Abstract: Food products, for example, hamburger patties, are more rapidly cooked than with existing system and with reduced shrinkage. A cooking appliance is provided having a plurality of parallel spaced heat transfer fins. An array of projecting cooking grills on which the hamburger patty is impaled are thermally connected to said heat transfer fins. This composite cooking appliance is introduced into a liquid heating medium so that heat is transferred through the fins and projecting grills to the interior of the hamburger patty. In this way cooking is accomplished in a relatively short period of time, and the amount of fat and meat juices that are melted or boiled away is reduced. An ejector is adapted to fit between the projecting cooking grills in order to remove the food patty after cooking is completed.

Abstract: A hydraulic braking system including hydraulically operated brakes and a hydraulic relay valve for controlling the operation of the brakes in response to a mechanical input. The relay valve includes a metering valve having a medial and distal pair of axially-aligned lands with different diameters, defining an annular chamber between each medial and distal land. A modulator is included to provide a skid control capability. The modulator is hydraulically connected to one of the annular chambers, with system hydraulic pressure being provided to the other. This enables the modulator to vary the position of the metering valve as needed to prevent skidding of the wheels being braked.

Abstract: An improved process for catalytically hydrolyzing a nitrile to a corresponding amide which employs a reduced copper and another reduced metal catalyst. This catalyst is prepared by precipitating from an aqueous solution comprised of a mixture of a copper salt and a heavy metal salt a mixture of copper hydroxide and heavy metal hydroxide, oxidizing, heating, washing, separating and reducing under controlled conditions.

Abstract: A method is provided for reducing spoilage of high moisture grain resulting from mold growth. The high moisture grain is treated on all surfaces with ethyl alcohol or an ethyl alcohol solution containing a microbial preservative. Spoilage as by mold growth is retarded for over a year while the products are stored at ambient temperatures.

Abstract: A moisture indicator is provided suitable for use in determining the wet-dry cycle of the soil surrounding cultivated plants. The soil moisture indicator comprises an upper and lower chamber with an interconnecting passageway across which is positioned an absorbent supporting material impregnated with a moisture sensitive indicator composition. The lower chamber has a bottom opening which upon insertion into the soil results in the relative humidity in the lower chamber being related to the wetness of the soil. The upper chamber is partially transparent and may optionally be vented to the outer atmosphere.

Abstract: A baler adapted to be pulled behind and powered by a PTO-equipped tractor for picking up a windrow of hay and rolling the hay into a cylindrical bale of substantial size and weight. The baler includes a bale-supporting lower belt and a plurality of upper bale-forming belts superposed over the lower belt, together defining the upper and lower parameters of bale-forming zone. The upper belts are driven by a pair of drive rollers disposed above the forward portion of the lower belt. A press roller is disposed closely adjacent to the forward portion of the lower belt and together with one of the drive rollers defines the forward parameter of the bale-forming zone. A pickup delivers the windrwed hay beneath the press roller and into the zone. The baler includes a gate structure above the lower belt pivotable rearwardly as the bale size increases. Journalled on the lower end of the gate is a roller engageable with the upper belts and which defines a rear parameter of the bale-forming zone.

Abstract: An improved assembly for moveably supporting food to be cooked in a pressure vessel is provided which assembly includes a rotatable food container and a rotation means therefore which increases the heat exchange between the food and the environment within the pressure vessel. Also provided is an apparatus for cooking food which includes a pressure vessel; heating and cooling means, a rotatable food container and a rotation means therefore which provides a more uniform processing of the food and increases the capacity of the pressure vessel with respect to the bulk of food which can be cooked in a single cycle. An improved process is also provided which includes subjecting the food to pressure, heating the food while maintaining the pressure, rapidly cooling or freezing the food while the pressure is maintained at least during the first portion of the cooling or freezing step while, at least during a part of the cycle, the food is falling intermittently through the atmosphere.

Abstract: A vehicle skid control system including a wheel speed transducer, skid control circuitry responsive to the transducer for generating a control current output and a skid control valve responsive to the control current for providing single-gain control in a skid control mode. The skid control valve includes a first stage for generating a control pressure which is controlled exclusively by the current output of the valve driver, which control pressure is representative of the threshold pressure which an input metered pressure should not exceed if a skid condition is to be avoided. The control valve further includes a second stage pressure balancing system responsive to the pressure for allowing the metered supply pressure to be applied to a brake port as long as the metered pressure does not exceed the first stage control pressure.

Abstract: A fabric draw down device for a flat knitting machine having a traction roller for tensioning fabric, retaining rollers for pressing against the traction roller and entrainment means for driving the traction roller. The entrainment means includes a pair of opposing levers which are pivotally mounted on offset axes and are drawn together with a spring. The levers each have a pawl which acts on a ratchet wheel mounted on the traction roller. A camming means moves the pair of opposing levers to alternately drive and release the ratchet wheel.

Abstract: Mono- and diesters of 2,5-dihydroxy benzene sulfonic acid are represented by one of the following formulae: ##STR1## wherein R and R' can be identical or different and represent an alkanyl, arylalkanoyl, aryloxyalkanoyl, aryl, alkanesulfonyl, arenesulfonyl, alkylarenesulfonyl or arylalkanesulfonyl radical, B represents the cation of an alkali metal, alkaline-earth metal of ammonia or an unsubstituted or substituted, open chain or cyclic amine, and are remarkable for their hypocholesterolemic, hypotriglycidemic and hypolipidemic activity.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided for reducing mold spoilage of partially baked pizza crusts intended to be stored in unsealed packages at normal room or ambient temperatures. This method and apparatus comprises properly reducing the moisture content and water activity of the crusts, cooling the crusts to below ambient temperatures in a cooler having a spiral path, treating the surface of the crusts with ethyl alcohol, and packaging the crusts before significant amounts of alcohol can vaporize. The shelf life of partially baked pizza crusts so treated and stored in unsealed plastic packages at room temperatures can be extended to at least about 20 weeks or more as compared to about one week without such treatment.

Abstract: A bagging machine for automatically covering a loaded pallet with a bag formed from a tubing of material such as heat-shrink film. The tubing is fed by drive rollers to a pair of inclined vacuum belt units which open the tubing and pass it downward to gathering arm assemblies. The tubing is collected on the gathering arm assemblies until the appropriate length of bag has been fed by the driver rollers. A cut-and-seal mechanism then cuts the tubing and seals the end of the bag. The belt units complete the feeding of the bag onto the gathering arm assemblies and the assemblies are lowered over the loaded pallet. The bagging machine also includes means for automatically centering the loaded pallet under the belt units.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a dried or semi-dried meat product, such as casingless sausage, especially such a sausage popularly known as "meat sticks," though not limited thereto. A pre-formed meat emulsion with a moisture content in excess of 30% by weight, and a fat content in the range from about 5% to 50% by weight, is formed into the desired cross sectional shape and then frozen; thereafter, the sausage is optionally smoked, but, whether smoked or not, it is then dried at temperatures in excess of about 40.degree. F until the moisture content is in the range from about 10% to 30% by weight.

Abstract: A vehicle skid control system including a wheel speed transducer, skid control circuitry responsive to the transducer for generating a control current output and a skid control valve responsive to the control current for providing single-gain control in a skid control mode. The skid control valve includes a first stage for generating a control pressure which is controlled exclusively by the current output of the valve driver, which control pressure is representative of the threshold pressure which an input metered pressure should not exceed if a skid condition is to be avoided. The control valve further includes a second stage pressure balancing system responsive to the pressure for allowing the metered supply pressure to be applied to a brake port as long as the metered pressure does not exceed the first stage control pressure.

Abstract: A bagging machine for automatically covering a loaded pallet with a bag formed from a tubing of resilient film. The tubing is fed by drive rollers down into the machine where vacuum heads grasp the sides of the tubing and spread it open. Fingers are then inserted and when an appropriate length of tubing is fed onto the fingers, a cut-and-seal mechanism cuts the tubing and seals the end of the bag. The fingers retract to further open and stretch the bag. The carriage in which the fingers are mounted is then lowered and the bag is fed onto the load.

Abstract: An apparatus and process for extracting sugar from sugar cane in which a blanket of fiberized cane is passed through a series of compression and maceration operations. The compression is performed at low pressures (for example, 40 to 160 pounds per square inch) between a pair of rollers. During compression, the extracted juice is removed through the perforate surface of the lower roller. The extracted juice removed during compression is supplied as imbibition liquid to a prior operation.

Abstract: Mono- and diesters of 2,5-dihydroxy benzene sulfonic acid are represented by the following formula: ##STR1## wherein each R residue is hydrogen or the residue of p-chlorophenoxy isobutyric acid having the formula: ##STR2## with the proviso that both Rs are not hydrogen simultaneously, and B is hydrogen or the equivalent of an inorganic or organic cation, these compounds are remarkable for their hypocholesterolemic, hypotriglycidemic and hypolipidemic activity.

Abstract: A stitch presser for a knitting machine equipped with at least two needle beds arranged in an inverted "V", and provided with needles which intersect during their upward movement, a carriage movable above the needle beds, a system for control of the needles during their displacement in alternate directions, and a means for the alternate control of the stitch presser along a row of needles and in another adequate position for the movement in the opposite direction wherein the stitch presser acts between two needle beds on the stitches held by the needles. The stitch presser includes a slide thread for pressing the knitwear and a supplementary means for pressing the stitches against the needle beds.

Abstract: A stitch presser for a knitting machine equipped with at least two needle beds arranged in an inverted "V", and provided with needles which intersect during their upward movement, a carriage movable above the needle beds, a system for control of the needles during their displacement in alternate directions, and a means for the alternate control of the stitch presser along a row of needles and in another adequate position for the movement in the opposite direction wherein the stitch presser acts between two needle beds on the stitches held by the needles. The stitch presser includes a slide thread for pressing the knitwear and a supplementary means for pressing the stitches against the needle beds.