Abstract: The user of a remotely controlled, powered manipulator is provided with audible feedback signals which provide useful information relating to the force and speed of the motor. An audio tone is generated and is frequency modulated by a signal which corresponds to motor speed. The tone is amplitude modulated by a signal corresponding to motor force thus providing the user with an intuitively interpretable feedback signal having a speed-proportional pitch and force-proportional volume. In the case of an electric motor, voltage and current can be monitored to provide speed and force signals respectively. Additional modulation means are disclosed for introducing a force-proportional warble component to said tone.

Abstract: Hydrostatic test apparatus for pressure testing fire hoses, pressure vessels such as fire extinguishers, or the like, including a small, portable unit having an inlet line for connection to a hose from an ordinary water tap, for example, an outlet line connected to the item to be tested, a pump, a first bypass line between the inlet lines for filling the item being tested, a control valve in the first bypass line which is closed during testing to prevent backflow of test pressure into the water supply, a pressure gauge in the outlet line for reading test pressure, and an adjustable relief valve in a second bypass line between the inlet and outlet lines for setting a predetermined test pressure. Air vents or bleeds allow the apparatus to be completely bled of air before testing to assure accuracy of the test pressure readings. The apparatus operates on very low water volume for safety.

Abstract: A flow measuring apparatus adapted to be installed temporarily in the end of a sewer pipe or water pipe or conduit is provided with a weir/orifice plate and a bubble tube for sensing the hydraulic pressure at a critical point below the weir/orifice plate to facilitate determination of the flow rate by a calibrated relationship with the measured pressure. A cylindrical support frame is provided for placement in the pipe outlet, together with an inflatable collar which, when inflated, provides a seal between the inside diameter of the outlet pipe and the support frame. A base weir/orifice plate is fixed across the upstream face of the support frame and means are provided for fastening interchangeable weir/orifice plates to the base weir/orifice plate. An extension handle is provided so that the operator can install the measuring device in an exposed pipe or conduit located in a vault or manhole without entering the vault or manhole.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an inexpensive, portable, and accurate method and apparatus for calculating the weight of a vehicle while it is in motion. The apparatus to which the present invention relates is in the field of Weigh-In-Motion devices.In the present invention, an optical fiber is embedded into a matrix such as a rubber pad and a multiplicity of microbending fixtures are distributed along the path of the optic fiber. Then as the wheels of a vehicle pass over the pad the force of the wheels cause the microbending fixtures over which they pass to pinch together and attenuate the light which is transmitted through the optic fiber. The light transmitted through the optic fiber from a light source at one end of the optic fiber is received by a light receiver at the other end of the optic fiber. Then by measuring the amount of light input and the net amount of light output, and calibrating the device, the weight of each axle and the weight of the vehicle above that axle can be measured.

Abstract: The user of electric arc welding equipment is provided with audible feedback signals which provide useful information relating to the output current and voltage of the welder. An audio tone is generated and is frequency modulated by a signal which corresponds to welder output voltage. The tone is amplitude modulated by a signal corresponding to output current thus providing the user with a synthesized feedback signal having a voltage-proportional pitch and current-proportional volume. Additional modulation means are disclosed for introducing a current-proportional warble component to said tone.

Abstract: Disclosed is a continuous filter comprising a chamber provided with a cylindrical upper portion and a conical lower portion and having at its upper end portion a feed opening for a slurry to be filtered and at its lower end portion a discharge opening for the filtration cake, a porous support disposed inwardly of, and spaced from, the side wall of the chamber, a filter medium provided on the porous support, an outer annular filtrate-collecting space and an inner, slurry- and cake-holding space defined by the porous support, an agitation shaft extending from the slurry feeding end portion to the cake discharge end portion through said slurry- and cake-holding space, and a spiral or vane-like blade on the agitating shaft for shaving the cake on the filter medium and moving it to the discharge end portion of the chamber.

Abstract: The mold comprises a generally rectangularly shaped, machine duplicatable band which is monolithically circumferentially continuous and inherently convexly bowed on the relatively longer and shorter sides thereof, so that it forms crowns on the opposing side walls of the ingot operatively formed therein. The bow in the relatively longer sides of the band has an inherent deflection adapted to form a crown intermediate between that adapted to compensate for shrinkage during the butt forming stage of the casting operation, and that adapted to compensate for shrinkage when the casting operation is conducted at operating speed.

Abstract: Apparatus and process for an energy saving system for the fractionation of a C.sub.4 stream containing predominately n-butane and isobutane using an open heat pump cycle in which the n-butane bottoms from the fractionation are the compressing medium and isobutane overhead is used to vaporize the n-butane by indirect heat exchange. A problem which would be expected to prevent this system is the unusual characteristic of n-butane (also isobutane) that on compression a liquid-vapor phase results, which is damaging to the compressor. This is overcome by passing the vaporized n-butane prior to compression, through an apparatus that removes any entrained liquids and heats the vapors to a temperature sufficient to prevent the formation of the liquid phase under compression. It has been found that this process results in the use of only about 9% of the outside energy previously used in conventional operation for a specific unit.

Abstract: Methods of and apparatus for maintaining fluid materials at selected bulk temperatures which employ solar energy as the primary heat source. The methods and apparatus may be used to, for example, protect fluids against freezing and to keep their viscosity from exceeding a predetermined level.

Abstract: A liquid food, a medicine or a natural food to be dried is subjected to vacuum evaporation and drying with a dry gas simultaneously or alternately, and by this drying method, the substance is effectively dried without freezing of the substance. A gas containing volatile components, which is discharged from the drying step, is introduced into an absorption layer and is regenerated to a drying gas while the volatile components of the substance, such as aroma, are recovered in the form of a liquid. In this drying method, the drying process is carried out entirely in a closed circuit system.

Abstract: An operator carriage intended to be used at a long-walled pit face in a coal or metal mine and comprising endlessly running members arranged at both ends of a conveyor and driven by a motor, an operation table suspendedly attached to the side of a spill plate of the conveyor and supported by running supports such as guide rollers which are engaged with guide rails attached to the same side of the spill plate, and a carrying mechanism arranged at the operation table so as to hold the endlessly running members.

Abstract: Apparatus for remotely operating self-advancing supports or the like at a long-walled pit face of a coal mine comprises a receiver attached to every group of the supports which are arranged in front of and along the long-walled pit face, each of the receivers having a specific frequency, hydraulic cylinders attached to the support for causing the support to be operated, electromagnetic valves connected to the receiver to control the hydraulic cylinders, and a portable operating means including keys for specifying the groups of the supports, key switches for specifying the supports to be operated, and a transmitting circuit having operating switches, wherein operating signals are applied from the operating means via the radio system to the receivers.

Abstract: A coal mining method at a long-walled pit face of a coal mine comprises combining self-advancing supports with a conveyor which is arranged along the long-walled pit face and on which a shearer is mounted, and arranging the effective shearing depth of shearing drums of the shearer to be at least half as long as the stroke of a shifter for shifting both of the self-advancing supports and the conveyor toward the pit face, whereby each of the self-advancing supports is progressively shifted toward the pit face every time that the whole area of the pit face is sheared at least twice by the shearer.

Abstract: A process for concentrating or liquefying a specified component of a gaseous mixture, characterized by a combination of a step comprising passing a starting gaseous mixture containing a dilute gaseous substance to be selectively separated into one adsorbing layer of an adsorbing device consisting of a pair of adsorbing layers to allow it to adsorb the gaseous substance to be selectively separated, releasing the remainder of the gaseous mixture, and before the amount of the adsorbed gas in the adsorbing layer reaches saturation, switching the passing of the starting gaseous mixture over to the other adsorbing layer; a step comprising maintaining the pressure of the inside of the adsorbing layer which has adsorbed the gaseous substance lower than the pressure of the starting gaseous mixture fed, feeding a part of the gas released from the other adsorbing layer or an inert gas from outside the system to desorb the adsorbed gas, again passing the starting gaseous mixture after the end of desorption, and switching

Abstract: Apparatus for drawing shearers comprises a conveyor on which the shearers move with sledges interposed therebetween and which is arranged along a long-walled pit face of a coal mine shearers drawing cable is arranged in fixing members which are arranged on the conveyor, and a pair of means are provided for releasing and fixing the cable from and into the fixing members, the means being arranged adjacent to the sledges and the cable located between the cable releasing and fixing means being engaged with a cable driving means housed in each of the shearer bodies, wherein a drawing force is applied only to the cable located between the cable releasing and fixing means when the driving means is rendered operative.

Abstract: Apparatus employed at the long-walled pit face in the coal mine so as to shift the conveyor toward the pit face wherein the conveyor which is arranged in front of the pit face and on which the shearer travels, is divided into several individual portions, and responding to signals transmitted from a position sensor arranged in each portion of the conveyor, a position signal generator attached to the shearer and a stroke sensor attached to one of hydraulic cylinders belonging to each portion on the conveyor, a group of electromagnetic valves for rendering operative the hydraulic cylinders which belong to that portion of the conveyor to be shifted are controlled so as to shift automatically when required only the corresponding portion of the conveyor.

Abstract: A device for automatically stabilizing moving ground vehicles against the effects of transverse acceleration forces and roll moments, due to turning maneuvers, by means of an on-board pendulum, suspended from a stable platform, part of the vehicle, and intercoupled to pivotally supported vehicle ground wheels, acting so as to incline the planes of rotation of the pivotally supported ground wheels of the vehicle to the angle of the vector resultant of the gravitational force component acting on the pendulum and the transverse acceleration force component acting on the pendulum; the device thereby provides, within the design maximum angle of inclination of the ground wheels and the adhesion capability of the tires on the roadbed, essentially complete stabilization of the turning vehicle.

Abstract: A kiln of relatively simple design and low-cost construction is provided for firing ceramic ware. The kiln is of the shuttle type consisting generally of a rectangular enclosing structure with a movable floor which may consist of cars for supporting the ware. Burners are located along the lower part of each side wall and provided with air in excess of that required for combustion to produce high velocity streams of hot gas flowing vertically upward along the inside of the walls. The hot gas is redirected downward to flow through the ware and exhausted below the ware into horizontal flues on each side of the kiln from which gas is aspirated into the high velocity vertical gas streams for recirculation.

Abstract: A hinge is provided for pivotally connecting the bowl and cover of a substantially rectangular portable outdoor grill for cooking. The grill hinge comprises two sets of two hinge members, each set being pivotally attached to opposing sides of the grill. The hinge members are interchangeable between the "left-hand" and "right-hand" sides of the grill. The first and second hinge members of each set pivot in spaced relation to one another between closed and open positions of the cover. When in the open position, the first hinge member of a set bears upon the grill bowl and the second hinge member of the set bears upon the first hinge member over a substantial area to hold the cover in a desired open position.

Abstract: A reclining chair adapted to be positioned in close adjacency to a room wall when in the upright sitting position and yet so structured as to allow ready assumption of any of a variety of reclined positions of occupancy without physical contact of any element thereof with the same room wall, the chair concept envisioning a fixed platform, a chassis slideable rectilinearly relative to the platform, and a body-supporting unit movable between the sitting and reclining positions relative to the chassis with a concomitant movement of a leg supporting unit between the retracted and extended positions respectively, a propeller link or other means connecting between the body-supporting unit and platform for propelling the body-supporting unit relative to the platform, with the chassis moving forwardly and progressively away from the wall as transition is made from upright sitting position to progressive positions of reclination, wherefore the body supporting unit is concomitantly moved forwardly away from the room wa