1. A system (5, 60) for connecting portions of chain (10) to the inner ring (3) of an anti-skid device, characterized in that:
said portions of chain (10) comprise chains with twisted links (11) and
said connecting system (5, 60) comprises:
a U-bolt element (50) constrained to the inner ring (3), and
an end link (60) of the portion of chain (10) having a twisted portion (61) connected to a twisted link (11) of the portion of chain (10) and a flat and straight portion (62) connected to said U-bolt element (50).
2. A connecting system (5, 60) according to claim 1, characterized in that said U-bolt element (50) is articulated to the end link (60) of at least one respective portion of chain (10) with twisted links, said U-bolt element (50) consisting of a plate bent into a U-shape around the core (31) of said inner ring (3), so as to be able to rotate around said core (31).
3. A connecting system (5, 60) according to claim 2, characterized in that said articulated joint is obtained by means of a pivot or pin (55) mounted in said U-bolt element (50) in a transverse direction with respect to the axis of rotation thereof and in which the flat and straight portion (62) of said end link (60) of the portion of chain is mounted rotatably around said transverse pin (55) of the U-bolt element.
4. A connecting system (5, 60) according to claim 1, characterized in that the twisted portion (61) of said end link (60) of the portion of chain is situated on an plane inclined by about 45\xb0 with respect to the plane on which said flat and straight portion (62) of the end link lies.
5. A connecting system (5, 60) according to claim 2, characterized in that said U-bolt element (50) comprises a semi-cylindrical portion (51) designed to be disposed rotatably around the core (31) of the inner ring and two flat portions (52) parallel and spaced apart from each other so as to leave a gap to receive said flat and straight portion (62) of the end link (60) of the portion of chain (10).
6. A connecting system (5, 60) according to claim 1, characterized in that said twisted-link portion of chain comprises a plurality of twisted links (11), each consisting of a substantially elliptical annular element which is twisted by bending the end parts thereof by 45\xb0 in one direction and in the opposite direction around the major axis thereof, so as to give rise to two portions disposed on two planes at 90\xb0 to one another.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. (canceled)
2. A method of preparing a corrosion inhibiting composition, a deicing composition, or a concrete admixture composition, the method comprising:
a) preparing an aqueous solution of at least one organic compound suitable for nitric acid oxidation;
b) combining, over time, the aqueous solution of the at least one organic compound and an aqueous solution of nitric acid to oxidize the at least one organic compound to a mixture of organic acids;
c) removing a portion of the nitric acid from the combined aqueous solution through an evaporation process; and
d) making basic with at least one base the solution from which nitric acid has been removed to convert residual nitric acid to inorganic nitrate and to convert the mixture of organic acids to a mixture of organic acid salts.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein the at least one organic compound suitable for nitric acid oxidation is selected from the group consisting of diols, triols, polyols, and carbohydrates.
4. The method of claim 3, wherein the at least one organic compound suitable for nitric acid oxidation is D-glucose.
5. The method of claim 2, wherein said method further comprises, after c):
removing additional nitric acid from the combined aqueous solution by diffusion dialysis.
6. The method of claim 2, wherein the mixture of organic acids comprises glucaric acid, said method further comprises, after c):
adding a potassium base to the solution from which nitric acid has been removed to neutralize residual nitric acid and to convert a portion of the glucaric acid to glucaric acid monopotassium salt; and
removing at least some of the glucaric acid monopotassium salt from said mixture of organic acids.
7. The method of claim 6, wherein said potassium base is selected from the group consisting of: potassium hydroxide, potassium hydride, potassium carbonate, potassium bicarbonate, dipotassium phosphate, tripotassium phosphate, and potassium acetate.
8. The method of claim 5, wherein said mixture of organic acids comprises glucaric acid, said method further comprises, after diffusion dialysis:
adding a potassium base to the solution from which nitric acid has been removed to neutralize residual nitric acid and to convert a portion of the glucaric acid to glucaric acid monopotassium salt; and
removing at least some of the glucaric acid monopotassium salt from said mixture of organic acids.
9. The method of claim 8, wherein said potassium base is selected from the group consisting of: potassium hydroxide, potassium hydride, potassium carbonate, potassium bicarbonate, dipotassium phosphate, tripotassium phosphate, and potassium acetate.
10. The method of claim 2, wherein said mixture of organic acid salts comprises a neutralized acid selected from the group consisting of: aliphatic carboxylic acids, hydroxycarboxylic acids, aldonic acids, uronic acids, aldaric acids, keto-aldonic acids, keto-uronic acids, keto-aldaric acids, glucaric acid, mannaric acid, xylaric acid, arabinaric acid, and galactaric acid.
11. The method of claim 2, wherein said mixture of organic acid salts comprises an organic acid salt selected from the group consisting of: sodium potassium D-glucarate dihydrate and dipotassium D-glucarate hydrate.
12. The method of claim 2, wherein said base is selected from the group consisting of: sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, magnesium hydroxide, calcium hydroxide, lithium hydroxide, ammonium hydroxide, sodium carbonate, potassium carbonate, lithium carbonate, calcium carbonate, and magnesium carbonate.
13. The method of claim 2, wherein a deicing agent is added to the mixture of organic acid salts.
14. The method of claim 13, wherein the deicing agent is selected from the group consisting of: sodium chloride, magnesium chloride, sodium acetate, potassium acetate, calcium magnesium acetate, and calcium chloride.
15. The method of claim 2, further comprising isolating from the mixture of organic acid salts an organic acid salt.
16. The method of claim 15, wherein the isolated organic acid salt is a glucaric acid salt.
17. The method of claim 15, wherein a deicing agent is added to the isolated organic acid salt.
18. The method of claim 15, wherein a deicing agent is added to the mixture of organic acid salts after isolating from the mixture of organic acid salts an organic acid salt.
19. The method of claim 17, wherein the deicing agent is selected from the group consisting of: sodium chloride, magnesium chloride, sodium acetate, potassium acetate, calcium magnesium acetate, and calcium chloride.
20. The method of claim 18, wherein the deicing agent is selected from the group consisting of: sodium chloride, magnesium chloride, sodium acetate, potassium acetate, calcium magnesium acetate, and calcium chloride.
21. The method of claim 2, further comprising isolating the mixture of organic acid salts as an amorphous solid.
22. The method of claim 21, further comprising:
dissolving at least a portion of the amorphous solid in a solution;
precipitating a solid precipitate from the solution, the solid precipitate comprising one or more hydroxycarboxylic acid salts; and
recovering the solid precipitate.
23. The method of claim 21, wherein a deicing agent is added to the amorphous solid.
24. The method of claim 22, wherein a deicing agent is added to the recovered solid precipitate.
25. The method of claim 23, wherein the deicing agent is selected from the group consisting of: sodium chloride, magnesium chloride, sodium acetate, potassium acetate, calcium magnesium acetate, and calcium chloride.
26. The method of claim 24, wherein the deicing agent is selected from the group consisting of: sodium chloride, magnesium chloride, sodium acetate, potassium acetate, calcium magnesium acetate, and calcium chloride.