Abstract: A method and system for receiving, processing, and stunning poultry in a poultry processing facility includes an receiving system for receiving and unloading live poultry from a transport vehicle, a controlled atmosphere stunning system, a stunned poultry hanging station for receiving and transferring stunned poultry to another facility for further processing, such as slaughtering the stunned poultry. Shuttle conveyors and cage pushers coordinate to unload cages of live poultry from the transport vehicle and begin conveying the cages toward the stunning system. Accumulators, cage de-stackers, cage stackers, cage washers, tilted conveyors, and other features may be included with the system.

Abstract: An automated oyster maturation system including a containment assembly rotatably disposed within a housing. The containment assembly includes a spiral construction that includes compartments that are in communication with one another, walls that define the compartments, and ramps. Openings disposed in the walls and ramps increase in size from the outer diameter to the inner diameter of the spiral construction so that, with every complete rotation of the containment assembly, every oyster will tumble further into the spiral construction and ascend from its original compartment into the adjacent inner compartment where opening size is larger than in the original compartment such that only oysters which have grown sufficiently can remain in the adjacent inner compartment while oysters that have not grown sufficiently yet will fall through the openings of the adjacent inner compartment into the original compartment.

Abstract: A method and system for stunning poultry with carbon dioxide gas includes initially establishing an initial elevated CO2 concentration in an initial stun chamber, and then lowering a cage for live poultry downwardly through an open top of the initial stun chamber. The cage is held there for an initial time period, after which the cage is moved into an intermediate stun chamber, where an intermediate elevated CO2 concentration is established. The cage is held in the intermediate stun chamber for an intermediate period of time, after which it is moved into a final stun chamber, where a final elevated CO2 concentration is established. The cage is held in the final stun chamber for a final period of time, and the cage is then raised upwardly through an open top of the final stun chamber and out into an ambient atmosphere.

Abstract: A gun sight base which is designed to allow the user to quickly adjust the elevation of the attached gun sight as a means to affect the trajectory of a projectile discharged from the host firearm. Provided is a removable, pre-calibrated adjustment cam which is in operational contact with the attached gun sight. A distance indicator is visible to the user to allow for rapid elevation adjustments without the need for tools.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus for forming an image including: a photoreceptor; a charging apparatus for charging the photoreceptor; and exposure apparatus for exposing an image onto the charged photoreceptor and forming an electrostatic latent image on the photoreceptor; a development apparatus for developing the electrostatic latent image on the photoreceptor; and a plural kinds of air flow paths for discharging air out of the apparatus by ventilating the air in an axial direction of the photoreceptor; wherein air flow directions in the plural kinds of air flow paths are made to be one and the same direction.

Abstract: An electrostatic image developing toner comprising a binder resin and a colorant, wherein the toner contains a mixture of: (i) a compound represented by Formula (3); and (ii) a compound represented by Formula (1) and/or (2), wherein R1 to R8 each represent an alkyl group having 10 to 30 carbon atoms and X represents H or —CO—R9, wherein R9 represents an alkyl group having 1-4 carbon atoms:

Abstract: A combination gang saw and edger system cuts both cants and flitches into boards. Cants and flitches are fed singly, lengthwise into the system on an infeed conveyor. On the conveyor, the cant or flitch is scanned to produce a lengthwise cross-sectional profile. An optimizer determines whether the profile is for a cant or flitch and determines how the piece will be cut. A controller responsive to the optimizer directs the positioning of a first and second set of saws on a pivotably mounted saw arbor to cut either a cant or flitch, respectively. The boards cut from the cant or flitch are fed outfed from the system. The system can cut cants with longitudinal curvature and can cut cants or flitches that are placed at an angle to the length of the infeed conveyor.

Abstract: A combination gang saw and edger system cuts both cants and flitches into boards. Cants and flitches are fed singly, lengthwise into the system on an infeed conveyor. On the conveyor, the cant or flitch is scanned to produce a lengthwise cross-sectional profile. An optimizer determines whether the profile is for a cant or flitch and determines how the piece will be cut. A controller responsive to the optimizer directs the positioning of a first and second set of saws on a pivotably mounted saw arbor to cut either a cant or flitch, respectively. The boards cut from the cant or flitch are fed outfed from the system. The system can cut cants with longitudinal curvature and can cut cants or flitches that are placed at an angle to the length of the infeed conveyor.

Abstract: An improved tool holder, such as a shave tool (20), broadly includes: an adapter plate (23) adapted to be mounted on the screw machine (21) for controlled movement toward and away from the workpiece (W); a tool block (24) slidably mounted on the adapter plate for relative movement relative thereto along a first axis (x—x); a slide body (25) mounted on the tool block for rotation relative thereto about a second axis (y—y), an adjustment mechanism (28) acting between the slide body and the tool block for controllably varying the angular position of the slide body relative to the tool block; and a head (26) slidably mounted on the slide body for movement relative thereto along a third axis (z—z). The head has a roller (22) and cutting tool (T) spaced from the roller.

Abstract: A thread rolling attachment (50) is adapted to be mounted on a machine tool and to be selectively moved in an axially direction relative to a workpiece (W) having a cylindrical surface upon which a thread is to be rolled.

Abstract: A tangential rolling attachment (20) for a machine tool, broadly includes a body (21); a pair of arms (22L, 22R) having their proximal marginal end portions (23L, 23R) pivotally mounted on the body and having distal marginal end portions (24L, 24R). The arms are biased to move in opposite angular directions such that the distal marginal end portions thereof will be urged to move away from one another. A roll (28L, 28R) is mounted on the distal marginal end portion of each arm for imparting an action to a workpiece when the attachment is moved to tangentially engage the workpiece. A wedge (29) is mounted on the body for movement relative thereto in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the workpiece. An actuator (30) mounted on the body for selectively moving the wedge relative to the body to vary the spacing between the axes of the rolls. The improved rolling head may also incorporate a quick-release mechanism (33L, 33R) for mounting a roll on the arm of the machine tool attachment.

Abstract: A tangential rolling attachment (20) for a machine tool, broadly includes a body (21); a pair of arms (22L, 22R) having their proximal marginal end portions (23L, 23R) pivotally mounted on the body and having distal marginal end portions (24L, 24R). The arms are biased to move in opposite angular directions such that the distal marginal end portions thereof will be urged to move away from one another. A roll (28L, 28R) is pmounted on the distal marginal end portion of each arm for imparting an action to a workpiece when the attachment is moved to tangentially engage the workpiece. A wedge (29) is mounted on the body for movement relative thereto in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the workpiece. An actuator (30) mounted on the body for selectively moving the wedge relative to the body to vary the spacing between the axes of the rolls. The improved rolling head may also incorporate a quick-release mechanism (33L, 33R) for mounting a roll on the arm of the machine tool attachment.

Abstract: The present invention seeks to provide an improved needle design and needle assembly which is particularly adapted for live vaccines and the like. More specifically, the needle assembly includes a gap filler with an inner funnel which is specifically shaped and adapted to fill a turbulence gap naturally formed between a conventional needle retainer and syringe. By maintaining a laminar flow of the fluid, the turbulence and the destruction of live cells are reduced. Additionally, some of the needle designs include a funnel-shaped mouth which is utilized during the filling of the syringe to minimize physical damage to the cell wall or membrane of the live cells otherwise caused by the sharp edges at the tip of a standard injection needle. A breakaway needle assembly is also disclosed.

Abstract: A support structure includes a first sheet with perforations having a front surface and a back surface and a second sheet with perforation having a front surface and a back surface. Each perforation in the first sheet and the second sheet has a portion adjacent to the front surface of the sheet that is wider than a portion of the perforation that is adjacent to the back surface of the sheet. A core made of a first material is formed between the back surface of the first sheet and the back surface of the second sheet and within the perforations to anchor the first sheet and the second sheet to the core. Molded features may be disposed on the front surfaces of the sheets and integrally formed with the core through perforations in the sheets. The support structure may be used in a horizontal base or an end-of-arm tool.

Abstract: An improved end-working attachment (30) for a screw machine or a rotary transfer machine is particularly suited for use in rolling threads on a workpiece. The attachment broadly comprises: a slide base (31) having an axis (y-y); at least two members (32, 32) mounted on the slide base for sliding movement in a radial direction toward and away from the slide base axis; a tool, such as a thread die (33), on each member; an infeed mechanism (34) for selectively causing the slide members to move toward the slide base axis such that said tools will engage said workpiece; and a return mechanism (35) for urging the members to move away from the slide base axis.

Abstract: An abrasive tool includes a first perforated sheet having a front surface and a back surface, and a second perforated sheet having a front surface and a back surface. A first layer of abrasive grains is bonded to the front surface of the first perforated sheet, and a second layer of abrasive grains is bonded to the front surface of the second perforated sheet. A core includes a first wall having an inner surface and an outer surface, a second wall having an inner surface and an outer surface, and a plurality of walls each connected to both the inner surface of the first wall and the inner surface of the second wall to space the first wall from the second wall and to form a plurality of hollow spaces within the core. The back surface of the first perforated sheet is disposed adjacent to the outer surface of the first wall and the back surface of the second perforated sheet is disposed adjacent to the outer surface of the second wall.