Abstract: A manipulating apparatus (10) receives a plurality of previously frozen pieces of pH modified foodstuffs or workpieces (23) and physically manipulates or stresses the workpieces while they remain in a frozen state. The physical manipulation causes relative movement between various points within the volume of the workpieces (23) and kills microbes within the foodstuff. One preferred pH modifying arrangement includes a supply of NH3 gas (11) and a pump (9) for placing the comminuted foodstuffs to be processed and the NH3 gas together under an operating pressure for a period of time sufficient to increase the pH of the foodstuffs.

Abstract: A liquid reactant metal alloy includes at least one chemically active metal for reacting with non-radioactive material in a mixed waste stream being treated. The reactant alloy also includes at least one radiation absorbing metal. Radioactive isotopes in the waste stream alloy with, or disperse in, the chemically active and radiation absorbing metals such that the radiation absorbing metals are able to absorb a significant portion of the radioactive emissions associated with the isotopes. Non-radioactive constituents in the waste material are broken down into harmless and useful constituents, leaving the alloyed radioactive isotopes in the liquid reactant alloy. The reactant alloy may then be cooled to form one or more ingots in which the radioactive isotopes are effectively isolated and surrounded by the radiation absorbing metals. These ingots comprise the storage products for the radioactive isotopes. The ingots may be encapsulated in one or more layers of radiation absorbing material and then stored.

Abstract: An icemaking apparatus includes an evaporator tube, a driving vessel charged with liquid ammonia and a driving gas, a heat source, a return system, and a target material reservoir adapted to be placed in an operating position over the evaporator tube. The evaporator tube has a heat transfer feature formed on and extending from a generally cylindrical outer evaporator tube surface. The heat source applies heat to the driving vessel to force liquid ammonia through an evaporator supply line to an expansion chamber inlet associated with the evaporator tube. The liquid ammonia goes to a gas as it enters the expansion chamber portion of the evaporator tube resulting in a transfer of heat from water or other target material contained in the target material reservoir secured over the evaporator tube in the operating position. The return system returns ammonia and hydrogen gas from the evaporator to the driving vessel.

Abstract: A method for injecting or forcing an ammonia-based pH modifying material into the interior of a meat product to raise the pH at one or more points within the interior of the meat product preferably to a pH above approximately 6.0. The ammonia-based pH modifying material may comprise aqueous ammonia (ammonium hydroxide solution) or a gas including some ammonia gas fraction. The temperature of the meat product may be controlled to a temperature near or just below the initial freezing temperature of the meat product during the time that the pH modifying material is injected. pH decreasing materials may be injected into the interior of the meat product either before or after injection the ammonia-based pH modifying material.

Abstract: A data processing system (10) has a processor (11), a display device (15), and a user input arrangement (17) which includes a pointer control device (19) such as a mouse. An edit function input is entered through the user input arrangement (17) and a target to be edited is identified in response to the edit function input. The target comprises some displayed object that is specified by proximity to a system pointer (29) at the time the edit function input is received. The edit function input defines an edit operation to be performed by the data processing system (10) on the identified target. After receiving the edit function input and responding to the input by identifying the target, the method includes determining a state of the target which indicates whether or not the edit operation is currently applied to the target. If the state of the target indicates that the edit operation is not currently applied to the target, the method includes applying the edit operation to the target.

Abstract: An initial comminuted meat (21) is exposed to ammonia to produce an ammoniated meat product. The ammoniated meat product is further comminuted in a comminuting device (12) to produce a further comminuted meat product (22). The ammonia exposure to the original comminuted meat product (21) is controlled to result in a pH of at least around 6.0 in the further comminuted meat product (22).

Abstract: A lottery ticket distribution system according to the invention includes a ticket distribution center (9) that is in electronic communication with a number of player terminals (10) at locations remote to the ticket distribution center. The ticket distribution center (9) includes an electronic ticket storage device (11, 20) for storing a game set (29) of electronic tickets (31) and distributing the electronic tickets to the player terminals (10). A ticket record manufacturing device (14, 15) operatively connected to the ticket distribution center (9) provides either a nonvolatile data record for each ticket or a hard copy ticket, or both. The nonvolatile data records or set of hard copy tickets for a given game set are not distributed to the players, but are held for verification and dispute resolution purposes either at the ticket distribution center (9) or some other secure location.

Abstract: A communications bus (300) includes a number of alternate transmission paths (311, 312) between a given source node (301) and respective destination node (305) on a common substrate. The source node (301) receives a signal from a first circuit (309) serviced by the bus (300) while the respective destination node (305) transfers that signal to a second circuit (310) serviced by the bus. The communications bus (300) includes two switching arrangements for switching between the alternate transmission paths (311, 312). A source switching arrangement (318) is interposed between the source node (301) and the respective alternate transmission path (311, 312). This source switching arrangement (318) selectively connects the respective source node (301) to a selected one of the alternate transmission paths (311, 312) and disconnects the source node (301) from each other alternate transmission path.

Abstract: A satellite receiving antenna (16) at a user location (14) receives satellite signals at a first frequency from a satellite (12). The satellite signals travel along a satellite signal route (42) within a look angle about the centerline (28) of the antenna (16). A terrestrial transmitter (20) transmits signals at the first frequency along a wireless transmission route (40) from the transmitter to the user location (14). The terrestrial transmitter (20) is located with respect to the user location (14) so that the wireless transmission route (40) is at a relatively large angle to the centerline (28) of the first antenna (16). The angle of the wireless transmission route (40) to the satellite antenna centerline (28) is large enough so that the terrestrial signals present at the location (14) result in terrestrial input signals from the antenna (16) which are less than an interference level with respect to satellite input signals produced by the antenna.

Abstract: A back office system is preferably located in a secure area and includes one or more central computers. Each central computer stores a number of game records with each game record representing a play in a game. A database computer included in the back office system maintains an account for each authorized player in the gaming system. A casino floor system is operatively connected for communication with the back office system and includes a number of player terminals through which players may participate in various games offered in the gaming system. Each player terminal in the casino floor system is serviced by one central computer in the back office system. Each player terminal allows a player to log in and make a request for a game play, and then communicates the entered game play request to the respective central computer servicing that particular player terminal.

Abstract: The invention relates to a pyrotechnic fuse element having a closed housing consisting of an electrically conductive material, in which an explosive is provided, the housing containing two terminal zones for electric contacting, which are electrically connected by means of the electrically conductive material of the housing, the electric connection of the terminal zones being separable by activating the explosive, and the explosive material being embodied as a deflagrating pyrotechnic substance which is provided in such an amount and is configured such that the electric connection of the terminal zones of the housing is separated in a predetermined time after the deflagrating pyrotechnic substance has been activated.

Abstract: A pH increasing material is placed in contact with the surface of an initial comminuted meat product. This contact with the pH increasing material increases the pH of the initial meat product to produce an intermediate meat product. The method also includes the step of removing the pH increasing material and preferably applying a driving force to the intermediate, pH increased meat product. The method may also include placing a pH lowering gas at a neutralizing pressure in contact with the surface of the intermediate meat product to decrease the pH of the meat product back to a final level.

Abstract: A gaming system produces a multiple-play physical pull tab ticket at the request of a player. Each chance in the game is associated with a game play record which has been produced and stored in the system prior to the sale of the physical game ticket. A player in the game selects a number of game play outcomes or plays to be purchased and the gaming system responds to the request by producing and distributing to the player a pull tab ticket having the requested number of game play outcomes printed or otherwise formed on a ticket substrate. Game play information specifying the outcomes of each game play printed on the game ticket may be printed or otherwise encoded on the game ticket. A player terminal may read this game play information using a suitable scanning device and may then display the results of the plays to the player.

Abstract: A first antenna (16) at a user location (14) receives signals at a first frequency where the signals are travelling only within a first directional reception range as measured from a centerline (28) of the first antenna (16). The first antenna (16) has its centerline (28) aligned to receive direct broadcast satellite signals transmitted from a satellite in geosynchronous orbit about the earth. A second antenna (18) at the user location (14) receives signals at the first frequency where the signals are travelling only within a second directional reception range as measured from a centerline (30) of the second antenna (18). The second antenna (18) is aligned to receive signals transmitted at the first frequency from a terrestrial transmitting location remote from the user location. A terrestrial transmitter transmits signals at the first frequency and directionally within a terrestrial azimuth range from the terrestrial transmitting location.

Abstract: The invention relates to an endoscope-type device, particularly an endoscope for emergency intubation, comprising a holding portion (7) and a shaft (1) which is configured to be flexible at least in partial areas, with at least two longitudinal bendable pulling and/or pushing elements acting on said shaft (1) in the axial direction at different distances from the proximal end, with said pulling and/or pushing elements extending as far as the proximal end and being lockably received in a fixing device.

Abstract: An intermediate combination is formed and then mixed to produce a final mixed product. The intermediate combination includes a first meat product preferably having a first pH and a second meat product preferably having a different pH. The first meat product in the intermediate combination comprises a plurality of pieces of the first meat product at a temperature below the freezing point of the first meat product. However, the second meat product in the intermediate combination is at a temperature at or above the freezing point of the second meat product. As the intermediate combination is then mixed, the frozen pieces of first meat product become evenly distributed in the second meat product prior to thawing and commingling with the second meat product to produce a substantially homogeneous final mixed product.

Abstract: A gaming system (10) utilizes a game designation generating component (16), a gaming establishment component (11), and a set of predefined bingo card representations. Each bingo card representation is stored in electronic format as a data structure or data record defining a predefined pattern of game designations chosen from a pool of available designations. The game designation generating component (16) generates sets of game designations from a pool of available designations. The method employed in the gaming system (10) includes pre-matching the bingo card representations to a given set of game designations to produce a matched card set. This pre-matching occurs prior to the sale, distribution, or assignment of card representations to players in the game.