Abstract: A method of removing fouling from an underwater surface (16) coated with an antifouling paint involves generating, by means of at least one treating member (9, 10) spaced from the underwater surface to be cleaned, turbulence within the water surrounding the underwater surface so as to dislodge marine fouling adhered thereto. The invention also relates to apparatus for cleaning an underwater surface.

Abstract: A water dispenser for upright stand water bottles includes a hollow post, a base plate which rests on the ground and supports an end portion of the post, a water tank assembly having a housing, a cover for opening or closing the housing, a water tank installed into the housing, and a unit for cooling or heating a water in the water tank, and which is installed to be attachable or detachable onto or from a holder to be coupled to another end portion of the post, a faucet for controlling a flow of the heated or cooled water from the water tank assembly, a suction tube one end portion of which is inserted into a water bottle resting adjacent the post so as to provide a path for supplying water in the bottle to the water tank assembly, a pump assembly which is connected to an intermediate portion of the suction tube so as to pump water from the water bottle, and a control for controlling the pump assembly.

Abstract: A skew-toothed belt includes tension members, a tooth portion, and a back portion. The tooth portion and the back portion are located on opposite sides of an array of the tension members. The tooth portion is covered with a tooth cloth, which is arranged such that the weft thread extends substantially perpendicular to the tooth trace direction of each skewed tooth.

Abstract: A hydraulic tensioner includes a ball check valve disposed inside a tensioner body for permitting the flow of oil only in one direction from an oil passage connected to an oil source toward and a high-pressure chamber formed behind a plunger within a plunger receiving hole in the tensioner body. The ball check valve includes a valve seat on which a check ball rests when closed. The valve seat has a tapered seating surface outwardly diverging at an angle of 60°-110°, and the check ball has a mass of 0.1 g or less. The check ball enables following up oil pressure variations of high frequencies, and even in a region wherein the load acting on the plunger varies at high frequencies it is possible to ensure a sufficient backstop force without increasing the oil pressure supplied.

Abstract: Slats of a slat conveyor chain each have a multiplicity of drain holes distributed in a desired pattern, and discharge grooves formed in the underside of each slat along sliding surface portions facing guide rails of the slat conveyor chain. A treatment liquid, such as lubricating liquid or washing liquid, supplied onto a load-bearing upper surface of the slat conveyor chain for stable and damage-free conveyance of articles such as PET bottles, cans and so on is smoothly discharged from the discharge grooves through the drain holes without scatting around a frame of the slat conveyor chain. With this discharging of the treatment liquid, bearings and a speed reducer of a chain drive mechanism are protected against corrosion. The slat conveyor chain can, therefore, operate reliably over a long period of use while keeping the surrounding environment against contamination with the treatment liquid.

Abstract: A spring-actuated electromagnetic brake includes a noise-suppressing device for suppressing a striking noise emitted when an armature is attracted onto a field to release the brake when an electromagnetic coil is excited to magnetize the field. The noise-suppressing device is comprised of a plurality of hemispherical elastic members each disposed in one of recesses formed in one of two opposed surfaces of the field and the armature. When the brake is in the engaged state, a hemispherical surface of each elastic member partially projects from the recess and is in contact with the other of the two opposed surface. When subjected to a compressive force or pressure applied from the armature, the hemispherical elastic member undergoes elastic deformation as a whole and does not produce any locally concentrated elastic deformation. The hemispherical elastic member is highly durable and is able to greatly suppress the striking noise generated when the brake is released.

Abstract: Disclosed is a heat pack A heat pack comprising a flexible container; a solution which is filled in the container and generates a heat while be crystalizing; a trigger which is disposed in the container to be in contact with the solution, for making the solution generate the heat, wherein the trigger is a single coil spring, and the coil spring has windings in close contact with each other or the coil spring has windings which are partially contacted with each other.

Abstract: Shot having a lead or lead alloy core is sealed from the outside by at least one non-toxic layer which protects the environment from lead waste toxicity and which includes an abhorrent material to act as a repellant for preventing or deterring birds from ingesting or swallowing the shot.

Abstract: A conveyor system includes a drive carrier and a driven carrier movably supported by guide rails via guide rollers rotatably mounted thereon. The drive carrier is connected in driven relation to a conveyor chain. A load-support member composed of a flatbed truck has front and rear engagement plugs removably received in a socket of the driven carrier and a socket of the drive carrier, respectively. The flatbed truck is conveyed in the same direction as the movable carrier while the overall weight of the flatbed truck is supported by the drive and driven carriers. At a curved portion of the conveyance path, the driven carrier is caused to move relative to the drive carrier to cancel out a difference between the length of a part of the curved conveyance path portion between the engagement plugs and the distance of a straight-line between the engagement plugs.

Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus for effectively treating waste gases which are discharged during a processing of manufacturing semiconductors. The apparatus for treating waste gases according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises a waste gases heating chamber, a waste gases collecting chamber, a waste gases collecting chamber cover, a scraping device for the waste gases collecting chamber cover, a scraping device for the waste gases collecting chamber, and a driving source for driving the scraping device for the waste gases collecting chamber cover, and the scraping device for the waste gases collecting chamber. The apparatus for treating waste gases further includes a cooling tube which is disposed on an outer surface of the waste gases collecting chamber, for cooling waste gases.

Abstract: A dental prophy angle adapted to be engaged with a dental handpiece having a nose cone and a low-speed rotary driver within the nose cone. The prophy angle has a proximal end adapted to releasably engage with said nose cone, and a distal end having an implement-mounting member rotatable therein. A flexible shaft extends from the nose cone through the angle to the mounting member and has a diameter which is substantially smaller than the interior wall of the prophy angle. The shaft has a coupling member with a free axial end adapted to engage the rotary driver in the nose cone to be rotated upon rotation of said driver, and an opposite captive end connected to said shaft with a shoulder surrounding said flexible shaft and facing away from said free end to confront an abutment limiting axial displacement of said coupling member within the prophy angle.

Abstract: A connector for interconnecting two conductors comprises a plug component for mating engagement with a receptacle component. The plug component has a conductor means therein and a first elastomeric sealing membrance covering the mating end thereof to seal the same, the sealing membrane having a slit therein. The receptacle component includes conductor receiving means therein and a second elastomeric sealing membrane covering the mating end thereof to seal the same. The second sealing membrane also has a slit therein, the slits in each of the sealing membranes being positioned to register upon mating engagement of the plug and receptacle components. The connector further includes displacement means operable upon the mating engagement of the plug and receptacle components to stretch the first and second sealing membranes in a direction transverse to the slits to open the slits to permit the passage of the conductor means therethrough during engagement and disengagement of the components.

Abstract: A process for recovering sodium citrate from a solution utilized in an absorption/stripping process for SO.sub.2 recovery, which involves cooling a portion of the stripping solution to precipitate sodium sulfate, which is separated from the mother liquor. Thereafter, the mother liquor portion is subjected to an evaporative crystallization to precipitate sodium citrate, which is reintroduced along with fresh absorbent solution into the SO.sub.2 absorption/stripping process.

Abstract: In a venturi-shaped wind tunnel, a wind is generated by a wind generating device in the larger end of wind tunnel. Wind thus generated is caused to speed up by the venturi and drives a rotatable wind responsive device in the smaller end of the wind tunnel. The wind responsive device, in turn, drives an alternator which produces an alternating current, preferably at a fixed frequency determined by speed of rotation. The output of the alternator drives a load. The output of the alternator can also be put through a converter and converted to d.c. which drives a variable speed d.c. motor supplying power to the input fan. A monitoring means sensing the air flow may then cause a regulator to adjust the speed of the d.c. motor to maintain alternator speed constant.