This invention describes a sorting conveyor code system using a plurality of mirrors to set up each individual code. Each mirror has two positions so that it can reflect light into one of two directions if the light comes from a common source, one position being called a "0" and the other position being called a "1." A set of such mirrors then can carry a binary number with the number of digits equal to the number of mirrors. Each article to be sorted is accompanied by a set of such mirrors and ...

A liquefied composition which contains an effective amount of a non-necrotic sclerosing fatty acid salt, an effective amount of ethyl alcohol, a buffering agent, and a water carrier. The fatty acid salt is prepared from an unsaturated fatty acid having one double bond and from an alkali metal or an alkaline earth metal or an alkali metal compound or an alkaline earth metal compound. The liquefied composition has a pH between 9 and 11. The liquefied composition can be used for, among other things...

A machine and method for destroying plant growth. A specialty application is provided for plant growth around and between railroad tracks, and a general description is provided for preventing damage to the high voltage source of electricity used for the plant destruction, and for minimizing the number of fires started in dry material accessory to plant destruction. A vehicle with a high voltage electricity source is mounted on railroad tracks, with wheels of each wheel set for the vehicle being ...

There is provided a programmable controller comprising a standard microprocessor having output address terminals and input/output bi-directional data terminals and means for providing a binary code on the data terminals indicative of the status of the machine cycle to be processed by the microprocessor. This programmable controller includes a logic decoder means for producing a selected signal in response to logic signals on selected address terminals and in the status binary code of the data te...

A process is disclosed for synthesizing a peptide chain involving reacting, in aqueous solution, an amino acid containing a blocked alpha amino or carboxyl group with a polynucleotide handle to form a covalently bonded complex. The complex is separated from unreacted acid by reversible coupling to a complementary polynucleotide adsorbent immobilized on an insoluble support, and then the complex is eluted from the support as an aqueous solution. The complex is then enzymatically deblocked and use...

Each of first and second shallow hollow cylinders has a closed end and an open end, said cylinders being interconnected at their open ends with the first cylinder being disposed concentrically within the second cylinder. Each cylinder is rotatable through a selected arc with respect to the other cylinder between open and closed positions, the cylinders having cooperating structures which define a channel in the outer surface of the first cylinder which forms a circular arc and which lies in a pl...

A curtain valve has a valve chamber having a pair of opposed walls with an inlet port through one wall and an outlet port through the other wall. A valve member has a tension band supported on opposite ends thereof in a valve body with the band being looped around a pair of rollers forming a pair of bights which partially encircle the rollers. The tension band is perforated on the end portion which overlies the inlet port. A stem is connected to one of the rollers and extends from the valve body...

A haloethane is dechlorinated by reacting in the gaseous phase a haloethane selected from CCl.sub.2 FFCClF.sub.2, CClF.sub.2 CClF.sub.2 and CCl.sub.2 FCCl.sub.2 F with ethylene in the presence of a transition metal catalyst selected from iron, nickel, vanadium and chromium oxides, chlorides and fluorides and recovering a perhaloethylene and vinyl chloride. Perhaloethylenes are used as monomers for halogenated polymers. Vinyl chloride is also a widely used monomer.

A fixed tank is disposed in the sea adjacent a floating solar still, with a flexible conduit extending between a lower portion of the tank and the interior of the still. A one-way check valve disposed in the lower portion of the tank permits sea water to enter the tank and fill it as the tide rises. As the tide lowers, water flows from the tank through a restriction in the conduit to the solar still.

A removal tool having a tubular shape with a chamfered end and a method for utilizing the same in an electrical connector apparatus. The connector apparatus has a contact attached around and to the end of a wire. An elliptical rear edge of the contact has major axis edge portions which come in contact with an inside shoulder of an insulator body passageway preventing the contact from being removed rearwardly from the connector. The chamfered end of the removal tool is inserted between the wire a...