Abstract: To fasten by screwing an object on to a metal plate 9 drilled with a noncircular hole 12, recourse is had to a clip made from a moulded plastic material comprising a socket 1 adapted to receive a screw and extended by a flange 5. In the wall of the socket there are provided two grooves 10 in the form of a U each surrounding a thickened portion 7, said portion being connected to the inner edge of the flange by a bridge 11 and nipping, during screwing of the screw into the socket, the edge of the metal plate by bending around this bridge.

Abstract: An airconditioning system includes a heat exchanger having high and low temperature heat exchange chambers in which a fluid is cooled or heated, respectively. An air circuit is associated with each chamber. A register having four orifices and a valve is associated with each air circuit, and the system can easily be switched from a heating to a cooling mode, or vice versa, by actuation of the valves to cause the air entering the environment to be conditioned to flow through a selected one of the two air circuits.

Abstract: Instant pasta prepared by forming a sheet of gelatinized cereal flour-dough, expanding the sheeted dough under controlled conditions to impart a high degree of essentially uniform porous structure to the sheet, subdividing the expanded dough into pieces of desired shapes, thereby exposing the porous interior of said shaped pieces along their perimeter surfaces, and drying the shaped pieces. Other features of the invention appear in the following specification.

Abstract: A process and an apparatus for freeze-drying by means of microwaves, in which the product to be dried is placed on a support composed of a material which is transparent to microwave energy, covered with a layer of material which conducts electricity.

Abstract: An aqueous extract of a vegetable material is treated with a view to reducing its caffeine and/or chlorogenic acid content. The treatment is with a solid ligneous adsorbent of vegetable origin in divided form at a temperature of from 0.degree. to 100.degree. C. so as to absorb the caffeine and the chlorogenic acid. The combination of extract and ligneous adsorbent is dried by freeze-drying. The dried combination is thereafter introduced into infusing bags. On infusing the bags in hot water, an extract is obtained in partially decaffeinated and partially deacidified form.

Abstract: The fan rotor has an axial passage for a stationary shaft, one end of which is secured to the housing. The other end is covered by a plug for sealing-off the axial passage near the impeller hub. An external cover-plate of heat-conducting material is placed over the plug and applied in good thermal contact with the annular end portion of the rotor which is associated with the impeller.

Abstract: One or a number of inserts are each fitted within a housing formed in a reference part, each insert being preferably of cylindrical shape and having a predetermined defect in density. An intimate metallurgical bond is formed between the surface of the insert and the housing by depositing a layer of copper on a steel insert when the part is of steel, and by applying a heat treatment. The reference part serves to calibrate testing instruments for ultrasonic metal inspection as well as to determine the character and size of detected defects in density.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a self-closing propellant charge package adapted for use with a gravity operated loading device of a power-actuated tool. The package comprises a tubular body having one end at least partially closed, the other end being open. A portion of the body adjacent the open end is deformed for holding the charges, it being possible to cancel the deformation of this portion to allow passage for the charges. More specifically, at least one cut-out is provided in the deformable portion, the portion being maintained in a deformed state by a resilient ring or other means.

Abstract: The invention is concerned with a process for the production of a textured protein-containing edible product resembling cooked meat from a fibrous protein material without the use of a binder, in which the proteins are spun, the fibres obtained are subjected to a combined pressing and dehydrating operation in a mould, impregnated with a solution of aroma precursors and sterilized in a container. The process is characterized in that, with the fibres arranged substantially parallel to one another in the mould, the combined pressing and dehydrating operation is carried out by subjecting the fibres to mechanical compression in the axial direction.

Abstract: A beverage dispensing machine comprising a hopper holding particulate dehydrated beverage concentrate, dispensing a device including a dispensing duct intermittently transporting a predetermined volume of concentrate from the hopper out through the dispensing duct into a mixing funnel, a water supply delivering a predetermined volume of water into the funnel to establish reconstituted beverage therein, an outlet tube on the funnel to exhaust moisture ladened air and to drain beverage therefrom, a case about the hopper and defining a compression chamber, an air pump delivering air greater than atmospheric pressure into the compression chamber to cool said hopper and the concentrate therein, an air outlet opening in the case about the dispensing duct and communicating with the funnel, whereby air flowing through the outlet opening about the dispensing duct and into the funnel establishes a minus pressure which draws air outward through the duct and from the hopper and prevents the flow of moisture ladened air i

Abstract: Microgranulates intended for addition to foods having a deficit in methionine so as to increase their nutritive value are disclosed. They are characterized in that they comprise a core consisting of microcrystals of methionine of at most 10 microns in size encapsulated in a polymer matrix of spheroid shape in which they are evenly distributed, the core being coated in one or more layers of a vegetable protein extracted from gluten, the diameter of the microgranulates obtained being from about 25 to about 200 microns.

Abstract: A process for the production of cheese which comprises preparing a starting material, the composition of which is that of the cheese which it is desired to produce, subjecting this material to a thermal pasteurization or sterilization treatment, packaging the pasteurized or sterilized material under heat in a hermetic container or containers while at the same time adding a fermentation agent to it and, finally, incubating the product thus packaged until fermentation is complete.

Abstract: An aqueous soya suspension is prepared by grinding soya beans in the presence of water at a temperature of from 90.degree. to 100.degree. C. to form a dispersion of particles of which the majority have dimensions of the order of 100 to 500.mu.; heating the dispersion by the injection of steam to a temperature of from 120.degree. to 160.degree. C. thereby destroying the antitrypsin factor; and grinding the dispersion to form a suspension containing corpuscules of protein and fat with dimensions of the order of 2 to 10.mu. and cell wall debris of which the largest dimension does not exceed substantially 40 to 300.mu.. The soya suspension may be consumed as such or used as a starting material for the production of foods such as cheese or used as a base for the production of beverages such as a cows' milk substitute.

Abstract: A process for the production of a flavoring product reminiscent of meat in taste, which comprises diluting a yeast autolysate with at least the same quantity by weight of water, precipitating substantially insoluble salts, especially alkaline-earth metal phosphates, by heating the diluted autolysate at a pH-value in the range from 7 to 8.5, separating solid fractions from the autolysate treated by heating so that only a solution is left, treating the residual solution obtained by steam distillation, concentrating the treated solution by evaporation to a dry matter content of from 75% to 85% by weight, mixing the concentrate obtained with at least one vegetable protein hydrolysate, a monosaccharide and a substance containing sulphur in sulphide form, and heating the mixture for 0.5 to 5 minutes to a temperature in the range from 100.degree. C. to 200.degree. C. to obtain a reaction product.

Abstract: At least four beams of linearly polarized light are produced separately at one and the same point of measurement in a single direction of observation at right angles to a unitary sheet of a specimen of photoelastic material in order to determine the state of mechanical stress in the plane of the sheet.

Abstract: A part such as a long concrete drill provided initially with rectilinear splines is heated in successive zones while producing a controlled increase in the distance between the two extremities. The part to be formed is thus subjected to controlled plastic elongation while the two extremities are driven in rotation at different speeds in order to subject the splined portion to a twisting effort and thus to convert the rectilinear splines to helical splines.

Abstract: A pork-like flavorant which comprises the reaction product of a mixture of(a) a source of amino acid,(b) a lower aliphatic mercaptocarboxylic acid or a salt thereof, and(c) oleoresin sage;said mixture containing from about 5 to about 300 parts by weight of amino acid source per part by weight of mercaptocarboxylic acid and from about 0.005 to about 0.3 part by weight of oleoresin sage per part by weight of mercaptocarboxylic acid, said mixture being substantially free from added monosaccharide.Other features of the invention appear in the following description.

Abstract: A powder-actuated fastening tool is provided with a return pawl slideable within a pawl-holder fixed to the barrel-holder, between a piston engaging position, wherein the pawl, protruding through a longitudinal slot in the barrel engages the piston during the opening of the tool, while at least one boss, formed on the pawl, engages a first plane milled surface of the barrel, and a cocked position, where a second plane milled surface of the barrel, more remote from the barrel axis than the first surface, engages the boss to retract the pawl, the two milled surfaces being connected by a transverse groove which the boss can engage to maintain the barrel in its locked and non-cocked position.

Abstract: There is disclosed a machine for automatically forming a knot around an article such as a sausage and the like. The object to be tied is introduced into aligned tubes, and a thread, a cord or the like is interlaced around the tubes by the following operations: rotation and translation of a cord pressing member which first presses and then releases the cord, a forward and back movement of a member for retaining the cord, and the forward and back motion of a separator. The tightening of the cord is brought about by the action of a gripper carried by the separator and by a means for tensioning the cord, while the cord is deposited upon the object by reason of the separation of the tubes. A cutting means which operates at the end of the cycle cuts off the end of the cord upstream of the knot. The invention can be used to tie a number of different objects as well as sausages.