Abstract: A rail pad comprises a membrane (3) from opposite faces of which there project protrusions (4, 5), which may be ribs, possibly extending along the pad, perhaps over its whole length, or studs. The protrusions are such that no line perpendicular to the membrane passes through more than one of the protrusions. The pad is such that it is stiffer on one side than the other, for example because the ratio between the total area of protruding material and the total area of membrane free of protrusions is greater at the stiffer side of the pad than the other. The pad is preferably made of thermoplastic copolyester elastomer.

Abstract: Insulators which lie between the rail and elastic rail fasteners are correctly positioned on either side of the rail by manipulating the rail by the application of a pulsed force to either side of the rail. A pair of hydraulic rams 19, 20 driven by the same pressure pump are used to drive two pulse heads 9, 10 via pivoted linkages to abut either side of the web 3 of a rail 1. The pulsating operation is carried out prior to the operation of the clip fitting machine to ensure that the rail insulators are in the correct initial position prior to being driven on to the rail flange.

Abstract: A locking system utilizing a padlock guard which is designed specifically for use with a padlock of the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,769,821. The lock has a flat-faced cylindrical housing and an internal key cylinder-operatable bolt which can be selectively protracted through and retracted from a hasp staple or the like inserted into a channel in the housing which intersects the path of movement of the bolt. The guard consists of a substantially cylindrical frontally open shell which has an inner diameter just slightly greater than the outer diameter of the lock housing and in one embodiment is welded to a hasp or the like in surrounding relation to the staple-accommodating slot therein. In another embodiment, the guard is welded to, and around the staple-accommodating slot in, the front side wall of a guide track rail for a sliding gate.

Abstract: A method of aerial spraying of crops by airplanes mounted with spray jets below and trailing the wings is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of directing the spray jets at an acute angle with respect to the lower plane of the wing against a winglet deflection surface of covex shape. The winglet extends at a level distanced from the jet and tilted by an accute tangential angle with respect to the plane of the wing. An airplane mounted with a device for effecting crop spraying according to the method is disclosed as well.

Abstract: A bullet trap for a horizontally fired bullet includes a passageway bounded by upper and lower flat plates which may be inclined to the horizontal at an angle of between 0.degree. and 7.degree.. The passageway has an entrance opening and a shallow exit opening or throat, and a generally spiral-walled spent bullet energy-dissipating chamber having a horizontal axis communicates substantially tangentially with the passageway through the throat. A white water lubricant is sprayed against the circumferential boundary wall of the chamber and engulfs any lead dust, spent bullets, and other particles, the lubricant then flowing down through the throat into the passageway and along the lower plate into a collecting vessel, flushing the lead dust, spent bullets, etc. into the vessel without possibility of escape into the environment. The self-cleaned lubricant is continuously recirculated from the collecting vessel to the spray head in the chamber.

Abstract: A bullet trap, for catching a projectile fired from a firearm not more powerful than a .44 Magnum handgun, includes a passageway which has an entrance opening and a shallow exit opening or throat, bounded by upper and lower flat plates inclined to the horizontal at an angle of between 0.degree. and about 15.degree., and a generally spiral-walled spent projectile energy-dissipating chamber which has a horizontal axis and communicates substantially tangentially with the passageway through the throat. The chamber wall has an initial part which is an upwardly curving extension of the lower plate and a terminal part which is located at the rear end of the upper plate, and the angle of inclination of the plates ensures that the projectile enters the chamber at a relatively low angle to the initial part of the chamber wall and moves along the latter without being shattered or damaging the wall.

Abstract: A bullet trap for a horizontally fired bullet includes a passageway bounded by upper and lower flat metal plates which may be inclined to the horizontal at an angle of between 0.degree. and 7.degree.. The passageway has an entrance opening and a shallow exit opening or throat, and a generally spiral-walled spent bullet energy-dissipating chamber having a horizontal axis communicates substantially tangentially with the passageway through the throat. The chamber wall, no part of which has a radius or curvature smaller than 28 inches, has an initial part which is an upwardly curving extension of the lower plate and a terminal part which is located at the rear end of the upper plate. A white water lubricant may be sprayed against the initial part of the chamber wall and, upon flowing down the same into the passageway and along the lower plate into a collecting vessel, may be recirculated to the spray head in the chamber.

Abstract: A foldable chair comprising a pair of front legs, a pair of rear legs, and linkage systems interconnecting the legs. The chair is characterized in that each linkage system consists of a pair of compass-like frame members and a respective pair of crosswise extending link arms. The linkage system is designed so that when the chair is in its folded position it forms into a compact package whereby the legs extend in close parallel relative positions.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling the foam in a vinegar fermentation process. As in the prior art, the foam accumulating on the upper surface of the fermentation substrate is moved along a given path axially through a rotor of the apparatus and revolved about the path by the rotor so as to be subjected to centrifugal forces and broken up into a gas portion which is exhausted in the direction of movement along the path and a liquid portion, possibly still including some foam particles, which is separated from the gas portion in a direction radially of the path. According to the invention, in order to minimize the foam accumulation in the fermentation tank, it is proposed to completely eliminante the liquid portion of the broken-up foam from the fermentation process, i.e., not to recycle the separated liquid portion into the fermentation tank, either by disposing of it or by further processing it and/or mixing it with the recovered vinegar end product apart from the fermentation process.

Abstract: A pad has a base portion, which lies on a foundation and on which a flange of a railway rail lies, and upstanding side portions extending upwardly from opposite sides of the base portion and formed with a recess in which lies a part of a rail clip. The pad may have sideways-extending portions for projecting on opposite sides of a clip-retaining member and it may also have projecting islands, possibly chevron-shaped, on one face or on both faces. The base portion may be one member made of soft material and this may be fixed to a separate member made of harder material which is formed with the side portions and the recess.

Abstract: An anchoring device (1) anchors a clip (60) to a foundation (50) for a railway rail (66). It has a head part (2) formed with a horizontal passageway (4) which is wider than it is high. In an upstanding wall section (5) there is a recess (6) and this receives a projection (52) on an electrically insulating bushing (51) which fits in the head part (2). The bushing has a passageway (53) through it and this receives two legs (61) and (62) of an e-shaped clip, the cross-section of the passageway having the shape of an athletics race track. The device (1) has a tail part (3) with projections (22 and 23) above which the tail part is of cruciform cross-section, with vanes (26 and 28).

Abstract: A railway rail-fastening clip, made by bending an initially straight rod, is approximately in the form of a letter e. The axies of all parts of the clip, except possibly the free end of the lower arm of the e, lie in a single plane. The rod may have a length less than 15 times the thickness of the rod. A retaining arrangement for the clip may have an opening in which lie the center arm and the upper arm of the e, the lower arm of the e pressing downwardly on the flange at the bottom of a railway rail. The opening may be in an electrically insulating bushing in a clip-retainer made of metal.

Abstract: A bushing of electrically insulating material has a passageway, of elongate cross-section, through it. The bushing is inserted in a clip-retaining member and the latter is supported in a mould into which a wet cement mix is poured so that a concrete railway sleeper is formed and the clip-retaining member is held in the concrete with the passageway above the concrete. A center arm and an upper arm of a substantially e-shaped clip are driven into the passageway and a lower arm of the clip bears downwardly on a flange of a railway rail.

Abstract: For use in ophthalmic surgery, the surgeon has available a supply of "spare parts" which are artificial members, possibly simulating different components of the eye, that are suited, depending on their structural forms and shapes, for surgical implantation in the eye as and/or in connection with repair and/or reinforcement and/or replacement structures for damaged or diseased eye components. The members basically are made of cohesive sheet materials of biocompatible substances such as cross-linked hyaluronic acid, PMMA, or other equivalents thereof. Certain of such "spare parts" are particularly well suited for dealing with the problem of the torn posterior capsule when encountered during an extracapsular cataract extraction.

Abstract: A control arrangement for a two-stage submerged vinegar fermentation process for producing vinegar with a high acetic acid concentration of more than 15% is disclosed. The fermentation system includes a main fermentation tank and a secondary fermentation tank, a connecting line with a shut-off valve and a feed pump incorporated therein extending between the two tanks, separate mash and alcohol feed lines with incorporated feed pumps connected to the main fermentation tank, and a vinegar discharge feed line with an incorporated feed pump connected to the secondary fermentation tank. The control arrangement includes an alcohol analyzer and a liquid level sensing device on each of the tanks, a volume flowmeter incorporated in the alcohol feed line, and a controller for each of the tanks.

Abstract: A device to be placed on a railway sleeper (1) or some other foundation for a railway rail (3) includes a pad (2) and two upstanding portions (6A). The pad (2) is of resilient and electrically insulating material and the upstanding portions (6A) are of stiffer electrically insulating material. At least two-thirds of the area of the pad (2) has none of the stiffer material above or below it. Preferably the upstanding portions (6A) are at least 150 mm. long and are on elongate members (6) which have ears (6B) at opposite ends which extend under only corners of the pad (2), where they are secured by spigots (2E) projecting into holes (6C).

Abstract: An elongate plate, for use in a railway frog or switch to receive two inclined rails which stand on the plate and on another plate like it and are to be anchored thereto, has an elongate hole through it, with the length of the hole being parallel to that of the plate. A recess is formed in the underneath face of the plate at one end of the elongate hole by counterboring after the elongate hole has been formed by punching, the recess forming a widening of the undersurface region of the elongate hole at that end thereof. Correspondingly, an associated clip anchoring device includes an upper part for anchoring a rail clip and a lower part which has an inverted T shape.

Abstract: A novel method of restoring posterior teeth such as molars affected by interproximal decay includes drilling the affected tooth, on the side thereof on which the decay is located, essentially horizontally from the buccal to the lingual surface on a line intersecting the site of the decay to form a specially configured groove, scraping the groove clean with a spoon excavator, spreading the two proximate teeth with a separator, inserting a matrix strip between the teeth and anchoring it in place so that it closely overlies the groove, and injecting a dental composite into the groove through an aperture in the matrix. A supply of matrix strips and sets of specially constructed excavators and separators constitute components of a kit of armamentarium for practicing the method. This abstract is not to be taken either as a complete exposition or as a limitation of the present invention, however, the full nature and extent of the invention being discernible only by reference to and from the entire disclosure.

Abstract: An apparatus for use in measuring relative movement between two structures is described. A support (7) having bores for receiving input and output optical fibres (2, 10) is mounted on a plate (24), secured to one of the structures, at a predetermined position using alignment means (50). A filter (8) is fixed relative to the other structure so that light passing down the input fibre (2) passes through the filter (8) to the output fibre (10). The filter comprises a split field filter so that when light of two wavelengths is transmitted via the input fibre (2), the intensity of light at each wavelength transmitted through the filter (8) depends on the position of the filter relative to the support. An analogue output proportional to the displacement is provided using the transmitted intensities. The invention is particularly applicable to measuring displacement of a railway rail with respect to an underlying structure, and a method and installation for this are described.

Abstract: A railway tie plate has at least one rib to locate a railway rail and two arches under which parts of rail clips can be driven parallel to the rib. It can be made by deformation of a conventional tie plate designed for use with fastening devices for holding the rail on to the tie plate other than rail clips which are driven parallel to the rail.