Abstract: An improved composition for bleaching and washing animal tissue is disclosed. More particularly, organic acids and surfactants are employed along with hydrogen peroxide to achieve higher washing and bleaching efficiency on tripe and other animal tissue. This higher efficiency also results in higher overall yields of the bleached product.

Abstract: A milking and applicator teat cup is configured to receive an animal teat within a liner located in a shell. At the openings of the liner and shell where the teat is received, there is an applicator configured to dispense disinfectant, conditioning, and/or cleaning solution to the animal teat. The applicator is designed to discharge the solution horizontally across the openings of the liner and the shell. Such a teat cup can be integrated into a milking system having a valve manifold coupled to a number of teat cups and controlling flow of milk from the number of teat cups and flow of fluid to the applicators, and a controller including logic configured to provide control signals to the valve manifold. The controller signals the valve manifold to pre-charge a hose or line delivering fluid to the applicator and signals the valve manifold for the end of milking and begin delivery of the fluid from the applicator.

Abstract: A modular milking parlor has a rigid frame on which the components of the milking parlor such as milking stations and cow control systems are mounted. The milking parlor frame includes a rectangular frame base and upright members extending upwardly from the frame base. The modular parlor can be conveniently shipped as a unit by attaching wheeled carriages to the frame of the modular parlor and elevating the milking parlor by operating jacks on the carriages attached to the wheels. The modular milking parlor as supported by the wheels may be rolled to a truck which transports the modular parlor to the installation site, and can be rolled on the wheels from the truck to the position at which the modular parlor is to be installed, at which point the carriage jacks are operated to drop the modular parlor on the ground, and the carriages are removed.

Abstract: A milking claw includes a milk bowl with an interior having an inner bottom surface, an inner top surface and an inner sidewall surface between the inner top and bottom surfaces. Milk inlets are formed in the bowl and open into the interior of the bowl through the inner top surface and are connected to milk hoses leading to the teat cups. A hollow outlet tube is mounted to the bowl with an intake end spaced above and closely adjacent to the inner bottom surface of the bowl. The outlet tube extends upwardly and sidewardly from the intake end within the interior of the bowl, and extends through the inner sidewall surface to an exit end outside of the bowl. The outlet tube is preferably smoothly curved within the interior of the bowl so that milk is drawn out of the bowl with minimal turbulence and reduced vacuum pressure drop.

Abstract: A milking claw having a barrel-type body and a pair of windows for enclosing a chamber therebetween includes a seal which prevents engagement between the windows and the body. The seal is preferably a rubber seal molded to the perimeter of the window. The seal includes a bead for receipt within an annular groove of the body, and a flange extending longitudinally therefrom. The window preferably includes a concave outer surface which is recessed relative to the longitudinally outwardly facing margin of the body. The outer surface of the window also preferably includes a relieved area centered thereon, permitting enhanced gripping of the claw. The relieved area may be provided by either a raised area molded into the window or a depression in the window.

Abstract: A barrel claw of increased volumetric capacity without sacrificing ergonomics has a normally horizontally disposed, elongated hollow body having a generally cylindrical central portion and a pair of tapered, conical end portions on opposite sides of the central portion. Viewing windows at opposite ends of the body permit observation of the internal chamber from outside the body. Inlet openings from the teat cups are provided in the top wall section of the body in the tapered end portions thereof so that the inlets are properly angled toward the teats of the cow's udder during use of the claw. An integrated discharge spout and pulsation manifold unit is removably attached to the top of the body in any one of a number of rotative positions so as to most advantageously position the radially projecting spout of the unit relative to the observation windows and other equipment associated with the milking system.

Abstract: Heat treated spring steel, electroplated with zinc, is formed into clips having a base portion that passes under the base of a railway rail and upstanding end sections that respectively engage and forcefully snap over the opposite lateral edges of the rail base flange. One clip has confronting semi-cylindrical extensions for overlying a section of bond wire to secure the latter in a bight configuration wrapped over the edge of the rail flange. Another clip has a semi-cylindrical extension for securing a section of bond wire to the base flange at the junction with the web of the rail. Angled notches in the edges of the clips provide small barbs that are bent out of the plane of the clip body to bite into the rail when assembled thereto for avoiding creep.

Abstract: An article of manufacture, such as an electrically actuable light gate structure, includes a substrate which may comprise an electrooptically active solid-state light gate material. Spaced parallel electrodes are subdivided on that substrate into first and second electrode arrays alternating along an elongate region of the substrate. Individual terminals for the electrodes in each first electrode array are distributed along a line on one side of the elongate region, and individual terminals for the electrodes in each second electrode array are distributed along a line on the opposite side of the elongate region of the substrate. Any individual terminal of any one of the electrodes is spaced from the individual terminal of any other electrode by a center-to-center distance greater than the center-to-center spacing between that one electrode and the latter other electrode.

Abstract: Two-part turbine-blade retainer structures are disclosed for axial retention of each of a plurality of turbine blades to a rotor wheel, wherein radial retention is via fir-tree engagement of individual blade roots to the wheel. In a preferred embodiment, a male or bolt element of the retainer has a shank which is characterized by a smoothly cylindrical portion adjacent at one end to one of the heads; this cylindrical portion terminates at a shoulder, beyond which the shank is reduced and externally threaded. A sleeve or nut element of the retainer has an elongate threaded bore and is characterized by an outer cylindrical surface which extends to the second head. The two elements are proportioned to be inserted through opposite ends of a passageway and to be screwed together into firm engagement at the shoulder (i.e., at a location intermediate the two heads), with the sleeve covering the threads of the male element and the heads preventing the turbine blade from axial motion with respect to the wheel.

Abstract: Two-part turbine-blade retainer structures are disclosed for axial retention of each of a plurality of turbine blades to a rotor wheel, wherein radial retention is via fir-tree engagement of individual blade roots to the wheel. In a preferred embodiment, a male or bolt element of the retainer has a shank which is characterized by a smoothly cylindrical portion adjacent at one end to one of the heads; this cylindrical portion terminates at a shoulder, beyond which the shank is reduced and externally threaded. A sleeve or nut element of the retainer has an elongate threaded bore and is characterized by an outer cylindrical surface which extends to the second head. The two elements are proportioned to be inserted through opposite ends of a passageway and to be screwed together into firm engagement at the shoulder (i.e., at a location intermediate the two heads), with the sleeve covering the threads of the male element and the heads preventing the turbine blade from axial motion with respect to the wheel.

Abstract: A ball clutch mechanism couples a faucet knob to the splined end of a valve stem for releasing the valve stem when the knob is fully depressed. A dashpot damped return spring urges the valve stem toward valve closed position when the clutch mechanism releases. The same dashpot controlled return spring closes the valve if the knob is released either before or after full travel inward. Rotation of the knob rotates the valve stem to determine water temperature by mixing hot and cold supplies. Check valves control passages that are provided to vent the lines during fluid flow and to drain the lines when the system is serviced.

Abstract: A motor-driven continuously running system wherein multiple reciprocating bellows units are disposed in angularly spaced relation about the rotary axis of a swashplate. Each bellows is frame-referenced at one end, and its other end is axially driven by the swashplate. As the bellows units reciprocate in phased succession, air is driven into and expelled through a valve/manifold unit, which channels air to and from outlet and inlet fittings, via integrally formed reed check valves. The output is a steady flow of contamination-free pressurized air.

Abstract: A sealing arrangement is herein disclosed for use in a high energy centrifugal pump and the like wherein a chamber is defined about the discharge portion of the pump wheel which is attached to a shaft to form a rotor which rotates with respect to stationary parts and has limited axial movement as determined by the thrust bearing clearance. An annular seal is disposed operatively about the outside diameter of the pump wheel with sufficient clearance for the pump wheel to clear the seal regardless of the extent of the axial movement of the wheel. The seal acts to retard the shock waves of transient pressure differentials developed across the wheel. the seal further operates to define a dashpot arrangement wherein the wheel comprises a piston which automatically equalizes any pressure differential developed across the wheel and by-passing the seal.

Abstract: Fully integrated self-contained connectors for standard tubes include a first annular member having an axial bore preferably of a continuously hollow-cylindrical configuration for receiving ferrules of those standard tubes. A locking arrangement peripheral of the first annular member carries locking members extending through openings in that first annular member for retaining a ferrule at a tube retention shoulder in a locking position. At least one further annular member is axially slidable on the first annular member and houses the locking arrangement outside that first annular member. The locking members are actuated to a locking position upon axial sliding of the further annular member in one direction. Conversely, the locking members are actuated to a release position upon axial sliding movement of the further annular member in another direction. The further annular member may define one or more internal ramps for that purpose.

Abstract: A system for pressure letdown and flow control of high-pressure erosive fluid streams containing gas, liquid and solid particles, such as process slurries used in coal gasification and liquefaction. Throttle valves presently used for this application suffer excessive impingement erosion and corrosion damage, leading to short valve lifetime even with super-resistant valve materials. The present invention uses pairs of fixed-geometry opposing nozzles whose jets meet head-on with consequent energy dissipation and stream containment at the reduced pressure. The only erosion encountered here is scouring of internal nozzle surfaces which is minor and permits long lifetimes to be attained with conventional materials. This system provides flow control by (1) varying the number of nozzle pairs which are on-line by use of on-off shutoff valves for stepwise flow increments, and (2) low-pressure-drop operation of a conventional throttle valve in the main line for proportional control within one step increment.

Abstract: Biaxial strain gage and similar systems include or provide a substrate of semiconductor material having cubic unit cells and an absolute value of piezoresistive coefficient in a first direction different from an absolute value of piezoresistive coefficient in a second direction transverse to said first direction. A first strain gage has a dominant dimension oriented in the above mentioned first direction and is diffused into the substrate. A second strain gage has a dominant dimension in the above mentioned second direction and is diffused into the substrate. A pressure responsive diaphragm having a central area displaying essentially symmetrical biaxial strains is provided, and the substrate is attached in said central area to the diaphragm to expose the gages to the biaxial strains.

Abstract: High amplitude signals reflected back to the horn radiator-receptor in a microwave tank-contents measuring assembly from the interface between a microwave dielectric lens and the tank-contents-atmosphere, which reflected signals mimic returning ranging signals and interfere with detection of returning legitimate ranging signals, are substantially canceled by incorporating in the lens which is plano-convex a thin layer of electrically conductive material in a plane parallel to the plano surface of the lens, said layer being formed from a uniform array of a repetitive pattern of regions containing the conductive material alternating with regions free of said material. One embodiment has an hexagonal array of circular conductive regions while another embodiment has the conductive material in the form of a rectilinear grid.

Abstract: Thermal shift in Wheatstone bridge-type transducers is reduced by providing a diaphragm of semiconductor material accepting formation of strain gages therein having a uniform temperature coefficient of resistance therethrough. That diaphragm is supported in a mechanically floating condition, such as by interposing a cushion of compliant material between the diaphragm and a support which is subject to mechanical strains. An amount of unbalance required for balancing the strain gages on the diaphragm is determined. One of these strain gages is provided with a series balance equal to one-half of that determined amount, while an adjacent one of the strain gages is provided with a shunt balance equivalent to one-half of that determined amount.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for recording information with a magnetic recording head advance magnetic recording tape from a first rotating tape coil into a second rotating tape coil and assure constant head-to-tape contact with constant tape tension independently of variations in coil diameter and in tape velocity. There is determined or stored, for a series of diameter ratios between the first and second tape coils, a series of corresponding values of the first and second tape drive control signals for effecting advancement of the magnetic recording tape relative to the magnetic recording head with the first and second tape drives at constant head-to-tape contact with constant tape tension for all diameter ratios of that series. An electric third signal indicative of instantaneous diameter ratio between the first and second tape coils is provided in response to first and second tape coil tachometer signals.

Abstract: A catheter is flushed intermittently at a flushing flow rate higher than a seeping flow rate with the aid of a valve connected to a supply of flushing liquid. The valve has an operator of an elastic material providing an integral elastic sleeve about a valve stem, for biasing the operator to a rest position before and after manual actuation to a depressed position for a temporary opening of the valve. The operator is protected against accidental depression at all points thereof by a shield completely surrounding and surpassing the operator, so that a human finger has to penetrate into the shield for engagement of the operator prior to depression from its rest position against the bias of the elastic sleeve for an opening of the valve. The seeping flow rate is realized with a capillary passage which may extend along either a valve body or a valve seat in the valve and which is laterally bounded either by the valve seat or the valve body when the valve body is seated in the valve seat.