Abstract: An oven cooking monitor and method automatically control the cooking, to a selected degree of doneness, of a plurality of food times requiring different cooking times, thereby permitting the food items to be loaded into the oven in random size order and to be removed in the order in which they become done. In restaurant or fast food cooking a number of different roasts of beef of different sizes often are placed in an oven to be cooked to a uniform degree of doneness, or roasts of similar or different size are placed in an oven at different times. Uniform cooking, without overcooking, is achieved through the present invention by providing a separate disconnectable probe for each food item to generate a signal varying with the temperature sensed by each probe. A reference temperature signal is set to correspond to a desired degree of doneness, and the sensed temperature signal and reference temperature signal are compared, yielding an output signal when the sensed and reference temperatures match.

Abstract: An improved cupola furnace which comprises, in combination, on the one hand at least one tap hole for the pig iron opening into the crucible level with the hearth, a passage for evacuating the slag and air-blowing tuyeres, on the other hand, a storage tank closed by a cover and permanently communicating, near its bottom, via the tap hole, with the crucible, finally a removal siphon permanently communicating with the tank via an opening which opens near its bottom and with the outside via an overflow sill, at least one pneumatic device being connected to the upper part of the tank and enabling this latter to be selectively placed under two different pressures.

Abstract: Cellulosic materials having a high capacity for absorption of water or aqus solutions, a large volume:weight ratio and a high resilience are produced by an acid-catalyzed cross-linking reaction in a reaction medium of low water content from a cellulosic or lignocellulosic material in the form of individual, substantially dehydrated, non-swollen and inter-fibre-bonds free fibres.

Abstract: The invention comprehends a method of twisting core strands, of the type comprising a sheath of fibres surrounding a central strand, a method in accordance with which a sliver of fibres is drawn between a point of entry of the said sliver and a pair of downstream drawing cylinders, a central strand is drawn under constant tension and is introduced without drawing into the sliver upstream of the said drawing cylinders, characterized in that a torsion in one sense and the other is conferred successively on the assembly constituted by the sliver of fibres and the central strand downstream of the said drawing cylinders.

Abstract: A cheese food product is provided in concrete, chunky form particularly useful in salad dressings or as a garnish. The production of the present products may be performed by heating an admixture comprising natural cheese, Xanthomonas colloid, locust bean gum and casein or an edible caseinate salt, followed by chilling--to induce the formation of a gel matrix--and comminuting the solid product, as required, to appropriately sized granules.

Abstract: A process is disclosed wherein the decaffeination of aqueous extracts of vegetable material with non-ionic, hydrophobic resin may be performed in a continuous manner. In accordance therewith, extract is contacted with resin to effect decaffeination, exhausted resin containing adherent caffeine and non-caffeine water solubles is bleached with water to remove the caffeine, the caffeine-free resin is then washed with a solution comprising water and an organic solvent to elute non-caffeine water solubles and then the resin is rinsed with water to permit its reuse in the further decaffeination of vegetable material extracts.

Abstract: The invention concerns a turbine shaft having stepped bearings on which ds are shrunk on. It is characterized in that the connecting surface between two successive bearings consists of two conical portions separated by a cylindrical portion and toroidal connecting portions between the cylindrical portion and the conical portions. The invention reduces the concentrations of stresses and applies more particularly to elastic fluid turbine shafts.

Abstract: A fixing arrangement for a guide part of a fixed casing on a rotating mace whose rotor is supported by a concrete beam, is characterized in that the guide part is fixed to a plate applied against a lateral wall of the beam and is integral with trusses sunk in the mass of the beam. The invention applies, more particularly, to steam turbine exhaust chambers.

Abstract: A radio position-fixing system using hyperbolic phase measurement, includ two transmitting stations which radiate a specific, programmed, sequential and recurrent waveform and a movable receiver capable of synchronously receiving and detecting the transmitted waveforms and, by combining the signals in a predetermined manner, measuring certain phase differences in the signals which are representative of the hyperbolic position-line information for the receiver relative to the two transmitters.

Abstract: An atomizer comprises a cylinder defining a pump chamber and containing a piston. The chamber communicates with an atomizer nozzle by a valve comprising a valve member which is opened at a predetermined liquid pressure during operation of the piston to pressurize the liquid in the pump chamber. Liquid is fed into the pump chamber through a conduit which projects upwardly into the cylinder. A sleeve rigid with the valve member or the piston engages the conduit during operation of the piston to prevent communication between the conduit and the pump chamber.

Abstract: An extrusion nozzle, especially suitable for texturing proteinaceous materials, comprising an elongate body having a side wall defining an axial passage, at one extremity of the body the side wall having longitudinal slits defining at least two fins the free ends of which are turned inwardly towards the longitudinal axis of the passage. Other features of the invention are described in the following specification.

Abstract: A device is disclosed for detecting defects in needles on a knitting loom which is operating. The device comprises at least one Hall probe magnetic detector the active surface of which has a width less than the thickness of the needles to be detected. The detector is mounted such that the needles all pass successively in front of it during their working movement, and an electronic circuit transforms the signals received from the magnetic detector into a signal for controlling the stoppage of said loom. The electronic circuit comprises first and second electronic circuits each of which is adapted to supply a signal for controlling the stoppage of the loom.

Abstract: A water-dispersible composition is disclosed. This composition contains co-agglomerates of finely-divided particles of a normally non-dispersible material and a silicon dioxide flow agent having a thin coating of edible fat. The composition may optionally include flavorants and other additives.

Abstract: A method for measuring the surface roughness of a workpiece, comprising filling two capacitors with a compressed gas at specific pressures; applying to the rough surface of the workpiece to be studied the open end of a bell-form sensor connected to a second one of the capacitors; evacuating simultaneously and individually to atmosphere the two capacitors, the first through a calibrated throttle, the second through the leak existing between the edge of said sensor bell and the rough surface of the workpiece; measuring, during evacuation, the difference between the pressures in the two capacitors; and deducing from this pressure differential, by standardization with sample pieces of known roughness, the roughness of the piece studied.

Abstract: A process for isolating a protein fraction from an aqueous solution or suspension containing the said fraction in admixture with other substances, which comprises subjecting the aqueous solution or suspension to ultrafiltration to obtain a retentate, diluting the retentate, subjecting the diluted retentate to at least one further ultrafiltration treatment and recovering a retentate containing the protein fraction.

Abstract: A chassis for electronic equipment comprises a frame structure including two similar spaced uprights connected respectively at their tops and at their bottoms by two similar rigid frames and at least one cell for the reception of circuit boards, said cell comprising a floor and a ceiling between which the boards can be held, said floor and ceilings being slidably supported on brackets releasably fixed in upright grooves in said upright.

Abstract: An enzymatically active product is prepared by reacting an enzyme, e.g. trypsin, with a polymer carrying both free aldehyde groups and free acid groups, e.g. a copolymer of acroelin and acrylic acid containing at least 10 % of free aldehyde groups based on the total of free aldehyde and acid groups. The product has a variable solubility in aqueous medium so that the enzyme bound to the polymer can be recovered for reuse by adjusting the pH to precipitate the polymer.

Abstract: A water-dispersible composition is disclosed. This composition contains co-agglomerates of finely-divided particles of a normally non-dispersible material and a silicon dioxide flow agent having a thin coating of an emulsion of edible fat and glycerol. The composition may optionally include flavorants and other additives.

Abstract: A flavoring agent is provided for a tea composition to impart various flavors. The flavoring agent consisting essentially of geranyl acetone and .delta.-decalactone in a ratio of 1:1 to 1:2 and is used in an amount of 0.5 to 9 ppm of .delta.-decalactone based on the soluble tea solids.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process and an apparatus for cutting various materials and more specifically pieces of wood.The apparatus according to the invention, comprises a table and a pressure plate between which is held a piece of wood to be cut. The said table and the said plate are supported by a drum connected to a rotary driving device, equipped with radial forward movement devices. The cutting device also comprises a cutting tool installed in such a way that its knife acts on the piece of wood in accordance with a constant cutting radius.The process and apparatus of the invention are applicable to the cutting of various materials and more particularly pieces of wood, with a view to obtaining thin planar products, calibrated in thickness, of excellent quality and of perfect appearance.