Abstract: In a process for biological production of an amide wherein a nitrile is hydrated into a corresponding amide by the action of a nitrile hydratase originated in a microorganism, the improvement which comprises the use of nitrile hydratase which is obtained by culturing a microorganism of the species Rhodococcus rhodochrous in the presence of a cobalt ion.Aromatic nitriles such as a cyanopyridine as well as aliphatic nitrile such as acrylonitrile are hydrated into the corresponding amides.

Abstract: An extrusion head for an extrusion installation for extruding plastic material and having two, three or four extrusion cylinders has a stationary part which is fixedly mounted on the discharge ends of the extrusion cylinders and has flow channels for directing extrudate leading from the cylinders to a central extrusion location at which there is a seat for an extrusion die. Two movable extrusion head parts are hinged on the stationary part for movement between a closed position in which the movable extrusion head parts define an extrusion orifice for the extrudate and hold the extrusion die on its seat and an open position for cleaning. The movable extrusion head parts are moved between open and closed position by piston-cylinder units having cylinders pivotally mounted on the stationary part and having piston rods pivotally connected to lugs on the movable extrusion head parts.

Abstract: An extrusion head for sheathing elongate objects such as cables has a housing with an elongate bore in which there is a hollow mandrel through which is passed the object to be sheathed. At the discharge end of the mandrel there is a forming tool made up of an annular forming tool part on the mandrel and a concentric forming tool part at the adjacent end of the bore of the housing. An extruder connected to the extrusion head housing forces sheathing material into the bore of the housing and out through the forming tool to form a sheath on the cable or other object as it is passed through the hollow mandrel. A rotor which is rotatable on the mandrel has a screw thread web of decreasing height for propelling sheathing material toward the forming tool. There are lubricated radial seals between the rotor, mandrel and housing. For applying a double layer sheath, there are two entrusion heads interconnected one behind another and supplied with sheathing material by two extruders.

Abstract: There is disclosed a synchronizing signal detector for a multi-beam optical disk unit employing a semiconductor laser array as an optical head, in which detection of a synchronizing signal is performed when all-bit coincident is detected in one half or more of multi-beams or when almost all-bit coincident is detected for a beam within a small number of bits before or after the all-bit coincident in another beam. Once a first synchronizing signal of each sector is detected, synchronizing signals of the subsequent second, third, . . .

Abstract: A process for producing an inorganic fiber-based prepreg sheet, which comprises preparing a slurry containing 35-80% by weight of a phenolic resin powder of 0.01-100 .mu.m in average particle diameter, 65-20% by weight of an inorganic fiber (the amounts are based on the total amount of the two) and a nonionic high-molecular fixing agent, making the slurry into a sheet in the same manner as in the paper making, and allowing the sheet to contain a silane coupling agent; and a process for producing an insulating laminate, which comprises laminating a prepreg sheet produced by the above process.

Abstract: Apparatus for cutting profile strips of rubber mixture produced by extrusion and/or calendering and transported to the cutting apparatus by a conveyor which is intermittently stopped for making a cut has a motor driven rotating knife which is moved transversely of the profile strip by a roll-ring drive and is raised to a height above the profile strip for return movement of the knife. In one embodiment, the knife, its driving motor and the mechanism for moving the knife transversely of the profile strip are mounted on a seesaw which is pivoted on horizontal axis and is moved pivotally by a pneumatic servo-motor to raise and lower the knife. In other embodiments the knife and transverse movement mechanism are mounted on a movable carriage, which is raised and lowered by a pneumatic servo motor while the motor for driving the knife in rotation is mounted on the frame of the apparatus and connected to the shaft of the knife by a flexible or telescopic connecting shaft.

Abstract: A screw extruder having a cylinder, an extrusion head, a screw in the cylinder and a motor for driving the screw in rotation has insert members which extend into the cylinder to effect plastification and homogenization of the material being extruded. The web of the screw is provided with annular recesses into which the insert members project. Some of the insert members are stationary, in the form of pins projecting radially into the cylinder, while others are movable so as to vary the extent of their projection into the cylinder. The movable insert members may be pins extending radially into the cylinder and movable radially, rotatable threaded pins extending tangentially into the cylinder, rotatable pins extending tangentially into the cylinder and having non-circular portions in the cylinder, or sector-shaped discs which are movable pivotally.

Abstract: The motor-driven pulsator comprises, inter alia, a turbine (10) having a distributor (11) and an air-agitating member (12), and an electric motor (20) having a casing (200), a shaft (210) and a connector (220). This motor-driven pulsator comprises a mounting arrangement (30) consisting of a passage (31) permitting the unrestricted introduction of the member (12) into the distributor (11), an orientation means (32) for fixing, as desired, the relative rotational positions of the casing (200) and of the distributor (11) and securing elements (33) for joining the distributor (11) and motor (20).

Abstract: A calender for producing packing sheets, in particular packing sheets reinforced with synthetic fiber, has a large diameter heated cylinder, on which a packing sheet is formed and vulcanized, rotatably supported by spaced calender stands and driven by a direct current motor. An unheated cylinder of smaller diameter also driven by a direct current motor, is supported by the calender stands for rotation and for movement toward and away from the heated cylinder and is hydraulically pressed toward the heated cylinder as a pressure roller. The circumferential speed of each of the cylinders is sensed by a pick-up activated by uniformly spaced marks on the circumference of the cylinder and the thickness of the packing sheet on the heated cylinder is sensed by sensing the position of the shaft of the pressure roller.

Abstract: A method for the cultivation of bacteria of the genus Pseudomonas capable of producing nitrile hydratase is disclosed. The method involves adding a water soluble copper compound in an amount of about 0.5 to 5.0 mg/l as calculated in terms of copper to a culture medium in the preparation of cells of the bacteria under shear force supplied by stirring blades, wherein the circumferential speed of the edges of the stirring blades exceeds about 2.5 m/sec. The water soluble copper compound is preferrably copper chloride, copper sulfate, copper nitrate, copper acetate, copper tartrate, copper (II) acetylacetonate or copper (II) ETDA.

Abstract: An optical logic element is disclosed which performs an XOR operation through utilization of the high-speed property of light. On each branched waveguide of a Mach-Zehnder interference type optical waveguide there is provided a phase modulating element whose refractive index undergoes a change when it is irradiated by light. The interference type optical waveguide is adapted to provide different optical output levels when the refractive index changes of the phase modulating elements are both zero or a predetermined value and when they differ from each other. Thus, the optical logic element is capable of performing the XOR or XNOR operation at an ultrahigh speed.

Abstract: A chitin oligosaccharide which is a chitin oligomer having a 2,5-anhydromannose group or a chitosan oligosaccharide which is a chitosan oligomer having a 2,5-anhydromannose group having a structure of the formula shown below at a terminal end: ##STR1## wherein it can be prepared by allowing chitin or chitosan to react with nitrous acid at a temperature of 10.degree. C.

Abstract: There is disclosed a one-hand openable and closable umbrella which does not cause relative rotational movement and displacement between an inner shaft and an outer shaft. The inner shaft has a U-shaped groove extending in the lengthwise direction thereof and the outer shaft has a convex block provided inside a lower nest mounted on the top of the outer shaft. By the engagement of the convex block of the outer shaft with the U-shaped groove of the inner shaft, the inner and outer shaft neither turn nor displace relative to each other when the latter slides on the latter. Moreover, since a plastic sleeve is put on the upper end portion of the inner shaft inside a spring mounted thereon, any frictional force between the spring and the inner shaft and between the spring and an upper nest can be decreased, by which the umbrella can be smoothly opened and closed.

Abstract: A tip brake unit for installation in tip portions of rotor blades of rotary wing aircraft having a plurality of load-carrying rotors has a frame of a size and shape for installation in a tip portion of a rotor blade. An elongate tip brake member of channel cross sectional shape with a closed outer end is supported and guided by rollers on the frame for movement longitudinally between an inner position in which a closed outer end of the tip brake member is flush with the tip of the rotor blade and an outer position in which the tip brake member projects beyond the tip of the blade. The open side of the channel shaped tip brake member faces forwardly with respect to the direction of movement of the tip portion of the rotor blade in which the tip brake unit is installed.

Abstract: An ISDN-user-network interface system comprising an interface buffer and an interface adapter. The interface buffer provided between an ISDN network terminal equipment and a terminal equipment to receive an up-signal frame transmitted from said terminal equipment to said network terminal equipment, to store said up-signal frame, and to transmit said stored up-signal frame at a timing when said network terminal equipment is capable of detecting the synchronization of said up-signal frame.

Abstract: A semiconductor device with a strained-layer superlattice is disclosed, in which a first semiconductor and a second semiconductor of a lattice constant smaller than that of the first semiconductor are stacked on a clad layer of a lattice constant substantially intermediate between those of the first and second semiconductors to form the strained-layer superlattice. The lattice constant of the strained-layer superlattice in the direction of its plane in the free space is nearly equal to the lattice constant of the clad layer. A third semiconductor of a lattice constant substantially equal to that of the clad layer is laminated between the first and second semiconductors stacked one on the other.

Abstract: Apparatus for extruding plastic and/or rubber material has a screw extruder, which plasticizes the material and delivers it to a gear pump which develops sufficient pressure for extrusion of the material through an extrusion head. The apparatus is characterized by the fact that the axes of gears of the gear pump and the axis of the screw of the extruder are parallel to one another. The housing of the gear pump has a side opening into which a cylindrical bushing and the screw of the extruder extend so that the material is delivered by the extruder directly to the gear pump as a non-oriented plasticized mass. The extrusion head may be a transverse extrusion head with an axis parallel to the axes of the gear wheels of the gear pump and the axis of the screw of the extruder. A second like extrusion apparatus including a screw extruder and a gear pump may be connected to an opposite side of the extrusion head.

Abstract: An immersion tin/lead alloy plating bath has a basic composition comprising an organic sulfonic acid, divalent tin and lead salts of the organic sulfonic acid and thiourea and further contains thiocyanic acid or derivative thereof, optionally with hydrated hydrazine. With this plating bath, an alloy deposit, which has a particularly desired Sn/Pb ratio of 60%/40% or so and is improved in terms of adhesion and homogeneity, can be stably obtained on the surface of copper or a copper alloy in a relatively low temperature region within a short span of time.

Abstract: A punching machine has an upper (3) and a lower (4) tool magazine of the carousel type. Coaxially interacting punching tools (10) and die tools (19) are transferred in conjunction with tool changing from take-up positions in the upper and lower magazine to working positions respectively in the upper reciprocating punch holder (45, 49) of the machine and in the lower fixed die holder (29) of the machine. The upper punch holder is divided along an axial plane into one fixed parts and one radially moving part (45) relative to the magazine. The lower die holder is executed in the form of an uninterrupted ring. After the transfer of a punching tool from the upper magazine to the working position in the punch holder, the magazine (D.sub.1) with the other punching tools accommodated in it is raised in order to ensure the necessary clearance between these magazined tools and any projections and irregularities on the workpiece as it is fed and moved between the magazines during working.

Abstract: Electrical conductor comprising a metallic bar (1) jacketed with a sheath (2) made from a metal different from that of the bar, in which the bar (1) exhibits at least one longitudinal groove (3, 3') containing a bead (4, 4') made from the same metal as the sheath (2), welded to the bar (1), and the sheath (2) exhibits an opening opposite the bead (4, 4'), the said opening containing a metallic mass (9, 9') welded to the bead (4, 4') and to the sheath (2). The conductor finds one application in electrodes comprising a metallic plate longitudinally fixed to an electrical conductor.