Abstract: A dental amalgam dispensing instrument has an amalgam dispensing head having a dispensing passage slidably receives a rectangular section dispensing passage with an amalgam feed passage intersecting the dispensing passage. A straight rectangular section feed plunger slides in the feed passage and is slidably carried by a handle that is detachably mounted on the head. The dispensing passage in the head is formed as an elongate channel opening toward the front of the instrument and a detachable cover plate closes the front of the channel.

Abstract: An adjustable idle needle valve assembly for an internal combustion engine carburetor includes an air bleed threaded needle valve mounted on a plug for a tubular metal housing, an insulating fiberglass sleeve in the housing and an electric needle valve heater coil within the insulating sleeve. The heater coil extends between the needle valve mounting plug and an outer air inlet plug for the tubular metal housing. An air-conducting shield tube extends between the plugs for isolating the flow of bleed air from the insulating sleeve, particularly when the outer plug is connected to a liquid vapor trap.

Abstract: A dental amalgam dispenser unit having a detachable discharge head, the dispenser having a plunger with a front amalgam-advancing tip and rearwardly disposed ratchet teeth and a pawl comprising a slidably mounted sleeve and a cantilever spring projecting rearwardly therefrom. A dental amalgam loader assembly is also described for loading the dispenser discharge head. The loader has a plunger and advancing means for advancing the forward portion of the loading plunger a predetermined distance into the bore of the dispenser head.

Abstract: A combination transfer depth gauge capable of measuring the depth of small diameter blind holes in close proximity to the shoulder of a workpiece is made up of a bar stock body having opposed flat end faces and a longitudinal throughbore. One end portion of the body is milled off to provide an offset face that intersects the throughbore. A small gauge wire is slidably mounted in the bore and is clamped to the body by a nylon setscrew.

Abstract: Ink droplets for ink-jet printing are formed in a conductive, ink by flowing ink having a ion magnetic susceptibility between the poles of a pulsed electro-magnet thereby periodically inducing eddy currents in bodies of the ink which oppose ink flow and stimulate perturbations of an ink stream having an orifice so that discrete droplets of ink are formed at a uniform distance from the orifice.

Abstract: This application discloses methods and apparatus that advance, from a single longitudinal file of abutting articles, a portion of the file containing a desired number of articles which, for convenience, will sometimes be referred to as a sub-group. The first and subsequent sub-groups are sequentially further advanced to a magazine or collection station preferably constructed with overlying vertically spaced compartments. On each compartment containing a sub-group of articles, and for purposes of this description bringing together the sub-groups will be referred to as a group, the group is advanced to the forming box of a horizontal form, fill and seal wrapping machine which essentially produces, from a flat strip of thermoplastic material, a tube having its edges welded and which is thereafter transversely severed and sealed between groups of articles. In advancing the accumulated individual articles of each sub-group in the formation of a group the articles rest upon the lower article aligned therewith.

Abstract: A pea harvester incorporates a threshing device and a system, known per se, which maintains the device in a fixed orientation in space irrespective of the ground contours. To feed the threshing device a series of conveyors is pivoted so that these can continue to supply the threshing device without crop loss even if a local ground irregularity deflects a forward pick-up reel which discharges on to a first one of the conveyors. The pick-up reel has a width at least equal to the widest track of the harvester wheels and the first conveyor has substantially the same width. A number of cleaning stages is incorporated and peas are received from the threshing device by two inclined vibratory conveyors the inclination of each of which is adjustable. A hopper assembly for peas is arranged forwardly of the threshing device and includes an auxiliary hopper which automatically takes the place of the main hopper when the latter is moved to its discharge position.

Abstract: A combined sinker and fishing lure comprises an elongate molded lead body that is substantially half round in cross section along substantially its entire length, has semi-spherical ends, is about 51/2" to 61/2" long and about 3/4" to 1" wide, and weighs about 3/4-1 pound. The lure may be longer, say about 8", but its cross section will be correspondingly smaller to provide the desired weight of about 3/4-1 pound. A length of twisted wire is embedded along the length of the lead body during molding and has an eyelet at each end for connection to a fishing line at one end and a hook at the other end. The peripheral surface of the body has adhered thereto substantially along its length a reflecting tape comprising an outer transparent layer of plastic film, and intermediate reflective layer of vacuum deposited aluminum and an inner layer of adhesive.

Abstract: Method for continuously processing filled containers with liquid heat treatment mediums maintained under superatmospheric pressure by an overriding air pressure. A minimum of liquid is used during processing with the liquid level being maintained above the containers at all times. The liquid is controllably circulated through container filled tunnels defined within carts, from one end of the tunnel to the other, to assure equal heat treatment of all containers in the batch of containers in each tunnel. The carts may either be non-agitating or agitating carts. One embodiment of the continuous pressure cooker and cooler includes a pressure vessel having two pressure locks to provide a pressure cooking chamber with high pressure cooling being performed in a mini-cooler defined by the outlet pressure lock followed by additional atmospheric cooling.

Abstract: A mechanism for automatically labelling articles, such as fruit, has a chute for guiding fruit into contact with an upstanding label, the engagement of the fruit with the label being effective to transfer the label to the fruit and to cause the movement of a new label into transfer position.

Abstract: A hydrostatic drive system for a four wheel drive vehicle such as a field harvesting machine which must accurately track the planting rows, includes an engine, a pump and individual hydraulic wheel motors connected to the pump and coupled to the wheels through a manually set free wheeling clutch. The motors are in series connection at each side of the vehicle, with the pairs of series connected motors on opposite sides of the vehicle in parallel connection with the pump. When the traction of a wheel on one side is reduced or lost, both wheels on that side continue to rotate at the same speed. Under these conditions, the driving wheel motor on the aforesaid side of the vehicle will provide increased torque output to compensate for the reduced driving power of the slipping wheel.

Abstract: A continuous cooking or sterilizing process employs apparatus wherein particulate foods are cooked under pressure in and by the cooking sauce with which the food is eventually packed in containers. The sauce is externally heated in a heat exchanger to the sterilizing temperature, and the food and sauce are cooled under pressure by injecting cooled sterile sauce into the hot mixture of cooked product and sauce before the mixture is released to atmosphere. By cooking the product directly in the sauce, product flavor is enhanced and upon cooling, the absorbed sauce is cooled below the flash temperature preventing damage to the cellular portions of the food particles on pressure release. Thus during the canning operation, only a relatively short reheat of the sealed containers and possibly the product is necessary to resterilize the outer portions of the food particles, the cooking sauce, and the interior of the containers.

Abstract: A low liquid volume retort system is provided with a tunnel disposed within and spaced from the side walls and cover of a retort. A plurality of spaced containers are loaded in the tunnel, and a liquid maintained at a temperature different from that of the containers is then pumped from an inlet end of the tunnel to the outlet end to completely fill the tunnel and to evenly transfer heat between all of the containers and the liquid. The liquid then overflows from the outlet end of the tunnel and gravitates to the lower portion of the retort for return to a desired processing temperature and recirculation through the tunnel. The quantity of liquid required for processing is greatly reduced by filling only the tunnel with liquid, and collecting only a small portion of the liquid at the bottom of the retort before again recirculating the liquid through the tunnel and past the containers therein being processed.

Abstract: A short circuit detector for battery powered vehicle circuits has a current lead for connection to the positive battery terminal from which the battery cable has been disconnected, a sensor lead for connection to the disconnected cable, a silicon controlled rectifier and vehicle light bulbs connected across said leads for dissipating high currents caused by a major short, a trigger transistor connected across the leads for turning said rectifier on in response to the current drawn by any short as low as a few milliamperes, a minor short oscillator and a speaker for producing a constant frequency tone that signals a minor short, a major short oscillator for modulating said minor short oscillator causing it to produce a warbling tone that signals a major short, and a discriminator transistor responsive to the amount of current flowing across said leads, for energizing said major short oscillator only in the presence of a major short.

Abstract: A fluid conducting swivel joint is disclosed which has a sealing system effective against the leakage of fluids of extreme temperature. The joint consists of two housings mounted for relative rotation about an axis, the housings having a fluid passage therethrough. A first annular sealing chamber, having a seal therein, surrounds the passage, and is located adjacent the passage at the interface between the housings. Each housing has a radial flange at said interface, said flanges spaced apart to define an annular tempering chamber therebetween. A second annular sealing chamber, having a seal therein, is positioned between the flanges outboard of the tempering chamber. A temperature controlling chamber is mounted on one or both of said flanges. One of the housings may have an annular insulating chamber, and insulating members may be used to additionally insulate the second sealing chamber.

Abstract: A completely mixed system for controlling the return rate of activated sludge to the aeration tank in activated sludge sewage treatment system plants is disclosed wherein the return rate of activated sludge is controlled to maintain the density of the activated sludge in the aeration tank at an optimum value, which value will result in the optimum settling rate of the activated sludge in the secondary clarifier. The control system is continuous and requires the use of a computer, which continuously receives various measured quantities necessary to compute the control signal for the returned activated sludge pump. The carbon dioxide respired by the cells in the aeration tank is collected along with the aeration air and a non-dispersive infrared ray analyzer determines the percent of carbon dioxide in the collected gases. This determination is one of the factors entering into the computation of the rate of substrate consumption by the activated sludge.

Abstract: An inner conduit is received in an outer conduit in overlapping relationship. A locking member is received in the outer conduit for lateral shifting into locking engagement with the inner conduit. There are two spaced apart abutment surfaces on the outer conduit, and a toggle member is received in the outer conduit. When the toggle member is expanded, a clamping force is exerted from one of said abutment surfaces to the other through the locking member and the inner conduit, to hold the conduit members tightly together. The locking member and the toggle member can be operated by manual screws, or by a piston powered cam. Seals can be inserted between the inner and outer conduits to establish a fluid-tight seal.

Abstract: A street sweeper hood has a transverse main compartment with an intermediate transverse partition that stops short of the swept surface and divides the main compartment into a front transverse air duct compartment and a rear broom compartment. Air and debris enter an inlet port at the curb end of the air duct and are withdrawn at the opposite end by a blower, the stream of air and entrained debris being accelerated along the air duct by an inclined top plate. A flexible scoop at the curb side of the inlet port and a windrower at the opposite side deflect debris into a tunnel that forms the inlet port.

Abstract: A torsionally controlled swivel joint having at least one axis of rotation is provided with a torque element, either in the form of a helical torsion spring or one or more torsion bars, completely enclosed within the flow passage of the joint to counteract torsional forces applied to one section of the joint relative to another section. One end of the torque element is rigidly connected to one section of the joint while the other end is rigidly connected to a cylindrical adjustment disc rotatable with and sealed in fluid tight engagement to the other section of the swivel joint. In the preferred embodiment, torsional preloading of the torque element is achieved by a plurality of locking balls in a ball race formed in the mating surfaces of the adjustment disc and swivel joint section.

Abstract: The disclosed device comprises a roller, rotatably mounted on a pivotable arm, for maintaining rolling contact with the edges of sheets being adhesively laminated. One of the sheets is rather stiff board and the other a thin gauge sheet covering one side of the board. As the laminated sheets advance the roller, which is in pressure engagement with the edges of the board parallel to the direction of movement, moves laterally inwardly to also provide rolling contact with the lateral trailing edge of the board. In doing so the corners of the thin wrap are pressed tightly against the edges of the board to produce well defined corners.