Abstract: A swim fin provided with a canal-like member for conveying and controlling the fluid flow produced during each swimming stroke. The fin comprises at least at the central portion of its blade a section which, by dynamical deformation, gives rise to a canal-like fluid flow conveying member on that side of the fin opposed to the side under active stroke. The canal-like member is inverted as soon as the swimming stroke is reversed, so as to perform its fluid flow conveying action during both swimming strokes.

Abstract: A swim fin provided with a canal-like member for conveying and controlling the fluid flow produced during each swimming stroke. The fin comprises at least at the central portion of its blade a section which, by dynamical deformation, gives rise to a canal-like fluid flow conveying member on that side of the fin opposed to the side under active stroke. The canal-like member is inverted as soon as the swimming stroke is reversed, so as to perform its fluid flow conveying action during both swimming strokes.

Abstract: A knife is provided for a tobacco cutting machine and comprises a plate having one surface bevelled to produce a cutting edge and a plurality of grooves formed at right angles to the cutting edge in the surface of the knife which is not bevelled thereby providing a crenellated cutting edge having alternate leading and trailing cutting edges. The groove sare spaced apart in such manner that the width of each leading cutting edge is small enough so that during cutting the induced strain on the cut strand in the region of each leading cutting edge is greater than 0.4.

Abstract: An apparatus for filling and handling bags with tobacco comprises (a) an intermittently rotatable turret having a plurality of stations for sequential indexing, (b) a pair of chambers at each station for receiving measured portions of tobacco to be packaged as each station is indexed at a delivery position, (c) a hopper for supplying the measured portions of tobacco to said chambers, (d) movable plates at each station for compressing the portions of tobacco within the chambers, (e) arms for receiving and clamping a pair of bags at each station as each station is indexed at a bag receiving position, and (f) chutes for discharging the compressed portions from the chambers into the bags in pairs as each station is indexed at a tobacco transfer position.Each chamber is defined by a base plate and movable jaws disposed vertically and parallel to each other.

Abstract: A packaging machine comprising:(a) an intermittently rotatable pouch filling turret (1) having a plurality of pouch receiving stations;(b) a pouch supplier (4);(c) a pouch transfer unit (5) for taking empty pouches in sequence or in pairs from said pouch supplier and delivering the pouches in pairs to a first receiving position to the filling turret;(d) means (2,3) for supplying material to be packaged in measured portions to said turret at a second receiving position of said turret;(e) means (33) for discharging the measure portions from the turret into said pouches in pairs, and(f) a pouch take-off device (6) for taking off the pairs of filled pouches at a delivery position of said turret.

Abstract: A process for converting cigarette tobacco winnowings into usable form for cigarette making, comprises crushing the winnowings, which have a moisture content compatible with cigarette making, effecting a first sieving operation on the resulting crushed winnowings, and effecting a second sieving operation on the smaller fraction resulting from the first sieving operation to remove particles unsuitable for direct use. Any larger fraction resulting from the first sieving operation may be subjected to cutting and thereafter a third sieving operation.Suitable apparatus for converting cigarette tobacco winnowings having a moisture content compatible with cigarette making into usable form for cigarette making, comprises crushing rollers (11, 12) to which the winnowings are fed, a sieve (18) arranged to receive the crushed winnowings from the crusher, and a second sieve (19) provided to separate the tobacco usable for cigarette making from tobacco dust.

Abstract: A bowling ball return mechanism having a unitary frame structure which is mounted above a lifting track which curves upwards from the end of an underlane bowling ball return track up to the ball storage tray at the approach of the bowling alley. The unitary structure maintains the complete unit including a rotating tire with a compressable surface for positive engagement of an incoming bowling ball for movement up the lifting track, a rotating lifting belt which runs over the tire at one end and a crown pulley at the other for frictionally engaging the ball and moving it up the remaining length of the lifting track, an electric motor with a corresponding drive train for rotating the tire and the lifting belt, and a means for tensioning the lifting belt during its rotation. The unitary frame structure is pivotably mounted over the lifting track such that, upon engagement of the bowling ball by the tire, the structure will move away from its rest position and absorb the momentum of the moving ball.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for controlling the operation of a commercial deep-fryer cooker as used in preparing fried chicken or other food products. The controller (11), according to the invention, has been designed to control essentially all aspects of the cooking process and includes a number of features which enhance the flexibility of the system, allow it to be operated with greater efficiency and provide increased safeguards against accident or machine malfunction.Among the features provided by the invention is the capability of lengthening or shortening or changing the ending temperature of a cooking cycle without changing the overall cooking cycle. This permits fast changes to be made in a cooking cycle, even while it is in progress.The system also provides protection against a power failure by saving essential data relating to an interrupted cooking cycle so that the cycle can be resumed if the power is restored within a prescribed period of time.

Abstract: A sports racquet with a throat piece in which vibrations produced upon impact of a ball on the strung hitting surface are dampened by interposing an elastic dampening device between opposite sides of the throat piece and the otherwise normally abutting inside of each leg of the racquet frame. Another embodiment, with or without a throat piece, provides a nubbed, perforated strip of elastomeric dampening material positioned on the inside of each side of the frame above the racquet throat, so the strings changing direction as they pass through the perforations bear against the protruding nubs which dampens the vibrations propagated along the strings.

Abstract: An adaptor for the positioning of an electric timer which normally plugs directly into a wall socket and hangs in that position. The adaptor allows the timer to rest on a tabletop for easy access while maintaining the necessary electrical connection. The adaptor receives the plug of the wall timer and conforms to the configuration of the rear surface of the timer so that the two units engage to form a unitary type structure. The adaptor and timer can either lay flat on a table or other horizontal surface or be hung on a wall in an accessible location.

Abstract: A tobacco separator is provided for separating light fractions (laminae) from heavy fractions (mid-rib or stem) from threshed tobacco.The separator comprises a separating chamber (10) having an upper first inlet (8) for receiving the material to be separated or classified, and a lower second inlet (9) for receiving a flow of air directed transversely of the material path from the first inlet, a plurality of channels (14-17) are disposed one above the other to receive the tobacco laden air from said inlet, a vertical air passage (20) in communication at its lower end with the lowermost of said channels; and an outlet passage (19) in communication with all said channels.

Abstract: A miniature electromagnetic relay having a magnetic block and at least two sets of stationary electrical contacts. A moveable contact arm having a mounting end positioned in a base and two contact carrying portions extending from the mounting end. The improvement including a center tab portion on the moveable contact arm extending from the mounting end, between the extending contact carrying portions, and at a distance less than said contact carrying portions. The switching of the moveable arm from one set of electrical contacts to the opposite set being caused by the controlled energization of the magnetic block, which engages the tab of the moveable arm, causing closure of both contact carrying portions with the stationary electrical contacts at a lower electromagnetic force requirement and causing a more consistent relay operation.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for attaching leads to the movable armature assembly of a relay or to other movable elements. The apparatus includes a rigid, nonconductive carrier member (41) mounted to the armature of the relay and provided with a plurality of grooves (51) on one end for receipt of the leads (56). The opposite end of the carrier is adapted to receive and support the movable contact arms (59) such that the arms will intersect the grooves. The conductive cover is trimmed away from the ends of the leads to expose the wires which may be welded or otherwise attached to the contact arms. The leads are also firmly attached to the carrier farther back along the leads where the conductive cover remains intact. In operation, as the armature assembly moves up and down during the operation of the relay, the exposed lead wires will be prevented from bending back and forth by the surrounding carrier.

Abstract: An improved power-switching relay especially designed for mounting on printed circuit boards together with a method for manufacturing such a relay. The relay includes a number of features designed to properly position the various relay components relative to one another and to help ensure that they remain in the proper position at all times. To this end, the relay includes a unitary bobbin (22) and stationary contact support header (33) together with means (64) for firmly retaining the stationary contacts (34, 36) and their terminals (63, 73) in place in the header. The relay also provides means to prevent rotation of the armature relative to the movable contact assembly (53, 54) and to prevent rotation of the coil assembly relative to the frame (35). According to a further aspect of the invention, the core and coil assembly is attached to the relay frame by extending the core through the coil assembly and press-fitting the core into an extruded hole (14) in the frame.

Abstract: A breathing tube for underwater activities comprising an elongated tube having a free end and an opposite mouth-receiving end which is attached to the tube to a users underwater mask. The tube is attached to the mask by a tubular sleeve in free slideable engagement with the tube for relative sliding displacement. The sleeve is connected to the mask. The tube is also provided with a stop for preventing disengagement between the sleeve and the tube.

Abstract: A method for the removal of thyroid or steroid hormones from whole human serum which comprises: contacting, at a pressure higher than 1 psi and pH of either 9.0-12.0 (thyroid hormones) or 4.0-6.0 (steroid hormones) the serum with a composite sheet, the composite sheet comprising a matrix of self-bonding fibers having interdispersed therein carbon particles, such that better than 90% of the carbon particles have an average diameter less than about 50 microns; and recovering a whole human serum having substantially undetectable amounts of hormones.

Abstract: Apparatus for opening and pre-conditioning a case or hogshead of tobacco in which the tobacco is a laminated body, comprises a chamber for receiving the laminated tobacco body and device for emitting an air/moisture jet stream in said chamber capable of being reciprocated in a plane parallel to and in close proximity to the tobacco laminae or of being rotated in the plane about an axis normal to the plane to lift one lamina or more progressively from the tobacco body.Additional structure may be provided whereby water may be added to the jet stream and the separated tobacco fed directly to a silo to await cutting without further treatment.

Abstract: A trash compactor system which includes a trash compactor unit, a compaction receptacle and a trash deposit door disposed above the receptacle to enable trash to be desposited in the system. The door is automatically opened when a person approaches the compactor to deposit waste material therein by pressure being applied to a mat switch positioned on the floor adjacent the compactor. The compactor member compacts waste in the receptacle by passing through a compaction cycle. When pressure is removed from the switch, a predetermined time period has elapsed and the waste deposit door is closed, the compaction cycle is initiated. At this time, mechanical locks within the compactor are forced against the door, preventing the door from being opened during the compaction cycle. The mechanical locks are released after the compaction cycle is completed.

Abstract: A telemetry system adapter for connecting a recording station to a telemetry system having a plurality of data acquisition array terminals serially connected together by cables. The adapter may be used to connect the recording station to any array terminal in the telemetry system. At the array terminal to which it is desired to connect the recording station, the cable is disconnected from the array terminal and connected to one connector of the adapter. Another connector of the adapter is connected to the array terminal, and a third connector of the adapter is connected to the recording station. The connectors on the adapter will fit only a respective one of the array terminal connectors, the cable connector or the recording station connector, and therefore cannot be attached incorrectly. The adapter may include an attenuator for balancing data levels and reducing cross-talk interference.

Abstract: The system comprises stationary and removable couplers. The stationary one is mounted in a pipe flange by a thread ending in a stop flange. The stationary coupler is adapted to alternately receive each of a pair of removable couplers, one being adapted to receive the female end fitting of a hose, and the other the male end fitting of a hose.