A composition comprising a cationic fabric conditioning agent, a water-soluble protein or derivative thereof, a thickener that is substantive to the fibres of a fabric, a fabric softening silicone and water. Preferably, the cationic fabric conditioning active is di-(tallow carboxyethyl) hydroxyethyl methyl ammonium X<-> and the water-soluble protein is selected from wheat, cotton, silk, keratin, collagen, elastin, casein and soya. The thickener is preferably a water-soluble polymer, more preferably a cationic carbohydrate, most preferably a guar gum. The silicone is preferably an aminosilicone or a methicone derivative and the balance of the composition is water. Most preferably, the composition additionally comprises a fatty compound as a co-softener. The composition has excellent fabric softening properties and also protects fabrics, especially wool from felting.

A multifunction air cleaning system for polluted air which provides a new process for purifying polluted air, self-adapting and insensitive to variations in weather conditions, with simultaneous abatement and without limits of concentrations or volume of air to be treated, of pollutants of chemical nature, such as combustion products or of other chemical-physical transformations, of pollutants of physical nature, contained in air polluted by urban smog and vehicle traffic. It incorporates air suction means (2), - an oxidation chamber (19), a catalyst bed (20), a mixing chamber (1) for polluted air and oxidized air, a mist reactor (3), a sterilizer (11), a hydrodynamic dehumidifier (12), a dry reactor (14), in which said catalyst bed (20) is arranged. It can be conveniently installed both inside tunnels and in the open air.

An improved fabric article treatment method in a laundering appliance involving a fluid switchover step such that the first predominant fluid is at least partially removed and a second predominant fluid is added. Specifically, the first and the second predominant fluids are selected to have different dielectric constatns. The fluid switchover method is also useful in controlling the surfactant carryover in a laundering process.

The invention relates to the automated cleaning of paint buckets (2).In a device intended for this purpose the curled mouth rims (6) of the buckets are pushed slidingly one by one into the teeth (22,23) of a lifting fork (21), tilted and positioned in upside down position at the location of a scraping station (12), where paint residues are removed from the inner surface by scraping. A thus cleaned bucket is then transported in upside down position to a flushing station (17) where the last paint residues are removed by flushing and spraying clean. The thus cleaned buckets are finally tilted back to their upright position and stacked onto each other in nested form.

The invention relates to a cooling device ( 1 ) for cooling an item to be cooled, especially for use in the examination, handling and processing of cryogenic samples. The device includes a cooling compartment ( 3 ) for receiving the item to be cooled, an inner wall defining the cooling compartment ( 3 ), an outer wall, a space between the outer wall and the inner wall, and a coolant feed line ( 11 ) for feeding a coolant. According to the invention, the coolant feed line ( 11 ) leads into the space between the inner wall and the outer wall and feeds the coolant into the space, the inner wall being permeable for the coolant.

1. An automatic liquid-raising device with a storage tank (3) positioned above a closed working chamber (1), and a closed suction chamber (2) positioned above the storage tank (3) and having an outlet for liquid ; the working chamber (1) having a drain pipe (5) extending a certain distance downwards from its bottom and a suction-transfer pipe (7) rising from its top to the suction chamber (2) ; the storage tank (3) being connected through a charging pipe (6) to the working chamber (1) ; the suction chamber (2) having a feed pipe through which it aspirates liquid ; the charging pipe (6) having a valve (6a) for controlling the flow of liquid reaching the working chamber (1) from the storage tank (3) in dependence on the amount of liquid in the working chamber (1) ; the suction chamber (2) having a non-return valve (16) in its outlet (2a) for preventing return flow of liquid back into the suction chamber (2), characterised in that the storage tank (3) is mounted directly on top of the working chamber (1) and delivers working liquid through a charging pipe (6) to the top of the working chamber (1), the charging pipe (6) penetrating into the interior of the storage tank (3) ; the charging pipe (6) having a downwards-directed mouth (6a, 6a') cooperating with a valve plate (13, 23) actuated by a device (9, 12 or 24, 25) controlled by an actuator (9, 25) located in the working chamber (1) ; the actuator (9, 25) being connected to the valve plate (13, 23) through at least one sealed aperture (12, 24) in the separation wall (3a) between the storage tank (3) and the working chamber (1).

Device (10) for stabilizing workpieces (20, 20~) during cleaning comprises first stabilizing units (50) extending parallel to each other in a first direction (R) and arranged at a distance d from the workpieces during cleaning. An independent claim is also included for a method for stabilizing workpieces during cleaning using the above device. Preferred Features: The first stabilizing units are made from a material selected from plastic, aluminum, steel, iron, plastic fibers, natural fibers and carbon fibers. The distance d is 0.1-50 mm, preferably 1-10 mm, especially 1-3 mm.

A device for forming fabric folds in a machine for treating fabrics, particularly a folded fabric steaming machine, comprising a fabric treatment chamber (1), equipped with an inlet (6) and an outlet (7) of the fabric and a chain conveyor (T) for advancing the fabric in said chamber (1). The conveyor comprises rods (20), whereon folds are formed and supported, which are mounted on the conveyor by means of arms (24). The device provides two shaped plates (30) whereon the arms (24) supporting the rods (20) slide. When the fabric advances, the arms (24) are overturned by lifting the rods (20), from a condition hung to the transport chains in the ascending tract (18) thereof, to a condition resting on rails (28) arranged above the active branches (16) of said chains.

The present invention relates to compositions for the washing of laundry fabrics, the compositions containing anionic surfactants and a cationic detergency enhancing polymer which may be homopolymer or copolymer.

A washable floor mat has a tufted pile textile layer ( 1 ) and an elastomer backing layer ( 2 ). The textile layer ( 1 ) includes tufts containing cotton fibres, and the backing layer ( 2 ) is made of a foamed elastomer material and includes a plurality of cleats ( 4 ) on a lower surface if the backing layer.