Abstract: A dual-belt system for solidifying products such as hot-melt resins by passing a product layer through a treatment zone formed by two endless steel belts. The product layer is precooled so that the product strip has substantially the desired cross-sectional shape prior to entering the treatment zone. During the precooling step the product spreads by the action of gravity, and the rates of precooling and movement are such as to insure that the product strip has dimensions within acceptable tolerances.

Abstract: A dual press having hydraulic units which are controlled to regulate the pressure exerted on material being treated. A control system includes sensing means along the path of materials passing to the press and sensing means along the path of materials passing from the press. Thus, sensing means control the hydraulic units and regulate the pressure so as to maintain a predetermined maximum pressure when a continuous supply of material is passing through the press. The pressure is reduced or removed completely when the supply of material is decreased or interrupted.

Abstract: A method of an apparatus for improving the capacity and efficiency of electrostatic precipitators by increasing the average field intensity. The precipitator is supplied with a substantially constant base level DC voltage that is less than the sparking threshold level of the precipitator, and superimposed thereon is a periodic DC voltage waveform of short duration having peak levels that substantially exceed the sparking threshold level. By controlling the characteristics of the periodic DC voltage waveform the average applied voltage is greater than the sparking voltage but the duration of the instantaneously applied voltage is not sufficient to cause sparking in the precipitator.

Abstract: A dispensing cart for use in supporting food packages in a cooking and thawing oven, and for further use in dispensing the packages to the consumer, includes a main frame on which a plurality of shelves are pivotally mounted for movement between a first horizontal position and a second inclined position which is tilted towards one side of the main frame. In the horizontal position of the shelves, the cart can be inserted in an oven adapted to receive the cart while in the tilted position of the shelves, the cart can be used to display the food packages on the shelves for selection by the consumer. Means are provided for tilting all of the shelves on the cart simultaneously when it is desired to display and distribute the packages on the cart shelves.

Abstract: A stanchion construction for boats having a thin walled stainless steel tube which is reinforced throughout the lower portion by a solid plastic cylinder. Horizontal forces exerted on the stanchion directly or through a lifeline, create very substantial stresses in the lower portion of the stanchion. The plastic cylinder surrounded tightly by the tube wall creates a very sturdy construction which is compact and light in weight.

Abstract: A joint construction formed by sonically welding the edges of sheets of oriented nylon. The coextensive edge portions of the nylon sheets are formed with generally complementary surfaces which are at an acute angle to the flat surfaces. A plurality of ridge portions extend from the complementary surfaces substantially parallel to the adjacent edges and concentrate sonic energy introduced into the joint at the interface of the complementary surfaces to form a weld joining the sheets, with the thickness of the completed joint being substantially the same thickness as an individual sheet.

Abstract: An automatic exposure control circuit which controls the shutter speed in accordance with the output of a light measuring circuit including a photodetector which detects the level of scene brightness. The output of the photodetector is memorized by a memorizing capacitor and the shutter speed control circuit is operated in accordance with the memorized output. The memorized level is shifted to a predetermined level when the memorized level is below a predetermined level which corresponds to a limit of scene brightness which can be photographed. A switching circuit and a shifting circuit connected therewith are connected with an end of the memorizing capacitor so that the level of the memorized output may be shifted by the shifting circuit when the level memorized by the capacitor is below a predetermined level. The shutter speed is therefore determined regardless of the scene brightness when the level of the scene brightness is below a predetermined level.

Abstract: Light emitting elements such as light emitting diodes provided in the viewfinder of a camera are connected with a light measuring circuit including a photodetector through an A-D converter, a decoder and a gate circuit so that the light emitting elements may indicate exposure information in a digital form in accordance with the output of the light measuring circuit. An oscillator is connected with the A-D converter and the gate circuit for giving sampling pulses to the A-D converter and clock pulses to the gate circuit. Between the oscillator and the gate circuit is provided a duty modulator to change the duty cycle of the square wave transmitted from the oscillator to the gate circuit. The duty modulator is connected with the light measuring circuit or the A-D converter so as to control the duty cycle of the square wave in accordance with the output from the light measuring circuit.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for cooking products such as french toast in which the uncooked product is placed on one end of an endless steel belt upon which it is carried while being cooked. The product passes through a first cooking zone to cook it on one side, and it is then turned over and passes through a second zone in which it is cooked on the other side. The turning operation is performed by a flipper positioned between the two cooking zones which pushes spatula means under the product with a movement against the movement of the conveyor. The spatula is then swung about an axis transverse to the movement of the conveyor and directly above the cooking surface, and the product is turned or "flipped" along an arcuate path progressively with respect to the movement of the conveyor.

Abstract: A duel-belt press in which two mating endless steel belts are supported and pressed against each other through a treating zone while holding a layer of a product captive. The layer of product is compressed as it moves into the nip formed by two diametrically opposed compression rolls which act through the belts to compress the product layer. Belt support structures are provided through the zone extending from upstream to downstream of the compression rollers relative to the movement of the belts and the layer of the product.

Abstract: A safety ski binding uses a rigid sole plate adapted to be releasably secured to a ski boot and having front and rear cam surfaces formed thereon for cooperation with toe and heel pieces that secure the sole plate, and thus the boot, to the ski. The toe piece and heel piece of the ski binding are both mounted on a ski plate or chassis secured to the ski in a predetermined position. The toe includes means defining a movable cam surface which engages the front cam surface of the sole plate, to releasably hold the plate on the ski, while the heel piece includes a resiliently biased cam that engages the rear cam surface of the sole plate when the sole plate is engaged in the toe piece and is flat against the ski, thereby to bias the sole plate towards the toe piece and normally maintain the front cam surface of the sole plate in engagement with the cam surface of the toe piece.

Abstract: The plumbing assembly includes a tube having a free edge portion at which at least one inverted T-shaped projection is formed. The projection is located with its cross bar extending parallel to the free edge of the tube and the stem thereof extending from the cross bar towards the free edge and terminating at a point spaced therefrom. An annular ring formed with a threaded outer peripheral surface and a relatively smooth inner surface has at least one recess formed in its inner surface for receiving the stem portion of the T-shaped projection, thereby to prevent relative rotation between the tube and the ring.

Abstract: In the embodiment is specifically described a method for irradiating a transistor device with radiant rays. The top surface of the semiconductor crystal contained in the transistor device is exposed to the radiant rays so that the radiated energy impinging upon a preselected part of the base region, underneath the emitter electrode, is less than that impinging upon the other parts of the base region. Masking and radiant ray absorptive material are used to facilitate the process. Thereafter, the device and/or crystal is subjected to heat treatment to selectively improve such characteristics of the transistor as amplifying and switching characteristics to produce transistors suitable to a necessity of different applications.

Abstract: In a method and apparatus for automatic handling of bread pans adapted for use in a baking process, individual empty pans are received and stacked at a first station and automatically moved to a predetermined storage station. When individual pans are required, the stacked pans are selectively removed from the storage station and transported to an automatically operable unstacking device. The method and apparatus includes a control system for detecting a demand for individual pans which operates the unstacking device and distributes individual pans in response to the demand.

Abstract: A system is disclosed for controlling the discharge of articles from a steel belt conveyor. When articles are placed on the belt at the loading station, the belt is magnetized at a high intensity in a very small area which has a predetermined relationship, longitudinally of the belt, to the position of the article on the belt. The magnetized spot is also positioned transversely of the belt in accordance with the station where the article is to be discharged. At each discharge station there is an arrangement in the form of a plow and means to move the plow to and from the path of articles carried on the belt so as to deflect the articles from the belt. The plow operating mechanism has an electronic control which includes a Hall-effect transducer positioned adjacent the bottom surface of the belt and relatively positioned transversely of the belt along the path of the magnetized spots for that station.

Abstract: A gas-fired, infrared space-heater which is compact and has "sealed combustion", and which is particularly suited for small recreational vehicles and for boating and camping installations. A vent for the products of combustion is provided through a flue which is surrounded by a concentric fresh air inlet pipe which provides a heat-exchange relationship to heat the incoming air by the gases being exhausted.