Abstract: This invention concerns a home knitting machine comprising at least one straight needle bed member provided with grooves slidably receiving the knitting needles, a carriage which is movable on the needle bed member and which is provide with selection units and cam tracks for actuating and displacing the needles of the needle bed member, a programming installation comprising reading means which are electrically connected to the selection units and which are relatively movable with respect to a program card, means for relatively displacing, from one row to the next, the reading means with respect to the program card, mechanical means for connecting the programming installation to the carriage for successive reading of the rows of the program card by the reading means in synchronism with the movement of the carriage, this machine being characterized in that the means for relatively displacing from one row to the next the reading means relative to the program card comprise means for adjusting the pitch of the sca

Abstract: A ladle for receiving molten metal is heated by a direct flame, by applying a lid to the rim of the ladle and directing an air stream through a heat exchanger and through the lid to the ladle, mixing fuel with the air and igniting the mixture and directing the flame into the ladle chamber, and exhausting the gases of combustion from the ladle chamber back through the lid and heat exchanger. A heat shield is mounted adjacent the lid and is sized and shaped to telescopically receive the rim of the ladle, and a ring of air is moved between the heat shield and the rim of the ladle to an air pickup ring. The ring of air blocks the gases escaping from inside the ladle through any openings between the ladle rim and the lid, the heat shield blocks heat radiation from any such openings, and the ring of moving air cools the heat shield.

Abstract: Dome-shaped shoulder pad discs are placed in face-to-face overlying relationship and loaded in segmented carriers of a surface conveyor system. Each carrier moves its shoulder pad discs to a first station where the material is cut between the segments of the carrier and formed into a leading stack of shoulder pads, a following stack of shoulder pads, and an intermediate stack of waste material. The carrier is moved to a second station where the intermediate stack of waste material is pushed downwardly between the segments of the carrier and ejected. The leading segment of the carrier is moved to a third station where the leading stack of shoulder pads is picked from the leading segment of the carrier and moved to a stacker, and then the following segment of the carrier is moved to the third station where its stack of shoulder pads is picked from the following segment of the carrier and moved to the stacker. The stacker forms the shoulder pads in a vertical stack.

Abstract: As a series of birds are conveyed in a suspended, inverted attitude through a poultry processing plant the neck of each bird is received in a rotating helical rotor formed by a pair of helical bars arranged in overlapping, coaxial relationship and which form a helical path therebetween. The helical rotor is rotated in timed relationship with respect to the bird conveyor so as to progressively grasp and move the heads of the birds with the conveyor. The feathers at the neck of each bird are wiped across the length of the neck, and the jugular vein of each bird is severed without severing the spinal cord or trachea of the bird.

Abstract: A cask for containing spent nuclear fuel during transport. The cask has a pair of multiple element trunnions disposed on opposite sides of the cask adjacent the top thereof. The multiple elements of the trunnions provide separate and independent load paths for lifting the cask. The trunnions are removable and disassemblable to permit inspection of each element. Disposed on the ends of the cask are convex impact limiters for reducing forces applied to the cask in a collision. Apparatus engageable with the trunnions for lifting the cask thereby comprise a pair of multiple element laminated plates engageable with a crane hook. A pair of multiple element straps have ends selectively engageable with the plates and ends selectively engageable with the trunnions of the cask.

Abstract: A firearm having over and under double barrels in a side break arrangement which could be utilized for shotgun, rifle or handgun. A hinge arrangement for the double barrels comprises a cylindrical portion of the hinge on a main frame which detachably mounts to the other portion of the hinge which is part of a mounting bracket that detachably mounts on the barrels. A cocking lever is operated by barrel motion to move a cocking plate with retracts two separate and independent firing pins that are latched into place for selective release by a single trigger operated successively twice. A safety device includes a shifting lever which is automatically operated upon cocking or opening interposed selectively against the trigger to prevent accidental firing.

Abstract: The gizzard with crop and other viscera attached thereto are retrieved from a cavity of a bird on an overhead conveyor system, and with viscera hanging from the gizzard, the gizzard is moved over a cutter whose elements define an open ended cutting path which severs the viscera from the gizzard. The gizzard is placed on a double chain conveyor with its opening facing rearwardly, and the conveyor carries the gizzard to a cutter which cuts through from the rounded end toward the opening of the gizzard and urges any hard objects in the gizzard toward the opening of the gizzard. The gizzard is placed on a pair of counter rotating helical toothed peeler rolls with a gap formed in the teeth of at least one of the rolls along at least some of the length of the roll, and a flow of air is induced between the rolls to urge the gizzard in contact with the rolls.

Abstract: A decision making control circuit responsive to a digital data stream. A control output is provided in response to detection of a predetermined number of successive digital words in the data stream representing numbers having a magnitude greater than a threshold magnitude. Once the control output is provided, a predetermined number of successive words in the data stream must have a magnitude less than the threshold magnitude to terminate the control output.

Abstract: An automobile alarm comprising a pair of self latching relay devices one or the other of which, but not both, must operate within a predetermined time after turning the ignition switch on or hot wiring around the switch. The depression of the horn ring within the predetermined time disables the alarm and connects the normal circuits of the car for normal operation. The failure to depress the horn ring within the predetermined time latches the horn or an auxiliary alarm device on and prevents starting of the car. A timing device for unlatching the horn after a predetermined alarm time is also shown.

Abstract: A system for recording or transcribing dictation including means for selectively placing any one of a plurality of recording media, such as tape cassettes, in a position for recording or transcribing dictation on the media, a means for displaying parameters of the dictation recorded on the particular medium in the recording or transcribing position, a means for storing the parameters of dictation on said medium when it is removed from the recording or transcribing position, and a means for again displaying the stored parameters when said medium is returned to the recording or transcribing position. Disclosed embodiments of the storage and display means include a mechanical means, an electrical means utilizing a separate memory for each recording medium, and an electrical means utilizing an addressable memory having particular memory locations for each recording medium.

Abstract: The data transfer for cranial computerized tomography images is substantially form-fitting and dome-shaped. First and second groups of elongated depth markers are positioned in front and in back, diametrically across from each other, and each depth marker extends from the peripheral edge of the cap toward the apex of the cap, the markers are positioned parallel to one another and each marker is graduated in length and terminates at its upper end in an enlargement. A plurality of longitudinal or circumferential markers are positioned between the first and second groups of depth markers and also extend from the peripheral edge of the cap toward the apex of the cap.

Abstract: The invention relates to an artificial fish-gathering reef constructed with square bar materials and plate materials, the plate materials are alternately piled on the bar materials in a manner to provide open rooms for fish-swimming space.

Abstract: Baby chicks are loaded in an open top container 32 and the container is moved into an open ended cabinet 18. In response to the movement of the container into the cabinet, a dose of vaccine is drawn from a supply 56 and delivered to a pressure chamber 41, and in response to the delivery of the dose of vaccine to the pressure chamber, air pressure is also delivered to the pressure chamber so as to eject the dose of vaccine from the pressure chamber and through at least one nozzle 42 supported in the upper portion of the cabinet. The spray ejected from the nozzle is of a droplet size large enough to fall onto the chicks in the container substantially without remaining airborne long enough to be inhaled by the chicks.

Abstract: The storage and display elevator includes a series of movable shelves or platforms suspended from a pair of continuous chains, with the chains extending about upper and lower pairs of sprocket wheels. At least one upper guide sprocket is rotatably supported beneath one of the upper sprocket wheels, and a similar lower guide sprocket is rotatably supported beneath one of the lower sprocket wheels, and a lower portion of each storage and display platform engages the teeth of the guide sprockets as the platforms move about the peripheries of the sprocket wheels, from the front to the rear, or from the rear to the front of the flights of the chains. Vertical cam tracks extend parallel to the flights of the chains, and cam followers engage the vertical cam tracks during vertical movement and engage the teeth of the guide sprockets during arcuate movement from a front to a rear flight or from a rear to a front flight.

Abstract: This invention relates to the means of continuously seam-welding the areas to be joined together of steel strips formed like tubes in the production of hot-dip metal-coated steel tubes from steel strips in a continuous supply. This seam welding device is capable of manufacturing electric seam-welded tubes with high efficiency and operational safety.