Abstract: Apparatus for dispensing a liquid beverage concentrate comprises a concente reservoir, a resilient dispensing tube having one end in communication with the reservoir via a non-return valve opening into the tube and having an opposite dispensing end provided with a non-return valve opening outwardly, and a pressure fluid device for squeezing a portion of the dispensing tube so as to force a quantity of concentrate through the dispensing end of the tube, the pressure fluid device including a deformable sleeve loosely fitting over the tube and separating the tube from the pressure fluid.

Abstract: A system for analyzing and cutting tobacco leaves for cigar wrappers in wh each leaf is conveyed to a scanner which scans discrete areas in parallel lines to produce sequences of digital signals, each sequence representing a line and each signal indicating the presence or absence of a hole. The signals of each line, after a delay, are superimposed and the composite signal checked to ascertain if one or more hole free parallelograms of at least one given size can be cut from the leaf. After scanning the leaf is conveyed to another location and cut.

Abstract: Continuous counter current multistage process for freeze concentration, iuding a step whereby the ice crystals in the first stage are separated from the mother liquor in a final separation step, the ice crystals being rejected and the mother liquor from the last stage recovered as a product, whereby in a stage of said process ice crystals are introduced, said ice crystals having a larger medium size than the crystals in said stage formed without said introduction of said ice crystals.

Abstract: Apparatus for dispensing a liquid beverage concentrate comprises a concente reservoir, a resilient dispensing tube having one end in communication with the reservoir via a non-return valve opening into the tube and having an opposite dispensing end provided with a non-return valve opening outwardly, and a pressure fluid device for squeezing a portion of the dispensing tube so as to force a quantity of concentrate through the dispensing end of the tube, the pressure fluid device including a deformable sleeve loosely fitting over the tube and separating the tube from the pressure fluid.

Abstract: Process for separating the ice crystals contained in a slurry of an aqueous solution and ice crystals from the aqueous solution and washing the ice crystals with an aqueous wash liquid, whereby a packed bed of ice crystals is created which is subjected to a continuous translatory movement, while a washfront is being created within the packed bed of ice crystals between the aqueous solution and the aqueous wash liquid, the aqueous solution and the aqueous wash liquid adjacent to the washfront being substantially stagnant, a stable washfront being created lying in a plane perpendicular to the translatory movement of the packed bed of ice crystals.

Abstract: A process and apparatus are described for separating crystallizable mater from a liquid multi-component system involving a series of cycles wherein (a) the liquid is confined in a space having a large heat exchange surface; (b) heat is withdrawn from said surface to crystallize at least part of said material; (c) the crystallizable material is removed; (d) the crystallized material so removed is sub-divided; and (e) the resulting product is treated to separate the crystallized material from the rest of the multi-component system.