Fasteners such as mine bolts are provided with tension indicators to directly read tension in the shank of the bolt. The preferred tension... Show moreFasteners such as mine bolts are provided with tension indicators to directly read tension in the shank of the bolt. The preferred tension indicators comprise an elongated pin disposed in a bore formed in the bolt and connected at the bottom of the bore to the bolt shank to be tensioned thereby. The tension indicator further comprises a cross bar attached to the other end of the pin and extending laterally into engagement with another portion of the bolt, such as the head of the bolt, to be bent upon tensioning of the pin. Preferably, a photoelastic member is attached to the cross bar and bending stresses in the cross bar are manifested in the photoelastic member in the form of photoelastic fringes for reading by a reflection polariscope. Sponsorship: IIT Research Institute United States Patent Show less
A flow direction collar is positionable in an electrical zone sensing apparatus with an elongated bore therein disposed in substantial... Show moreA flow direction collar is positionable in an electrical zone sensing apparatus with an elongated bore therein disposed in substantial alignment with an aperture through which particles carried by a liquid pass while being electrically sensed. The collar is positioned immediately upstream of the aperture to cause a directional flow of the liquid along a path substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis for the aperture. The flow through the collar directs the particles to flow along paths substantially parallel to the aperture axis thereby reducing the turbulence about the particle created by abrupt changes in velocity. Preferably, the collar includes a housing for telescoping on the bottom of a detection tube. Sponsorship: IIT Research Institute United States Patent Show less
A method for removing a contaminant from a treatment region of a contaminated region of a site in the earth having water therein and being... Show moreA method for removing a contaminant from a treatment region of a contaminated region of a site in the earth having water therein and being contaminated with the contaminant includes heating the earth by establishing an electric field through the treatment region. The electric field gives rise to an electric conduction or displacement current through the treatment region. The electric current electrically heats at least a portion of the treatment region to a temperature below the boiling point of water to evaporate the water. A vacuum is drawn in a nether region of the site to collect water vapor evolved from the water and contaminant vapor evolved from the contaminant by movement of air from the surface of the earth, while the water vapor strips the contaminant from the earth. The contaminant vapor is disposed of in an innocuous manner. Sponsorship: IIT Research Institute United States Patent Show less
A process for recovery of chromium in an aqueous solution comprising converting the chromium to chromyl chloride, separating the chromyl... Show moreA process for recovery of chromium in an aqueous solution comprising converting the chromium to chromyl chloride, separating the chromyl chloride from the aqueous solution, either as a heavy underlayer, or by extraction into a solvent, purifying the chromyl chloride, hydrolyzing the purified chromyl chloride to form a solution, and drying or precipitating the solution to form chromium, either as chromic acid or a chromate salt. Sponsorship: Illinois Institute of Technology United States Patent Show less
The present invention is directed to a novel steamflooding process which utilizes three specific stages of steam injection for enhanced oil... Show moreThe present invention is directed to a novel steamflooding process which utilizes three specific stages of steam injection for enhanced oil recovery. The three stages are as follows: As steam is being injected into an oil-bearing reservoir through an injection well, the production rate of a production well located at a distance from the injection well is gradually restricted to a point that the pressure in the reservoir increases at a predetermined rate to a predetermined maximum value. After the maximum pressure has been reached, the production rate is increased to a value such that the predetermined maximum pressure value is maintained. Production at maximum pressure is continued for a length of time that will be unique for each individual reservoir. In some cases, this step of the steamflooding process of the invention may be omitted entirely. In the third stage of the steamflooding process of the invention, production rates at the producing well are increased gradually to allow the pressure to decrease down from the maximum pressure value to the original pressure value at the producing well. The rate of pressure reduction will be unique for each reservoir. After completing stage three, the three stages can be repeated or the steamflood may be terminated as considered desirable. Sponsorship: IIT Research Institute United States Patent Show less
Infectious medical materials are rendered harmless by heating heterogeneous medical materials having wet and dry portions with a radio... Show moreInfectious medical materials are rendered harmless by heating heterogeneous medical materials having wet and dry portions with a radio-frequency electric field. The medical materials may be comminuted prior to heating. The medical materials are exposed to the radio-frequency electric field in order to heat the medical materials. The medical materials may include sorted medical or veterinary waste which after heat treatment may be recycled. Sponsorship: IIT Research Institute United States Patent Show less