Abstract: Carbon dioxide is dissolved in perishable liquids loaded into pressure vessels that are provided with low carbon dioxide head pressure so as to improve product shelf life, thereby providing options for more economical shipment, as by rail and ocean vessels and for extended transport by truck and to facilitate extended storage of perishable products and to avoid the necessity of multiple treatments for pathogen reduction.

Abstract: A capstan roller assembly is provided between the yarn supply and scroll type yarn feed attachments for a tufting machine in order to minimize the underfeeding of yarn to the pattern being tufted due to irregularities in the feeding of the yarn from the yarn supply.

Abstract: A beam rack utilizes a plurality of mini-beams located in substantially planar layer arrangements wherein the yarn ends are fed in substantially the same direction to directors which direct the yarn to a header. The mini-beams are stacked both horizontally and vertically in the beam rack. The beam rack preferably includes a bearing arm for supporting a plurality of mini-beams along bushings of the mini-beams. The mini-beam is loaded with a warper wherein a plurality of yarn ends are preferably loaded on a single mini-beam. The yam ends can vary anywhere from one yarn to sixteen or more yarns per mini-beam depending on the number of mini-beams required to correspond with yarn feeds for a particular pattern. The yarn ends proceed from the mini-beams to the director, a header and on to a tufting machine.

Abstract: A hand held loop cutting tool for cutting tufted loops of yarn projecting from a carpet includes a handle portion connected to a blade carrying housing portion carrying a blade holder having a plurality of slots for receiving a like number of blades. The blades have two cutting edges which may be secured in the holder with one of the edges projecting from the operating face of the housing. When the first edges of the blades are spent, the blade holder may be reversed within the housing to present the second set of edges. The blades themselves do not have to be removed from the holder until both cutting sets of cutting edges have been spent. A user merely needs to insert one of the first edges into each projecting loop where there are more than one projecting loop in a line of stitching and pull to cut the loop.

Abstract: A gear indicator provides a display to a motorcycle driver of which gear the motorcycle is currently operating in. The gear indicator is used with a gear position switch providing ground signal indication to a motorcycle CPU at a connection with a plurality of leads which reflect the gear a motorcycle is operating in, no indication indicating that the motorcycle is in first gear. The gear indicator bridges the gear position switch to the motorcycle CPU receiving this ground information through a bridge and a similar number of leads communicate with the gear indicator processor from this bridge. The processor of the gear indicator processes the information received to drive a display to reflect the gear to the operator.

Abstract: A tufting machine has a yarn feed roller assembly with a plurality of rotatable driver rollers driven at different speeds and a plurality of actuators in the form of a pivotable arm having in one embodiment a pair of yarn feed reels one of which is arranged to selectively press yarn into engagement with one of the drive rollers and the other arranged to selectively press yarn into engagement with another drive roller. Yarn is engaged by each actuator and a selected drive roller for a period of time determined by a pattern. The longer the actuator engages the high speed roller during the stroke of a tufting machine needle the greater will be the pile height of the tufts produced and alternatively the longer the actuator engages the lower speed roller during the needle stroke the lower will be the pile height. Pile height variations between a high pile and a low pile may be obtained by controlling the proportion of time during the stroke that the yarn engages with the high and low speed rollers.

Abstract: A burner having an elongated cylindrical body closed at one end with a plurality of ports spaced apart in two rows along the upper segment of the body, said ports formed by punching. The ports have an upper edge and a lower edge wherein the lower edge is displaced a first distance below the upper edge and a second distance beyond a vertical axis tangent to the upper edge. Accordingly, flames are emitted substantially sideways out of the cylindrical body and any drippings on the tube are directed away from the cavity of the cylindrical body.

Abstract: A ball toy has an inner spherical shell within an outer spherical shell, a light source being mounted within the inner shell adjacent to a first end of a plurality of etched optical fibers having the other ends arrayed between the inner and outer shells. The outer shell is translucent while the inner shell has a coated outer surface that reflects light from the optical fibers. Between the light source and the first end of the optical fibers is a color chamber having different color elements through which light may be transmitted and which may move when the ball moves so as to vary the colors received by the optical fibers thereby effecting variation in the color seen as the ball rolls or is otherwise moved, the light seen at the translucent shell fluctuating according to the colors transmitted. A motion switch and/or a master switch may be used to turn the system on and off. A timer may deactivate the circuits if the ball is not moved after a period of time.

Abstract: A looper and needle configuration with lower set rear needles and corresponding loopers is provided to create more uniform low pile height yarns in a multiple pile height fabric. The tufting and tip shearing such fabrics will simulate woven fabrics.

Abstract: A silver waste recovery system including a container having an inlet and an outlet at a lower elevation than the inlet, filler material in a silver cell is in communication with the inlet and a separate non-silver reactive filter is in communication with the outlet. A catch basin is positioned about the silver cell and the non-silver reactive filter contains particulates in the area of the filter and the filler material. Fluid entering the inlet passes through the silver cell and exits into the catch basin. It thereafter enters the non-silver reactive filter and exits from it through the outlet.