Abstract: Centrifugal pump of the sectional-casing design, in which the casing sections (8, 9) each have a cylindrical casing shell and inner-wall parts (12-15) connected thereto in one piece. The casing shell of at least one casing section (8, 9) is composed of an outer, continuous shell part (24, 25) and of at least two separate inner shell parts (19-22) with respective associated inner-wall parts (12-15). The outer and the inner shell parts are expediently connected firmly to one another, especially by shrink bonding.

Abstract: A control circuit for a scintillation camera is provided in which only discrete scintillation events are processed. When a scintillation event arrives, all light intensity signals below a predetermined threshold, indicating that the signals below the thresholds are not likely to be involved in the event, are blocked from the sum signal. The valid event discrimination circuit disclosed considers the sum signal of light intensity signals originating from only those photodetectors whose output signals are above the threshold. Valid event discrimination is not adversely affected by signals coming from photodetectors not involved in the event after the threshold detection takes place.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for improving the metallurgical bond between the end of an armature wire of an electric motor and the connector riser or tine on the motor armature. The armature wire has a titanium oxide-containing insulation coating. The titanium oxide content improves the resistance of the wire to erosive forces which occur during the winding operation but it also tends to interfere with the metallurgical bond between the wire and the riser or tine. The disclosed method involves the roughening of the surface of the riser or tine at least to a depth equal to the thickness of the insulation. Grit or vapor blasting with silica glass beads as well as other roughening techniques are disclosed.

Abstract: Relatively fragile articles, such as cigarettes, are formed into blocks consisting of three rows with a middle row containing one cigarette less than the outer rows. The cigarettes in the middle row are also laterally offset by approximately one-half the diameter of a cigarette from the cigarettes in the outer rows as a result of forming the blocks in a linear array of feed shafts which, from a lower support surface, extend upwardly at an angle other than perpendicular. A shaft disposed at one end of the array is closed at the level of the lower two rows and a multi-armed block slide is provided for pushing the cigarettes which define the block from an extraction zone, located at the bottom of the shafts, into a receiver.

Abstract: A shut-off valve includes a housing defining a flow channel and a bore for receiving a rotary actuator, a valve member, and first and second seal rings. The first seal ring cooperates with the valve member to close and seal the flow channel. The second seal ring cooperates with the valve member to seal the actuator bore. The seal rings are composed of radially extending metal lamellae interposed between soft material lamellae. The soft material lamellae are composed of lubricating material having a non-homogeneous structure which have the capacity to form radial freely extending sliding layers. The metal lamellae have, at least in the region around the inside surface of the seal rings, axial deformations. Such axial deformations provide positive mechanical connection to the adjoining soft material lamellae, restricting the soft material sliding layers to at most one third of the lamellae thickness.

Abstract: A panel fastener for fastening insulated wall panel to structural lumber or steel comprises an integral wafer head and a shank having a cylindrical segment and a threaded segment. A distal portion of the fastener has a self-drilling tip. A square socket for receiving a torque driver is recessed into the head.

Abstract: A method for generating a ballshaped plasma or similar phenomen in a spherical chamber (8), where fuel gases are supplied through the jet nozzles (2a,2b), bringing the plasma ball into rotation. The ionization of the gases is started and maintained by electric discharge and/or laser energy. Magnetic fields are provided through pole pieces (4a,4b,6a,6b), one field of which is rotating in accordance with the plasma ball rotation. A chamber (8) for carrying out the method is also disclosed.

Abstract: A rotary distributor fuel injection pump with a drive shaft coupled to a pump rotor by a radially offset and axially extending drive pin with a cylindrical head received within a radial slot in the rotor; a coaxial throughbore in the rotor providing a valve bore; a valve member in the valve bore axially shiftable to an open position by a compression spring; an electromagnet with an armature plate fixed to one end of the valve member and a stator operable, when energized, to axially shift the valve member to its closed position; a stop plate on the outer end of the rotor having an outer end face engageable by the armature plate, the end face having a plurality of lands and grooves to hydraulically dampen the axial movement of the valve member to its open position when the stator is deenergized; the armature plate having a hub received within an opening in the stop plate to couple the armature plate and valve member to the rotor; an annular thrust washer and needle bearing between the rotor and a distributor he

Abstract: A rotary regenerative air preheater has bypass seals located at the top and bottom of one side of each sector of heat exchange baskets located at the top and bottom of the adjacent diaphragm and sealing the gap between that one side of the baskets and the diaphragm. The bypass seals are metal strips extending along the radial length of the diaphragm with a main body portion attached to the diaphragm and a bent leg portion extending outwardly to engage the baskets. The bypass seals are notched to fit over the stay plates and are attached over the radial seals to hold the radial seals in position.

Abstract: The front limit stop of the stack receiving magazine of a sheet separator is provided, in the region contacted by the lowermost sheets of the stack, with a retractable wall portion. The movements of this retractable wall portion are synchronized with the operation of a device which causes downward deflection of the edge region of a sheet located adjacent the magazine front limit stop. Accordingly, simultaneously with the application of the deflecting force, the frictional retaining force is removed from the edge region of the sheet to be separated.

Abstract: Programmers for an entry control system, which operates to automatically control access to an area upon contact of an electronic key with a data port, employ data carriers housing ROM chips. The chips have a unique data code which corresponds to an elemental key or a code. In one form of the programmer, a membrane keypad addresses the ROM chips for inputting commands to program a controller. In other embodiments, the programming chips are mounted to a flexible board and are positionable to directly contact a receptacle port for the controller.

Abstract: A blood chemistry analyzer for determining the concentration of various chemical compounds or analytes in a patient's blood in a non-invasive manner employs a plurality of electrodes, an isotonic bath, a spectrophotometer, and a control unit. Adhesive electrodes are attached to the patient's skin such that the patient's entire peripheral blood supply system is analyzed. The controller provides a signal to the electrodes that causes the electrodes to develop an electrical charge, or potential, having a magnitude proportional to the detected charge for the analyte of interest. This potential is transmitted to an isotonic bath where it causes a portion of the dissolved salts to separate into anions and cations. The amount of separation is proportional to the magnitude of the electrical potential. Predetermined volumes of the anion/cation saturated isotonic solution are piped into reagent wells containing a reagent corresponding to the specific blood analyte of interest.

Abstract: Thermal decoking of cracking gas coolers which operate with low gas pressure is accomplished by controlling the temperature of a cleaning gas delivered to the cooler. The temperature control is achieved by mixing a cleaning gas, which has been heated in a cracking oven, with a stream of relatively cool cleaning gas upstream of the cooler.

Abstract: In an air preheater with a large lower cold end center section and a smaller, upper hot end center section, the connecting plate duct assemblies on both the hot and cold end are made the same height rather than to have cold end connecting plate duct assemblies which are larger and equal in height to the cold end center section. This minimizes the design and manufacturing costs and provides cold end connecting plate duct assemblies which are smaller, lighter and easier to handle. This then requires that the housing panels around the outside of the rotor be longer to reach between these connecting plate duct assemblies. At the ends of the hot and cold center sections are main support pedestal panels which support the hot end center section above the cold end center section. These main support pedestal panels together with the housing panels complete the rotor housing.

Abstract: A novel zeolite characterized by a large number of secondary pores, a substantially decreased Lattice Constant of below about 24.19 .ANG., and a substantially decreased Acid Site Density is attained by hydrothermal and acid-treating of an ultrastable Y-zeolite.

Abstract: The invention provides a nebulizer and spray chamber (3) for producing an aerosol (7) suitable for feeding into the plasma torch of an ICP or MIP emission or mass spectrometer. The aerosol (7) is subjected to rapid radiative heating (26) to evaporate the smaller droplets to dryness and preferably to cause the larger droplets to disintegrate into smaller droplets before they are completely evaporated. Nebulizer/spray chamber combinations according to the invention have higher sample transport efficiency than prior types. Optical and mass ICP and MIP spectrometers incorporating the nebulizer and spray chamber are also disclosed.

Abstract: An improved ceramic corundum abrasive is achieved by addition of tin. Preparation is preferably by the sol-gel process, with further modifying components such as magnesium, lithium, cobalt, yttrium, hafnium, iron, rare earths, gamma-aluminium oxide already being present in the sol.

Abstract: An electronic surveillance system for detecting unauthorized persons within a building. The system comprising a microwave transmitting/receiving device which transmits a microwave signal into the area under surveillance and receives microwave signals reflected from the area. The microwave signal having frequencies corresponding to the life functions of any living beings present in the area. The transmitting/receiving device comprising a signal conditioning device, a memory device, and a comparator unit. The signal conditioning device adjusts the amplitude and phase of a portion of the outgoing microwave signal and adds it to the incoming microwave signal, eliminating the carrier wave. The resultant actual signal is transmitted to the comparator unit which also receives a signal from the memory device comprising characteristic frequencies representing authorized occupants. If the results of the comparison are above a predetermined threshold, an alarm is generated.

Abstract: The present invention relates to textile-based floor covering or wall covering products endowed with acaricidal properties provided with a backing comprising a polymer matrix containing one or more acaricides as well as a carrier for the acaricides.