Abstract: A seal for preventing the flow of fluid under high pressure, between a carrier and a mating element adapted to engage the carrier is provided by a resilient elastomeric sealing element which is disposed in an arcuate groove in the carrier and deformed when the carrier is joined to the mating element. The sealing element has a base with oppositely extending wings and a head with a convex surface that is engaged by the mating element for deflecting the head within the groove.

Abstract: A rotary gate for digitally scanning frames of a motion picture film has a motor drive wheel and a coaxially spaced free wheel which support and engage sprocket holes in the film. The free wheel has no connection to the driven wheel other than the film which rotates the free wheel as it is driven by the drive wheel for advancing the film through the gate. A light source and sensor are provided on opposite sides of the film for illuminating the film and digitally scanning motion picture frames. Sprockets on the drive wheel are profiled to stabilize the film laterally while it is advanced for scanning of each frame. A fixed disc with a smooth track my be substituted for the free wheel for supporting the film.

Abstract: An actuation device is described, having: an actuator with a movable actuation element; at least a transmission element being capable of moving from a respective first operating condition to a respective second operating condition under the action of the actuation element. According to the invention, a hooking-release arrangement is provided, which is made operative by the actuation element during a displacement of the latter, for inducing in the transmission element a movement which occurs at least in part with a speed being higher than the speed of the displacement of the actuation element. The device has an advantageous use in the realization of systems for blocking, in a predetermined position, the drum of a machine for washing and/or drying laundry.

Abstract: A sprinkler device for fire extinguishing systems is adapted to be coupled to a fluid supply line and placed in an environment which is to be protected from fire. The device has an actuator sensitive to room temperature which causes motion of a shutter for controlling the flow of the fluid to an outlet when the room temperature exceeds a predetermined threshold. The actuation device has an unbreakable container in which there is stored a material having a volume which is a function of the container's temperature, a shaft movable in response to a change in volume of the material, and a closure and sealing device for the chamber and shaft.

Abstract: A covering structure for a two-wheeler vehicle, in particular a scooter, said covering structure acting as a shield at least above the driver's place of scooter, and consisting at least of two elements folding up one on the other. According to the invention, said folding elements (7,8) are obtained each one in a monoblock.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining the position of the main contacts of an automatic transfer switch, without need for special position contacts, by monitoring for the presence of voltages at the normal source voltage contacts, the alternate source voltage contacts, the normal source coil control voltage contacts and the alternate source coil control voltage contacts of the automatic transfer switch, and providing an indication of switch position in response thereto.

Abstract: Chenille yarns having a spaced dyed appearance of made by crochet knitting a chenille fabric having a plurality of parallel spaced warp yarns with which chain stitches are formed for securing weft yarns laid transverse to the warp yarns as each stitch is formed. Weft yarns of different colors are applied at different times to create a chenille fabric with differently colored sections. Slitting of the fabric in the warp direction between the parallel chain stitches yields individual multi-colored chenille yarns which can be used a flat yarns or twisted to form round chenille yarns.

Abstract: A device allowing a seated user to use his or her foot to control a member for actuating a system such as a motor vehicle brake boosting system, including a pedal articulated about an axis to a support that can be adjusted in terms of translation in the direction away from or closer to the user's seat. The pedal cooperates, via a sliding sleeve, with a rod which is itself articulated via levers to a carrying structure. The rod and the levers between them, and together with the pedal, constitute deformable parallelograms whatever the adjustment adopted for the axis of articulation of the pedal to its support, with respect to the carrying structure. The pivoting movement of the pedal is transmitted via one of the levers to a connecting rod which provides a link with the actuating member. Application particularly to adjusting the position of the pedal box of a motor vehicle, in terms of its distance from the driver's seat.

Abstract: An actuation device capable of changing its operating condition between a stable rest position and a stable work position has a monostable actuation unit with a body and at least a shaft movable as a function of the energization available to the actuation unit, and a kinematic motion assembly for converting the movement of the shaft into a bistable actuation, the kinematic motion assembly including a slider linearly movable in response to action of the shaft and a device for converting subsequent linear movements of the shaft in the passage of the slider between the stable positions and the maintaining of the same.

Abstract: A wrist rest for stenotypists and other keyboard operators has an apertured base with two arms mounted thereon via fasteners disposed in apertures in the arms and in an elongated slot in the base. The arms can be rotated, in a common plane, relative to the base, and translated toward and away from each other. The fasteners include a securing device which can be released for adjusting the positions of the arms relative to the base and then engaged for fixing the position of the arms relative to the base. Each arm is covered with a cushion for engaging the forearms and wrists of the operator.

Abstract: An actuator device has electrical components, which are subjected to electric voltage, located inside a housing near movable mechanical elements. Insulation of the electrical components from the environment is achieved by introducing into the housing an expanding material, specifically a silicone elastomer of a type suitable to reticulate for forming a protective foam.

Abstract: A visual position indicator has a stator and a rotor with angularly displaced eccentricities for engaging corresponding spring biased actuators with magnets. Depending on the rotor position relative to the stator, one or more of the actuators is moved to a position whereat the field of its respective magnet can operate a magnetic switch disposed in a hermetically sealed housing. A decoder connected to the switches can produce a signal indicative of rotor position.

Abstract: A driver condition monitoring apparatus comprising a pulse sensor 1 installed in a steering wheel of a transportation device for sensing a pulse signal from the palm or fingers of either or both of the left and right hands of a driver, an amplifier 2 for amplifying the pulse signal sensed by the pulse sensor 1 and removing a noise component therefrom, a keypad 4 including a plurality of keys for inputting information about the driver, a data storage unit 5 for storing the driver information inputted through the keypad 4 and reference data produced when the driver selects a reference data input mode in his normal healthy condition, a controller 3 for comparing pulse signals sensed by the pulse sensor 1 before, after and while driving, respectively with the reference data stored in the data storage unit 5, analyzing each of the compared results, judging the current condition of the driver from the analyzed result and visually and aurally informing the driver of the judged result respectively through a display 8

Abstract: A method and a device are disclosed for conveying products longitudinally respecting a particular longitudinal spacing. Between two conveyor surfaces moving at a particular speed equal to the product of an at least average particular rate of arrival of products by the particular spacing, the products rest on a second conveyor surface moving at a speed that is systematically oscillated around a particular speed at a rate equal to the particular rate. The products can therefore be set or maintained at the particular spacing and if a plurality of rows of products are processed simultaneously they can be set in phase or with a particular phase shift.

Abstract: An article of seating furniture, e.g., a chair, includes two substantially parallel panels arranged in spaced-apart generally vertical planes. Each panel is formed of a pressed composition wood product, e.g., particleboard or fiberboard. A plurality of connector strips extend between the two panels so as to interconnect the panels. Hardware for securing each end of each connector strip to one of the panels includes a pair of plates sandwiching the panel between them, and a plurality of fasteners extending through a plurality of aligned holes in each of the plates and the panel for tightly joining together the pair of plates and the panel sandwiched between the plates. One of each pair of plates is part of an angle, one wing of which is the plate and the other wing of which is attached to the connector strip. Preferable, three fasteners, which may be bolts, pass through each pair of plates in the panel located between the pair, and the three bolts are arranged in a triangular pattern.

Abstract: Compositions based or essential aminoacids are described for preventing and treating alimentary overloads in conditions of elevated body nitrogen requirements, without causing calcium losses. In the compositions according to the invention, the ratios among aminoacids are balanced according to the real requirements of human metabolism in order to achieve maximal protein syntheses and, at the same time, minimal catabolic loads. The compositions comprise from 20 to 75% of the branched chain aminoacids, leucine, isoleucine and valine, from 10 to 50% of threonine and lysine, and up to 40% of cistine, hystidine, phenylalanine, and thyrosine, methionine and triptophan.

Abstract: A three-way valve for controlling the application of air to a pneumatically controllable device has a pressure chamber for pressurizing a work chamber to which the device is connectable and an exhaust chamber for expelling air from the work chamber. Unidirectional flow means prevents air in the work chamber from entering the space behind a valve member controlling the flow of air from the pressure chamber to the work chamber for avoiding valve lockup.

Abstract: A system for controlling the consumption of a household appliance, comprising an electronic microcontroller and non-volatile memory device associated with the microcontroller, the household appliance being connected during use with at least one source of an external resource (water, electric energy, gas, etc.), the external resource being required by the apparatus for carrying out an operating cycle, where the apparatus also comprises a setting device for the manual selection of one or more operating parameters, and signaling device. Coded information are contained within a memory, which are used by the control system as a function of at least one selection actuated through the setting device, for calculating the consumption of the external resource required by the household appliance to execute an operating cycle, the signaling means being capable, if required, to show the consumption level of the external resource.

Abstract: A proportional control valve has inlet and outlet solenoids controlling the pressurization and evacuation of a chamber between two pistons in a control valve of the rack and pinion opposed-piston type. The control valve can be maintained in fully open, fully closed, or intermediate positions by selectively energizing and de-energizing the solenoids. The solenoids can be of the normally open or normally closed solenoid poppet types depending on whether the control valve is to open, close or maintain its current state in the event of a power failure.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a welding mold for butt welding two metal parts by casting a molten filler metal in an imprint defined by a mold. At least one of the components of the mould includes a spacer member shaped and sized so that it can be engaged in a gap between the two parts only if the latter have a mutual separation at least equal to a specific mutual separation, so as to allow the mutual assembly of the components of the mold around the parts to be welded only on this condition. Applications include the welding of railway rails, concrete reinforcing rods and metal bars.