therefrom are formed from a thermoplastic composition comprising destructured starch, polyhydric alcohol, acid, and optionally triglyceride. Processes for making water stable compositions may comprise melt extruding a mixture of destructured starch, polyhydric alcohol, acid, and optionally triglyceride, to form an extrudate, and heating the mixture, extrudate, or both to provide a water stable article.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a metastable, liquid alkyd resin precursor that has exceeded its gel point, but is not a gel. The precursor includes a gel point modifier and a prepolymer liquid. The prepolymer liquid includes oligomeric polyesters, polyols, and an excipient selected from the group consisting of polyfunctional acids, anhydrides, and mixtures thereof. Also disclosed herein are methods of making the metastable, liquid alkyd resin precursor, and methods of using the metastable, liquid alkyd resin precursor to form fully cross-linked alkyd resins.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods of reforming or recycling infusible, insoluble alkyd resins into new shapes and forms. The insoluble alkyd resins that are reformed or recycled can include pellets, powders, chips, chunks, scraps, pulverized articles, and mixtures thereof. Also disclosed herein are alkyd resins that have been reformed into shaped articles that have traditionally been made with thermoplastics. The shapes of the reformed alkyd resins can include pellets, films, sheets, fibers, nonwovens, and molded articles.

Abstract: A structural foam material comprising that contains a volatile corrosion inhibitor homogenized in the pre-thermoformed resin. The foam can be of a reticulated or open-cell type. The foam can also be of a closed-cell type that has a sufficient number of cells opened so as to permit migration of the volatilzed corrosion inhibitor.

Abstract: In the dryer section of a paper machine, the paper web is pressed against the dryer cylinders by means of an air-permeable endless dryer fabric. A ventilator apparatus extends transversely across the paper machine located outside the pocket above and below the fabric turning rolls. Air from the ventilator is forced into the pocket through the fabric in the nips formed by the fabric and the fabric turning roll. This air dilutes the moisture driven from the sheet by the dryer can. The ventilator apparatus also creates a negative pressure region to exhaust air from the pocket. This exhaust air is used to scour the boundary layer of moisture laden air from the incoming fabric. The two-pass ventilator apparatus has two individual chambers separated by an induction chamber. The primary chamber contains multiple air jet nozzles. The blowing directions of the two longitudinal nozzles may be at different angles with respect to the running direction of the dryer fabric.

Abstract: A support structure for retaining items, such as pots of flowers, bottles, bags and the like in position includes a peripheral side wall having an open top and an open bottom defining at least two bag-containing compartments. The support structure is foldable from a folded, generally flat, storable configuration to an unfolded, in-use configuration.

Abstract: A support structure for retaining items, such as pots of flowers, bottles, bags and the like in position includes a peripheral side wall having an open top and an open bottom defining at least two bag-containing compartments. The support structure is foldable from a folded, generally flat, storable configuration to an unfolded, in-use configuration.

Abstract: A device for holding a container in an upright position includes a base panel upon which the container rests and container anchoring flanges interconnected to the base panel which surround to the container above the base panel to hold the container in place on the base panel.

Abstract: Carrier bead pick-off device including a magnet assembly and an enclosure in which the magnet assembly is reciprocated between a first position where carrier beads are picked off the photoreceptor and a second position where the carrier beads are caused to be returned to a developer housing structure. The enclosure in one embodiment of the invention forms part of the developer housing structure. The magnet is retracted such that it follows the contour of the enclosure so that the carrier beads are swept into the developer housing structure.

Abstract: A hybrid development system for developing composite tri-level xerographic latent images in which conductive magnetic brush (CMB) development system is employed at the first development station and insulative magnetic brush (IMB) development system is used at the second station. In order to preclude spurious fringe field development by the IMB development system at the second development station the conductivity of the IMB developer is in the order of 10.sup.-13 to 10.sup.-15 ohm-cm. Additionally, a scorotron corona charging device located between the two development housings may be used to charge the image developed at the first station to the same potential as the background (white level) thereby eliminating spurious fringe field development by the IMB developer with a conductivity less than 10.sup.-13 ohm-cm at the second development station.

Abstract: A solar greenhouse includes a peripheral wall structure defining a partially enclosed area having an open side through which plants can be placed inside for admitting light into the greenhouse, and a roof over the wall structure. The roof is removable from over the peripheral wall structure to provide for the easy installation, removal, or rearranging the plants. The inside surfaces of the wall structure and roof are light reflecting to reflect light entering the greenhouse through the open side toward the plants inside the greenhouse. The greenhouse also includes a floor which is a separate component from the peripheral wall structure. The exposed surface of the floor can also be light reflecting. The inclination of the roof relative to the horizontal can be changed to adjust the angle of light reflection of the roof.

Abstract: Balanced, efficient corona transfer for both the charged area image and the discharged area image of a developed tri-level image is obtained by the provision of a selective pre-transfer charge corona device in combination with a pre-transfer discharge lamp. While improved transfer over prior art devices is obtained using a pre-transfer lamp prior to pre-transfer charging the preferred embodiment of the invention utilizes a pre-transfer lamp before and in coincidence with pre-transfer charging.

Abstract: A device for holding a container in an upright position includes a base panel upon which the container rests and container anchoring portions interconnected to the base panel which surround the container above the base panel to hold the container in place on the base panel.

Abstract: Tri-Level Highlight color imaging apparatus utilizing two-component developer materials in each of a plurality of developer housings. The triboelectric properties of the toners and carriers forming the two-component developers are such that inter-mixing of the components of each developer with the components in another developer housing is minimized.

Abstract: A sustained release device which comprises a source of at least one trace chemical element incorporated in a cement and releasable therefrom on contact with an aqueous medium.The trace chemical element is exemplified by selenium, cobalt and iodine and the cement is exemplified by a phosphate cement.

Abstract: Tri-Level Highlight color imaging apparatus and cleaner apparatus therefor. Improved cleaning of a charge retentive surface is accomplished through matching the triboelectric properties of the positive and negative toners and their associated carriers as well as the carrier used in the magnetic brush cleaner apparatus. The carrier in the cleaner upon interaction with the two toners causes them to charge to the same polarity. The carrier used in the cleaner is identical to the one use in the positive developer. The carrier of the negative developer was chosen so that the toner mixed therewith charged negatively in the developer housing.Thus, the combination of toners and carriers is such that one of the toners charges positively against both carriers and the other of the toners charges negatively against one of the carriers and positively against the other.

Abstract: A magnetic brush developer apparatus including a plurality of developer housings each including a plurality of magnetic brush rolls associated therewith. Conductive magnetic brush (CMB) developer is provided in each of the developer housings. The CMB developer is used to develop electronically formed images. The physical properties such as conductivity, toner concentration and toner charge level of the CMB developers are such that density fine lines are satisfactorily developed notwithstanding the presence of relatively high cleaning fields.