Abstract: A flag holder allows the mounting of a flag to a support pole without puncturing the flag. A dowel is first inserted into a channel formed along an edge of the flag. Next, a generally cylindrical sleeve is inserted over the dowel, and over the flag. A slit extending along the length of the sleeve allows the flag to pass through the slit so as to hang freely. Finally, a support pole having a threaded end is screwed into a threaded opening formed in, or connected to, the sleeve. As the support pole is screwed in, its end comes into abutment with the flag, and holds the flag firmly against the dowel. The flag therefore cannot slide along the dowel again, until the support pole is unscrewed. The flag is thus held by friction and pressure, but not with any nail or other puncturing fastener.

Abstract: A management training game is played with vehicles that are moved around a playing area. The playing area is a large rectangle having a plurality of labeled blocks. Each team includes a leader, who rides on the vehicle, and rope controllers, who manipulate ropes connected to the vehicle, from outside of the playing area. Each team leader receives an assigned route, namely a list of blocks to which the vehicle must travel. Each team then attempts to move its vehicle along its assigned route, in a limited time, and without encountering paralysis due to interference with other vehicles or ropes. The game provides the players with an object lesson in the value of communication, creative thinking, leadership, teamwork, and cooperation, in solving difficult problems.

Abstract: A combustor liner and a method for combusting fuel in air with lowered production of NOX in a stationary, industrial gas turbine. The liner comprises a fuel injection location within the liner at an upstream end of the liner; combustion air openings in a liner wall sized to admit from about 10% to about 25% of total mass airflow entering the liner; suppression air openings in the liner wall from about 0.3 to about 0.5 equivalent diameters downstream of the combustion air openings, the suppression air openings being sized to admit from about 0.8 to about 4 times the mass airflow entering the liner through the combustion air openings; and wall cooling openings distributed in the liner wall for cooling thereof, the wall cooling openings being sized to admit from about 10% to about 40% of the total mass airflow entering the liner.

Abstract: The invention concerns a spray nozzle comprising a central swirl chamber (1) in which the fluid to be sprayed penetrates by tangential channels (7) producing a swirl axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis (I—I). The fluid comes out of the swirl chamber (1) through a coaxial outlet passage (4). The nozzle comprises a rear coaxial recess (8) dimensioned and shaped so as to inhibit any residual outflow of fluid through the coaxial outlet passage (4) when the fluid supply is interrupted at the spray nozzle inlet (6).

Abstract: A compact device for injecting cryogenic liquid into containers is capable of use with containers of varying sizes. A vessel containing the cryogenic liquid is connected to a nozzle by a thermally-insulated, flexible hose. The nozzle is connected to an arm which is mounted to a support, such that the arm can move in different directions relative to the support. The nozzle can thus be moved with three degrees of freedom, and can be easily positioned over a container to be filled. The apparatus also includes conduits for conveying excess gas from the vessel into a process controller housing, to keep moisture out of that housing. The nozzle includes ports which receive gas formed by vaporizing cryogenic liquid from a supply. Gas flowing into these ports can be used to control the formation of droplets. When heated, such gas can also be used to prevent ice formation in the nozzle, or to remove ice that has already formed.

Abstract: A catalytic combustor burns a fuel-air mixture which is not preheated. The combustor includes a strip or strips of metal which define a plurality of alternating wide and narrow channels. The channels contain corrugated strips which maintain the spacing of the channels. A catalyst coating is deposited only in the wider channels, the narrower channels remaining un-catalyzed. The strip or strips can be heated resistively to start the combustion. Once the combustion is started, the electric current is stopped, and the combustion continues. The combustor is useful in a home heating appliance such as a gas furnace. In another embodiment, in which the combustor is used in a high-temperature environment such as in a gas turbine, the catalyst can be deposited in the small channels only, so as to limit the amount of catalytic combustion.

Abstract: A shield for a detector or prism of a particle detection system has a body mountable on the detector or prism, divided into first and second compartments by an intermediate wall with a hole therethrough. Air diffuser units In the first compartment (adjacent the detector or prism) generate a stable column of air which prevents the particles contacting the beam window of the detector or prism.

Abstract: Oxygen is mixed with waste water at an early stage in a water treatment facility, to reduce odor caused by anaerobic reactions of sulfur. Waste water is withdrawn from a collection basin, by a pump connected to a suction pipe, and is mixed with oxygen from an external source. The mixture, having been saturated with oxygen, is then returned to the collection basin through a discharge pipe. The end of the discharge pipe is positioned at a higher vertical level than the end of the suction pipe, to prevent gas from entering the pump which would cause cavitation. Also, the end of the discharge pipe has a blind flange, such that the oxygen-enriched water exiting the discharge pipe flows in a direction which is non-parallel to the axis of the pipe. This arrangement provides better mixing of the oxygen with the water in the basin, and prevents the oxygen-enriched water from flowing too soon to the suction pipe.

Abstract: A safety hook in accordance with the invention comprises a body closed by a pivoting finger which can be prevented from rotating by a transverse locking lever. The locking lever is articulated on a lever pivot on the pivoting finger and has a notch engaging over a front lug of the body in the locked position, into which it is biased by a spring. A mobile abutment can be selectively positioned on the locking lever to prevent it pivoting in the unlocking direction. This assures reliable locking by means of a Locking lever that is easy to manipulate and immobilize.

Abstract: A safety hook in accordance with the invention comprises a body closed by a pivoting finger which can be prevented from rotating by a transverse locking lever. The locking lever is articulated on a lever pivot on the pivoting finger and has a notch engaging over a front lug of the body in the locked position, into which it is biased by a spring. This assures reliable locking by means of a locking lever that is easy to manipulate.

Abstract: Water in an aeration pond is treated with substantially pure oxygen. The oxygen originates from a pressurized oxygen supply, and is conducted through a conduit to the bottom of the pond. Perforations located around the perimeter and along the length of the conduit allow oxygen to bubble through the pond. A hood disposed to float above the surface of the pond collects unreacted oxygen, and this oxygen flows, through a suitable gas line, back to the original conduit. The unreacted oxygen mixes with fresh oxygen from the pressurized source, and is recycled through the pond. In one embodiment, before mixing with fresh oxygen, the recovered oxygen is pressurized by a double-diaphragm pump which is operated by pressure from the oxygen supply. The pressurized oxygen is the sole source of motive force for moving gas through the system. The rate of gas flow through the system is controlled by adjusting the supply pressure, through the use of a control valve.

Abstract: A holder for a graphite electrodes of varying sizes is used in an electric discharge machine with a pair of jaws, one jaw being fixed and the other being movable relative to a support. A screw passes through threaded holes in both jaws. In a second, more preferred embodiment, the holder includes a pair of jaws mounted on a support, the jaws being threadedly engaged with a dual setscrew having threaded portions of mutually opposite orientations. A positioning setscrew anchors the dual setscrew, and prevents the dual setscrew from moving longitudinally. The electrode is centered because the jaws are maintained equally distant from the center of the support.

Abstract: The welding machine comprises within a frame (1), a horizontal heating plate (21), a first lower piece-holder (22), a second upper piece-holder (23), means (41) for displacing horizontally the heating plate (21), means (42) for displacing vertically (29) the heating plate (21), and means (26) for displacing vertically the second piece-holder (23). The heating plate (21) and its vertically actuating cylinder (42) constitute an assembly connected to a heating plate carrier (33) by indexing means (27) for adjusting the vertical position of the vertical displacement (29) of the heating plate (21). The first piece-holder (22) is a telescoping table with adjustable height and capable of being locked mounted on the frame (1). Thus the possibilities of adjusting and adapting the welding machine to the different sizes of pieces to be welded are increased.

Abstract: A spray nozzle includes a central swirl chamber (9), receiving the fluid tangentially through lateral fluid inlet channels (14) from a peripheral front cavity (8), and projecting the fluid in outlet through a coaxial outlet passage (12). The coaxial outlet passage (12), the central swirl chamber (9) and the fluid inlet channels (14) are made up of ribs and recesses in a front plate (15) engaged between a nozzle (1) hollow body and a rear core (5) which is itself formed by a core rear body (5a) and a rear plate (5b) with rear axial recess (17). Thus one can economically produce fluid inlet channels (14) and a central swirl chamber (9) with coaxial outlet passage (12) and rear axial recess (17) with very accurate dimensions, thereby ensuring satisfactory reproducibility of the features of the fluid spray jet at the outlet.

Abstract: The welding machine comprises within a frame (1) a horizontal heating plate (21), a first lower piece-holder (22), a second upper piece-holder (23), means (41) for displacing horizontally the heating plate (21), means (42) for displacing vertically (29) the heating plate (21), and means (26) for displacing vertically the second piece-holder (23). The heating plate (21) and its vertically actuating cylinder (42) constitute an assembly connected to a heating plate carrier (33) by indexing means (27) for adjusting the vertical position of the vertical displacement (29) of the heating plate (21). The first piece-holder (22) is a telescoping table with adjustable height mounted on the frame (1). Thus the possibilities of adjusting and adapting the welding machine to the different sizes of the pieces to be welded are increased.

Abstract: A method of determining the concentration of an exhaust component in a gas turbine engine includes measuring the concentration of the selected component at a single location, and using the measured concentration in a simple equation which yields a calculation of concentration in the engine exhaust. Use of this method requires that a measurement be taken for only one of multiple combustors in an engine, but the result is valid for the entire engine. Thus, the method can reduce the cost of design and development of new combustors for gas turbine engines, since it does not require that multiple combustors be built before the engine is tested. The sampling of the component of interest is done at a point sufficiently downstream that the concentration of the component has become relatively stable. The invention also includes an engine having one or more combustors modified to include a probe, and its associate analyzer, at an optimum location.

Abstract: The invention concerns a bakery pan including a base plate (17) provided with a plurality of slots associated with a plurality of peripheral walls (1-9) defining cells each closed by a base and open along a through aperture (10) corresponding to one slot. In each cell, an intermediate mobile wall (12) moves along the cell median axis (I-I), and is integral with an adjusting rod (13) sliding in a guiding passage. A removable support plate (19) is associated with the base plate (17) from which it is spaced by an interchangeable spacer (20). A closure plate can cover the base plate (17) for closing the through apertures (10). This bakery pan structure greatly facilitates garnishing, and makes it possible to mould a food product such as pastry to give it a shape defined by the cells.

Abstract: An extractor neatly and cleanly empties a tube of toothpaste, or the like. The extractor includes a pair of roller assemblies and a pair of end caps. Each roller assembly has a pair of balls which fit within sockets formed in the end caps. In one embodiment, the balls have slits to enable sections of the balls to move towards and away from each other. The balls are made of resilient material, such that the sections tend to assume a spaced-apart position in the absence of an applied compressive force. As the ball is urged into the socket, the sections of the ball become compressed, thus enabling the ball to pass through a hole in the end cap and into the socket. When the ball has reached its socket, the sections return to their initial position, so as to lock the ball within the socket. In an alternative embodiment, the ball is not compressible, but is instead inserted into a deformable socket having resiliently movable walls which lock around the ball.

Abstract: A substrate is rendered highly lubricious and wettable, by treating the substrate so that it becomes amine-functionalized, and chemically joining an aldonic acid to amine groups on the substrate. In the preferred embodiment, the chemical joining is performed with the aid of a coupling agent, such as a water-soluble carbodiimide, the coupling agent participating in the reaction which joins the aldonic acid to the amine groups, and which forms a residue that can be discarded. The coupling agent makes it possible to perform the process at room temperature. The method can be used to coat articles such as contact lenses, intra-ocular lenses, or other devices which are intended to be temporarily or permanently implanted in the body. The method can also be used in other fields, such as in coating of goggles, windshields, and other objects.