Abstract: A deep fat fryer includes an open-top vessel having at least one trough-shaped container adapted to hold a quantity of cooking oil. A pulse combustion burner is provided for heating the oil and includes a combustion chamber adapted to be immersed in the oil. A mixer head receives controllable air and fuel flows and an ignitor within the mixer head initiates combustion. A cabinet is provided for supporting the vessel and the burner. A tailpipe receives the combustion products and carries the same into an exhaust decoupler which is located adjacent the inlet end of the combustion chamber and which substantially enclosed the mixer head and at least a portion of a vent pipe. The exhaust decoupler and the tailpipe are arranged in heat exchange relationship with the vessel wall. A continuously operating air blower is provided to minimize burner start-up time and to cool electronic control circuitry used to regulate the oil temperature and the operating periods of the burner.

Abstract: A flame insert for reducing the NO.sub.x emissions of a range top burner is disclosed. The flame insert comprises a rigid framework provided by disjuncted support members connected to a pair of ring members. The support members engage the burner head to mount and accurately position the ring members adjacent the burner ports for engaging the flames during combustion and reducing the peak flame temperature by radiating heat energy away from the flames.

Abstract: A remote control system operates automated equipment, such as a robotic device. The remote control system operates using an RF link and has both a "hard stop" control and a "soft stop" or "cycle hold" control. The system permits the technician or operator to work around a robotic device with the proximity switches deactivated without the necessity of being connected to the main control panel using a pendant device connected by cables.

Abstract: A cast cutter having a pair of juxtaposed, sawedged blades which oscillate relative to each other on a common pivot point to provide a scissorslike cutting action resulting in a relatively wide kerf in the cast being out. A patient protective blade guard, slidable between the underside of the cast and the patient's skin, includes an aperture into which portions of the blades partially extend wherein a nip area is provided at an interface location of the blades and the guard to facilitate cutting of an inner woven cloth lining of the cast to the scissor teeth. The oscillatory motion of the blades relative to each other minimizes clogging thereof by dust particles generated during a cutting operation. The blades are slightly spaced from each other to preclude friction generated heat buildup that could result from the moving blades rubbing together.

Abstract: A device is provided to automatically adjust the horizontal space between movable and fixed knives of a metal cutting shear. Bellcranks are mounted on opposite sides of the shear frame with first arms in contact with the outboard vertical sides of the movable knife holder and with second arms positioned beneath the opposite outboard ends of the shear hold down clamp. Followers on the hold down clamp make contact with the second arms as the hold down clamp is lowered into clamping engagement with the top surface of a metal strip or plate to be sheared. The followers shift the second arms downwardly causing the first arms to shift the movable knife horizontally toward the fixed knife. The respective lengths of the first and second arms are selected to cause the horizontal shift of the movable knife to be a predetermined fraction of the vertical movement of the second arms to provide the correct clearance between knives for the determined thickness of the strip about to be sheared.

Abstract: A digital real-time signal processor is designed to be coupled to a computer. This processor includes a circuit of inputs/outputs, an input/output control circuit, a computer-coupling circuit, a buffer memory, digital signal-processing elements and a control circuit for the processing elements. The digital signal-processing elements are made up of a plurality of interconnected processing modules. Each module comprises an arithmetic unit, a high-speed multiplier, a shift register, a function memory, an addressable data memory containing all data handled by the processors of various functions, a sequentially operated address memory enabling scanning the data memory, and a microprogram memory. Each microprogram contains instructions capable of controlling the arithmetic unit, the multiplier, the shift register, and the waveform memory depending upon a particular configuration.

Abstract: A sealed bimetal snap disc thermostat is disclosed which is suitable for use in environmental locations in which severe thermocycling occurs. The thermostat provides a disc cup having an imperforate end wall which is the only portion of the thermostat per se which is exposed. A non-metallic enclosure cup is formed with an aperture closely encircling the disc cup and which defines a cavity surrounding the remaining portions of the thermostat. A sealing compound, such as epoxy, fills such cavity. The disc cup is crimped onto the thermostat body and provides an extended portion which is spaced from the thermostat body so that the sealing adhesive provides an interface of substantial area with the metal disc cup to assure a continuing seal. Because the sealant and enclosure cup surround the entire thermostat except for the disc cup, the thermostat is thermally insulated from its environment except for the disc cup end face.

Abstract: The invention concerns a drawing or engraving device which has a first trlling carriage system with a first and second guide rail each supporting a moving travelling carriage. The second guide rail is attached to the travelling carriage on the first guide rail. A second travelling carriage system is joined to the first travelling carriage system and has two travelling carriages driven by motors. One of these travelling carriages supports a working head which can be manually guided. The coordinates of the actual pattern executed by the working head are determined by means of a distance measuring device. Computing means compare these actual coordinates with coordinates of a selected pattern through which the working head should travel to draw an element or line segment selected by the user. A control device is activated by the computer which calculates any deviation of the actual pattern coordinates from the selected pattern coordinates.

Abstract: A highly accurate and miniaturized pressure transducer is disclosed which includes first and second capacitors as a part of the integrated circuit, which also includes an Eccles-Jordan astable multivibrator. The miniaturization of both the capacitors and the entire multivibrator circuit in an integrated circuit establishes all components so that they are very closely matched on the two halves of the multivibrator, and so that whatever environmental disturbances, e.g., electrical, thermal, noise, etc., are encountered, are shared by both halves, and hence negated, so far as output drift is concerned. The multivibrator has a rectangular wave output and the duty cycle thereof is proportional to the force or pressure applied. This duty cycle is changed upon applied pressure, which changes one of the capacitors, and measurement of the duty cycle is a measurement of the applied force or pressure.

Abstract: A floor panel for elevated floors and the like is disclosed in which a high-pressure laminate floor covering is laminated to the load surface of the panel base. The laminate is provided with a decorative exposed surface and an inner body portion rearwardly therefrom having a color contrasting with the decorative exposed surface. A border is provided around the edge of the panel by cutting away the decorative surface to expose the contrasting inner body portion.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for forming a drum handling ring having an inverted frustoconical geometry to facilitate engagement of a conventional parrot beak gripper with the ring. The end of an advancing, straight strip of heated thermoplastic material, continuously provided by an extrusion head, is fed at a first location to the circular periphery of a continuously rotating, large diameter turntable where the strip is clamped thereto and then cooled so that the clamped portion of the strip thermally sets into an arcuate shape corresponding to the periphery of the turntable. At a second location diametrically opposed to the first, the now arcuate end portion of the strip is unclamped and guided away from the turntable periphery to a cutting station where the continuously advancing strip is cut into arcuate pieces each having an arc length generally corresponding to the desired circumference of a drum handling ring.

Abstract: A process for the manufacture of glass fiber-reinforced polyester products is disclosed. A ready-to-mold resin and reinforcement composite is prepared using an initiator which has been microencapsulated in order to prevent initiator-induced cross-linking of the resin reactants. The initiator is released during the molding of the composite by rupture of the microcapsules due to internal vapor pressure developed at a preselected molding temperature. The encapsulation of the initiator provides improved homogeneity and increased flowability of the composites during molding, and enables the provision of molded polyester products having higher degrees of cure and more defect-free finish surfaces.

Abstract: A combination pressure regulating valve and pressure relief valve is disclosed in which the outlet pressure is regulated to a certain pressure level below the inlet level and excess pressures on either the inlet or outlet of the valve are relieved through a relief passage. The valve includes a diaphragm biased by an adjustable spring means and a compressible bellows which interact with each to perform both the regulating and relief functions.

Abstract: A method is presented for forming couplings from blanks made from lengths of extruded plastic pipe, to join pipe together. The blank is cut from the length of extruded pipe and heated to the thermoplastic point. The heated blank is mounted between two mandrels which have a slight taper toward the ends, which are beveled. The ends of the mandrels are brought together inside the blank at a uniform rate and force. The pressure between the ends of the mandrels causes a bulge in the blank. A split die clamps around the blank at about the bulge, causing the bulge to collapse and forming a ridge in the inside surface of the blank. Coolant circulates in the mandrels and cools the inside surface of the blank. The mandrels are then withdrawn, leaving the formed blank in the split die.

Abstract: This invention relates to new oxazaphosphorin-4-thio-alkanesulphonic acids and to the neutral salts thereof corresponding to the general formula I ##STR1## and to methods to use such compounds to control cancer diseases and to produce immunosuppression in humans and animals.

Abstract: An improved crystallization process is disclosed for separating a crystallizable material and an excluded material which is at least partially excluded from the solid phase of the crystallizable material obtained upon freezing a liquid phase of the materials. The solid phase is more dense than the liquid phase, and it is separated therefrom by relative movement with the formation of a packed bed of solid phase. The packed bed is continuously formed adjacent its lower end and passed from the liquid phase into a countercurrent flow of backwash liquid. The packed bed extends through the level of the backwash liquid to provide a drained bed of solid phase adjacent its upper end which is melted by a condensing vapor.

Abstract: A suspension ceiling grid system is disclosed which provides intersections including through-runners and oppositely extending runner ends. The through-runner is provided with a connector opening and the runner ends are provided with identical end connectors. The end connectors are engaged and disengaged by lateral movement and provide spring means which resiliently urge the end connectors toward the locked position. The end connectors provide two locking systems, one of which provides a connection with the through-runner when only one connector is installed in the connector opening, and subsequently provides an improved strength functionally direct connection between the two end connectors when two end connectors are installed within the connector opening from opposite sides. The end connectors provide a second separate locking system which directly connects between the two end connectors. In one embodiment, a connector system is disclosed which allows easy removal of a runner within an assembled grid.

Abstract: A composite access floor panel is disclosed which provides a sheet metal pan filled with a lightweight concrete material. The bottom wall of the pan is contoured so that the thickness of the concrete varies from one location to another. The illustrated panel provides a border of uniform maximum thickness and a central portion of reduced intermediate thickness. In addition, the panel produces concrete oval corner portions and circular side portions spaced in from the centers of the panel sides, both of which provide a uniform minimum thickness. The contours of the panel create a panel in which a substantially uniform amount of deflection results when the panel is supported at its corners and a given load is applied anywhere along the load surface thereof spaced from the panel corners. Shear ties are provided along the interface between the pan and the concrete to cause the pan and concrete to coact in supporting loads applied to such load surface.

Abstract: A vertically accumulating storage and dispensing apparatus for containers and the like wherein the containers are loaded at the top of a tower and selectively dispensed from the bottom. The tower has a frame that defines first and second tower sections, each supporting a number of vertically spaced shelf trays which in turn support the containers which are stacked on the trays when loaded. The shelf trays of each tower section face inwardly toward and are staggered relative to each other. Each tray is mounted for pivotal movement about a horizontal axis and is operated so that when a container is dispensed from a bottom shelf tray, each higher tray beginning at the bottom and progressing upward one at a time, pivots to transfer its carton to the upwardly tilted next lower empty shelf tray. This process is repeated until each container has been transferred to the next lower shelf tray.