Abstract: A ball valve for shutting off pipelines carrying liquid, gaseous and solids-laden media, particularly those of large nominal diameters, includes a housing containing a ball provided with at least one bore and supported in a rotatable fashion in the housing by means of a spindle, annular seals located before and after the ball in the direction of flow in the housing which seal off the inlet side from the outlet side, one additional annular seal which rests upon the surface of the ball in the housing in each of the planes perpendicular to the spindle axis above and below the bore, as well as above and below the seals which are placed before and after the ball in the flow direction, in such a way that each of the planes which are spanned by them and are parallel with each other is perpendicular to the planes spanned by the sealing rings placed before and after the ball.

Abstract: Biological components such as enzymes are immobilized in a three-dimensional cross-linked hydrophobic polymer. An enzyme is mixed with an aqueous solvent and a non-crosslinked prepolymer having an essentially nonpolar main chain with attached polar hydrophilic groups and cross-linking groups. The resultant mixture is exposed to cross-linking temperatures to react the prepolymer via the cross-linking groups without additional catalyst or cross-linking agents, and the aqueous solvent is evaporated to form a three-dimensional cross-linked hydrophobic polymer matrix containing the enzyme. The prepolymer can be an oil alkyl resin containing the main chain with attached polar hydrophilic groups and cross-linking groups. The oil alkyl resin is cross-linked by autoxidation, and aqueous solvent is evaporated to form the polymer matrix.

Abstract: An all plastic pump for liquids has an elastic bellows in the shape of a spiral incorporates an integral spring. The turns of the bellows are arranged with contracted areas of the spiral formed with a protruding stiffening rib and sidewalls having a convex outwardly projection region.

Abstract: A device for limiting the prestress of a control spring (17) which is particularly well-suited for pressure control valves and similar equipment, the control spring (17) being located in a spring housing (15) and supported on a spring plate (18) which can be adjusted by means of a rotating adjustable spindle (19) that is provided with a thread for prestressing the control spring (17), includes an end stop (22), which, by means of its own adjusting device which can be operated from outside the spring housing (15), can be adjusted and locked at any desired location between two end positions. When the spring plate (18) is moved in the direction which increases the prestress of the control spring (17), the spring plate (18) makes contact with the locking end stop (22), as a result of which the prestress of the control spring (17) is restricted to the preselected value.

Abstract: A wrist unit for an industrial robot comprises a wrist housing detachably mounted to a distal end of a robot arm, the wrist housing containing rotatably mounted first and second, parallel, secondary drive shafts on the input ends of which are mounted cylindrical driven gears for engagement with the respective cylindrical drive gears located on primary drive shafts on the robot arm. The driven gears and the drive gears are so disposed that an imaginary line extending through the centers of the gears are offset from the center axis of the coaxial drive gears, the wrist housing being radially adjustable on the end of the robot arm for adjusting the gear clearance between the drive gears and the driven gears.

Abstract: A steering lock assembly includes a main body having a recess for receiving a portion of a rim of a steering wheel, a hook device pivotally mounted in the main body and including a hook member for releasably enclosing the recess of the main body to securely hold the portion of the rim of the steering wheel, an air bag protective plate securely attached to the hook means to rotate therewith, and pawls for releasably engaging with ratchet wheels respectively mounted on the hook device and the air bag protective plate. The pawls are biased to engage with the ratchet wheels such that the air bag protective plate is only rotatable in a direction toward the air bag and that the hook member is only rotatable toward the recess of the main body.

Abstract: A lock assembly includes a main body having a compartment defined in a lower part thereof for removably receiving a lock core therein. The main body further includes a number of upper chambers defined in an upper part thereof, each upper chamber including an upper pin tumbler received therein. The lock core includes a number of lower chambers defined therein, each lower chamber including a lower pin tumbler received therein. The main body further includes a number of longitudinally spaced holes defined in a periphery thereof each hole being communicated with a lower end of an associated upper chamber. A member has a number of branches, wherein each branch is removably inserted into an associated hole to support the associated upper pin tumbler during removal of the lock core.

Abstract: A watch case back cover assembly includes a case back cover removably mounted to a case frame, an elastic member, and a cover plate. The case back cover includes a recess defining an outer side thereof, wherein the recess is defined by a bottom surface and an annular periphery, and wherein the annular periphery has an annular groove defined therein. The elastic member includes at least one elastic piece slidably received in the annular groove and at least one elastic extension bearing against the bottom surface. The cover plate it is secured to the elastic member to rotate therewith and has characters formed on an outer face thereof. The cover plate and the elastic member are rotatable relative to the case back cover when the cover plate is pressed.

Abstract: An arrangement for attaching electrical inductive components to a terminal block of a mounting base utilizes interlocking male and female plug-in connections. In instances where the electrical inductive components are measuring transformers, the arrangement accommodates higher electric currents in the area of several amperes seen in the primary winding because a galvanic connection is established simultaneously when the mechanical connection is made. Accordingly, the wiring of the primary circuit is made rapidly and without the possibility of faulty coupling. As the number of electrical inductive components increases, the arrangement disclosed provides compact construction.

Abstract: In a method for infrared-optical determination of the concentration of at least one chemical analyte in a liquid sample, where the liquid sample is passed through a measuring cell and irradiated with infrared radiation of a single narrow waverange and infrared absorption is measured, the analyte being determined is subject to a chemical reaction before measurement, which should leave the other components of the liquid sample unaffected, and the change in infrared absorption caused by the chemical reaction with the analyte is measured as a unique function of the analyte concentration to be determined.

Abstract: An arrangement for the transfer of electric current, a liquid medium and a gaseous medium between fixed and rotatable sections. A protective casing surrounds sliding brushes pressing against sliding surfaces. A passage for each medium is parallel with rotation and arranged at a boundary surface between the fixed and rotating sections. Passage transfer pipes in both sections communicate with the passages. A collector chamber arranged in the fixed section and an outlet pipe lead the gaseous medium out of the tubular rotating section. The arrangement for the transfer of a liquid medium is coaxially arranged inside the arrangement for the transfer of electric current. The protective casing provides a collector chamber for the gaseous medium.

Abstract: In order to optimize combustion in a four-stroke spark-ignition engine with direct fuel injection, the conditions of charge flow are improved by providing the top surface of each piston with an essentially T-shaped configuration of guiding ribs, i.e., a longitudinal rib extending transversely to the crankshaft axis running and a cross-rib running in the direction of the crankshaft axis.

Abstract: The friction surfaces (4) of two essentially annular friction elements (1) which, through relative motion, can be arranged to transmit torque, are each approximately formed like the surface of a spherical layer whose center (M) is situated on the axis (5) of the annular frictional elements (1) outside the bottom plane of the spherical layer. This is a simple way to ensure a whole-surface, interlocking contact and a good friction performance over a large number of cycles even during a minor tilt of the two cooperating friction surfaces (4).

Abstract: A linear actuator includes a driven spindle (10) of metal having a nut (12) of polymeric material which further is connected to the expelling rod (14) of the actuator. The nut and expelling rod are joined to each other by intermeshing embossing mate for contemporary transfer of axial forces and torques. With a polymeric nut a number of advantages are obtained such as low friction, lifetime lubrication, low noise level, low production and maintenance costs. Furthermore, a possibility is provided for in a simple manner to provide the actuator with a safety nut connected to the main nut (12) with breakable entrainment means.

Abstract: The invention concerns a Switched MAGFET (MAGnetic field sensitive Field Effect Transistor). A preferred SMAGFET embodiment consists of a MAGFET structure with two equal sized drain contacts (3, 4), a gate area consisting of two equal sized and electrically isolated gate regions G1 and G2 (5, 6) separated by a third isolated gate region Gc (7) placed along the symmetry line of the device and slightly overlapping G1 and G2. The SMAGFET has a common source (1). By varying the gate voltage on Gc (with reference to the common source contact), the magnetic sensitivity of the SMAGFET may be controlled. By applying a first voltage on Gc, exchange of carriers from the channels beneath G1 and G2 is blocked. In case of an applied magnetic field, this will prevent Lorentz deflected carriers to cross symmetry line and redistribute the drain currents, i.e. the magnetic field sensitivity is virtually zero as the drain currents will remain unaffected by the magnetic induction.

Abstract: A natural gas liquefaction process comprises passing natural gas through a series of heat exchangers in countercurrent relationship with a gaseous refrigerant circulated through a work expansion cycle. The work expansion cycle comprises compressing the refrigerant, dividing and cooling the refrigerant to produce at least first and second cooled refrigerant streams, substantially isentropically expanding the first refrigerant stream to a coolest refrigerant temperature, substantially isentropically expanding the second refrigerant stream to an intermediate refrigerant temperature warmer than said coolest refrigerant temperature, and delivering the refrigerant in the first and second refrigerant streams to a respective heat exchanger for cooling the natural gas through corresponding temperature ranges.

Abstract: A dispenser (1) for filling containers with confectionery such as ice cream includes a plurality of filler nozzles (2) with inlet openings (27, 28) and nozzle tips (3, 7), in each filler nozzle including a filler piston (9) displaceable in a filler housing (10). The filler housing and the filler piston are produced from a stainless steel with a treatment so that these surfaces can move together without tearing and at the same time are produced with such tolerances that the gap formed between the piston and the housing is impermeable to the confectionery but not impermeable to liquid. A hose/pipe arrangement (40) for detergent is connectable with the inlet openings (27, 28) and the nozzle tips (37) for flushing and cleaning, the detergent passing through the gap between the piston (9) and the housing (10) to exit through a hollow space (50) and be flushed by the detergent introduced from at least one nozzle tip (37). Owing to this, complete flushing/cleaning of the nozzle arrangement (1) is obtained.

Abstract: Apparatus for milling a well casing (15) includes an elongate guide member (1) having a leading end and a trailing end, the guide member having defined thereon a guide track (23) which, in the use position of the guide member, converges with the well casing to be milled from the trailing end of the guide member towards the leading end thereof. A support member (4) is selectively movable along the guide track from the trailing end towards the leading end of the guide member to converge with the well casing to be milled. A milling tool (5) has a leading end rotatably supported by the support member (4) and includes milling means (6) located rearwardly of its leading end.