Abstract: A liquid-tight reciprocating floor construction includes a plurality of slats slidable on a plurality of stationary bases, with each base supporting an individual slat. Each of the bases is unitary in construction such that liquid leaking through the points of contact between the slat and the base cannont reach the floor supporting the bases. The bases are interconnected by mating flanges, and seals adjacent the mating flanges prevent liquid from leaking through the flanges to the supporting floor.

Abstract: A system from which a customer may rent and return videocassettes. The system has a plurality of vending machines for dispensing and receiving videocassettes including a carousel rotated about a horizontal axis and having bins for storage of videocassettes and access doors for dispensing and receiving videocassettes. A computer controlled positioning system scans a barcode ring affixed to the carousel and an aperture detector counts the passage of apertures in a ring about the carousel for determining the position of the carousel. The control computer also maintains an inventory database which tracks inventory in the bins by scanning barcodes affixed to the each videocassette and viewable via an opening at each bin location.

Abstract: A slat-type conveyer for unidirectional movement of a load is disclosed. A first drive interconnected with a bed causes bidirectional longitudinal movement of a first load bearing slat group in a first direction and a second direction. A second drive interconnected with the elongate bed causes longitudinal movement of a second load bearing slat group simultaneously with the movement of the first slat group in the first direction, and sequentially with respect to the movement of the first slat group in the second direction. A unidirectional load transporting surface on both the first slat group and the second slat group causes movement of the load when the first slat group and the second slat group move simultaneously in the first direction, but does not cause substantial movement of the load when the first slat group and the second slat group move sequentially in the second direction.

Abstract: A control method for the rotational frequency of a weaving machine comprises the steps of performing a plurality of times of trial runnings of the weaving machine at different trial rotational frequencies to obtain the operating time for each rotational frequency, obtaining at least one indefinite coefficient in the formula representing the relation between a rotational frequency factor and an operating time factor by utilizing each obtained operating time and each trial rotational frequency, obtaining the optimum rotational frequency, at which the quantity of production reaches the maximum, on the basis of the obtained at least one indefinite coefficient and fuzzy inference, and controlling the rotational frequency of the weaving machine into the obtained optimum rotational frequency.

Abstract: A substantially constant flow regulating valve includes a piston dividing a bore into two chambers. The piston is spring biased toward the top chamber of the bore. Fluid from the inlet enters the top chamber through a reference pressure passage and exerts a downward force on the piston. Fluid from the inlet also passes through a low torque inlet flow throttle and into the bottom chamber of the bore where it exerts an upward force on the piston in concert with the spring force. The piston includes an end which variably interacts with an orifice in the lower chamber to maintain a constant pressure differential between the top and bottom chambers. A coil-type piping system, a diversifying campus-type piping system and a pressure source piping system all include the above described flow regulating valve. None of these systems require balancing valves or differential pressure valves when the flow regulating valve is employed.

Abstract: An X-ray spectroscopic analyzing apparatus which comprises a source of X-rays, a first analyzing crystal for diffracting the X-rays from the X-ray source, and a second analyzing crystal for diffracting the X-rays from the X-ray source and also for passing therethrough a diffracted X-ray component from the first analyzing crystal. The first and second analyzing crystals are so disposed and so positioned as to permit the diffracted X-ray components of different wavelengths to travel along a single path towards a sample to be analyzed. On an optical path extending between the X-ray source and the sample, a filtering means for cutting a portion of the X-rays which has a wavelength shorter than a predetermined wavelength.

Abstract: Self-contained, preprogrammable downhole well data recorder and method of use thereof, the recorder having the external configuration of a conventional sidepocket gas lift valve and being placeable and retrievable from a conventional gas lift sidepocket mandrel by a conventional valve positioning tool. The recorder monitors and collects fluid dynamics data downhole during well operations, such as stimulation, production and multi-zone well completions, without impeding fluid flow. Programming can involve selective actuation of one or more of the sensors intermittently for at least thirty days. After retrieval of the recorder, fluid dynamics data stored in memory is outputted to external equipment for analysis in a manner known per se.

Abstract: A roller leveler comprises a raisable upper work roll group, and a lower work roll group, the upper and lower work roll groups being arranged in a zigzag form so that the axes of three work rolls adjacent to each other at upper and lower sides and three points of intersection with the plane crossing these axes may make three vertexes of an isosceles triangle, with alternate lower work rolls in the lower work roll group being raisable to act as upper work rolls when a relatively thick hoop is leveled.

Abstract: A hopper and hood combination for muck transfer in a tunneling machine, and a tunneling machine having the same, in which a muck collar is mounted to a cutterhead support and projects into a rotatable cutterhead. A muck chute on the muck collar feeds earth to an earth conveyer when the muck collar and muck chute are in a hopper orientation. The muck chute and muck collar are rotatable relative to the earth conveyor to a hood orientation in which the muck chute restricts earth flow to the earth conveyor. Rotation of the hopper/hood from one orientation to the other is by brief interconnection thereof to the cutterhead without any necessity for any disassembly or reconstruction of the tunneling machine.

Abstract: Insect traps, placeable under the pad of a pet bed, include a housing assembly having a hollow interior, a removable top secured to the housing assembly, and a top having a plurality of openings sized for passage of insects such as fleas and ticks and their eggs therethrough and into the hollow interior. The housing assembly also includes a plurality of top supports attached to the bottom and contacting the top. An adhesive trapping medium is present on the bottom of the housing assembly for trapping the insects. An insect attracting means such as an air oxidizable, self-contained, exothermic composition is contained within the hollow interior of the housing assembly and serves as a long-lasting heat source.

Abstract: A fuel spillage control apparatus contains fuel from overfilling of a fuel tank and allows venting of volatile vapors. A fuel spill transfer pipe allows passage of fuel overflow into the fuel holding chamber. A fuel drain pipe communicates with the fuel spill transfer pipe in the fuel holding chamber and drains fluid of a predetermined level or greater out of the fuel holding chamber through the fuel spill transfer pipe. A fuel-buoyant drain pipe sealing means closes the fuel drain pipe when the fuel level in the fuel drain pipe reaches the fuel drain pipe inlet. An orifice in the bottom of the fuel holding chamber allows draining of liquids and solids heavier than fuel from the fuel holding chamber.