Abstract: There is provided a moveable cart for use in transporting a male hog past one or more rows of cages containing sows to permit the determination of estrus in the sows and also to increase the success rate during artificial insemination by permitting snout to snout contact between the sow and male hog, the cart having a base with wheels mounted thereon, at least one wall extending upwardly from the base, and at least one panel for blocking visual access in at least one direction between the interior and exterior of the cart and at least one opening in the wall sized to permit the snout of the male hog to at least partially extend therethrough.

Abstract: A process control system includes a high speed serial backbone communications network, interconnecting a plurality of microprocessor based nodes that each act as the master to a high speed serial branch network comprising device controllers, such as air flow valve controllers and transducers. The primary network may operate in a time division multiplex mode whereby a node acting as a synchronizing station periodically issues a synchronizing signal that commands each node to execute a branch network control sequence, during which each node gathers and operates upon data it collects from the device controllers within its branch network, and issues commands based thereon to the branch network. An ensuing communications sequence also triggered by the synchronizing signal enables each node on the primary network to transmit a command or a response to any other node and, through such other node, to any device controller in any branch network of the system.

Abstract: A chimney brush is mounted between two pulleys within the chimney for reciprocation along the length of the chimney for cleaning deposits from the chimney flue liner. A first pulley is mounted by a bracket on the chimney cap. A second pulley is mounted below the stove connection or thimbol, adjacent an access door to the second pulley. A crank arm is provided for rotation of this lower pulley so that a brush attached to a looped cable between the upper and lower pulleys may be reciprocated along the length of the chimney. A spring connection is provided between the cable and the brush to compensate for any stretching or expansion of the cable due to heating. One of the pulleys has a V groove to ensure frictional driving engagement with the cable. When not in use, the brush is disposed beneath the stove connection or thimbol of the chimney, thus only the cable remains in the chimney, minimizing interference with the smoke flow within the chimney.