Abstract: A composition of a compounded PVC substrate that is suitable as an extrudate in very wide extruders. The composition is for use as a coating on scrim in the manufacture of billboards, wherein the composition does not yellow or burn, even in extruders having a die 215 inches wide (5,486 mm) with a 1.5 to 2.0 mm lip opening average. The composition has excellent printability, weather resistance and a price point that is low enough to meet competition. The composition has minimal quantities of lubricants and other processing aids, and utilizes a PVC suspension resin having high porosity. The invention enables the fabrication of printable billboard sheeting that is seamless.

Abstract: A molded plastics bearing housing for receiving a roller bearing which is press-fitted into and end of a conveyor roller tube is disclosed. The body portion of the housing extends radially inward as neck portion terminates in two rims, one rim sealing against the shaft supporting the conveyor roller and the other sealing against an inner race of the bearing. Both sealing rims are curved in section so as to make low angles with the roller shaft and bearing. The flexibility of this sealing arrangement absorbs axial movements between the conveyor shaft and the roller.

Abstract: The invention is a method of making metallized iron agglomerates by combining iron/steel particles and a reductant material with a cellulose fiber binder material, compacting the combination to form a solid agglomerate, and reducing the iron portions of the agglomerate in a direct reduction furnace. The cellulose fiber binder material provides an agglomerate having improved strength and lower overall cost than comparable agglomerates using binders known in the art.

Abstract: A polyurethane conveyor roller end cap internally houses rolling bearing and externally is interference-fitted into an end of a roller tube. The outside surface of the body of an end cap, although arranged in large part to engage the tube, has provided therein a circumferential line of blind recesses designed to minimize the amount of polyurethane used for the end cap while still allowing for the provision of load bearing column of polyurethane.

Abstract: The present invention is a quick adjusting stop nut for selective sliding coarse adjustment and rotational precision fine adjustment for rotatable engagement with a threaded rod or shaft in close tolerances, which provides stable precision engagement with the shaft, and which provides a positive locking mechanism.

Abstract: A method for rasterizing a graphic primitive (120) in a graphics system generates, starting from graphic primitive description data, pixel data for the graphic primitive, the graphics system comprising a memory which is divided up into a plurality of blocks (a, a+1, b, b+1) which are each associated with a predetermined one of a plurality of areas on a mapping screen (114). Each block of the plurality of blocks (a, a+1, b, b+1) is associated with a memory page in the memory. The method includes scanning the pixels associated with the graphic primitive (120) in one of the plurality of blocks (a) into which the graphic primitive extends, repeating the preceding steps until all of the pixels associated with the graphic primitive have been scanned in each of the plurality of blocks into which the graphic primitive extends, and outputting the pixel data.

Abstract: A method of coding stereo audio spectral values first carries out grouping of those values in scale factor bands, with which scale factors are associated. Sections are formed next, each comprising at least one scale factor band. The spectral values are coded within at least one section with a code book assigned to the section, out of a plurality of code books each with a code book number assigned to it, the number of the code book used being transmitted as side information to the coded stereo audio spectral values. At least one additional code book number is provided, which does not refer to a code book but shows information relevant to the section to which it is assigned. A method of decoding stereo audio spectral values which are partly coded by the intensity stereo process and which have side information uses the relevant information, showing the additional code book numbers, to cancel the existing coding of the stereo audio spectral values.

Abstract: A mini body press that is configurable to allow a user to perform a multitude of upper body workout exercises. The mini body press includes a molded contoured back brace member, a pair of shoulder harnesses, a pair of hand grips, and a number of elastic straps that are securable between the hand grips and the back brace member.

Abstract: A flexible apparatus for metering agricultural chemicals in a wet blade chemical distribution system consists of a modular peristaltic pump delivery apparatus (24) having an impeller (38) and a mounting bore (30) in a computer-controlled servomechanism that meters the correct amount of a wide variety of agricultural chemical regardless of equipment speed. It is especially well suited for easy field chemical change over and maintenance.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for the direct reduction of iron oxide utilizes a hearth furnace having a vitreous hearth layer of conditioning materials, with the vitreous hearth layer introduced onto a refractory surface of the furnace. The vitreous hearth layer may have upper layers of coating compounds including carbonaceous materials, onto which iron oxide feed material is placed with the carbonaceous materials assisting with segregating the reduced molten iron nuggets from the vitreous hearth layer. The conditioning materials may include compounds such as silicon oxide, magnesium oxide, iron oxides, and aluminum oxide. The conditioning materials are placed in solid or liquid form on the refractory surface, which allows the conditioning materials to raise the melting temperature of the vitreous hearth layer onto which the coating compounds and iron oxide materials are placed.