Abstract: A massaging assembly includes a massaging apparatus and a movable lower-back supporting member. The massaging apparatus includes a hollow casing with a top wall and a front wall, a rest member disposed on top of the top wall, and a driving unit mounted in the casing. The driving unit extends through the top wall of the casing so as to connect with and drive reciprocatingly the rest member from side to side. The lower-back supporting member is to be disposed spacedly from the front wall of the casing and parallel to direction of reciprocating movement of the rest member. The supporting member includes a base and a slide plate mounted slidably on top of the base. The slide plate is slidable in a direction parallel to the direction of reciprocating movement of the rest member.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for controlling the pneumatic transport of friable particulate solid material through a transport pipe by means of a carrier gas circulating in a loop comprising the transport pipe and a carrier gas recycle conduit. A value of kinetic energy of the carrier gas is determined at a location proximal to a point of introduction of the material into the transport pipe. This value is compared with a kinetic energy set point to produce a first control signal which controls venting of carrier gas from the loop. A value of flow rate of the carrier gas in the loop is determined and compared with a comparison signal based on the first control signal to produce a second control signal. The second control signal is used to control the flow rate of the carrier gas through the carrier gas loop.

Abstract: A toothbrush includes a handgrip portion and a head portion pivoted to the handgrip portion and movable between a folded position and a stretched position. The head portion includes a pair of lugs with a pair of first positioning notches and a pair of second positioning notches which are spaced angularly from the first positioning notches. The handgrip portion includes a pair of parallel plates. A spring-loaded slider provided between the parallel plates and has a projection that extends into the first notches of the head portion when the toothbrush is at the folded position and into the second notches when the toothbrush is at the stretched position. The slider is movable so as to release the projection from the first notches in order to cause the head portion to pivot relative to the handgrip portion to the stretched position due to the provision of a torsional spring which biases normally the head portion away from the handgrip portion.

Abstract: A composite golf head includes a head portion which is made of a carbon fiber composite material. The head portion has a front face, a rear face opposed to the front face, a top face, and a bottom face opposed to the top face. A metal reinforcing plate is fixed to the front face. The metal reinforcing plate has an upper extension fixed to a first part of the top portion. The metal reinforcing plate has a lower extension fixed to and wrapping around the bottom face and the rear face and extending to a second part of the top face.

Abstract: A reinforcing yarn and an abrasion resistant knitted fabric made therewith are disclosed. The reinforcing yarn is made by Z twisting one end of a "Z"-twist textured yarn together with one end of a "S"-twist textured yarn to yield an S/Z yarn pair, which is then reverse twisted together with a duplicate S/Z yarn pair to yield a 4-end multi-twisted reinforcing yarn. This reinforcing yarn is knit in plaited relationship to the body yarn of a fabric to produce a fabric with exceptional abrasion resistance.

Abstract: A reinforcing yarn and an abrasion resistant knitted fabric made therewith are disclosed. The reinforcing yarn is made by pairing one end of a "Z"-twist textured yarn together with one end of an "S"-twist textured yarn to yield an S/Z yarn pair. The S/Z yarn pair is then axially twisted in a first direction and stretched before being helically wrapped in the opposite direction with a duplicate S/Z yarn pair to yield a 4-end composite reinforcing yarn. This reinforcing yarn is knit in plaited relationship to the body yarn of a fabric to produce a fabric with exceptional abrasion resistance.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for triggering and measuring electrochemiluminescent phenomena using a voltage waveform applied at the voltammetric working electrode which improves the precision and accuracy of measurements. This waveform has a decreasing scan rate in the range of voltages for which electrochemiluminescence is triggered and is substantially sinusoidal in shape in this range. The waveform results from locating the reference electrode of a potentiostat in close potential proximity to its counter electrode, and applying a uniform scanning voltage waveform at the reference electrode. The waveform also can be synthesized digitally, converted to analog form, and applied directly to the working electrode with the reference electrode in close potential proximity to the working electrode.

Abstract: Apparatus for tightening or loosening a plurality of bolts or other rotatable elements in which a drive socket and a pair of reaction sockets are supported by an elongated beam member. The drive socket is placed on a selected rotatable element to be turned, and the reaction sockets are placed on additional rotatable elements on opposite sides of the selected element. The reaction sockets are slidable along the beam member to accommodate different distances between the rotatable elements and may be locked in place in their proper positions. During the turning movement, the beam member and the reaction sockets apply force to the additional elements in a direction opposite to the force applied to the element being turned to thereby prevent any significant movement of the additional elements and their supporting structure.

Abstract: The new compounds produced from a molecular structural element with two chirality centers and at least one mesogenic structural element are defined by the general formula (I) ##STR1## in which the symbols have the following meaning: Y.sup.1, Y.sup.2, Y.sup.3, Y.sup.4 = in any two cases (a) hydroxy and MC--CO--O or, independently of each other, MC--CO--O and (b), independently of each other (C.sub.1 -C.sub.10)alkoxy, MC denoting the molecular radical of a mesogenic carboxylic acid after splitting off a COOH group, and it being possible for Y.sup.2 and Y.sup.3, in the case of (C.sub.1 -C.sub.10)alkoxy, also to be jointly part of a dioxolane ring, or Y.sup.1 and Y.sup.4 jointly = 0 as part of a tetrahydrofuran ring, and Y.sup.2 and Y.sup.3 = hydroxy and MC--CO--O or, independently of each other, MC--CO--O. Said esters preferably find application as dopants in twistable liquid crystal phases in which they produce temperature compensation and twisting.

Abstract: A mixing and dispensing apparatus for mutually reactive chemicals. The apparatus includes a mixing chamber having a core of inexpensive monolithic design with a reciprocal. The core and purging rod are readily detachable as a unit from the remainder of the apparatus. The purging rod does not perform a valving function, and therefore significant compressive force does not need to be maintained on the mixing chamber core. The apparatus includes separate valves for each of the reactive components remote from the mixing chamber bore which are automatically opened after retraction of the purging rod, so that the chemicals are not maintained under pressure adjacent the purging rod. A visible indication of the amount of useful life remaining for the mixing chamber is also provided.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for the direct gaseous reduction of iron ore to sponge iron at an elevated temperature suitable for hot briquetting, wherein a hot reducing gas is circulated upwardly through a descending body of iron ore and a make-up reducing gas stream is added to the circulating gas stream. A sponge iron product having a predetermined desired degree of carburization in the range 0.5% to 4% is obtained by adding a controlled flow of natural gas or other methane-containing gas to said make-up gas stream or to said circulating gas stream.

Abstract: Catalysts for the isomerization of hydrocarbons, particularly normal paraffins having from 4 to 7 carbon atoms, as well as a process for the preparation of the catalyst and a process for their use in the isomerization of such hydrocarbons are disclosed.The catalysts are composed of a zeolite support impregnated with a mixture of zirconium, a refractory metallic oxide and at least one platinum-group metal.The process for the preparation of the catalysts involves steps of depositing the zirconium, on the zeolite support, mixing (zeolite+Zr) with alumina, and depositing a platinum group metal on the mixture (zeolite+Zr)/alumina, accompanied by intermediate calcining and shaping steps, and followed by drying and final calcining steps. Alternative methods for depositing the zirconium and platinum group metals on the zeolite are disclosed.