Abstract: The polyurethane scraping blade for a conveyor belt scraper is wound into a spiral coil around a spindle. End plates attached to the spindle have inward-facing flanges, which catch the edges of the coil, thereby preventing the coil from unwinding inadvertently. Even though the flanges keep the main body of the coil from unwinding, the free end of the coil is easily drawn from between the flanges.

Abstract: Householders separate metal cans, plastic bottles, containers and similar items from other garbage. The crushing apparatus is carried on the recycling truck, and the driver tosses these items into the apparatus for crushing. The apparatus has a rotating crusher rotor (12) which forms a pinch-throat against a concavely-curved crusher plate (27). A crammer (40) is driven into reciprocation to cram the larger items into the mouth of the pinch-throat. A rubber pad (49) on the crush plate creates friction to assist in the grabbing the item into the mouth.

Abstract: The diaper is disposable, being made of inexpensive waterproof plastic sheet material. The sheet is formed to a Z-fold, and stitched along its marginal edges. The pocket thus formed is open to the area beneath the dog's tail, for receiving solid excrement. A stitched-in absorbent pad extends forwards from the pocket, and receives liquid excrement. The action of assembling the diaper to the dog is effective to open the mouth of the pocket, and to press the diaper against the dog. The diaper is secured around the dog by means of Velcro tabs. Straps passing forward and around the dog's neck hold the diaper in place. The diaper includes a tail-hole, whereby the diaper is located in place on the dog.

Abstract: Inflating a fighter-pilot's anti-G suit to the correct pressure is facilitated by the pressure regulator design. Using Preview Control, the movement of the control stick is used to predict what the G-force on the aircraft will be in the time ahead. A computer determines what pressure is needed in the suit to safeguard the pilot at that G-force. The size of the air-flow aperture in the regulator is defined by overlapping windows in the housing and rotor of the regulator. The rotor is moved to give the correct overlap by means of a servo motor or stepper motor, which positions the rotor in response to the computer output. The very fast, stable, response of the regulator to the computer input enables the suit pressure to follow the G-forces predicted by Preview Control with great accuracy.

Abstract: Water contaminated with halogenated organics, including chloroform, trichloroethane, solvents, pesticides, etc. is treated by passing the water through a permeable mixture of activated carbon and iron fillings. When the mixture is brought to a negative Eh voltae, the metal causes the contaminants to undergo chemical breakdown. The activated carbon acts to retard the contaminant, giving it a long residence time close to the iron. The negative Eh conditions demand oxygen exclusion, such that a favoured application is to place the mixture in a trench below the water table in an aquifer, in the path of a plume of contaminant. The mixture may also be contained in a tank above, or in, the ground. An inert filler material, such as sand, may be included in the mixture.

Abstract: Bentonite, and other water-sensitive materials in granulate form, are introduced into boreholes. The material is borne into the borehole through a conduit, in which a flow of air (or nitrogen) not only transports the material but also keeps water that may be present in the borehole from entering the conduit. The materials are contained, above ground, in hoppers arranged to feed in parallel into the conduit. Material from a selected hopper enters via a respective valve into the conduit. The hoppers are pressurized to ensure the moving gases in the conduit do not enter the fall pipe. Having turned the air on, the technician lowers the conduit to the bottom of the borehole; then he opens the valve to admit the selected filler material; then he withdraws the conduit gradually and progressively up the borehole, depositing the material. The conduit is of flexible material, and can be held in the hand, to assist in sensing the flow of material.

Abstract: The device includes a tube for holding a fishing rod, which pivots to an at-rest position under the action of a main spring. The tube is held in an at-ready position by a latch. The latch is tripped by a tug on the fishing line. A safety-catch is automatically cocked, when the fisherman sets the tube, to a position where the safety catch blocks the latch, and prevents the latch from tripping. This enables the latch to be set automatically also when the fisherman sets the tube. The safety catch is released by hand when the device has been fully prepared and adjusted.

Abstract: An air pressure regulator includes a cylindrical rotor with a hollow interior. The thin walls of the rotor have windows which overlap inlet and exhaust windows in the housing. The rotor is rotated progressively by a stepper motor in response to computer determination of required pressure. The system is used to inflate a pilot's anti-G suit.

Abstract: A system for treating groundwater contaminated with acidity or other contaminants is disclosed. The system involves excavating a trench into the aquifer in the path of the contaminant plume, and placing a body of active material in the trench. The active material depends on the particular contaminant: organic carbon may be used when the contaminant is ferrous sulphate, or hexavalent uranium oxide, or dissolved nitrate; pyrite or elemental iron may be used when the contaminant is eg chromium oxide. The active material causes the contaminant, by chemical reaction, to change its oxidation-reduction state, and to precipitate harmlessly in the body of material.

Abstract: For providing an in-ground system for treating contaminated groundwater, of the funnel-and-gate type, a cylindrical caisson is driven into the ground. The native soil is augered out of the caisson, and porous treatment material substituted. The caisson is then withdrawn, leaving a prism of porous treatment material in the ground. A sheet metal barrier element is inserted into the ground, one portion of the element extending into the prism and the other portion into the surrounding soil. More prisms are provided as further treatment gates, and more barrier elements are arranged to funnel the groundwater through the gates.

Abstract: The system increases the diameter to which pipe flanges can be flared. The tendency of the radial wall of the flange to crumple inwards is obviated by coining the transition corner of the wall. First, the pipe end is belled out to provide access for the coining punch. The belled-out end is then swaged back in, after the punch is removed. With the corner transition thus preconditioned, further axial pressure on the pipe with a suitable female punch causes the flange to expand diametrally in a controllable manner.

Abstract: Contaminated groundwater is treated in-situ, by funnelling the water through a gate or gates (23) in a watertight in-ground wall (18). Treatment material in the gate (23) breaks down the contaminant, or otherwise removes the contaminant from the flowing water. A removable caisson is first driven into the ground, excavated, and then a receptacle, for the treatment material, is lowered into the hollow interior.

Abstract: For extracting samples of groundwater from a borehole. A down-hole fixture has a check-valve positioned at the foot of the borehole. A sampler is lowered down into the borehole. Pushing down on the sampler causes a stem on the sampler to unseat the check-valve, communicating groundwater with the sampler. A plastic tube running from the sampler to the surface transmits the push from the surface, required to operate the down-hole valve.

Abstract: For use in push-in-and-snap pipe connectors, the region of the pipe behind the integral end-flange is raised in diameter. If the pipe is properly inserted, the raised region is concealed inside the body of the fitting; but if the pipe is not pushed fully home into the body, the raised region is visible, and serves to alert the production-line inspector that the joint is not sealed. A snap-in sping clip holds the pipe in the body, and the clip rests against the raised protion to minimise the chance of vibration noise. The flange and raised region are formed in the pipe by axial-press punches and dies.

Abstract: The sliding windows in the back of the cab of a pick-up truck are vulnerable to break-ins because a thief can pry the panes apart using friction from the pressure of his hand on the panes. The normal clamp is by-passed during this type of break-in. An adjustable-length strut is formed with hook-shaped ends. The hook-ends engage around the outer edges of the sliding panes. A catch on the strut comprises a peg which is spring-loaded into engagement with a notch. When the driver presses the peg, he thereby disengages the catch on the strut, allowing the strut to be set to the length where the hook ends can be engaged to and disengaged from the edges of the panes.

Abstract: A permeable wall (4) is located in the material of an aquifer (2), in the path of an approaching plume (3) of a contaminant (eg a chlorinated solvent). The wall comprises a body (7) of permeable filler material, eg sand and gravel, which is placed in a trench (5) that has been cut down into the aquifer material. Biologically-aided breakdown of the contaminant is aided by the presence of nutrients in the groundwater, and injection ports (18) are provided in the wall, through which the nutrients are injected periodically. The permeability of the wall helps the injected nutrients to spread laterally through the plume. The injected substances are contained in a volume of water; this water may be water which has been extracted from the trench, draw-off wells (9) being provided in the trench for that purpose. A second permeable wall (29) may be provided downstream for injection of eg air.

Abstract: The rotor of the joint includes two rectangular waveguide ports, carrying two separate signals. The stator has two corresponding rectangular waveguide ports. The ports are coupled with a circular waveguide, which comprises two relatively rotatable stub-cylinders, disposed co-axially in-line on the axis of rotation. Signal A is transmitted through the circular waveguide, across the joint, in the TM01 propagation mode, while signal B is transmitted across the joint in the TE01 mode. These circular-symmetrical modes, with mutually orthogonal field distribution, are able to cut cross-talk interference, since the mode transducers of these modes maintain good mutual isolation, even though the signals are present together in the circular waveguide, and at the same or similar frequency. The TM01 mode (signal A) is excited, and received, by means of slots formed in the end wall of the circular waveguide stubs. The port for signal A communicates with the circular waveguide through the two slots.

Abstract: The joints between pile-driven sheet metal barrier elements (12, 14) have edge forms which interlock so as to form cavities (20, 21). The cavities extend from top to bottom of the barrier, and allow a flushing hose to be inserted to the foot of the barrier. Sealant is injected when the cavity is flushed clean. Two cavities are provided side by side at each joint. The cavities are independently sealed for extra reliability.

Abstract: After a milking, the milking apparatus is cleaned in stages. First, the remaining milk is rinsed out with water. Second, the apparatus is washed through with detergent. The first stage rinse is very thorough, so that the second stage wash leaves the detergent solution still quite clean. The solution is stored in a separate tank between washes, and used again the next wash. Only a small make-up quantity of detergent need be added. Substantial savings in detergent discharges are achieved. The acid flush solution and the sanitizer flush solution also may be similarly stored for re-use. The detergent solution may be heated prior to re-use by heat from the milk.