Abstract: A light stake particularly useful for mounting ornamental electrical lighting is provided which includes an elongated shank and a head presenting small and large loops for respectively mounting smaller and larger light sockets. The head is angularly oriented relative to the shank and the large and small loops are cooperatively formed, preferably oriented in opposite directions. The light stake is most economically formed of a single piece of resilient wire, and may mount either a small socket, a large socket, or small and large sockets simultaneously.

Abstract: An expansion joint cover apparatus (10) includes a cover plate (38) in covering relationship with the gap (12) between building sections(14,16). One edge (46) of the plate (38) is coupled to one building section (14) and the opposed edge (48) is slidably received in a recess (30) defined in the second building section (16) adjacent the gap (12). The second building section (16) includes a recess wall (34) between the recess (30) and the adjacent support surface (28). The apparatus (10) further includes a transition insert (44) mounted in the recess (30) against the recess wall (34). The insert (44) presents an insert wall (66) to provide a beveled transition between the recess area (30) and the support surface (28) in order to guide the plate edge (48) therebetween during relative movement between the building sections (14,16) and to protect the recess wall (34) from impact by the second edge (48) of the plate (38) during such movement.

Abstract: An enclosure (10) for protecting and dissipating heat from telecommunications repeaters (12). The enclosure includes a plurality of card-receiving sleeves (14) for receiving repeater cards; at least one heat sink manifold (16) in contact with the sleeves for conducting heat from the sleeves; at least one outer panel (28) in contact with the heat sink manifold for conducting heat from the manifold; a removable cover (40) configured for sliding over the outer panel to protect the cards from exposure to the elements; and at least one biasing mechanism (112) operably coupled with the outer panel for biasing the outer panel into physical contact with the cover when the cover is placed thereover to improve conduction of heat from the outer panel to the cover.

Abstract: Methods and products for thermally degrading unwanted substances is provided which involves contacting such substances with a particulate metal composition in the presence of water and an alkali metal salt, and causing sufficient heat to be generated during such contacting to degrade the substance. The particulate metal compositions include respective quantities of particulate iron and magnesium, and optionally quantities of particulate aluminum and zinc. The compositions generate temperatures on the order of 300-550.degree. F. during such thermal degradations, along with quantities of hydrogen gas and water vapor.

Abstract: A method of magnetically-controllable, electroslag melting of titanium and titanium-based alloys is provided that includes the effect of an external radial magnetic field on the metallurgical melt. The field forms at least two adjoining melting layers which are rotated horizontally in opposite directions, and causes intralayer and meridional toroidal rotation of the melt. The uniform hydrodynamic structure of the melt over the total length of the ingot is stabilized by changing the melting voltage. The external radial magnetic field and the use of a fluoride-chloride flux improves the refinement of metal (by reducing harmful inclusions), condenses the metal structure, and provides high chemical and physical homogeneity of the metal ingot.

Abstract: An elastomeric material for articles such as dynamic seals and the like is rendered detectable by conventional metal detectors through the incorporation of particles of a metallic alloy. Preferably, the resulting impregnated material contains at least 0.25% and no more than about 50% by volume of the alloy, with 2% by volume being the most favored. In one embodiment, the alloy contains 11.0% to 22.0 % by weight of Iron, 70.0% to 90.0% by weight of Nickel, and 0.0% to 7.0% by weight of Molybdenum. In another embodiment, the alloy contains 14.0% to 19.0% by weight of Iron, 80.0% to 83.0% by weight of Nickel, and 1.0% to 3.0% by weight of Molybdenum, and in the most preferred embodiment, the alloy contains about 15.43% by weight of Iron, about 82.39% by weight of Nickel, and about 2.17% by weight of Molybdenum.

Abstract: Processes and apparatuses are provided for continuously harvesting particles from organic solution-laden near-critical and supercritical fluids. Broadly, the processes and apparatuses utilize a filter or separator comprising a thin membrane supported on a sintered stainless steel tube. A feed stream comprising the desired particles, a supercritical antisolvent for the particles (preferably CO.sub.2), and a solvent for the particles, is contacted with the membrane layer of the filter under supercritical conditions for the mixture of antisolvent and solvent. The preferred antisolvents are substantially miscible with the solvent and have a critical temperature of less than 160.degree. C. The desired particles are retained by the filter while the solvent and most of the antisolvent pass through the filter, resulting in separation of the particles from the solvent.

Abstract: A protective cover for a vehicle is provided which extends over a portion of the vehicle body to protect the user from soil accumulated on the exterior of the vehicle. The cover includes a sheet of thin, flexible material which is preferably designed for attaching to the interior of a vehicle by a securement member such as hook and loop material, snaps or the like. The a rib or other rigidifying member extends across the width of the sheet to aid in maintaining its extended condition, and may be sewn into a pocket as an aid to grasping. An attachment member releasably connects the sheet to a door of the vehicle so that when the door swings open, the sheet is tensioned and the attachment member releases to deploy the cover over the exterior of the vehicle. A weight is provided along the bottom margin of the sheet to assist in positioning the sheet in covering relationship over the vehicle exterior.

Abstract: A hydrotherapeutic device for the ankle includes a shoe and a plurality of fins for resisting movement of the foot relative to the ankle. The fins are of substantially equal size and shape and arranged to provide substantially equal resistance to opposite flexion of the foot and opposite turning of the foot when submerged. A set of devices may be provided, with the devices being similar in construction but providing different levels of resistance to foot movement.

Abstract: A method and computer program for operating an interactive themed attraction (12) accessible by computer users (16) is disclosed. The method includes the steps of videotaping at least a portion of a themed attraction to create a video file; storing the video file in a computer-readable memory device accessible by a host computer (14); permitting computer users to access the host computer via a communication network (18) to view the video file; receiving at the host computer a request from one or more of the computer users to interact with the themed attraction; and controlling at least one controllable feature (20) of the themed attraction in response to the request so that the computer users can interact with the themed attraction via the communication network.

Abstract: An agitated bed apparatus (20) for heating, cooling, and/or drying particulate material (152) is provided which includes a housing (22) having an elongated flexible bed (24) therein adapted to receive the material (152). An agitator assembly (26) made up of a series of rotatable beater bar units (70) is located below the bed (24) and oriented for repeatedly impacting the bed (24) to establish an undulating bed movement for elevation and tumbling of the particulate material (152). A material conditioning unit (156) such as an infrared heating unit array (28) is located above the bed (24) so as to expose the particulate material (152) to hot, cool, or ambient air for heating, drying, or cooling thereof. In another embodiment, the apparatus (20) includes a plurality of units (156) which are slidably removable from the housing (22) of the apparatus (20).

Abstract: A multiple station in-line product handling machine (40) is provided which has infeed stations (42-46) equipped with improved feeder and receiving units (60, 62) as well as a unique pusher chain assembly (78). The feeder units (60) include a sucker shaft (88) adapted to successively grip the leading ends (336) of the bottom products (334) in a stack thereof and to pivot such leading ends (336) downwardly without any substantial translational movement of the product (334); the downwardly pivoted ends (336) are then engaged by a cooperating nip roller (100) and feed belt assembly (71) to withdraw the product (334) from the stack. Preferably, the sucker shaft (88) and nip roller (100) are driven by respective cams (106, 108) mounted on a powered shaft (110). The receiving units (62) have receiving structure (74) together with a rotatable wheel (76) equipped with a resilient peripheral product-engaging element (174) which quickly and reliably move the fed product (334) along the length of the machine (10).

Abstract: During a rinsing stage a first quantity of water is accumulated in a buffer reservoir and the tank is rinsed. During a washing stage a second quantity of water is accumulated and the milk tank is washed. A first period of time used for accumulating the first quantity is measured. A second period of time is determined from the measured first period of time and either the first quantity and the second quantity or the ratio between the first quantity and the second quantity. During the washing stage water is supplied during the second period of time. A flexible and reliable method of dosing the second quantity of water essentially independently of the prevailing water pressure is obtained, which does not require a correspondingly large reservoir or any instruments specially provided for measuring the second quantity of water.

Abstract: Improved short length extrusion cooking devices (10) are provided which can achieve product throughput and quality characteristics of conventional long-barrel extruders. The short length extruders (10) of the invention include a relatively short barrel (14) having an inlet (18) and an endmost extrusion die (20). An elongated, helically flighted axially, rotatable screw assembly (22) is positioned within the barrel (14) and is coupled to motive structure (39, 39a) for rotation of the assembly (22) at a speed of at least about 500 rpm. The device (10) may include an internal, apertured flow-restricting device (60, 102) which defines a mid-barrel choke point for the material being processed. An alternate extruder (120) is configured without a mid-barrel restriction and is designed to operate at essentially atmospheric internal pressure throughout the majority of the length of barrel (122) with a significant pressure rise in the final head (134) adjacent the extrusion die.

Abstract: A motion sensor unit (11) is intended to be carried by a domestic animal. The motion sensor unit (11) operates in parallel to and independently of a conventional transponder unit (1). The motion sensor unit (11) contains a motion detector (14) for measuring the activity of the animal by providing electrical pulses when the animal moves. Each hour is subdivided in a number of intervals in each one of which it is determined if the activity has exceeded a certain threshold. If it is the case, a count value is incremented. The count value is then transmitted once each hour and in addition also the count values of all the 23 previous hours. By transmitting repeatedly such information a good safety is obtained in the reception of the information signal, and this information can be used for complicated evaluation processing in a processor (7) or a supplementary personal computer (9).

Abstract: A financial rebate program provides a rebate to purchasers or sellers of energy such as electrical power and natural gas for a deviation from expected weather conditions. In one example, the buyer of a block of electrical power for a given winter month pays a premium as a percent of the value of the transaction. If the weather is warmer than normal, the heating degree days would be less and the demand for electrical power would also be less because of reduced electrical heating load. As a result, the buyer might have to sell the excess power at a discount. The buyer would receive a rebate based on the number of degree days below a given strike, such as ninety-five percent of normal, helping to offset the discount thereby minimizing a component of financial risk of the transaction.

Abstract: A voltage control apparatus (10) selectively boosts or bucks an input voltage in order to provide a selected output voltage. In the preferred embodiment, the apparatus includes a transformer (T1) having a plurality of secondary voltages presented at respective output connections (A-E), a connection circuit (12) having actuatable connection elements (R1-R6) to interconnect selected ones of the output connections, and a control circuit (14) operable to sense the input voltage at the primary of the transformer (T1) and to activate selected ones of the connection elements to produce a selected output voltage for delivery to a load. The preferred connection elements include electro-mechanical relays.

Abstract: A preferred video conferencing system (10) includes a plurality of customer stations (14) selectively coupled with at least one local video conferencing station (20) that routes service requests from the customer stations (14) to a remote server computer (24). The server computer (24), in turn, activates a pager (42) to provide the service request including data identifying the requesting customer station to a service provider. In response, the service provider originates video conferencing traffic from a selected remote video conferencing station (22) using the identifying data. In response, the remote conferencing station (22) originates a call over the network to the local station (20) and provides originating video conferencing traffic to the local station (20). The local station (20) routes the video traffic to the selected customer station (14).