Abstract: The invention relates to a method of measuring the distance between a fixed point and an object, by the steps of: a) transmitting a light pulse (11) from the fixed point at a selected instant of transmission; b) periodically scanning of light intensity received at the fixed point and continuously storing, as a set of received scanned signal values, the scanned values at the scanning rate during a predetermined measuring time window (13) embracing the instant of reception of the light pulse reflected from the object; c) repeating steps a) and b) N number of times in order to obtain N number of sets of received signal values; d) summing the individual stored sets of received scanned signal values, set by set, to a summed scanned value set during a calculating window (14) following the N measuring time windows (13); e) repeating steps a) through d) in order to obtain a further summed scanning value set, whereby during or following step d) the further summed scanned value set is added, scanned value set by s

Abstract: In a press production series for massive forming with a toggle drive for driving a ram, varying stroke speeds of the ram motion are attached by adjustment of cogwheels of an planetary gear system having fixed connecting dimensions. Uniform machine frames can thus be used.

Abstract: The invention disclosed herein is a system for controlling acoustical noise generated by electrical or electronic equipment. The invention consists of a sealed enclosure having acoustically absorbent inner walls, a transparent sealed front door, a hinged sealed rear access panel to facilitate equipment wiring and installation and a high volume/low pressure air cooling system and additional sound and vibration absorption elements. Means for monitoring and controlling internal cabinet temperature and sealed electrical ports for interfacing the equipment housed within the enclosure to the outside while substantially reducing acoustical noise generated by that equipment.

Abstract: Method, computer system and program for processing over the telephone net bets and games of chance including placements of bets and winning requests, comprising: a data base; call distribution means (ACD) connected to the telephone net for receiving incoming calls and distributing to a plurality of processing queues (Q1-QK), and a number N of listening and speaking terminals (P1-PM) connected to M first processing queues (Q); means (ASR1-ASRN) for evaluating a caller identification of a caller, a number N of speech recognition modules connected to N second processing queues (Q) for converting one or more bet placements of the caller into a machine processable set of data and storing it in the data bank together with the caller identity, and\ a selective evaluation device (ASRi, S) connected to the call distribution means (ACD) and, dependent of the input selection by the caller, controls the caller recognition means (ACD) to direct the call to a speech recognition module (ASR) in case placement of

Abstract: An automatic coffee beverage machine, in particular an automatic espresso machine, suitable for selecting a coffee beverage from a plurality of preparation varieties. A plurality of switching contact groups is provided for this, of which respectively one is assigned to a preparation variety and respectively only one can be activated for selecting one of the preparation varieties while the other switching contact groups are blocked. The preparation of the variety selected with one of the switching contacts can subsequently be triggered with a starting contact. To simplify the operation and make the selection clearer, the switching contact groups are designed to form components of a lockable rotary selection switch provided with a turning knob (4). This rotary selection switch is assigned a preparation variety in each lockable rotary position and activates one of the contact groups in each lockable rotary position.

Abstract: To improve the handling of a needle (1) having a selector element (16) that is seated to pivot on the needle body (2), a fastening element (32) is additionally provided. This element secures the selector element (16) to the needle body (2) in a form fit. One or more individual securing elements (34, 35, 36) acting in the transverse direction (33) serves or serve as the fastening element (32). The individual securing elements (34, 35, 36) can act in one direction or in both transverse directions. They are embodied to prevent the selector element (16) from falling out of the needle body (2) in both lateral directions. For this purpose, at least one individual securing element 34, 35, 36 that acts in the transverse directions 33a, 33b is provided. It is possible to combine all of the individual securing elements 34, 35, 36.

Abstract: A method of influencing the mixture formation and charge movement in the cylinders of a piston internal combustion engine, having at least one gas intake valve and at least one gas outlet valve per cylinder. Each of the valves is provided with a fully variable, preferably electrimagnetic, valve drive and is controllable via an electronic control device that is configured such that within predetermined speed ranges and/or for predetermined load conditions, at least some of the gas intake valves and/or the gas outlet valves can be moved, respectively in dependence on the piston stroke, with a stroke course that is variable, relative to the opening and closing moments and/or the opening time, the opening width and/or the opening duration and/or the movement speed.

Abstract: A device for producing milk froth for cappuccino, comprising: a nozzle arrangement disposed downstream of a steam supply line, and containing mixing vacuum chamber into which a steam-nozzle opening opens, and in which an air-milk-mixture supply line, leading from a pre-mixing chamber, terminates, and with the pre-mixing chamber being connected to an air conduit and a milk supply line. The nozzle arrangement further includes a calming portion disposed at an exit of the vacuum-chamber, with one end of the calming portion forming at least one discharge opening for releasing a steam-air-milk mixture from the mixing vacuum-chamber to the outside. The calming portion comprises a plurality of calming conduits that have a parallel flow direction, and that each form a respective discharge opening at one open end for discharging a steam-air-milk-mixture partial flow to the outside.

Abstract: A grinding machine, preferably for sharpening circular saw-blades, has a machine frame that supports a device for supporting the saw blade, for fixedly clamping the blade, and for advancing the saw-blade tooth-by-tooth. The grinding attachment has two independent operating spindles or, which are preferably oriented perpendicular to one another, and support separate drives. The grinding attachment is mounted to pivot and be adjusted in three spatial directions. In a selected pivoting position, one of these spatial directions (Z direction) is oriented radially with respect to the saw blade. In this position, the axis of rotation of one spindle is oriented in the circumferential direction, and the axis of rotation of the other spindle is oriented in the radial direction. A grinding attachment of this type permits the hollow-grinding of tooth faces with grinding pencils that have a small diameter. A separate, high-speed motor serves to drive the grinding pencil.

Abstract: Depending on the working and application conditions, it may be desirable to equip fluid-operated percussion devices with a mechanism that protects against no-load strokes, particularly in the interest of avoiding undesired stress. In the present case, this protection mechanism is configured such that the control unit that influences the movements of the percussion piston is blocked by a safety element in the form of a multiple-position valve, and the percussion device is halted if the percussion piston overshoots the extended position occurring in normal operation by a defined distance, thereby assuming a no-load-stroke position. The safety element (21) that acts on the control unit (5) of the percussion device (1) is automatically controlled, notably such that it is not switched to be active until some time after the startup of the percussion device (1) acted on by the working pressure. The percussion device (1) can therefore start up without being influenced by the safety element (21).

Abstract: An apparatus for providing anti-mine protection for an armored vehicle, the apparatus comprising a concave floor plate (1) that provides both a sufficient ground clearance (3) and a clear distance (14) between the floor plate and spring bars or support arms mounted above the floor plate. The floor plate (11) is fixedly connected on the sides to the housing or hull side wall (8, 8′) and the side flange plate (4) secured to the housing side wall, such that respective angled regions of the housing side wall (6) and of the flange plates (9) surround the top and bottom of the floor plate (1) and rest flat against it.

Abstract: A method for controlling an electromagnetic actuator for actuating a cylinder valve (6) in a piston-type internal-combustion engine, with the valve having two electromagnets (1, 2) that are spaced from one another, and an armature (5) that is connected to the cylinder valve (6) to be actuated and is guided back and forth, counter to the force of a restoring spring (7, 8), between the facing magnet pole faces of the electromagnets, and with the coils (10, 11) of the electromagnets alternately being acted upon with a direct current via a control device (9) at predetermined intervals. When the piston-type internal-combustion engine is operated under a higher load, the flow direction of the current through the coils (10, 11) of the two electromagnets (1, 2) is preset by the control device (9) so that the magnetic flux (arrows 14, 15) alternately effected in the armature (5) by the two coils (10, 11) remains unidirectional.

Abstract: A control device for the drive motor of a windscreen wiper device in a vehicle, especially a motor vehicle, comprising a control switch which can be activated by means of a manually actuated wiper switch and which automatically controls the drive motor in a switching stage of said wiper switch according to a rain sensor signal corresponding to a characteristic curve. The operating data for the drive motor varies according to the external effects of lighting, temperature, or speed parameters.

Abstract: For the production of a particularly dimensionally stable cable set, the single conductors (22) of the cable set are initially inserted into a cavity (8) of a foam tool (2) and a foaming material is subsequently filled in. To dispense with involved and expensive hydraulic equipment, a vacuum is generated to press a top half (6) and a bottom half (4) of the foaming tool (2) against each other. For this, vacuum channels (6) are preferably provided, which extend along sides of the cavity (8).

Abstract: A piston-type internal-combustion engine having deactivatable, mechanically actuated cylinder valves that are respectively actuated by at least one camshaft via a roller drag lever (5) comprising two partial levers (5.1, 5.2) that are hinged to one another via an articulated shaft (6), on which the roller (7) associated with a cam (8) of the camshaft is rotatably seated. A locking mechanism (13) is provided to selectively couple or decouple the two partial levers (5.1, 5.2) to activate or deactivate the force transmission between the camshaft and the cylinder valve. The free end 5.11 of one partial lever (5.1) is supported on the cylinder valve (2), and the free end 5.21 of the other partial lever (5.2) is supported on the engine block (11).

Abstract: The invention considerably reduces the danger of deformation for containers made from a thermoplastic material during the transfer to a stacking magazine or into a locally fixed catch plate. This deformation danger results from the fact that the formed stack must be displaced within a short time by the stack distance, either through the transferred containers themselves or by components of a catch plate that is moved forward with each cycle. This is achieved through displacing the stacks in the stacking magazines or the locally fixed catch plate with a displacement device. The displacement device can be combined with the stack removal device or can be a separate displacement device. According to a modification of the invention, the method is intended to improve the cooling of the stacked containers.

Abstract: A chain drive for driving two adjacent parallel shafts, such as two overhead camshafts in an internal combustion engine, includes a drive chain guided by a drive mechanism and chain wheels mounted on the shafts. The chain wheels are axially offset and overlap each other. At least one support wheel on one shaft is associated with the chain wheel on the other shaft. An edge area of the part of the chain which does not engage a chain wheel is guided and supported on the shaft by the support wheel.

Abstract: In an image projector having at least one projection beam that is actuated in the raster mode and in the calligraphic mode for representing a raster component and a calligraphic component of a total image that is projected onto a display, to attain a higher image brightness and a sharper image contrast during projection in non-darkened rooms, the at least one projection beam is a laser beam (19) that is split into two linearly-polarized partial beams (21, 21′), with the two partial beams (21, 21′) being subjected to a separate modulation and deflection such that the one partial beam (21′) writes the raster component and the other partial beam writes the calligraphic component. The two partial beams (21, 21′) are projected simultaneously onto the display; the partial beams may be optically superposed prior to being projected.

Abstract: A module having an angle-sensor mechanism, an energy-transmission device and an information-transmission device comprises at least two circuit boards (1, 2). One circuit board (1) forms the stator with respect to the angle-sensor mechanism, while the other board (2) forms the rotor with respect to the mechanism. The stator includes the primary coil for the angle-sensor mechanism, as well as an exciting coil for the transmission of energy and information. The rotor includes the secondary coil of the angle-sensor mechanism, as well as a receiver coil, for the transmission of energy and information. The exciting coil and the receiver coil are disposed in circular fashion on the respective circuit board, thereby creating a coupling for the exciting coil and the receiver coil that is independent of the angle. The exciting coil and the receiver coil are used for transmitting both energy and information. The energy transmission is typically effected with a medium frequency of, for example, 25 kHz.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for monitoring vehicular traffic flow in a road network 1 in an area served by a mobile telecommunications device network 7 having a call management system 10 provided with a mobile telecommunications device positioning system 11 providing positional data for active mobile telecommunications devices 12. The method comprises capturing geographical positioning data for individual active devices carried aboard vehicles 12 and converting these into probability vectors representing the likelihood of the vehicle having arrived at any of the possible road components 16 of the road network 7 compatible with the geographical positional data. As the vehicle 12 travels along, this process is repeated and new probability vectors constructed based on the probability of any of the available routes between the new probability vector road component position and the immediately preceding probability vector road component position.