Abstract: Method and apparatus are disclosed for producing various materials and products of a thermoplastic nature. In the method, thermoplastic material is subjected to a high intensity mixing and melting step to form a material which is a non-flowable and self-sustaining mass, having a temperature low enough to prevent it from being readily flowable, in a subsequent step, the method involves placing the material between a fixed rigid surface and a moving rigid surface to force air from the mass and to densify, compress and convert it to a flowable form whereafter it is passed through a restricted opening. There is provided a combination of a high intensity mixer and melter in which the product produced is then fed into a gear-pump where the material is passed between a fixed rigid surface and a moving surface.

Abstract: There is provided a first stop device having a closure for a conduit passing through an aperture extending through a wall, floor or the like. According to this invention, the conduit passing through the aperture is formed of a low melting point, fugitive metal having a relatively short melting point, e.g., a bismuth-based metallic alloy or lead-tin alloy. A closure housing is disposed parallel to the wall, floor or the like, with one end of the closure housing being disposed adjacent to one surface of the conduit. A fire-resistant closure plate is slidably mounted within the closure housing, the closure plate being spring biased to be in contact with that surface of the conduit. In the event of a fire, at least the portion of the conduit which is in contact with the fire-resistant closure plate is melted almost instantaneously to be in liquid form and so becomes dissipated.

Abstract: The invention relates to a cable tensioning device for ski lifts or aerial cableways of the kind comprising an endless transporting cable (1) extending between two rotatable wheels (2) mounted on carriers (4), at least one of the wheels being movable by the fact that its associated carrier is slideably movable relative to a foundation in order to keep the cable tensioned. The carrier (4) is by means of a nut device connected to a suitably rotatable screw (13). A tension sensing device is associated to a power source (19) for causing a rotating relative movement between the screw (13) and the nut device in order to, at an occurred change in the tension of the cable (1), start the power source (15) and effect a movement of the wheel (2) in question a distance relative to the foundation that corresponds to the actual tensional change.

Abstract: An assembly for limbing tree stems comprises two limbing tools (53, 53') movable towards and away from each other, and two feeding units (1, 1') which are also movable towards and away from each other and arranged for longitudinal feeding of individual stems past the limbing tools limbing the stems. Each limbing tool (53) is connected to an associated feeding unit (1) and arranged to follow this unit when moving towards and away from the stem. Further, the limbing tool is located substantially in the extension of the contact surface of the feeding unit with respect to the stem. The feeding units and the limbing tools are movable towards and away from each other in a common plane to which rotary shafts for driving the feeding units are provided at right angles. Each limbing tool is mounted on at least one arm which is articulated or pivotally connected to a frame for the feeding unit.

Abstract: A feeding device for effecting a longitudinally directed relative movement between a stem and the device proper comprises at least one feeding unit in the form of an endless band or band-like element which is drivable by means of at least one rotatable wheel. The endless element is composed of a large number of hingedly interconnected chain-forming links (11, 12) which are movable along the outer side or the periphery of an elongate guide bar and which, by bearing against said bar (10), are adapted to transfer substantially uniformly distributed bearing pressures to the stem substantially throughout the length of said bar.

Abstract: This invention relates to a process for the treatment of synthetic plastic, hydrophobic, transparent, intraocular lenses to avoid trauma which causes protein adhesion to occur on the surface of the lens thereby causing endothelial cell damage and corneal deterioration. The process includes the first step of cross-linking the surface of the synthetic plastic, hydrophobic, transparent, intraocular lens by treating the lens with a stream of gas containing from about 5-100% by weight hydrogen of a low pressure of about 0.5-5 Torr in the presence of an A.C. electrical discharge. The second step involves treating such cross-linked surface with hydroxyl radicals, thereby to hydrophilize the surface. The hydrogen may be pure or a component of an inert gas mixture, e.g. in helium.

Abstract: This invention provides a fluid conducting device suitable for rinsing the interior of the bottom of pesticide containers. The device comprises a body having opposed ends with a fluid passage in the body, fluid inlet means in communication with a passage at one end of the body, container rupturing means at the other end of the body and extending therefrom and an abutment means separating the body from the container rupturing means. The fluid passage in the container rupturing means is in communication with the passage of the body, and the fluid discharge means in the container rupturing means is in communication with the fluid passage of the body. When the container is inverted and the container rupturing means is inserted into the bottom of the pesticide container to the stop provided by the abutment means, the fluid discharge means is disposed just slightly below the bottom of the container and is effective to discharge the fluid primarily against the interior of the bottom of the container.

Abstract: This invention provides a distribution system suitable for coating articles placed in a given area with particulate material in a substantially uniform manner. The system comprises a plurality of arms which are provided with an inlet opening and a discharge opening. The arms are mounted for rotation about a central axis in conjunction with means for dividing and feeding a supply of particulate material from a source thereof into said inlet openings of the arms. The discharge opening is located on each of the arms in such manner so as to permit discharge of the particulate material from each arm over the given area, whereby when the arms rotate in conjunction with the dividing and feeding means, a supply of particulate material is divided and fed into the inlet openings of the arms and is discharged through the discharge opening. In this manner, a substantially uniform shower of the particulate material is provided over the given area.

Abstract: This invention provides an improvement in a method of cooling molten extruded tube produced by a blown-tube process. The improvement comprises cooling the tube utilizing the heat of evaporation of moisture in steam. The steam is brought into contact with the molten tube after extrusion of the molten tube from an extrusion die, whereby the steam is permitted to expand prior to, during or subsequent to contact with the molten tube. An apparatus is also provided for carrying out the above-described method.

Abstract: This invention provides an improvement in a method of slitting and sealing two or more layers of plastic film material in contact with each other. The improvement comprises slitting and sealing the layers with a light beam generated by a laser. The beam intensity is such that the temperature of the beam at the surface of the film is at a point sufficient only to raise the enthalpy of the material to the transition point between the molten and solid states of the material, whereby bead formation is reduced or eliminated at the seal. Methods are also disclosed for slitting a larger single sheet of material into two or more smaller sheets of material as well as for providing microperforations or microporous plastic material by the use of a pulsing beam generated by a laser.

Abstract: This invention provides a method and a system for waterproofing a desired substrate, and further contemplates, a waterproof and chemical-resistant product. The method provides providing a length of flexible moisture-permeable thin, synthetic sheet material having desired characteristics, placing in contact with the substrate to be waterproofed a layer of the material, covering the layer of material with a central layer of Montmorillonite clay and placing on top of the clay a third layer of the fabric.

Abstract: There is provided an apparatus and method of packaging commodities in a flexible wrapper. The apparatus includes first and second stations with a wrapper engaging assembly moving between the first and second stations, wrapper cutting and sealing means which severs a bag length from a continuous roll of flexible material, a component for opening the open leading end of the wrapper at the second station, a funnel which is preferably expandable and which engages the open mouth of the wrapper so as to permit loading of the commodity into the wrapper, and a further assembly which seals the open mouth of the bag length, preferably under vacuum, by having a component preferably in the form of a pair of fingers which engages the mouth of the bag to place it under tension whereafter a sealing assembly seals the mouth of the bag to form an improved weld across the mouth of the bag.

Abstract: An apparatus for use in automatically sewing articles along a symmetrical, open-ended path. The articles can be sewn from either end of the path. The apparatus employs a cam means which corresponds to the open-ended path and control and operating means for automatically driving the cam means in either direction.

Abstract: An apparatus for use in automatically sewing articles along a symmetrical, open-ended path. The articles can be sewn from either end of the path. The apparatus employs a cam means which corresponds to the open-ended path and control means, including a selector valve for automatically driving the cam means in either direction.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an overhead trolley switching system which is operative in both manual and automatic modes. The switching system is particularly suited for the storage of overhead trolleys and includes a secondary rail spaced from the main rail along with a switching rail adapted to divert one wheel assembly from the main rail. The trolleys can, if desired, be stored in a diagonal position.

Abstract: A fuel temperature controlling device for heating fuel metered to the internal combustion engine. The device has an elongated chamber having a fuel flow controlling passage therethrough with opposed ends thereof forming a fuel inlet and fuel outlet. A heat conductive central core generally is provided in the chamber, a thermal heating element mounted in the core, and a plurality of radially extending fuel passages axially located in the chamber, the passages being separated by spaced-apart fins radially extending outwardly from said core and in contact with said core so that fuel passing through said passages from said inlet to said outlet may be subjected to a temperature increase in response to temperature sensing means monitoring the temperature of said fuel during passage through said device.

Abstract: The present invention provides a process and apparatus for manufacturing yarn products comprised of an inner core of fibers and an outer layer of fibers. In the process, first fibers have a pre-twist imparted thereto to form a strand which becomes the inner core of the yarn and the pre-twist is retained by passing the yarn between two pinch points. While between the two pinch points, second fibers are juxtaposed to the strand and any untwisting tendency by the inner strand will tend to twist the outer layer of fibers. Optionally, the yarn may undergo a further twisting operation while between the two pinch points after the second fibers have been deposited.