Abstract: Disclosed is a pneumatic conveyor system for powder. The conveyor system includes a powder feeder, a bent pipe, a transport pipe, a first air supply nozzle connected to an upper pipe member of the bent pipe, and a second air supply nozzle connected to a curved pipe member of the bent pipe oppositely to the lower end opening of a converging pipe portion of the curved pipe member. Alternate supply of air from the first and second air supply nozzles to the bent pipe is effected intermittently at a predetermined interval of time, so that the power is compacted and formed into a lump of clean powder plug.

Abstract: A device for loading containers that are open or can be vented, containers for fine particulate materials, said device being part of a pneumatic conveyance system, in particular such a system using dense layer transportation, where the said device comprises essentially a tube-shaped casing, a lifting element, a closing element and a lifting rod which connects the lifting and closing elements and enables the distance between these elements to be varied. The combined weight of the part of the lifting element, that can be moved in the axial direction (A), the closing element and the lifting rod is greater than the elastic force of the lifting element but is smaller than the product of the difference between areas (F.sub.H) and (F.sub.M) and the positive pressure in the supply line acting on the lifting element. The distance (h) of the closing element from the lower edge of the casing is smaller than the stroke of the lifting element.

Abstract: A fire extinguishing system for a cookstove or range includes a fire extinguisher mounted above a hood positioned over the cookstove or range. The fire extinguisher is connected to a pair of nozzles within the hood to dispense fire suppressant over the cookstove or range. The fire extinguisher includes an operator normally biased to the operable position but held in the inoperable position by a cable having a plurality of fusible links distributed therein. The cable is held in tension adjacent the inner periphery of the hood. Upon the occurrence of a fire, at least one of the links separates, releasing the cable and allowing the operator to move to the operating position whereby the fire extinguisher releases the fire suppressant.

Abstract: A plenum chamber for an air slide conveyer is provided with two air chambers one within the other. The inner chamber communicates with a medial strip of the membrane which separates the chambers from the rest of the duct through which the material passes when fluidized by air from the plenum chamber. The central air duct also serves to support the membrane which is drawn over it and then clamped between the two halves of the duct. The supply of air to either the outer or inner chamber may be separately shut off. The lower half may be removed as a unit for repair or replacement of the membrane. A novel seal is provided for preventing the edges of the membrane from becoming wet and acting as a wick to moisten and clog the central portions of the membrane.

Abstract: A floatable water craft which includes a first relatively large doughnut-shaped inner tube and a pair of second and third doughnut-shaped inner tubes. The inner tubes are preferably inflated with air although they may be filled with a foam material for adding additional buoyancy thereto. A frame is carried by the large inner tube and the frame includes an elongated longitudinal support member resting on diametrically opposite sides of the inner tube and a lateral cross support having opposite end portions resting on opposite sides of the first inner tube adjacent the longitudinal axis defined by the longitudinal support member. The ends of the lateral cross member hold the outrigger arms and include apparatus for mounting the second and third inner tube thereto for stabilizing the craft as per conventional outrigger devices. The apparatus may include an electric motor driven power drive unit and a steering device therefore.

Abstract: A wingsail arrangement comprises a thrust wing having an upright leading airfoil having a leading edge and a trailing edge and an upright trailing airfoil having a leading edge and a trailing edge. The leading edge of the trailing airfoil is positioned closely behind the trailing edge of the leading airfoil. The trailing airfoil is mounted for pivoting movement about an upright axis relative to the leading airfoil from an aligned position in which the trailing airfoil is aligned with the leading airfoil to positions to each side of and angularly displaced from that aligned position. A slat has a leading edge and a trailing edge and is pivoted at its leading edge to the trailing edge of the leading airfoil and connected to the leading edge of the trailing airfoil by at least one cable so as to be moved in response to pivoting movement of the trailing airfoil to form a linear nozzle when the trailing airfoil is angularly displaced from the aligned position.

Abstract: In accordance with the present invention there is provided an escutcheon assembly which includes a skirt member adjustably carried by a drop line cover for adjustment of the skirt member against the ceiling panel. The drop line cover comprises an open-ended cylinder which defines a pair of articulated members which are movable with respect to each other between an open and a closed position for placement or removal of the drop line cover from a drop line without interrupting the integrity of the system.

Abstract: The present invention provides a service buoy for performing direct wireline maintenance of a subsea well. The buoy is maintained in position over the well by a rigid riser kept under tension and which allows for the well re-entry. The primary buoyant body of the buoy is maintained permanently submerged and a truss structure presenting the minimum surface area to the action of wind and waves extends above the sea level to support a small deck from which the wireline work can be performed. The centers of gravity and buoyancy for the buoy are in close proximity so as to minimize lateral surge and sway motions of the installed buoy.

Abstract: A catamaran-type air cushion craft has two floats (211) arranged spaced apart parallel to one another which are connected together at the top by a connecting structure which carries built-in structures and which is sealed at the bottom by an air-tight transverse deck (216). The connecting structure includes at least two double transverse trussed girders (217) arranged spaced apart behind one another, which at least partially contain transverse hollow cavities (212) for passageways and line accomodating hollow cavities (213, 213'), with containers (214) and longitudinal passage and supply elements (215) being mounted at the front and/or rear sides of the double transverse trussed girders.

Abstract: A sailboard has a hull (10) which is of smooth rounded elongated shape of little depth and tapers down in width and in depth from its middle region to its ends. The hull has an overall length from to five times its width and has an enclosed air passage along its underside extending longitudinally for at least a part of its length from a front air inlet opening (14) to a rear air outlet opening (16).

Abstract: A slurry of liquified gas such as carbon dioxide and finely pulverized coal particles is provided in a mixing chamber and discharged from the chamber into a pipeline for conveyance to a power plant. During discharge from the mixing chamber pressurized gas at a sufficiently high pressure is injected above the slurry mix to maintain adequate pressure during discharge and prevent cavitation at the inlet port of a pump employed in the pipeline. The slurry is depressurized at the downstream end of the pipeline by movement through a pressure reducer so that it is decompressed non-adiabatically and the coal and gas particles are separated. The gas remains at a low temperature and is passed in heat exchange relationship with cooling water from the power plant cooling tower to lower the temperature of same and consequently increase the efficiency of the power plant.

Abstract: An apparatus for producing a solid aerosol from a heap, with a solids container, a feed piston, a rotary brush, an air intake and an outlet passage. To improve the constancy of the particle output the outlet passage has a non-increasing cross-section over a length thereof, with an increasing depth. In addition, in the outlet path of the solid aerosol it is possible to provide a light detector, which is connected by a regulating device to a drive of the piston.

Abstract: Disclosed is a car coupling hood device including a pair of hoods provided between a pair of car bodies to be coupled together, each of the hoods having one end secured to an adjacent car body, and an intermediate frame for coupling the other ends of the hoods together. The hood device incorporates a plate member coupled to the intermediate frame and provided in either the ceiling portion or the bottom portion of the hood device, or in both portions, and regulating means for preventing the movement of the plate member by the engagement therewith when both the car bodies are displaced relative to each other in the lateral direction thereof by more than a predetermined value.

Abstract: A component layout for a small boat that improves the balance by positioning all of the heavy components in close proximity to the center of the watercraft with the engine being positioned substantially at the watercraft center of gravity.

Abstract: An apparatus for metering and singulating electronic devices such as integrated circuits that are arrayed initially in a column. A support member positioned over one end of the column has a plurality of spaced apart coil springs that extend radially to engage a leading one of the devices. The support member rotates at a constant rate to carry one or more of the springs into engagement with the leading device, upon further rotation deflect the spring to store energy, and upon still further rotation, cause the spring or springs to snap back to their initial radial orientation thereby accelerating the leading device to separate it from the column.

Abstract: The invention provides an efficient method for controlling the flow rate of a particulate material through a pneumatic transportation pipe at a preset value with a high accuracy and rapid response to an external disturbance added to the system by controlling the flow rate of the booster gas. Different from conventional methods in which the flow rate of the booster gas is controlled with the feedforward factor of the variation in the actual flow rate of the particulate material, the inventive method utilizes the variation in the pressure in the receiving unit as the feedback to control the flow rate of the booster gas so that the above mentioned advantages are obtained in the accuracy of control and rapidness of the response to an external disturbance.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for the metered introduction of fine-grain materials, particularly pulverulent solid substances (i.e., coal dust) from a pressurized metering container which contains a supply of solid material, into an industrial furnace having a plurality of feed locations such as a blast furnace or cupola furnace is presented. The solid material is fed to the individual feed locations in a carrier gas stream through a conveying duct, the gas stream being highly charged with the solid material. The carrier gas is fed to the lower end section of the metering container in a flow which causes a local loosening in the lower section of the supply of solid material with the conveying ducts opening into the loosening region. The apparatus includes a metering container, which is designed as a pressure vessel and which is adapted to be filled at its upper end section with solid material to be fed to the furnace. The metering container includes at its lower end section a plurality of upwardly open chambers.

Abstract: A fast response sprinkler head. The sprinkler head includes a frame having a base portion connected to a source of water under pressure and a pair of arms extended outwardly from the base and are connected at a junction. A cap normally encloses the outlet in the base and a lever assembly, which extends between the junction and the cap, holds the cap in the closed position. The lever assembly includes a pair of lever members, with one of the lever members being biased in a direction away from the other lever member. A fusible link assembly interconnects the lever members and includes a pair of thin metal sheets that are joined together by a layer of fusible metal or solder. Each sheet is formed with a recess in one side edge and the recesses face each other to define an opening which receives the lever member. The corners of each sheet are bent generally normal to the sheet to provide fins or tabs.

Abstract: The individual submarine diving equipment comprises a breathing module (MR) and a propulsion module (MP) which modules are separable, the propulsing module being releasable as desired. The equipment is a self-contained propulsion and breathing apparatus of a weight at the most equal to the weight of a conventional so-called "bi-steel" diving suit while retaining a breathing autonomy at least equal to that of the diving suit. The invention is generally applicable to nautical equipments.

Abstract: A swim fin adapted to be used in the swimming or walking mode having a foot engaging portion adapted to be worn by a user and a two-part fin formed of an inner portion and outer portion which are connected to each other and rotatable with respect to each other using a suitable hinge assembly so that the outer portion may be folded on top of or under the foot wearing portion to facilitate walking and to enable the outer portion to be extended to facilitate swimming. Suitable locks are provided to maintain the fin portions in the extended or folded positions.