Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments of a food press that utilizes mechanical devices, such as lever arms, inclined planes, cams, and/or rollers to increase the force applied to food by a ratio of two to one or more in comparison to the force applied by a human operator to the device. High compression forces are particularly important when working with low fat foods such as low-fat hamburger, game meat, flaked or ground fish or ground vegetable products. The various embodiment of food presses described and disclosed herein may also be used to produce stuffed food products.

Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments of a food press that utilizes mechanical devices, such as lever arms, inclined planes, cams, and/or rollers to increase the force applied to food by a ratio of two to one or more in comparison to the force applied by a human operator to the device. High compression forces are particularly important when working with low fat foods such as low-fat hamburger, game meat, flaked or ground fish or ground vegetable products. The various embodiment of food presses described and disclosed herein may also be used to produce stuffed food products.

Abstract: A buoyancy control system comprises a housing, first and second pistons, and a source of pressurized air. The pistons are coaxially aligned and are supported by the housing such that movement of the pistons changes a volume of a control chamber. In a shallow mode, fluid flows from the source of pressurized fluid to the first piston such that the pressurized fluid displaces the first piston to alter the volume of the control chamber and thus a buoyancy of the buoyancy control system. In a deep mode, fluid flows from the source of pressurized fluid to the first and second pistons such that the pressurized fluid displaces both of the first and second pistons to alter the volume of the control chamber and thus the buoyancy of the buoyancy control system.

Abstract: A system for displacing a floating object comprising a jaw assembly and at least one latch assembly. The jaw assembly supports the latch assembly such that, when the latch assembly is in a latched configuration, the latch assembly maintains the jaw assembly in an open configuration and, when the jaw assembly is in the open configuration, the at least one jaw assembly defines a jaw gap through which the floating object may pass. The latch assembly is adapted to engage the floating object when the floating object has passed through the jaw gap such that the latch assembly is placed from the latched position into the unlatched position to allow the jaw assembly to move from the open configuration into the closed configuration. The jaw assembly is adapted to engage the floating object when in the closed configuration.

Abstract: A buoyancy control system comprises a housing and first and second pistons movably supported by the housing. In a shallow mode, displacement of the first piston alters a buoyancy of the buoyancy control system. In a deep mode, displacement of the first and second pistons alters the buoyancy of the buoyancy control system.

Abstract: A system for displacing a floating object comprising a jaw assembly and at least one latch assembly. The jaw assembly supports the latch assembly such that, when the latch assembly is in a latched configuration, the latch assembly maintains the jaw assembly in an open configuration and, when the jaw assembly is in the open configuration, the at least one jaw assembly defines a jaw gap through which the floating object may pass. The latch assembly is adapted to engage the floating object when the floating object has passed through the jaw gap such that the latch assembly is placed from the latched position into the unlatched position to allow the jaw assembly to move from the open configuration into the closed configuration. The jaw assembly is adapted to engage the floating object when in the closed configuration.

Abstract: A buoyancy control system for a submersible object submerged in an ambient fluid, comprising a piston housing, a piston member, a pump, control fluid, and working fluid. The piston housing is supported by the submersible object. The piston member defines a piston portion and a shaft portion. The piston member is supported within the piston housing such that the piston portion and the piston housing define a control chamber and an ambient chamber and the shaft portion and the piston housing define a working chamber. The pump is operatively connected to the working chamber. The control fluid is arranged within the control chamber. At least a portion of the working fluid is arranged within the working chamber. Operation of the pump displaces working fluid within the working chamber to displace the piston member to alter a volume of the control chamber.

Abstract: A buoyancy control system for a submersible object submerged in an ambient fluid, comprising a piston housing, a piston member, a pump, control fluid, and working fluid. The piston housing is supported by the submersible object. The piston member defines a piston portion and a shaft portion. The piston member is supported within the piston housing such that the piston portion and the piston housing define a control chamber and an ambient chamber and the shaft portion and the piston housing define a working chamber. The pump is operatively connected to the working chamber. The control fluid is arranged within the control chamber. At least a portion of the working fluid is arranged within the working chamber. Operation of the pump displaces working fluid within the working chamber to displace the piston member to alter a volume of the control chamber.

Abstract: A type of passive magnetic bearing that provides for both positive radial stiffness and significant levels of passive radial damping. Axial damping and axial forces can also be generated with minor modifications to the basic configuration. The bearing is comprised of a series of magnet, damping, and rigid non-magnetic elements essentially defining a laminated or composite structure. The damping material is directly mounted between the magnets and a rigid material, resulting in constrained layer damping. The range of motion of these floating, or soft mounted, magnets may also be restricted to generate higher stiffness in response to large vibrations.

Abstract: A type of passive magnetic bearing that provides for both positive radial stiffness and significant levels of passive radial damping. Axial damping and axial forces can also be generated with minor modifications to the basic configuration. The bearing is comprised of a series of magnet, damping, and rigid non-magnetic elements essentially defining a laminated or composite structure. The damping material is directly mounted between the magnets and a rigid material, resulting in constrained layer damping. The range of motion of these floating, or soft mounted, magnets may also be restricted to generate higher stiffness in response to large vibrations.

Abstract: A flux position sensor for magnetic bearings applications is provided by creating a secondary, or shunt, flux path in parallel with a main flux path of a magnetic bearing. The secondary flux path is formed such that a small amount of bearing magnetic flux is shunted from the main path into the secondary path. The amount of shunted flux varies in a known relationship with the flux density and/or the position of the element being supported by the bearing. By quantifying the amount of shunted flux, using any number of conventional methods, the position of the supported element can be determined. Therefore, the flux position sensor forms an integral part of a closed loop control system for an active magnetic bearing. The same sensor can be used simply for measuring flux density in a magnetic bearing or other device.

Abstract: A magnetic bearing that uses a stator element comprised of four poles, one per quadrant. These poles are separated by slots, that are occupied by coils. The poles and coils are structured such that the flux generated by the coils traverses paths in which all flux passes through gaps in two orthogonal axes. In the preferred embodiment, the poles are each formed as a separate section. Coils are then placed on the poles and the poles assembled to form the stator assembly.

Abstract: A bearing monitor for use with a canned motor pump having a wound stator and a rotor drivably coupled to an impeller, the rotor being mounted on radial journal bearings and axial thrust bearings within a containment can comprises a first and a second target embedded in an outer periphery of the rotor in axial proximity to a first and a second end of the rotor. The monitor includes a plurality of sensors mounted external to the containment can in axial proximity to each of the two targets and radially displaced approximately equally around the periphery of the containment can. A plurality of magnetic field generators create local magnetic fields coupled through the containment can, process fluid, rotor, and at least a portion of one target to one of the sensors. In response to each field, each sensor generates an output signal which varies as a result in a change in the magnetic circuit reluctance caused by bearing wear.

Abstract: A passive magnetic bearing suspension system for rotatable or translatable applications. Such bearings systems contain subsystems acting in mutually perpendicular directions to produce an overall system that is statically and dynamically stable. Further, these bearings can be constructed entirely of ring, disk, and/or bar-shaped magnets that are axially magnetized. This reduces the manufacturing difficulties associated with previous systems that required conical magnets and/or radial magnetization.