Abstract: In the present plating apparatus the bath contains an electrolyte solution having a uniform ion concentration. A common electrode, a plating electrode and a standard electrode are arranged in the bath. A direct current source is connected between the common electrode and the plating electrode. A further, constant, direct current source is connected between the common electrode and the standard electrode. A potentiometer device is arranged for detecting resistance changes between these electrodes due to variations in the ion concentration and in the mobility of the electrolyte solution between the electrodes. A control is responsive to the potentiometer device for regulating the plating current supplied by the direct current source as a function of the potential difference detected by the potentiometer device, whereby a constant plating current density is achieved.

Abstract: The present thermal fuse comprises an electrically and thermally conductive housing for hermetically sealing the switching parts and a fusible, temperature sensitive pellet in said housing. The pellet is preferably molded to have a cylindrical shape or body provided with one cavity or several cavities and assembled in the housing, whereby the outside pellet surface contacts the inner surface of the housing. The cavity or cavities take up about 5 to 50 percent of the whole cross sectional area of the pellet. The pellet is made of a mixture of organic and inorganic substances preferably so as to accelerate the fusing function of the pellet when the temperature rises above the melting point of the major component of the organic materials. The cavity or cavities of the pellet greatly facilitate a large and rapid shrinkage in volume and the addition of inorganic substance provides a large thermal conductivity of the pellet, whereby a rapid and exact fuse action is accomplished.

Abstract: In a method and apparatus for determining the level of liquid in a container, a vertical gas filled tube is provided in the container. The tube is surrounded by a magnetic float. A magnetic follower in the tube follows the vertical position of the magnet float, and serves as the termination point of an optical measuring path between a light source and a detector. An optical reference path also extends from the light source to a second mirror, which may be mounted at a fixed point in the container or on the opposite side of the follower. The system incorporates means for determining the difference in propagation time of light in the two optical paths.

Abstract: The unbalance angle is transformed into units of length or into non-dimensional units which are correlated to the body to be balanced, either to a circumference thereof, or to a characteristic scale of the body to be balanced. The unbalance position may then be displayed in such units. The apparatus for performing the method includes a transformation computer which transforms the measured angular value through at least one operant. Preferably, the apparatus also includes an indicator device for units of length or for non-dimensional units or angle representing units.

Abstract: The present apparatus for skinning or peeling of produce comprises a rotatably mounted pressure vessel having a cover operable from within the vessel for sealing the vessel. The cover is pressure operated and permitted to fall open under the force of gravity upon pressure release. A pivoted latching pawl is provided in the pressure vessel for engaging the cover to hold it open. The pawl is also gravity operated to latch the cover in an open position. In the process for skinning or peeling produce, the pressure vessel is loaded with the produce, sealed and steam is introduced therein to rapidly increase the pressure and temperature within the vessel sufficiently so that a layer under the skin of the produce will come to a boil in response to pressure release. The pressure is maintained for a given period until the layer of the produce under its skin is sufficiently heated.

Abstract: A remote manipulator of the force reflecting servomaster-slave type comprises manipulator elements capable of at least seven distinct motions corresponding to respective degrees of freedom. The manipulator elements include an upper arm journalled in a shoulder assembly and a lower arm operatively connected to the upper arm by an elbow assembly. A gripping device such as a conventional tong is secured to the lower end of the lower arm through a wrist mechanism. Two cooperating motors establish an input output transmission through a differential gear system which permits two motions about axes extending perpendicularly to each other. One axis defines the longitudinal axis of the shoulder assembly. The other axis defines the longitudinal axis of the upper manipulator arm. The parallel drive shafts of the two motors transmit the drive power through parallel gear trains to the differential gear system, whereby coaxial shafts are avoided for the two motions.

Abstract: Fuel briquettes are produced by hot pressing a mixture of a fine grained coal softening at the pressing temperature and a coal component which hardly or not at all softens at the pressing temperature. The starting materials are converted into a granular structure material by the use of pure oxygen or an oxygen/nitrogen mixture having an oxygen content above 21% by volume so that the resulting granular material has a bulk weight of between 0.3 t/m.sup.3 to 0.7 t/m.sup.3.

Abstract: A counter-current leaching or extraction tower for comminuted vegetable matter such as sugar beet cossettes, or crushed sugar cane, is provided with conveying elements, the longitudinal dimension of which may be altered in response to the operating condition in the material or matter being leached. Especially, the baffle members in the tower and, if desired, also the conveyor screw wings which are arranged to cooperate with the baffle members, are adjustable in their length in response to control signals derived from sensors, such as strain gauges, attached to the conveying elements. The angular position of the conveying elements in a plane parallel to the motion of the screw wings and relative to a radial direction may also be adjustable in response to the same type of control signals. The conveying elements may be constructed to include telescoping members which are longitudinally and thus radially extendable and retractable relative to the volume of the extraction tower.

Abstract: Materials, or structural components are tested under resonance conditions by means of a pressure operated load mechanism controlled by a servo-hydraulic control unit. The pressure medium is part of the oscillating system. The spring rate or stiffness of the pressure medium is adjusted relative to the spring rate of the test sample, or rather relative to the spring rate of the entire oscillating system in such a manner that the maximum pressure occurring at resonance operation corresponds as close as possible to the rated supply pressure of the system. The load mechanism comprises a single cylinder for producing dynamic loads for the resonance operation and also static loads of substantially the same size as said dynamic loads.

Abstract: The present pulp catcher is provided with a rotating brush roller for cleaning the sieve or straining drum in a container. The shaft ends of the rotating brush roller are movably supported in bearings which are pressed by biasing means radially inwardly relative to the rotational axis of the straining drum. The shaft ends of the rotation brush roller are sealed by stuffing box means which are connected to the container by means of compensating corrugated tubings. The movable support of the shaft ends makes it possible to maintain the rotating brush roller at a most efficient spacing relative to the straining drum even when the bristles of the brush roller become shorter due to wear and tear.

Abstract: The present clamping device is intended for releasably connecting a driving member, such as a shaft driving a drill bit, in a force transmitting manner to a tubular driven member, such as the boring pipe or tube. A clamping body fits into the free end of the tubular member in a centering manner. The drill shaft may be secured to the centering, clamping body, for example, by a threading. The centering body has a ring groove which receives a clamping ring having a wedging slot extending axially through the clamping ring. A wedge may be forced into the wedging slot by means of a screw, whereby the clamping ring is expanded radially outwardly to connect the centering clamping body to the tubular member.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine has a cylinder and a piston with rectangular cross sections. A guideway slot extends across one face of the piston, and engages an off-center pin affixed to the crankshaft for translating linear movement of the piston to rotational movement of the crankshaft. The cylinder may be formed of four side wall plates mounted to define the side walls of the cylinder, and plate means covering the ends of the side wall plates to define a combustion chamber and a crankcase. The crankshaft may be hollow, to define a fuel inlet passageway.

Abstract: An apparatus for attaching connectors to the ends of a conveyor belt, has a lamping head with upper and lower pressure applying jaws for first bending a connector element over and around the edge of the belt end, and then driving securing elements through the legs of the connector element and through the belt. Bending tools are arranged for bending over the free, protruding ends of the securing elements, preferably into grooves of the connector element. The upper jaw has centering projections which cooperate with centering recesses in the connector element. Catch pins ahead of the upper jaw provide a precentering. A measuring device permits checking the belt thickness for adjusting the jaw spacing. An apertured rail functions as a holder for the connector and securing elements and also as an abutment for the feed advance as well as for the stopping of the clamping head which is stepped from connector element to connector element along the edge of the conveyor belt end.

Abstract: The useful life of a gas turbine combustion chamber and especially its flame pipe is increased by an improved cooling arrangement which branches off a small proportion of the air from the compressor upstream of the combustion chamber. The branched off air is directed into the combustion chamber and onto the flame pipe so that it flows in a cooling manner around at least the front end of the flame pipe without initially substantially participating in the combustion.

Abstract: The present expansion gap sealing device has a plurality of strips and elastomeric bodies between adjacent strips which extend longitudinally through the gap. The strips are supported by legs extending downwardly into the gap. Upper ends of the legs are connected to the strips. Lower ends of the strips are interconnected with each other in pairs whereby adjacent legs form a pair and an elastically yielding structure. The lower leg ends may be interconnected by bars and the entire supporting structure may be guided by movably supported guide means in the gap.

Abstract: An apparatus for extracting water from the atmosphere has a chamber or a pair of chambers connected to a compressor by a valve controlled in its operation in response to an operating condition in the chamber or chambers. A suction fan is connected to the chamber or chambers to move air through the chambers. A further valve is arranged in the respective inlet to the chamber or chambers to facilitate an expansion condition or effect in the respective chamber. Where two chambers are used they operate in alternate fashion so that heat is supplied to one chamber while heat is being withdrawn from the other chamber and vice versa, and both chambers are controlled in response to the respective operating condition therein.

Abstract: The present valve is especially adapted for use in conduits through which construction mixtures, such as concrete mixtures, flow. The valve cooperates with a pump having pistons in two respective pump cylinders. A valve housing forms a valve piston chamber having plane walls. The valve plug or piston has also plane walls to fit into the valve chamber with respective plane walls. Three pairs of ports are provided. One pair is connected to the pump cylinders. Another pair is connected to a discharge conduit and a third pair is connected to a supply container for the concrete mix. Preferably, the cross sectional shape of the valve chamber and of the piston plug is triangular. However, the cross sectional shape may also form a quadrangle. Providing the valve chamber and the valve plug piston with plane walls facilitates the manufacture of the valve and improves its sealing characteristics.

Abstract: In arrangement of a channel selecting device used for a UHF tuner of the continuously variable type, a taper clutch is employed for transmitting the rotation of the detented selector shaft to the output drive gear which is secured to the fine tuning shaft positioned inside the selector shaft. The taper clutch is formed by engagement of the annular inner surface of a hollow portion in the end of the selector shaft and the annular outer surface of a hub member of the fine tuning shaft, each of surfaces has a taper angle (2.theta.) in the range of about 20.degree. to 9.degree. to frictionally couple the selector shaft and the drive gear, and is coated with a layer of lubricant materials to permit the rotation of the fine tuning shaft independent of the selector shaft. This taper clutch provides stable and smooth operation in the extended temperature range and without any undesired creep between the selector shaft and the fine tuning shaft.

Abstract: The present jig saw blade is constructed for heavy duty work, such as cutting through concrete or masonry. For this purpose, the blade is provided with a cooling channel extending longitudinally through the length of the blade and branch channels extend laterally through the body of the blade from a narrow side thereof and into the longitudinal channel. The lower end of the longitudinal channel is closed and the upper end is arranged for connection to a cooling fluid supply.

Abstract: The present shaft coupling is intended for releasably linking two or more vices to each other in a torque transmitting manner. The devices may, for example, be turbines each of which has a shaft. Two bearing mounts are provided for one of the shafts, but only one bearing mount is provided for the other shaft at its end remote from the coupling. The coupling between the two shafts is formed by inserting a non-circular end portion of one shaft in a corresponding non-circular aperture in the end of the other shaft. An axially extending bolt firmly clamps the two shafts together in the axial direction. One or both of the shafts may be hollow. The non-circular profiles of the shafts may be splined, or have a polygonal profile, and the polygonal profile may be tapered. A polygonal profile as used herein may be one with only three sides.