Abstract: A process of manufacturing a bulk bag begins with a tubular blank of woven polypropylene material which is cut along first transversely extending lines 64 to form the upper edges of lift sleeve portions 76, cut along longitudinally extending lines 66 to form the side edges of the lift sleeve portions 76, and cut along substantially transversely extending lines 68 situated at the midpoint of the lines 66 to form opposed top wall halves 72 and opposed bottom wall halves 74. The top wall halves and the bottom wall halves are then sewn together along sew lines 82 and 84, respectively. Sidewalls 70' are joined to the bottom wall halves 74 along sew lines 86, and the top wall halves 72 are joined to the sidewalls 70' along sew lines 88. The lift sleeve portions 76 may be configured to provide lift sleeve, lift rope, or single point lift construction. The top and bottom walls may be provided with a fill chute and discharge chute, respectively.

Abstract: A water borne back bedding sealant formulated from an acrylic polymer emulsion and a urethane polymer emulsion provides superior adhesion, tensile properties, low temperature flexibility, rheology and bond strength. In one embodiment of the present invention, the back bedding sealant comprises the following components: from 50% to 75% by weight of an acrylic polymer emulsion, from 7% to 25% by weight of a urethane polymer emulsion which is compatible with the acrylic polymer emulsion plus minor amounts of components to be selected from a list comprising: rheology modifiers, glycols, mineral oil, silanes, Ph adjusters, surfactants, water, silicas, and antimicrobial agents. These superior properties can be attained even with a clear sealant.

Abstract: An apparatus for retrofitting a metal roof includes a plurality of dual-tiered major ribs and a plurality of panel flats spaced therebetween, such that when installed over an existing metal roof containing overlapping R panels, the major ribs of the new roof panel are aligned with the major ribs of the underlying roof panel.

Abstract: A taut leg bow mooring system includes an anchor positionable on the floor of the sea. A riser line is normally secured to and extends upwardly from the anchor, and a submerged buoy is secured to the end of the riser line remote from the anchor. A line extends upwardly from the submerged buoy to a surface buoy. A mooring line is pivotally connected in the line extending from the submerged buoy to the surface buoy.

Abstract: A food breading apparatus for breading food components with a breading mixture includes a breading drum rotatable about its longitudinal axis wherein the longitudinal axis is inclined from horizontal. The drum includes an inlet opening located in an upper end, an outlet opening located in a lower end, and a plurality of perforations located proximal to the lower end and through a sidewall of the drum. The perforations are sized to allow surplus breading mixture and lumps of breading mixture to pass therethrough but to retain the breaded food product in the rotating breading drum. An inlet conveyor provides food products to be breaded to the inlet opening of the breading drum. A recirculating breading mixture conveyor provides the breading mixture to the inlet opening. A takeout conveyor moves the breaded food products from the outlet opening of the breading drum. A lump removal conveyor is positioned below the plurality of perforations in the sidewall of the breading drum.

Abstract: A packaging method for a ball grid array (BGA) integrated circuit (IC) without utilizing a base plate as a supporting plate, and therefore reducing the thickness of the packaged BGA IC. In the method, a copper sheet is used as a supporting plate first. After resin is applied to coat a chip implanted on the copper sheet and connecting wires thereof has hardened, the hardened resin is sufficiently firm to support the IC, so the copper sheet can be etched. Accordingly, a base plate is not necessary.

Abstract: A cleaning apparatus capable of supplying on a substantially continuous basis an anhydrous agent and water to an area to be cleaned. The cleaning machine includes an inner enclosure disposed in an interior chamber of an outer enclosure. The outer enclosure is designed to enclose the interior chamber. Also, provided in the cleaning apparatus is a system for purging the interior chamber with dry air. The inner enclosure contains the anhydrous agent, which is typically baking soda. The inner enclosure further includes a system for distributing the anhydrous agent to a cleaning nozzle.

Abstract: A tubular includes a latch body having a cam hole, a first member disposed to the latch body, a second member rotatably disposed to the first member, a torsion spring disposed to the second member with one of two legs of the torsion spring being engagedly received with in a first stop extending from the first member and the other leg being engagedly received with in a second stop extending from the second member, and a spindle having one end thereof extending through the cam hole and a hole of the second member having the same shape of inner periphery as that of the cam hole of the latch body such that when a lever connected to the spindle is rotated, the lever returns to its original position because of the torsion spring.

Abstract: An ash collector assembly includes a ring member rotatably received in a catcher member which is attached to a bottom of a barbecue kettle, and an operation bar extends through a slot defined in the catcher member and is connected to the ring member. The catcher member has a plurality of holes. The slot and the holes are defined in a peripheral wall thereof which extends from a bottom of the catcher member. The ring member has a plurality of second holes and an aperture defined therethrough so that the operation bar extends through the slot and the aperture and is connected to a nut disposed to an inner periphery of the ring member. The ring member is moved within the catcher member by shifting of the operation bar and a size of each of the first holes are controlled by the ring member.

Abstract: A vertically adjustable valve box for providing access to underground valves includes a first member having a tubular section with a bell and a peripheral flange disposed at a distal end. A second member has a tubular section with a bell and a flange disposed at a distal end. A second peripheral flange is disposed on the exterior surface of the second member approximately six inches below the face of first flange. The tubular section of the second member is telescoped over the tubular section of the first member, wherein the respective bells and flanges are disposed on opposite ends of the assembly and the central longitudinal axis of each is vertical and substantially in alignment. An O-ring gasket is positioned circumferentially around the exterior of the tubular section of the first member and prevents the second member from telescoping downward on first member past a desired insertion position.

Abstract: A disk-shaped container for a disk-shaped lollipop includes a handle having a proximal end buried in the lollipop and a distal end for grasping by the user. A transverse flange of predetermined diameter is fixably located on the handle between the proximal and distal ends adjacent the lollipop. The longitudinal axis of the handle passes through the transverse flange. The invention further includes a hollow disk-shaped container for receiving the disk-shaped lollipop. The disk-shaped container includes a snap-fit removable lid and an upwardly extending removable mating portion functioning as a removable receptacle. The mating portion of the container includes an opening in the sidewall for receiving the distal end of the handle. When assembled, the transverse flange of the handle seats against the opening in the mating portion of the container and seals the opening to prevent leakage therethrough.

Abstract: An apparatus for manufacturing gusseted bulk bag liners having a continuous web of gusseted bulk bag liner material, wherein the continuous web is advanced along a predetermined path, includes four simultaneous cutting and resealing apparatus that engage longitudinally extending fold lines of the continuous web during the movement of the web. The simultaneous cutting and sealing apparatuses are moved transversely to the direction of movement of the web of gusseted bulk bag liner material in accordance with a predetermined program, thereby forming a gusseted bulk bag liner comprising a sidewall, a top wall, a bottom, an inlet chute and discharge chute.

Abstract: A process for the construction of a flexible bulk container including a glued bottom portion and/or a glued top portion. A sidewall blank having a hollow tubular configuration with an upper and lower portion suspended in the shape of the desired container and positioned over a bottom wall located on a raised work area. Adhesive or glue is applied to either the bottom wall and/or the sidewall in areas where the sidewall blank will be permanently in contact with the bottom wall. The sidewall blank is lowered into contact with the bottom wall such that the lower portion of the sidewall blank is located below the work area and the upper portion is located above the work area. The sidewall blank is secured to the bottom wall by folding the upper portion of the sidewall blank over the bottom wall thereby contacting the adhesive or glue and forming a glued bottom bag.

Abstract: An aid for marine navigation includes a low-light video camera mounted within a weather-proof enclosure on a vantage point of a marine vessel for improved night vision. A conventional video camera is also mounted with the low-light video camera for daytime viewing. Video signals from the cameras are automatically selected depending on light conditions for transmission to a cabin of the vessel. Motors rotate the housing in a horizontal plane and in a vertical plane for enabling remote-controlled aiming of the cameras from the helm of the marine vessel. Sensors provide information on azimuth and elevation of the cameras for overlaying the video signal transmitted from the camera housing with this information for display with the video image on a monitor near the helm. Information on longitude and latitude, as well as vessel velocity and direction, from a global satellite positioning system receiver is also displayed.

Abstract: A tube of polyethylene or similar polymeric material having a continuous sidewall is extruded using conventional technology. Two horizontal gussets are formed from the sidewall of the tube, one on each side. The tube is flattened into a substantially flat workpiece. The workpiece is heat sealed at locations predetermined by the configuration of the container in which it is to be inserted. Concurrently with the heat sealing pass, or shortly thereafter, cuts are made to separate manufacturing waste material from the tube. The waste material is recycled into the feedstock of the extruder. The sealed workpiece is split axially into two substantially equal portions, each containing a complete gusset, thereby forming two completed liners.Alternatively, one horizontal gusset is formed in the sidewall of the tube. As in the first embodiment, the workpiece is heat sealed at locations predetermined by the configuration of the container in which it is to be inserted.

Abstract: A torque/position transducer is positioned between the valve stem of a valve and a valve operator adapted to open and close the valve and includes a body section including an input lug adapted for mating the engagement with the output lug of the valve operator and an output lug adapted for mating the engagement with the valve stem of the valve. A pair of strain gauges are mounted on the body of the torque/position transducer and function to generate an output signal indicative of the amount of torque necessary to open or close the valve. The body further includes a cam secured to the body section. A magnet is positioned in movable contact with the cam. A magneto-resistive sensor senses the movement of the magnet as the cam varies the distance from said magnet to said sensor and generates a signal indicative of the position of the valve stem with respect to the valve under the action of the valve operator.

Abstract: A taut leg bow mooring system (40) includes an anchor (42) positionable on the floor of the sea. A riser line (44) secured to and extending upwardly from the anchor, and a submerged buoy (46) secured to the end of the riser line from the anchor. The ratio of the net buoyancy of the surface buoy to the buoyancy of the submerged buoy is at least 2 to 1. A buoyant connector line (50) is secured to and extends upwardly from the submerged buoy. A surface buoy (52) is secured to the end of the connector line remote from the submerged buoy, and a hawser (56) is secured to and extends from the surface buoy.

Abstract: A packing member having an annular body with a circular outer wall and circular inner wall, with first and second end walls extending between the inner and outer walls includes a relatively soft upper portion formed from an elastomeric polymeric material having a Shore A hardness of between about 65 and 80 and a fabric reinforced, harder lower portion formed from elastomeric polymeric material having a Shore A hardness greater than the Shore A hardness of the upper portion. A groove, having a lower wall extends axially into said annular body through the first end wall and defines a plane perpendicular to an annular axis. The upper portion of the annular body includes inner and outer sealing lips formed adjacent to at least a portion of the groove, the outer sealing lip extending vertically beyond the inner sealing lip and the inner sealing lip having an inner sealing edge intersected by the plane defined by the lower wall of the groove.

Abstract: An egg-shaped container for containing an egg-shaped lollipop immediately after manufacture, during inventory storage, at point of sale and after partial consumption, both when stored separate from and when carried by the user, is disclosed herein.

Abstract: A process for the construction of a bulk container including a glued bottom portion. A sidewall blank having a hollow tubular configuration with an upper and lower portion is suspended in the shape of the desired container and is positioned over a bottom wall located on a raised work area. Adhesive or glue is applied to either the bottom wall and/or the sidewall in areas where the sidewall blank will be permanently in contact with the bottom wall. The sidewall blank is lowered into contact with the bottom wall such that the lower portion of the sidewall blank is located below the work area and the upper portion is located above the work area. The sidewall blank is secured to the bottom wall by folding the upper portion of the sidewall blank over the bottom wall thereby contacting the adhesive or glue.