Abstract: A method and apparatus for disassembling wooden pallets is disclosed. The pallet disassembling apparatus includes a working table for supporting a pallet in an upright position for disassembly. The slats are detached from the ribs of the pallet to which they are nailed or similarly fastened by means of a plurality of cutting assemblies which are positioned such that one cutting assembly corresponds with each rib of the pallet. The cutting assemblies are carried by a cross head which is driven in a vertical path to bring each cutting assembly into engagement with each slat fastened to its corresponding rib. Each cutting assembly includes a pair of opposing plates having sharp edges for partly separating a slat from its corresponding edge of the rib to thereby create between them a gap wherein a portion of the nail or fastening member used to secure this slat to its corresponding edge of the rib is exposed.

Abstract: A traffic radar device has a microprocessor controlled system for facilitating the Doppler signal processing. Related circuits enable the Doppler signal to be gathered on a digital basis and arrayed in the memory of the microprocessor unit. The array is then examined and by executing a predetermined algorithm, a decision is made as to whether or not a series of samples of Doppler signals, comprises within the array, represents a valid signal suitable for display as a number indicative of speed of a target vehicle.The microprocessor also controls a tracking filter system over the expected Doppler frequency range and has a duty factor modulation and tunable notch to facilitate the filter operation.The radar device includes a range control that limits the range of the detection of the target vehicle without affecting the detection of the platform vehicle speed.

Abstract: Apparatus for holding a display panel such as a warning sign is the subject of the present invention. The apparatus is particularly designed for use as a barricade in the vicinity of road construction. The apparatus is constructed of standard plastic tubing and fittings of the type used in the plumbing industry. A break-away construction minimizes damage in the event an object strikes the apparatus and makes repair quick and economical. Four tubular leg supports are arranged in two converging pairs and are each presented by tubular members held together by a standard T-coupling. Standard Y-couplings join the two pairs of leg supports at their point of convergence. First and second transverse tubular members extend between the T-couplings on the respective pairs of legs and each of the transverse members is of a length equal to twice the length of the members which form the legs. This permits the two leg sections to be made by simply dividing a transverse segment into half.

Abstract: A cleaning arm for a cylindrical baghouse pivoting centrally of the clean air plenum with a cam controlled valve to provide backflushing air to successive concentric rings of filter bags with each full revolution of the cleaning arm.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for centering two concentric cylinders having different diameters is the subject of the present invention. A linear reference line is projected from an illuminating source along the length of the inner cylinder. At the other end of the cylinder is a photo receiver operable to provide a displacement reading related to the amount of light striking the receiver. As the inner cylinder is rotated about its center point, the amount of light striking the photo receiver varies based on the amount of arcuate displacement present at each point of the cylinder. The photo receiver then converts the incoming light into a displacement reading related to the arcuate displacement of the inner cylinder. The readings thus obtained are correlated with the points on the inner cylinder where they occurred to indicate the point and amount of maximum arcuate displacement. Thereafter, the outer cylinder is arcuately displaced a corresponding amount so that it will conform to the inner cylinder exactly.

Abstract: A device for rotatably supporting a drum or reel of the type on which cable is wound. The vertical flanges of respective angle members are spaced apart to receive therebetween the circular end flange of the cable drum. The drum flange is supported on roller bearings mounted between the angle members. An arcuate cutout is formed in the vertical flange of one angle in order to accommodate the outer layer of cable when the drum is full or nearly full. The invention also provides a toggle type mechanism used to add an undamaged circular flange onto the damaged flange of a cable drum. The toggle mechanism extends from the undamaged flange and may be expanded after having been passed through the central opening of the damaged flange. Expansion of the connector rigidly holds the undamaged flange on the end of the drum, with a spacer disc acting to maintain the flanges apart from one another.

Abstract: The disclosed deviation driver circuit is capable of producing a difference voltage having a magnitude related to the voltage of a deviation signal provided to the circuit from an external source. The deviation driver circuit of the present invention is comprised of a differential amplifier with negative feedback. This differential amplifier includes a pair of transistors and a plurality of load resistors which are arranged to form a balanced bridged network. Since one input of the differential amplifier is electrically connected to ground, this amplifier generates a difference voltage having a magnitude related to the voltage of the signal provided to the active input of the amplifier. The feedback loop, on the other hand, includes another differential amplifier which is interconnected with the first mentioned differential amplifier to produce a feedback signal having a voltage level related to the magnitude of the difference voltage produced by the first mentioned differential amplifier.

Abstract: A dough composition including flour, water, yeast, a starch digesting agent or digested starch, salt, sugar, shortening, milk, a yeast nutient and monosodium glutamate is used to prepare baked products such as bread and rolls. After mixing, the dough is allowed to relax and is then machined, proofed and baked. The monosodium glutamate acts as a gluten reducing agent for a short period during mixing and subsequently accounts for an oxidizing effect over an extended period.

Abstract: A knife gate for use in pneumatic conveying equipment is the subject of the present invention. The improved knife gate device is constructed utilizing first and second guide plates disposed in spaced apart relationship with a resilient member positioned behind each of the plates. Each plate is characterized by an opening and a planar surface extending on either side of the opening. A reciprocating gate means is disposed between the plates and places the yieldable means under compression. The gate means has an opening and a planar surface extending on at least one side of the opening. The gate means is moveable between an open position wherein all of the openings are aligned and a closed position wherein the planar surface of the gate means moves past the openings in the guide plates to close the latter.

Abstract: A hopper for use with grain elevators is the subject of the present invention. Two components are separable but are held together by a friction coupling. The first component comprises a trough which partially encloses the auger and receives the second component which presents a hopper for receiving grain. The holding area of the hopper empties into an opening which is in alignment with the open area of the auger for feeding grain to the latter. A pair of side flaps extend from the holding area down into the trough to present a coupling to hold the two components together.

Abstract: A fluid operated valve device which effects a time delay in the shifting of a main valve spool. Pressurized pilot fluid is metered at a controlled rate through an air filter and a spiral groove which is restricted in size to delay the pressure build up of the fluid. When the pressure builds up sufficiently, a timer piston is shifted to break its seal with the main valve spool so that fluid can pass through the piston into a pressure chamber. The fluid pressure in the chamber shifts the main valve spool to control application of fluid to the load. When the pilot pressure is relieved, fluid flows at a high speed along a return path that passes the base of the air filter to create a suction effect which extracts dirt from the filter and purges it from the system. The pressure reduction allows springs to return the main valve spool and the timer piston into sealing position.

Abstract: A special accessory for traffic radar devices includes two operating routines. These routines are to be used with a programmable microprocessor which comprises a portion of the traffic radar device. The routines are designated as a stopwatch routine and an interrupt routine. The stopwatch routine controls the overall operation of the speed computation within the programmable microprocessor of the traffic radar device while the interrupt request routine causes the microprocessor to perform as a precision clock capable of measuring elapsed time.

Abstract: An improved containerized pipe coating including coating material and the container therefor is the subject of the present invention. An asphalt coating material comprising 10% to 25% by weight asphalt and 75% to 90% by weight sand-lime aggregate is used to coat the weld joints of pipe previously coated with similar material along its length for corrosion protection. The weld joint coating material is delivered to a coating station in easy to handle small size containers. The containers comprise no more than about 5% of the weight of the material contained thereby and are constructed primarily from a material containing at least one of the members of the group consisting of polyethylene, polypropylene and polyethylene-polypropylene copolymer. The containerized material is placed in a chopper where it is reduced in size. The chopped mixture of particles are then melted and stirred until a relatively even mixture of a flowable liquid is presented.

Abstract: A device for cutting a metal or plastic jacket which surrounds a layer of foam on an insulated pipe is the subject of the present invention. A circumferential track mounts on the jacket and a ring gear is movable in the track. The cutting means is mounted on the ring gear for movement therewith. The cutting means is pivotally mounted so that it may assume a first position out of cutting engagement. Even in its non-cutting position, however, the leading edge of the cutting means will contact the jacket and movement in a circumferential direction will cause the cutting edge to penetrate the jacket and urge it into its cutting position. A motor is provided to drive the ring gear and cutting means around the track.

Abstract: In a fiberboard composed of fibers bound together with a starch derivative produced by reacting maleic, phthalic, or succinic anhydride, or a combination of these anhydrides, with starch, an improvement in the Fourdrinier process for producing said fiberboard wherein the reaction product of the anhydride and starch is directly mixed, without drying, with fiber and other conventional ingredients, such as clay, and is then passed directly to the Fourdrinier machine.

Abstract: A color coding system for correlating the stages of a multiple stage, telescoping boom with the corresponding sections of a load chart and boom extension chart. The charts are arranged in separate sections which indicate, for various positions of the boom, the angle of the boom with respect to horizontal, its effective horizontal moment arm, and the maximum load that it can safely handle. The boom stages are each provided with a different exterior color, and the chart sections are colored such that each section is correlated with the boom stage to which it corresponds. Since the colors of the boom stages that are extended are readily visible, the color coding system facilitates reference to the proper sections of the charts and decreases the possibility of human error in reading of the charts.

Abstract: This invention discloses a method and apparatus for accurately measuring and controlling the amount of power being absorbed by a load within the irradiating region of a diathermy applicator head. A desired power setting is initially preset into the diathermy apparatus. Thereafter, the diathermy apparatus is keyed on for a predetermined duty cycle causing RF energy to be generated within the applicator head during this time period. The level of power being absorbed by the load is then ascertained by measuring voltage and current flow in the head during the duty cycle. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the electrostatic energy generated in the applicator head is attenuated by an electrostatic shield. Attenuation of the electrostatic energy improves the stability of the diathermy apparatus by significantly reducing electrostatic coupling between the applicator head and its attendant load.