Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for masking the edges of a substrate when performing direct or reverse gravure coating using a kiss-coat configuration, particularly useful for in-line coating of biaxially oriented polymeric films. The methods and apparatuses include a masking plate configured to prevent the edge of a portion of a substrate from contacting a gravure roll, the masking plate includes a top portion having a Rockwell B hardness equal to or greater than 80, and a thickness of between 0.03125 inches and 0.375 inches. This masking plate prevents build-up of coating on the edges of the substrate which otherwise can cause film orientation production instabilities such as film breaks, sticking to tenter clips, and/or edge trim recycling incompatibilities. The masking plate provides a masking method that is effective and durable, minimizing production downtime and maintenance.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a canister having a front panel. The front panel has a slit extending across a width of the panel. The canister is operable for being supported from a first vertical surface. A spring-loaded axle is operable for rotating in a first direction to generate a tension sufficient to rotate the axle in a second direction. Caps are joined to the canister for substantially enclosing the axle within the canister. A netting supports wet garments to lay flat. The netting comprises a first end and a second end. The first end is joined to the axle with the second end protruding from the slit. A hem bar is joined to the second end of the netting. Means secures the hem bar to a second vertical surface. A tension knob is joined to the end of the axle and is operable for adjusting a level of the tension.

Abstract: A laundry apparatus comprising a housing having an exterior and defining a recess opening to the exterior and a hanging assembly slidably disposed in the recess. In a stored position the hanging assembly is disposed at least partially in the recess and in a use position the hanging assembly is disposed at least partially exteriorly of the recess.

Abstract: A method of assembling a towel rail having vertically extending, elongate, tubular supports opposed and spaced apart from each other, and spaced apart, horizontally extending, tubular beams, the method including: a) threading an elongate flexible heating element through a respective support; b) looping an appropriate length of the element through each hole of the support to form a plurality of looped sections; c) threading each looped section through a respective beam from the second end; d) inserting the second end of each beam through a respective hole of the respective support to bring an abutment surface of the second end into contact with an inner surface of the support; and e) locking the second end of each beam to the support by passing a fastener at least partially through the support to engage with a recess formed in the second end.

Abstract: A readily assembled and disassembled portable forced air dryer system for bomb disposal suits having a subassembly of a blower/heater housing and air discharge manifold and releasably attached support members with removable rollers, which may be castered. A first riser rack with tubes ported for air discharge and a baseplate is releasably assembled to the manifold for effecting forced air drying of pants for the suit received on the rack. A second riser rack with tubes ported for air discharge and a baseplate is releasably assembled to the manifold for effecting forced air drying of a jacket and helmet of the suit. The subassembly, first and second rack, support members may be disassembled, packaged and transported with assembly fasteners as a kit.

Abstract: A wetsuit drying and transportation carrier includes a container having a wetsuit receiving interior. A reservoir is provided adjacent to the bottom of the container to receive liquid from the interior of the container. A first wetsuit support is pivotably connected to the container to pivot into and out of the container interior. A second wetsuit support is pivotably connected to the container in front of the first wetsuit support to pivot into and out of the interior of the container. A wetsuit shoulder support is connected to the container or to the first wetsuit support. A third wetsuit support is pivotably connected to the first and second wetsuit supports. The third wetsuit support desirably has a slot for receiving a wetsuit for drying and transportation.

Abstract: A paint brush cleaning apparatus having a rod with a first end portion spaced apart from a second end portion and a paint brush holder having a securement member for releasably securing a paint brush thereto. The rod having a longitudinal axis about which the rod and paint brush holder may rotate. An electric drill may be used in connection with the paint brush cleaning apparatus, with the first end portion typically sized and shaped to engage a drill bit receiving chamber of the electric drill. A protective sheet adapted to protect users from flying paint during the cleaning process may also be employed.

Abstract: A combination clothes dryer and air filter. The device is adapted for reversal of airflow through a housing to allow a horizontal position and a vertical position for operation. The device is adapted for easy storage in the horizontal position.

Abstract: A low-pressure process apparatus for processing a substrate comprises a base, a stage, a housing and at least one first roller set. The stage is disposed on the base for supporting the substrate. The housing is detachably disposed on the base moving between a first position and a second position, wherein when the housing is in a first position, the housing and the base form a chamber to receive the stage. When the housing is detached, the first roller set contacts and supports the housing to facilitate movement thereof in a first horizontal direction.

Abstract: A dryer extension assembly connects with a hand-held dryer for dispensing heated air beyond an exhaust outlet of the dryer. The extension assembly is constructed from one or more interconnectable tube sections, an adapter section, and a stand section. Each tube section has a plurality of apertures defined through the outer wall and the inner wall for outletting heated air directed through the tube section. The number of interconnectable tube sections essentially enables the user to select an overall length of the extension assembly. The adapter section couples the dryer to a first or top tube section and the stand section receives the last or bottom tube section. The stand section enables the user to stand the extension assembly in a vertical position such that the hand-held dryer is held aloft by the extension assembly.

Abstract: An apparatus for hardening a sealant on a substrate is disclosed in the present invention. The apparatus includes a chamber receiving at least a pair of bonded substrates, and at least one supporting unit supporting the bonded substrates, attached to inner side surfaces of the chamber, and having a substantially flat contact surface contacting the bonded substrates.

Abstract: A method for drying a material to be dried, the material containing a first solvent and being conveyed, comprising the steps of: supplying hot air from a supply unit to the material, the hot air containing vapor of a second solvent having a smaller or equal molecular volume than the molecular volume of the first solvent, wherein exhaust is discharged at farther upstream and farther downstream portions from windshield plates disposed at upstream and downstream of the supply unit, in the direction of conveying the material to be dried.

Abstract: A low temperature clothes dryer having a drying chamber provides removable horizontal screens supporting clothing items and a hanging bar for hanging clothes to be dried. A timing control allows setting the time of operation of the drying cabinet. An electric heater with thermostat is provided to initially raise and maintain the air temperature within the drying chamber to at least about 90 degrees F. The dehumidifier is then operated, providing for circulation through the ducts and drying cabinet by an internal fan. The dehumidifier has an evaporator through which warm, humid air is passed, thereby cooling the air and condensing water therefrom, the water being collected in a removable container or drained through a drain hose. The fan forces the cooled, dried air through a condenser which heats the dried air for recirculation through the drying chamber by means of ducts, thereby drying the clothing therein.

Abstract: A low temperature clothes dryer having a drying chamber provides removable horizontal screens supporting clothing items and a hanging bar for hanging clothes to be dried. A timing control allows setting the time of operation of the drying cabinet. An electric heater with thermostat is provided to initially raise and maintain the air temperature within the drying chamber to at least about 90 degrees F. The dehumidifier is then operated, providing for circulation through the ducts and drying cabinet by an internal fan. The dehumidifier has an evaporator through which warm, humid air is passed, thereby cooling the air and condensing water therefrom, the water being collected in a removable container or drained through a drain hose. The fan forces the cooled, dried air through a condenser which heats the dried air for recirculation through the drying chamber by means of ducts, thereby drying the clothing therein.

Abstract: A hanger rod for a clothes drying cabinet includes a plurality of notches, each adapted to receive a hanger. Each notch is V-shaped, with opposite side walls which converge downwardly to a substantially pointed apex. The rod has front and rear walls defining a thickness ranging between 30%–75% of the hanger hook diameter. The notches provide four contact points on the hanger hook to prevent rotation of the hanger hook on the rod during the drying process.

Abstract: A roller squeegee and spinner adapter tool is disclosed for safely, easily, speedily and thoroughly removing paint or other coating material from a roller by squeegeeing or sliding the major bulk of paint from the roller and then attaching a mini-roller to a paintbrush and roller spinner for conveniently removing residual paint and cleaning solution from the mini-roller via the spinning action (centrifugal force) of the spinner.

Abstract: A holder for drying plastic bags including a base with series of interconnected sockets; and dowels, each dowel having a smooth and rounded end, to accommodate a bag and an opposite end being inserted into the sockets of the base. A bag is placed upside-down over the dowels to dry. The dowels may be positioned in different sockets to accommodate different size bags. Alternatively, the end of the dowel being placed in the base may be hollow thereby accommodating a spring placed between the sockets of the base and the dowels so that the dowels may be easily adjusted. The bag holder may optionally provide a horizontal attachment to permit simultaneous drying of a plastic bag and a dish towel.

Abstract: The invention produces equipment for drying bales of forage comprising: at least one unit for generating hot air (30) channeled onto at least one pair of treatment units (A, B) stack one over the other, each having a rectangular bottom chamber (2, 5) and top chamber (4, 6), kept apart by spacing devices (40, 41; 60, 61; 103, 104) supporting the top chamber above the bottom chamber, and where one or more telescopic columns (A1, A2, A3; B1, B2, B3) set between the bottom chamber and the top chamber transfer the hot air from the bottom chamber to the top one. The bales are set in each treatment unit between the bottom chamber (2, 5) and the top chamber (4, 6) stacked in two layers so that they can be dried by the countercurrent flow of hot air. One or more of the telescopic columns (A3; A1, A2) is provided with shutoff dampers (20; 101, 102) suited to opening/closing the air flow from the bottom treatment unit (A) to the top treatment unit (B).

Abstract: Apparatus to transport and cool rolled products such as bars, round pieces, rods or similar, arrangable downstream of a coil-forming head, comprising a plurality of transport rollers, at least partly motorized and parallel to each other to define a substantially horizontal transport plane on which the rolled products arranged in coils are able to lie, ventilator in correspondence with the transport rollers to blow air towards the rolled products and a conveyor to convey more air towards the lateral edges of the coils than towards the central zone of the coils, the conveyor comprising a plurality of elements, arranged at intervals between the transport rollers. Each of the elements shaped to define transit channels having a first transverse section greater in correspondence with the ends of the transport rollers and a second transverse section less in correspondence with the median zone of the transport rollers.

Abstract: A device for transporting fragile articles, for example fruit and the like, along a longitudinal path of travel is disclosed. The device includes a spaced and parallel series of rotatable rollers extending along the path of travel for carrying the articles thereon, the rollers forming a series of intermediate article receiving spaces therebetween. A drive assembly is provided for rotating the rollers in the direction of the path of travel, and a carrier assembly is positioned with respect to and spaced from the rollers. A carrier assembly includes a spaced series of carrier members constructed and arranged to engage a peripheral surface portion of the rollers, the carrier assembly being constructed and arranged to move the carrier members in the direction of the path of travel as they engage the peripheral surface portions of the rollers for urging the articles along the path of travel.

Abstract: A cooling shaft for the rollers of a roller conveyor includes a flow duct for the cooling medium and an outlet opening. The cooling shaft includes the flow duct for the cooling medium and at least one length portion extending upwardly from the flow duct, wherein the length portion has an outlet opening and ends below the axes of the rollers. The cross-section of the flow duct in the transition from the flow duct and the length portion is smaller than the outlet opening and at least one side of the length portion is curved outwardly.

Abstract: A method and device for simultaneous drying bodies of air-permeable material, comprises providing a hole in each body, the hole containing a tube having an air permeable mantle and placing the bodies adjacent each other so that the holes thereof form a continuous chamber, interconnecting two adjacent bodies by connecting the tubes belonging to the two, adjacent bodies by interconnecting members so that the two bodies abut against each other while preventing undue air leakage therebetween, the interconnecting members being arranged to allow, with a relatively small resistance, movement of the tubes towards each other but to counteract, with a relatively great resistance, movement of the tubes away from each other and establishing a pressure difference between the hole in each body and the surroundings of the body for generating a drying air flow through the body.

Abstract: Improved desolventizer of the countercurrent type. Solvent laden solids enter a closed chamber wherein they are continuously agitated by stirrers. Steam from below rises up through a porous deck and the solids thereon whereupon the steam condenses to release its heat of vaporization thereby aiding in the evaporation of solvent in the solids. The desolventized solids exit the chamber through a discharge passage. The deck includes generally radially spaced apart, substantially parallel stainless steel bars supported on substantially radially extending carbon steel supports. The spaces or slots thereby defined by the bars define an open area covering up to about 30% of the surface area of the deck. The gaps between the bars are sufficiently narrow so as to reduce the likelihood of the solids being worked into the gaps.

Abstract: A multipurpose household drying center which can provide versatile drying functions for a wide variety of clothings, fabric articles and other household goods. A blower and a heating chamber are disposed on the top portion of a cabinet to generate forced and heated air downward into a drying chamber in the cabinet below the heating chamber. There are horizontally disposed heat diffusion plates under the heating chamber and vertically disposed air ducts on the side walls of the cabinet to enable heated air to be evenly distributed and filled in the drying chamber for uniform drying of the goods held therein. A support stand having a horizontal and rectangular frame secured on the top ends of a pair of spaced and vertical telescopically structured tubes is disposed within the drying chamber. The rectangular frame is spaced from the top, bottom and side walls of the drying chamber.

Abstract: A portable curing cell assembly is provided for storing tobacco for curing, the curing cell assembly may comprise a kit of component parts capable of being easily assembled and disassembled in the field. The curing cell assembly includes a frame structure which defines at least one storage bay through which an elevating trailer can be transported. Tobacco rod holding members are provided disposed longitudinally along the side of the storage bay so that tobacco laden tobacco rods can be suspended from the holding members across the storage bay. A roof is disposed across and above the storage bay, the roof being supported generally by the frame structure as a predetermined height above the tobacco rod holding members.

Abstract: A tobacco drying apparatus for holding stalks of tobacco in a drying barn, in which a stalk of tobacco may be inserted upwardly into the drying apparatus and is automatically held against undesired downward removal therefrom. The drying apparatus includes first and second substantially parallel support members and at least one friction lock assembly which is attached to the second support member. The friction lock assembly has a gate member which is pivotal about an axis that is substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the second support member. The gate member further has a leading edge which extends toward the first support member, the leading edge of the gate member and the first support member which cooperate to receive a stalk of tobacco therebetween.

Abstract: A drying device for garments or other articles consists primarily of a frame composed of a pair of tubular heating elements, which support the garment or other article that is to be dried, and a thermostat is also included in the circuit of the heating elements for preventing the elements from becoming too hot. The device further includes a control box with a switch and an indication light, and prongs extend from the control box for plugging the device into an electrical outlet in a wall.

Abstract: A collapsible drying rack includes a series of horizontal tubular plastic frame elements connected together by corner elements. Each corner element has four hollow tubular arms that telescopically receive the frame members. A pair of integral, longitudinal ridges on each arm engage the inside of the tubular frame members to form an easily releasable connection compensating for variations in manufacturing tolerances of the plastic members. A mesh sheet mounted on the frame, supports a garment such as a sweater, in a sandwiched position for drying.

Abstract: A portable curing frame is provided particularly adapted for use with an automated tobacco harvester. The curing frame includes a substantially rectangular frame member including a series of slotted tracks, in the form of slotted tubes, specially designed for receiving a notched portion of the plant stalks. The slotted track is substantially continuous and thereby allows infinitely variable spacing between the plants and optimization of ventilation for air curing. Legs are also provided on the portable curing frame. The legs are displaceable between a retracted position allowing storage of the frames and loading of the frames with tobacco plants and an extended position for supporting the frames and inverted plants above the ground in the field. A locking mechanism is provided to positively retain the legs in both the retracted and extended positions.

Abstract: A method of producing carbon fiber by making infusible and carbonizing pitch fiber which is obtained by melt-spinning petroleum-tar pitch or coal-tar pitch, and a method of making pitch fiber infusible in an air atmosphere containing NO.sub.2, at an elevated temperature by introducing a cross-sectionally U-shaped tray with pitch fiber suspended from bars placed across an upper portion thereof into an infusible material producing furnace having gas exchanging chambers in the inlet portion and outlet portion thereof as well as at least two gas circulating means each of which comprises a combination of a blower or a fan and a heat exchanger, and retaining said tray in said furnace.

Abstract: Roller grate material bed conveying and heat transfer apparatus which provides plural bed depths has cylindrical horizontal rollers driven in the same direction with gas passage apertures in the rollers and filler members in the nip between adjacent rollers. Means are provided to pass heat transfer gas streams through the bed as the rollers urge the material particles in a direction transverse to the roller axes and continually tumble the particles so that all surfaces thereof are exposed to the gas streams. A first plurality of rollers are positioned in a first generally horizontal plane to receive the material fed to the apparatus, and a second plurality of rollers downstream from the first rollers are at elevations lower than the first horizontal plane and preferably are driven at slower speed than the first rollers to thereby increase the material bed depth downstream from the first horizontal plane as the material particles are hardened by heat and can withstand greater bed depth without crushing.

Abstract: A compact inexpensive dryer unit for photographic processors which includes a liquid removing squeegee unit, transport rollers and guiding means for moving photographic sheet material through the drying area, a pair of opposed tapered air distribution manifolds to uniformly distribute warm drying air against both sides of the sheet material in close proximity thereto as it travels through the dryer with provision for recirculating substantial portions of the warmed air after it travels through the drying area of the unit, one of said manifolds being hinged to facilitate access to said drying area for servicing.

Abstract: A drier appliance having a cabinet provided with a plurality of outer panels cooperatively defining a vertical slit and an inwardly projecting flange at the top of the slit. A mounting structure is provided for supporting an upright member arranged for removably carrying a hanger. The mounting member includes a carrier arranged for removably carrying the upright member, and a thin wall extending from the carrier and defining a returned hook portion constructed to be passed through the slit to hook onto the cabinet flange for supporting the carrier on the cabinet. A stabilizing structure may be provided on the carrier for stabilizing the carrier on the cabinet. The stabilizing structure may be formed as a second thin wall on the carrier spaced from the first thin wall and adapted to be received in the cabinet slit. Locking structure may be provided on the thin walls for releasably locking the thin walls to the cabinet portions defining the slit.

Abstract: The dryer is used for drying developed photomasks of the type used in manufacturing integrated circuit devices. The dryer provides a continuous flow of very clean, warm, dry air over photomasks placed in it to dry. The dryer comprises a box having a series of distributor tubes extending into it. Drying racks holding photomasks hang from the distributor tubes and heated, filtered air flows from at least one slot in the distributor tube over the wet photomasks to dry them.

Abstract: A cooled furnace transport roller comprises a hollow cylindrical roller having an intermediate furnace space portion which is adapted to be positioned in a furnace and with a stub shaft portion adjacent each end which is supported on bearing means located exteriorly of the furnace. A hollow interior tube is located on the interior of the cylindrical roller and is spaced inwardly therefrom and it defines a space between its exterior and the interior of the hollow cylindrical roller for the flow of a coolant gas which is returned through openings of the hollow interior tube and through the interior thereof. A tubular wire net cooling insert is located in the space between the hollow interior tube and the cylindrical roller interior and it is formed with a wire mesh having good heat resistance and good heat conductivity.

Abstract: Disclosed is a process for the removal of liquid from an absorbent substrate, comprising passing the substrate through the nip between a pair of rollers, at least one of said rollers having an effective surface of a sponge material, the sponge material having capillary pores, the average diameter of which is less than 1 mm and at least 50% of said pores having a diameter in the range of 0.1 to 0.001 mm, the pressure applied at the nip between said rollers being less than 1 kg per cm roller length.