Abstract: A system and method for handling live poultry by means of transporting units including a quadrangular supporting frame and a plurality of drawer-type cages arranged in a superimposed and extractable condition within the supporting frame. The supporting frame of the transporting unit is devoid of a lower pallet, and is manipulable by means of a lifting truck that is provided with a roller platform for moving the transporting unit.

Abstract: Washing of the supporting frames of units for transporting live poultry from the breeding farm to the slaughterhouse is carried out, following upon extraction of the drawer-type cages containing the poultry, after positioning the supporting frame in a condition where it is rotated through 90° with respect to the transport configuration. Washing is carried out via a network of tubes and spray nozzles that can be displaced vertically from a raised, inoperative, position to a lowered, washing, position, where said network sets itself around the rotated supporting frame. After the supporting frame has been washed, it is repositioned in the transport configuration.

Abstract: A method for stunning poultry in a slaughterhouse by means of supplying a stunning gas into a closed chamber wherein the poultry is advanced through a plurality of successive ambients between an inlet, wherein the stunning gas concentration is at a minimum, and an outlet, at which the stunning gas concentration is at a maximum. The stunning gas concentration increases progressively from each ambient to the successive ambient, initially with a minimum increase rate and thereafter with a higher increase rate up to the maximum concentration.

Abstract: A transporting unit for live poultry including a quadrangular supporting frame and a plurality of drawer-type cages open at the top, arranged in a superimposed condition in the frame and slidably displaceable outwards through a first side of the supporting frame, in a partially extracted condition to enable loading of the poultry from a site located at a second side of the frame from the lowermost drawer kept inserted within the frame. The frame is configured to enable simultaneous loading of the poultry into each drawer-type cage from an additional site located at a third side of the supporting frame which is opposite to the second side.

Abstract: A plant for handling live poultry in a slaughterhouse, wherein the poultry is sent to the slaughterhouse inside transport units that include two piles set side by side of drawer type cages arranged on top of one another carried by supporting frames in such a way that they can be slid in and slid out. The plant includes an input station for input of the transport units where all the drawer-type cages of both of the piles are simultaneously extracted from each supporting frame.

Abstract: A method of controlling a vehicle equipped with an internal-combustion engine with a “stop and start” system. The method provides, during vehicle running, for learning the “duty cycle” values associated with the odd gears and even gears, determining the “maximum duty cycle” value for the odd gears and “minimum duty cycle” value for the even gears, determining a duty-cycle band to which the “neutral gear” condition corresponds on the basis of the “minimum duty cycle” value for the even gears and “maximum duty cycle” value for the odd gears, and controlling the “stop and start” system on the basis of the duty-cycle band to which the “neutral gear” condition corresponds.

Abstract: A method of controlling a vehicle equipped with an internal-combustion engine with a “stop and start” system. The method provides, during vehicle running, for learning the “duty cycle” values associated with the odd gears and even gears, determining the “maximum duty cycle” value for the odd gears and “minimum duty cycle” value for the even gears, determining a duty-cycle band to which the “neutral gear” condition corresponds on the basis of the “minimum duty cycle” value for the even gears and “maximum duty cycle” value for the odd gears, and controlling the “stop and start” system on the basis of the duty-cycle band to which the “neutral gear” condition corresponds.

Abstract: A transporting unit for live poultry on board a truck includes a supporting frame and a plurality of drawer-type cages having a lateral wall without aeration openings and intended to be selectively positioned at one side or the opposite side of the supporting frame, depending on the climatic and environmental transport conditions. The drawer-type cages are arranged in a single pile or in two adjacent piles, and in both cases the arrangement is such to be able to occupy the entire width of the loading deck of a truck.

Abstract: A method of determining opening of an intake valve of an internal combustion engine, the method including the steps of: determining the time pattern of an intake pressure in an intake manifold of the internal combustion engine, the time pattern of the rotation speed of a drive shaft of the internal combustion engine, or the time pattern of a voltage at the terminals of a battery of the internal combustion engine; determining an intake-frequency component of the intake pressure, the rotation speed, or the voltage; and determining opening of the intake valve as a function of the intake-frequency component of the intake pressure, and also as a function of the intake-frequency component of the rotation speed or voltage.

Abstract: A transporting unit for live poultry on board a truck includes a supporting frame and a plurality of drawer-type cages having a lateral wall without aeration openings and intended to be selectively positioned at one side or the opposite side of the supporting frame, depending on the climatic and environmental transport conditions. The drawer-type cages are arranged in a single pile or in two adjacent piles, and in both cases the arrangement is such to be able to occupy the entire width of the loading deck of a truck.

Abstract: An acquisition system for detecting the angular position of a gas knob of a motorcycle; the acquisition system is provided with: a fixed supporting body; a mobile element, which is mounted mobile in the supporting body; a transmission device, mechanically connected to the gas knob and to the mobile element for transmitting the motion from the gas knob to the mobile element itself; and a main position sensor, which is carried by the supporting body, is coupled to the mobile element for determining the angular position of the mobile element, and is designed to provide two mutually redundant measurements of the angular position of the mobile element.

Abstract: A method of determining opening of an intake valve of an internal combustion engine, the method including the steps of: determining the time pattern of an intake pressure in an intake manifold of the internal combustion engine, the time pattern of the rotation speed of a drive shaft of the internal combustion engine, or the time pattern of a voltage at the terminals of a battery of the internal combustion engine; determining an intake-frequency component of the intake pressure, the rotation speed, or the voltage; and determining opening of the intake valve as a function of the intake-frequency component of the intake pressure, and also as a function of the intake-frequency component of the rotation speed or voltage.

Abstract: A method for detecting the angular position of a gas knob of a motorcycle; the method presents the steps of: detecting simultaneously four mutually redundant measurements of the angular position of the gas knob by means of two mutually independent angular-position sensors forming part of an acquisition system; making a cross comparison two by two between the four measurements for diagnosing any possible malfunctioning of the angular-position sensors; and determining the angular position of the gas knob, using at least one measurement supplied by an angular-position sensor operating properly.

Abstract: A control method of a fuel feeding system in a bi-fuel internal combustion engine; the feeding system presents: a least a first injector adapted to inject a first fuel type; a least a second injector adapted to inject a second fuel type; a common electronic control unit adapted to drive both injectors; and a switching device, which is controlled by the common electronic control unit and is adapted to electrically connect both injectors to the common electronic control unit by means of at least a first relay adapted to connect/disconnect the first injector to/from the common electronic control unit and by means of at least a second relay adapted to connect/disconnect the second injector to/from the common electronic control unit.

Abstract: An acquisition system for detecting the angular position of a gas knob of a motorcycle; the acquisition system is provided with: a fixed supporting body; a mobile element, which is mounted mobile in the supporting body; a transmission device, mechanically connected to the gas knob and to the mobile element for transmitting the motion from the gas knob to the mobile element itself; and a main position sensor, which is carried by the supporting body, is coupled to the mobile element for determining the angular position of the mobile element, and is designed to provide two mutually redundant measurements of the angular position of the mobile element.

Abstract: A fuel volatility recognition method during the post-cranking step of an internal combustion engine; the recognition method contemplates the steps of: starting the internal combustion engine; adjusting the enrichment of the mixture burnt in the cylinders of the internal combustion engine according to a previously determined historic fuel volatility value; detecting the time evolution of the angular speed of a crankshaft of the internal combustion engine during the post-cranking step; determining the noise contained in the angular speed of the crankshaft by filtering the angular speed itself by means of a high-pass filter; comparing the noise contained in the angular speed of the crankshaft against at least one predetermined threshold value; and recognizing the fuel volatility according to the result of the comparison between the noise contained in the angular speed of the crankshaft and the predetermined recognition threshold.

Abstract: A control method of a fuel feeding system in a bi-fuel internal combustion engine; the feeding system presents: a least a first injector adapted to inject a first fuel type; a least a second injector adapted to inject a second fuel type; a common electronic control unit adapted to drive both injectors; and a switching device, which is controlled by the common electronic control unit and is adapted to electrically connect both injectors to the common electronic control unit by means of at least a first relay adapted to connect/disconnect the first injector to/from the common electronic control unit and by means of at least a second relay adapted to connect/disconnect the second injector to/from the common electronic control unit.

Abstract: A method for detecting the angular position of a gas knob of a motorcycle; the method presents the steps of: detecting simultaneously four mutually redundant measurements of the angular position of the gas knob by means of two mutually independent angular-position sensors forming part of an acquisition system; making a cross comparison two by two between the four measurements for diagnosing any possible malfunctioning of the angular-position sensors; and determining the angular position of the gas knob, using at least one measurement supplied by an angular-position sensor operating properly.

Abstract: A method and a system (2) for gas stunning of animals for slaughter is described, where the animals arrive at the slaughterhouse in transport crates (6), where gas stunning of the animals is effected while they are still in transport crates (6), and where the transport crates with the animals, a number of conveyors (12, 14, 18, 20), are conveyed successively through a stunning chamber (8), where the action of the gas for stunning of the animals is adjusted by shortening or prolonging the conveying time and/or the conveying route of the said transport crates (6) through the stunning chamber (8). It is possible to optimize stunning while at the same time considering all the parameters. If the stunning condition of the animals is not optimum, it is easy to prolong or shorten the conveying time and/or the conveying route through the stunning chamber.

Abstract: Method for finding the angular acceleration of a drive shaft of an internal combustion engine by means of a gear wheel integral with said drive shaft; the method making provision to identify, in each complete revolution of the drive shaft, a number of angular measurement lines, to measure the time used by the drive shaft to pass over each angular measurement line using the signal supplied by the gear wheel, to add algebraically, to the time used by the drive shaft to pass over each angular measurement line, a corresponding correction coefficient that takes account of any asymmetries in the gear wheel, and to determine the value of angular acceleration of the drive shaft as a function of the time used by the drive shaft to pass over each angular measurement line; the value of the correction coefficients is determined in the course of an engine fuel cut-off phase.