Abstract: A system includes a high speed reciprocating mold plate patty-forming machine and a downstream patty presser. The high speed patty forming machine provides patties at a high production speed onto an output conveyor portion. The patty presser includes an upper conveyor having an upper endless belt. The upper conveyor is located above the output conveyor, wherein facing belt surfaces of the upper and lower endless belts define a path between the upper and lower conveyors. The upper conveyor has a tilted section such that a first clearance at an input to the path is equal to or greater than a thickness of the patties and a second clearance at an outlet of the inlet length is less than a thickness of the patties at the input of the path. A shuttle conveyor is arranged at the output of the path and delivers patties to an indexing packaging machine.

Abstract: A wall for retaining water includes a backing support, formed by vertically arranged sheet piling, a base attached to the sheet piling, and a rock or boulder facade supported on the base. The sheet piling is formed of undulating, interlocking steel sheets. A backing plate is welded to the sheet piling. A high quality plaster is applied between the facade and the backing plate and between the backing plate and the sheet piling. Preferably, the plaster is a pool plaster type, typically used to seal cracks and form an exposed surface in in-ground swimming pools.

Abstract: A re-threshing system for a combine includes a delivery mechanism for transporting tailings from the cleaning section of the combine to a re-threshing apparatus and a bypass that can be used to bypass the tailings around the re-threshing apparatus. The re-threshing apparatus includes a re-threshing housing that at least partially surrounds a re-threshing rotor. The rotor and housing have cooperating threshing elements that act to re-thresh the tailings delivered into the housing and deliver the re-threshed tailings out of a housing outlet into a discharge passage to be directed to the cleaning section of the combine harvester. The delivery mechanism is configured to throw or fling the tailings into an inlet opening of the housing in a direction substantially tangential to the rotor rotating direction. To bypass the re-threshing apparatus, a deflector can be deployed to block the inlet opening and deflect the tailings into a bypass passage that is open to the discharge passage.

Abstract: An eyewear assembly includes an outer first frame, at least one outer first lens, an inner second frame, and at least one inner second lens. The assembly includes a mechanism for holding the first frame and first lens in front of a user's face. The second frame has a mechanism for attachment to the first frame, to hold the second frame between the user's eyes and the first lens. The at least one second lens is carried by the second frame. The second frame includes a first frame portion that mounts the second lens and a second frame portion overmolded onto the first frame portion defining portions of the outside surface area of the second frame. The first frame portion is of a relatively hard material and the second frame portion is of a relatively soft material. Strap anchors include louvers for directing air at side vents of the first frame. The first frame includes a central elevated vent to distribute air over top vent openings of the first frame.

Abstract: An eyewear assembly includes an outer first frame, at least one outer first lens, an inner second frame, and at least one inner second lens. The assembly includes a mechanism for holding the first frame and first lens in front of a user's face. The second frame has a mechanism for attachment to the first frame, to hold the second frame between the user's eyes and the first lens. The at least one second lens is carried by the second frame. The second frame includes a first frame portion that mounts the second lens and a second frame portion overmolded onto the first frame portion defining portions of the outside surface area of the second frame. The first frame portion is of a relatively hard material and the second frame portion is of a relatively soft material. A shock-absorbing pad can be fit between the first and second frames.

Abstract: A system, suitable for high-speed operation, by which raw product (45), such as a slab of meat, can be accurately processed, such as by slicing into segments of desired weight, comprises a product profiling apparatus (15). The product profiling apparatus (15) measures the profile of the physical process. The product profiling apparatus (15) includes line lasers (75, 85) for directing a line of light across the upper and lower surfaces of the product (45) and visual image cameras (80, 90) directed toward the profile surface to capture, at fixed increments, the product profile. The product may also be weighed and the product density determined from the overall profile measurements. A controller (150) receives this data, and instructs the physical process accordingly.

Abstract: A mechanism and method is provided for controllably loading multiple food loaves into the slicing station of a continuous slicing machine. The parallel loaves that are engaged by a common loaf feed drive or side-by-side, independent loaf feed drives are engaged by the loaf feed drive or drives simultaneously such that the interface or seam between a preceding loaf and a trailing loaf in different loaf feed paths are located substantially at the same location during slicing of two side-by-side loaf streams. A clamp device is provided that clamps multiple food loaves when loaded to move along the parallel food loaf paths together, wherein the clamp device can be released once the multiple food loaves are simultaneously engaged by the loaf feed drive.

Abstract: A mold plate for use in a reciprocating mold plate patty-forming apparatus includes a flat body having a plurality of cavities for forming patties. The flat body has a fill side face and an opposite face. A grid pattern of grooves is formed on the second face extending longitudinally and laterally on the second face. The pattern extends a lateral distance that is about equivalent to an overall patty cavity field width. Longitudinal and lateral slots that penetrate though a thickness of the mold plate and flow connect fill side pressure and meat with the pattern of grooves on the second face to balance the pressure on the opposite faces of the flat body.

Abstract: A drawer security attachment includes an attachment flange or brackets and a cover extending from the bracket. The flange or brackets attach to the inner surface of the drawer face, and the cover extends across the width of the otherwise open top of the drawer to inhibit access to the drawer contents. The flange and cover may be a single, monolithic sheet of flexible plastic, or may comprise rigid components secured to one another by a hinge. The cover portion includes a catch engagement passage(s), with a pin(s) extending downwardly from the upper portion of the drawer opening. The panel is urged upwardly against the upper portion of the drawer opening, with the engagement passage(s) automatically catching on the pin(s) as the drawer is opened. The cover can include extendable wings to match an overall width of the cover to the drawer width.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for filling food product drafts into packages. A supply of open top containers are arranged in rows and carried by an elongated web of film and are movable by the web into a fill station. A shuttle conveyor has a retractable and extendable conveying surface, the conveying surface arranged above the fill station and having an end region extendable to a position arranged to deposit food product drafts into the containers of the first row by circulation of the conveying surface. The conveying surface is retractable, or extendable, to reposition the end to a position arranged to deposit food product drafts carried on the conveying surface into the containers of the second row and each subsequent row. A tamping apparatus is carried by the conveyor to retract or extend with the conveying surface end.

Abstract: The method of treating the flax fiber consists of cleaning, cottonisation, retting and drying of the raw material, which could be short flax fiber No 2, combing wastes and other wastes. The opening of the flax fiber is carried out 3 times: first before the cleaning, second before the retting, and third after drying, which is done after cottonisation. This is carried out by electro-hydraulic treatment to a processed material placed in a liquid. This invention allows for quality improvement of the flax fibers and simplification of the processing.

Abstract: A shielding arrangement for an electronic component mounted on a circuit board includes a shield formed by a frame sidewall arranged to be oriented upstanding from the circuit board and surrounding the electronic component mounted on the circuit board. A first cover portion substantially closes the surrounding sidewall, enclosing the electronic component on the circuit board. A conductive layer, formed by vacuum deposition covers an inside surface of the surrounding sidewall and an inside surface of the first cover portion, continuously. As an alternative to the conductive layer, the frame can be composed of an electrically conductive plastic. The first cover portion can be a stamped metal plate integrated with the frame by overmolding.

Abstract: A stem for eyewear includes an elongated base configured for support on a user's ear and comprising a relatively hard material and a soft pad portion overmolded onto the elongated base. The base comprises at least one through hole and the soft pad portion comprises an anchor portion that is continuous through the through hole. The base also includes an anchor loop on an end that is covered and penetrated by the soft pad portion.

Abstract: A bait bag and hook combination is provided for use in fishing. The bait bag and hook combination includes a bag that is fixedly mounted on the hook in such a way that the bag does not hinder the hooks ability to impale game fish. The bag includes an easy-opening and re-closing apparatus for efficient refilling of the bag. In addition, the bag is made up of material that is durable enough to withstand the underwater environment, but is also permeable enough to release the scent of the bait contained inside.

Abstract: A propeller shield apparatus for mounting to a trolling motor having an exposed propeller with a horizontal axis includes a vertical fin and an arcuate propeller shield. The arcuate propeller shield is oriented concave downward and fixed to the vertical fin. The vertical fin is carried by the trolling motor. The vertical fin spaces the propeller shield above the propeller. A curved bracket is provided, connected to the vertical fin, and is clamped to the trolling motor. Angular fins can be provided at opposite ends of the propeller shield which extend substantially radially from the horizontal axis.

Abstract: An automatic transmission for a motorcycle includes a fluid torque converter and a geartrain. The torque converter includes a torque converter housing, a torque converter input pulley arranged to receive rotary power from the motorcycle engine and a torque converter output shaft for transmitting rotary power. The geartrain includes a main shaft driven by the torque converter output and a parallel countershaft. The main shaft carries a plurality of main gears. The countershaft carries a plurality of counter gears forming selectable gear pairs with the main gears. An output pulley driven by the countershaft is rotatably carried on the main shaft between the torque converter and the gear pairs. The output pulley and the torque converter input pulley are on a same side of the transmission.