Abstract: A method for monitoring an entrance to a hazardous area comprising sensing a signal pattern generated by light barriers when an object passes the entrance and comparing the sensed signed pattern with at least one predetermined signal pattern. The object is admissible if the signal patterns are identical and under certain other conditions.

Abstract: A safety device for a motor vehicle which has a door frame and a door contained within the door frame. The safety device includes: a gas generator; a sensor for sensing at least one of a side impact and a roll-over for activating the gas generator; and an inflatable element connected to the gas generator for being inflated with gas from the gas generator upon activation of the gas generator. The inflatable element can thus assume a non-inflated mode and an inflated mode and can further be positioned adjacent the door in an inflated-mode thereof. The inflatable element is further made of fabric and includes: a first fabric layer defining a front part thereof; a second fabric layer defining a back part thereof, selected parts of the first fabric layer and second fabric layer being interconnected for defining one of linear and point shaped links where the first fabric layer and the second fabric layer are directly secured together.

Abstract: A device is used to insert and/or deposit printed products into a conveying channel. The printed products are conveyed in the conveying channel with of carriers of a conveying element. An acceleration apparatus pre-accelerates the printed products in conveying direction. The acceleration apparatus conveys the printed products essentially in a straight line and at an angle to the conveying direction of the conveying channel. The printed products are preferably inserted with the aid of conveying belts and at an angle into the conveying channel. As a result of the slanted feed, the divisions of the conveying element can be optimized and the capacity increased.

Abstract: The operation of dewatering and drying devices which consist of a dewatering centrifuge and a concentrically arranged spray drier may be disturbed by leaks between the drier housing and the centrifuge or by deposits and encrustation of solid particles inside the drier. In order to avoid these disturbances, the rotating outer surface of the centrifuge (1) is sealed with respect to the fixed front walls (13, 14) of the drier housing (11) by a sealing system in two or more stages which consists of rotary seals (160) and elastic or sliding sealing elements (180, 260, 300, 340). The rotating outer surface of the centrifuge (1) is provided, with turbulence-generating means (32, 33, 40, 42, 46), preferably torus-shaped turbulence-generating rollers, arranged inside the drier housing (11).

Abstract: A nut includes an extended flange and a center hole. A shoulder is formed onto the edge of the center hole to achieve an easier and faster assembly. The shoulder has an essentially tubular shape and is provided with a thread on its inside wall.

Abstract: A cigarette packing machine has a first drive normally transmitting motion to packing units which are employed to advance a series of arrays of cigarettes or other rod-shaped articles of the tobacco processing industry and to confine each array in a discrete packet by providing each of successive arrays of the series with one or more envelopes, labels and the like. The first drive is decelerated and brought to a halt in the event of malfunctioning of one or more packing units of the machine and/or for other reasons, and this initiates or prevents an interruption of operation of at least one second drive which transmits motion to one or more packing units during deceleration and/or during a period following stoppage of the first drive. The second drive(s) causes or cause the respective packing unit(s) to complete operations which, if not carried out prior to restarting of the first drive, would entail the making of numerous defective packets.

Abstract: An electrode arrangement is provided having an electrode line which has a closed casing for sealing off its interior relative to the surrounding area. At its distal end, electrically conducting surface regions serve as electrodes. A fixing mechanism anchors the distal end in a body tissue, in particular heart tissue and is adapted to be separable from the rest of the electrode line in such a way that the rest of the electrode line is also closed at its distal end when the fixing mechanism is separated off. The interior of the electrode line is sealed off relative to the surrounding area even when the fixing element is separated off. The electrode arrangement is characterized by a mechanism for separating off the fixing mechanism, which is adapted to effect separation by virtue of forces acting axially within the electrode line.

Abstract: An orthotic walker comprises an orthosis (60) mounted on a wheeled frame (10) which includes a first or rearward transverse frame member (11) having thereon an attachment device (17) for releasably mounting a support member (20) adapted to carry said orthosis (60) and a connection assembly (13, 33) for the releasable connection of forwardly extending lateral frame members (30) with an optional removable forward transverse frame member (50). The first frame member (11) carries a pair of laterally spaced wheels (16) and the lateral frame members (30) each carry a further wheel (41) at the forward end thereof. Several interchangeable lateral frame members (30, 30A) are provided whereby the overall width of the frame (10) can be varied by selecting lateral frame members (32, 32A) of differing size. The support member (20) which carries the orthosis (60) is one of a plurality of interchangeable support members (20, 20A) provided in a range of sizes to suit patients of differing height and weight.

Abstract: An ultrasonic sealing apparatus comprises at least one horn having an elongated sealing face for sealing a packing material. Plural converters are erected on a side of the horn opposite to the sealing face for resonating the horn with a vibrating frequency. The ultrasonic sealing apparatus has a length that is one wavelength of the vibrating frequency and is fixed in position to a sealing jaw at a nodal plane of the vibrating frequency.

Abstract: Bobbins containing convoluted webs of sheet material, particularly wrapping material for smokers' products, are transferred from a stack—wherein the axes of the cores of bobbins are vertical—onto the horizontal stub of a receiver in a web processing machine by an apparatus wherein a first set of jaws serves to engage the core of a fresh bobbin from within preparatory to transfer to the receiver and simultaneous pivoting of the first set of jaws through 90°. When the supply of web on the core borne by the stub of the receiver is exhausted, the external surface of the thus exposed core is engaged by a second set of jaws which transport the core to a collecting station or the like. Sheet-like partitions which are disposed between neighboring layers of fresh bobbins in the stack are removed by suction cups which are mounted on a reciprocable pusher together with the jaws of the second set.

Abstract: Successive collapsed cardboard blanks which can be erected to accommodate, for example, arrays of cigarette cartons are supplied from a source (such as a magazine for one or more piles of superimposed randomly distributed properly oriented and misoriented blanks) to a packing machine along a path wherein the orientations of successive blanks are monitored and the misoriented blanks are reoriented so that the packing machine receives blanks each of which is in an optimum orientation for erection and subsequent reception of arrays of commodities. The arrangement for monitoring and, if necessary, correcting the orientation of successive blanks can include pneumatic and/or other conveyors, mobile props, mobile pushers, an upright chute and a vertically movable supporting platform for stacks of monitored and (if necessary) reoriented blanks.

Abstract: A method of transporting rod-shaped tobacco smoke filters, which carry solid particles, along an elongated path from a sender to a receiving station, includes transporting the filters from the sender to the receiving station through the predetermined portion of the path. A plurality of jets of a pressurized gaseous fluid is directed across a predetermined portion of the path to expel from the portion of the path solid particles which are separated or separable from the filters. The expelled particles are collected in a chamber outwardly adjacent the predetermined portion of the path. The collected particles are evacuated from the chamber.

Abstract: A shower of tobacco particles is admitted into the inlet at the top of and descends by gravity and/or under the action of a driven cell wheel in a generally upright duct. The particles are moisturized prior to admission into the duct or due to contact with droplets of water in the inlet, and are thereupon caused to traverse an orbiting shower of steam, water and/or another conditioning medium in an intermediate portion of their path in the duct. Such treatment entails a swelling and thus increases the volume of the particles. The conditioning medium is discharged via orifices radially outwardly from at least one substantially horizontal conduit which is rotated about its axis and can be provided with external pins or analogous mechanical impellers serving to cause the particles of tobacco to orbit about the conduit prior to descending into the range of a dryer at a level below the intermediate portion of the path, e.g., at the outlet of the duct.

Abstract: A circuit breaker for protecting electrical circuits, particularly in motor vehicles, includes a flat housing, which comprises an insulating material and has two adjacent flat plugs. A bimetal that is embodied as a snap-action element and is fixed to a flat plug serves in contacting the flat plugs together, with the contact end of the bimetal being located in an overlapping position with the counter-contact. During a contact opening as stipulated by an overcurrent, a contact separator automatically travels into the space between the opened contacts, and can be returned from its contact-separating position by the external exertion of a force acting counter to the spring pressure. A manual release device, which diverts the contact end of the bimetal from its contacting position into its contact-opening position, protrudes from the breaker housing.

Abstract: A fiber processing machine includes an arrangement for producing a running fiber web having a width extending perpendicularly to the running direction; a roll unit having a roll axis and a roll surface engaging the running web; a web guiding element disposed downstream of the roll unit for laterally gathering the web for reducing the width thereof; and a web trumpet disposed downstream of the web guiding element. The web trumpet has an outlet opening for discharging the running web. The outlet opening has an outlet height and an outlet width greater than the outlet height. The outlet width is oriented to the roll axis at an angle other than zero for reorienting the width of the web during run thereof from the roll unit to the outlet opening. A calender roll pair is disposed downstream of the web trumpet.

Abstract: A seat for a motor vehicle comprises a squab carried by a frame (31) and a back (54). The squab (31) is mounted for movement along a rail (21, 22, 23) from an operative position to a stored position remote from the operative position. The seat back (54) is pivotally mounted for movement from an operative position to a stored position. Part of the seat-back, when in the stored position, occupies space that was occupied by the squab of the seat when the squab of the seat was in the operative position. The seat may be mounted in a motor vehicle in such a way that part (55) of the back of the seat, when in the stored position, is substantially flush with part of the floor (53) of the motor vehicle to provide a load carrying platform.

Abstract: The invention relates to an optoelectronic device (1) for detecting markings affixed to objects by using a transmitter (6) that emits light rays (8), a receiver (11) that receives light rays (10), an evaluation unit (5) and a deflection unit (9) at which the transmitting light rays (8) are reflected and, as a result, are periodically guided inside a predetermined angular range. At least two stationary reflecting units are installed in series after the deflection unit (9). The transmitting light rays (8) are guided over the first reflecting unit inside a first segment &Dgr;&agr;1 of the angular range &Dgr;&agr;, so that these rays periodically scan a first segment of a three-dimensional detection range. Inside of a second segment &Dgr;&agr;2 of the angular range &Dgr;&agr;, the transmitting light rays (8) are guided over a second reflecting unit, so that these rays periodically scan a second segment of the three-dimensional monitoring range.