The surface of a mass of finely divided particulate matter, e.g. the surface of a coal pile, is treated by applying to the surface a combination of an organic polymer latex and a silicone to provide a water repellant surface.

A circuit for preventing overdischarge of a rechargeable lead acid storage battery. The circuit is comprised of means for sensing the rate of discharge of the battery, means for generating a safe final discharge voltage which varies inversely with the sensed rate of discharge of the battery, means for producing a triggering signal when the generated safe final discharge voltage is equal to or greater than the actual voltage of the battery, and means responsive to the trigger signal for disconnec...

An electrification preventing is disclosed in which granular and/or powdered Si or SiOx (0<x<2) which is charged with negative static electricity (negatively-ionized) is sealed in a glass container. The glass container that is placed in a body adjacent an area where the desired effect is to be achieved. In one preferred embodiment of the invention, the glass container is embedded in the ground. The glass container, such as a tube, contains a negatively charged material such as Si/SiO.sub.x...

A container for water in which vertebrate animals swim is given an internal coating of a hydrophilic polymer having an algicide impregnated or adsorbed therein. This prevents the algae from growing on the container and is especially valuable in preserving the transparency of glass or clear plastic aquariums.

An oil pollution control apparatus that isolates a portion of a substantial body of water. The portion isolated extends from above the surface to near the bottom of the body of water. A structural example is a vertical caisson with its base extending into the bottom of the body of water and with openings just above that bottom to permit circulation of the water at that level.

This invention relates to a method and apparatus for preventing erosion of beaches by tidal waves, comprising placing hollow enclosures, such as "quonset" type huts, end-to-end along the beach, with slots on the walls of the huts, and wherein the huts are so placed that incoming tidal waves will be diverted over the roofs of the huts. Incoming and outgoing waves will be retarded in velocity by flowing through said slots and sand will be deposited and accumulated inside the huts. Reduction of wav...

An insert is used to prevent a bottle of circular cross section from rotating within a noncircular outer container and thereby causing a label on the bottle moving out of register with a window in the side of the outer container. The insert is in the shape of a flanged cup. The cup portion fits snugly on one end of the bottle and the flange is sized to engage the inner walls of the outer container. The insert is made of deformed sheet material.

Apparatus for preventing deflection of a workpiece worked by a grinding machine, for example, comprises a steady rest pivotally mounted on a stationary support, a horizontal supporting shoe and a vertical supporting shoe which are slidably mounted on the steady rest for supporting the workpiece, drive means for feeding the horizontal supporting shoe toward the workpiece while at the same time for pivoting the steady rest to feed the vertical supporting shoe toward the workpiece, and a single con...

A drip-preventing device for a bottle intended to be located in the outlet of the bottle, comprising a funnel coaxial with the neck of the bottle neck and a ring forming part of or engaging with the bottle neck, the funnel being connected to the ring in such a way that a lip of the funnel is annularly spaced at all parts of its periphery from the lip of the bottle outlet.

In a process in which a gas comprising oxygen is bubbled through a liquid reaction medium contained in a reaction vessel, with a flammable or potentially flammable vapor being contained in the ullage space of the vessel with a resultant explosion hazard, the explosion hazard is minimized by continuously spraying a liquid comprising predominantly at least one component of the reaction medium into the ullage space so as to maintain a suspension of liquid droplets throughout the ullage space.