Abstract: In an insertion machine a track 20 moves groups of items past feed station 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, during respective machine cycles. The feed stations selectively feed items onto the tracks 20 for inclusion with a group of items and eventual stuffing into an envelope. A master control item 46 fed from station 31 for each group has indicia 50 thereon which provides an indication from which of the feed stations items can be fed. In order for data processor 102 to calculate the amount of postage appropriate for the stuffed envelope, an operator uses a keyboard and display 110 to input predetermined per item weight values for items held at select stations. A data processor 102 uses the predetermined values indicative of the per item weight of items held in the stations to obtain a calculated total weight for each group of items.

Abstract: System for applying compounds protective against ice formation on airplanes and for also cleaning and washing at respective first and second locations of at least one unitary covered structure. The unitary covered structure can be at least seasonally, or more often as requirements dictate, shuttled between a location immediately adjacent the clear zone of a runway for cold weather, or storm, operations and a location remote from said clear zone for washing in warm weather operations. Both positions of the covered structure have dedicated supply and drainage system for the fluids supplied at each position. Several unitary covered structures of various dimensions at several locations adjacent to the clear zone of a runway are also shown.

Abstract: The preparation and use of water-soluble or water-swellable copolymers by polymerization in water-in-oil emulsions of an olephinically unsaturated acid, a salt thereof, a multifunctional monomer, acrylonitrile and optionally a monomer with hydrophilic functional groups.

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus for uniformly filling a container with products such as fruits or the like to a predetermined weight or level, in which apparatus the angular position of the container with respect to the horizontal is changed during filling in response to the instantaneous weight or level of the product in the container. According to the invention, a tongue which can be moved back and forth in substantially horizontal direction is provided below a product supply. The tongue assumes positions in response to the instantaneous weight or level of the product in the container such that the height of drop of the products into the container is kept at a minimal during filling and the container is filled uniformly.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of sorting and bundling flowers, comprising hanging the flowers separately in individual flower supporting members circulating in a first closed path; as they are traversing the path, designating the flowers as to at least one characteristic, such as stem length; depending on the designated characteristic, transferring the flowers to second flower supporting members circulating in a second path; grouping the flowers into groups of a limited number of flowers; and collecting and bundling a series of groups into a bunch. The individual flower supporting members are moved adjacent a transfer point from a transport position into a transfer position in a tract substantially perpendicular to the first path, while during transfer the second flower supporting members are held stationary and oriented in the direction of movement of the individual flower supporting members. The invention further relates to apparatus for applying this method.

Abstract: A bung plug assembly (30) for a clamshell life-raft canister (14) comprises a tubularly-shaped housing (32) for holding wound, or coiled, rope (84) with a resilient grommet cap (34) on an outwardly-directed end (64) thereof and a resilient rear cap (36) on an inwardly-directed end (66) thereof. The resilient grommet cap defines a grommet-cap bore (40) therethrough through which an outer-end portion (50) of the rope extends and a canister slot (72) for receiving edges of top and bottom halves (16, 18) of the canister as well as a key slot (46) for receiving a resilient molded key (44) to engage an edge of at least one canister half. A bung plug (38) having a rope passage (42) therethrough for receiving the outer-end portion of the rope is inserted into the grommet-cap bore.

Abstract: A jam detector in an inserting station of an inserter comprises horizontal and vertical photosensors and therewith associated retroreflective targets; the horizontal sensors have a light beam directed across and above an envelope positioned in the inserting station, and the vertical sensors have a pair of vertical light beams directed toward opening fingers while the fingers are positioned in the inserting station for holding envelopes open. The jam detector detects jam malfunctions during the inserting cycle by sensing interruption of the horizontal beam and uninterrupted retroreflection of the vertical beams.

Abstract: The telecommunications cable of the invention comprises a series of optical fibers which are preferably coated with respective colored identification layers, the fibers being split into modules each of which is enveloped by a thin supporting sheath that is easily torn, with different sheaths preferably being of different colors, the sheaths being in contact with the optical fibers, and a protective covering being in contact with the supporting sheaths.

Abstract: Polyurethane polyurea particles are obtained by an interfacial polymerization reaction between a hydrophobic phase which is capable of forming a three-dimensional crosslinked structure by reaction and is a mixture comprising a polyisocyanate compound and a polyhydroxy compound with the isocyanate groups being stoichiometrically excessive, and a polyamine in an amount not more than one equivalent of the stoichiometrically excessive isocyanate groups in the hydrophobic phase, and by polyurethanization reaction inside the particles.

Abstract: This method for establishing the pressure-diameter relationship of an artery employs the measurement results from a non-invasive sensor (3) of the artery diameter, for instance of the humeral artery, and from a non-invasive sensor (4) of the blood pressure applied for instance to the end of a finger. The measurement locations being separated by a distance .DELTA.x, the method provides for the correction of the pressure measurements as if such measurements had been effected at the location of the diameter measurements. The method further provides a correction which takes into account the mechanical properties of the artery, defined by the parameters .alpha., .beta., .gamma., . . . and which are calculated, if necessary by successive iterations, until the pressure-diameter curve appears free from all measurement anomalies (hysteresis).

Abstract: A sheet of work-hardenable, non-heat-treatable, corrosion-resistant steel is cold rolled into a tube (12) and welded (10). The cold rolling strengthens the material. The welding causes the weld area (10) to revert to its annealed condition, but the ends (24, 30) of the tube (12) are then swaged into open domes (14, 16) to form a symmetrically-swaged tube having further work-hardened ends which overcome the apparent weakness of the weld (10). A spherical disk (20) is then welded on to one end to form a bottom and a port section (26) is welded on to the other end to complete the bottle construction.

Abstract: A rotary punching machine comprises a pair of punching tools, namely a rotary punching tool with punches arranged on its circumference and a rotary counter tool, which co-operates with the latter, with dies in the form of punching bushings arranged on its circumference. One of the punching tools (1) and the counter tool (3) has a radial groove (12) on its circumferential surface between the respective individual punches (2) or the individual punching bushings (4), the depth of the groove being greater than the depth of penetration of the punches (2) into the punching bushings (4).

Abstract: This measuring arrangement (1) enables the self-calibration of cylindrical parts (2) in the course of machining and interrupts such machining when a predetermined dimension has been attained. It comprises a head (5) exhibiting a V opening bearing on the part to be measured (2) and a pneumatic sensor (10) associated therewith. The system includes coupling means (25, 26, 27, 29, 31, 32), urging means (33, 34) and sustaining means (39) for the head in order to assure a permanent contact between the part to be measured and contact pieces (8, 9) carried on the V opening. The arrangement offers a very small thickness so that it may attain narrow and deep zones as for example those of cylindrical crankshaft bearings.

Abstract: A resilient anti-vibration sleeve of the invention comprises a mass of compressed steel wire surrounded by a maintaining strip made of metal wire wound helically around the mass of compressed steel wire and having its ends fixed to the mass of compressed steel wire.

Abstract: Filling apparatus for filling receptacles, the apparatus comprising a feed member connected to at least one filling spout via a flow control member connected to an output of a weight processing unit having an input connected to a weighing member in order to deliver opening or closing signals to the flow control member as a function of a weight measured by the weighing member, the apparatus further including a time measuring member associated with the weight processing unit for enabling the processing unit to calculate the flow rate of substance through the flow control member and to compare the calculated flow rate with a flow rate reference value, and to adjust the flow rate of the substance as a function of the result of the comparison.

Abstract: An improved accumulator and method of accumulation into stacks of a number of seriatim-fed sheets selectively in the manner of "over" or "under" accumulation and for conveying accumulated stacks to further equipment. The accumulator comprises driven endless elastic belts to drive sheets therebetween and a driven roller pair for nipping and feeding the sheets to a stacking location to be accumulated therein. The nip of the roller pair is offset in relation to the plane in which sheets are driven thereto by the belts. The roller pair drives a sheet in positively nipped manner to the stacking location selectively over or under a previously arrived sheet. Further included in the roller-accumulator is a stop gate device for stopping sheets fed to the stacking location and for selectively releasing accumulated stacks to be transported by and between the endless elastic belts to further equipment.