Abstract: Merchandise temperature sensors 16 for detecting merchandise temperatures simultaneously with in-housing temperature sensors 17 for detecting the in-housing air temperature of a merchandise housing are provided in the merchandise housing of a vending machine. Further, the cooling mechanism is controlled by means of the merchandise temperature sensor 16 during the peak shift or peak cut, whereas the cooling mechanism is controlled by means of in-housing temperature sensor 17 during normal operation. Thus the merchandise temperature is directly detected during the peak shift or peak cut where the temperature sharply varies so as to increase merchandise temperature control accuracy. Even when the installation of the merchandise temperature sensors is limited to some columns in view of cost reduction, the cooling mechanism is made controllable by collectively detecting the merchandise temperature in the whole column by means of the in-housing temperature sensors 17 during the normal operation.

Abstract: A light detecting device for reliably detecting weak luminescing at a random position in a predetermined spatial area. The light detecting device has a fluorescent fiber containing a fluorescent coloring matter and a flat or curved concentrator having a primary surface, on which the fluorescent fiber is fixedly arranged with the axis thereof in parallel relationship to the primary surface. A light receiving means is connected to at least one end of the fluorescent fiber.

Abstract: A sodium sulfur cell comprising an anode active material of metallic sodium, and a cathode active material of sulfur or sodium polysulfide, and a beta alumina solid electrolyte separator, the above active materials containing, as an impurity, calcium of at most 20 ppm and/or potassium of at most 200 ppm, by weight. The cell of the invention has excellent characteristics, particularly prolonged electromotive life.

Abstract: A chemical-looping combustion method uses a metallic oxide (MO) as an oxygen carrier. A fuel (RH) reduces MO at a low temperature in a first reactor, a reduced product (M) is oxidized by oxygen in moistened air in a high-temperature region in a second reactor to form MO which is recycled to the first reactor. Heat generated within these reactors is utilized to drive gas turbines. The reactions within the first and second reactors are:RH+MO.fwdarw.mCO.sub.2 +nH.sub.2 O+M (1)M+0.50.sub.2 .fwdarw.MO (2)Moistened air is the oxygen source in the second reaction. The metallic oxides and their reduced products are particulates including an oxygen permeable medium. The loss of energy in the conversion reactions and in heat exchange is reduced, power generation efficiency is improved, CO.sub.2 is recovered and water resources are saved.

Abstract: A method for displaying information and system includes the steps of displacing map data on the screen of a display unit, displaying layout data representing one or more segments of a certain floor in each of the one or more structure elements of the map data displayed on a first designated portion, on a second designated portion of the screen in response to a layout display instruction, and displaying attribute data corresponding to each of the one or more segments of the floor.

Abstract: An electric power system simulator comprising first calculator which calculates a generator dynamic characteristic, second calculator which calculates a load dynamic characteristic and third calculator which calculates power transmission condition of an electric power system network, then the first calculator cyclically obtains an amplitude and a phase of an internal induced voltage of the generator based on data on an output power and a terminal voltage of the generator, and the second calculator calculates a load equivalent admittance at predetermined time based on data on an A.C.

Abstract: A decentralized simulator according to the invention has each processing unit arranged to each vertex in the hypercube structure and each communication line arranged to each side in the hypercube structure. Each component of the system to be simulated is assigned to each processing unit, and each processing unit communicates with other processing unit via communication line and operates concurrently with other processing unit. Since the decentralized simulator carries out the concurrent processing regarding each component, it is suitable for the simulation of the system such as power system including a number of components.

Abstract: A disc recording device for recording left channel signals and right channel signals having a super audio-frequency signal range up to 40 kHz on a left master disc and a right master disc respectively comprises a left disc recording control portion, a right disc recording control portion, and a common control portion. An another disc recording device for recording the left channel signals and the right channel signals having sounds of super audio-frequency signal range up to 40 kHz onto one face and other face of a master disc respectively comprises a disc inverse face playback control portion, a disc front face playback control portion, and a common control portion. A signal frame as a channel bit used in the above mentioned devices has 316 bits per one left channel signal and one right channel signal, respectively.

Abstract: An amorphous magnetic core is arranged to be obtained by cutting a plurality of amorphous sheets to have a predetermined cut length by a cutter device and supplying the cut sheets to a rectangularly forming device, the sheets being supplied from an uncoiler device including a plurality of reels around which the sheets are wound, by winding the sheets of a predetermined number around a forming mandrel successively to form them into a rectangular shape, thereby forming the magnetic core, and by subjecting the magnetic core to magnetic annealing in an annealing device.

Abstract: A lithium aluminate powder having a large specific surface area can be produced by contacting a raw material powder of lithium aluminate with water singly or in the presence of an organic solvent having one or more hydroxyl groups to form a hydrate, followed by dehydration with heating.

Abstract: The present invention provides an oxide superconductor which has a relatively high transition temperature T.sub.c. This superconductor has the chemical formula (R.sub.1-x Ca.sub.x)(Ba.sub.1-y Sr.sub.y).sub.2 Cu.sub.3 O.sub.7-z wherein R is at least one rare earth element selected from the group consisting of Tm, Yb and Lu, x is with in the range of 0.1.ltoreq..times.0.5, y is within the range of 0.1.ltoreq. y .ltoreq.0.4 and z is within the range of 0.05 .ltoreq. z .ltoreq.(x/2+0.5). The invention further provides a method for producing the oxide superconductor which comprises firing a composition of the formula (R.sub.1-x Ca.sub.x)(Ba.sub.1-y Sr.sub.y).sub.2 Cu.sub.3 O.sub.7-z wherein R is at least one rare earth element selected from the group consisting of Tm, Yb and Lu, x is within the range of 0.1 .ltoreq..times..ltoreq.0.5 and y is within the range of 0.1 .ltoreq.y .ltoreq.0.4 at a temperature of from 750.degree. C. to the melting temperature of the composition under an oxygen partial pressure P(O.sub.

Abstract: An arresting insulator is provided which includes an insulator body made of an insulative material and a non-linear resistor. The insulator body includes a head for linking the insulator to an adjacent insulator, and a shed formed integrally with the head. The resistor is secured in the insulator body and has a non-linear relation between residual voltage and current. More specifically, the resistor has a characteristic that satisfies the equation:V.sub.NmA /H.gtoreq.300 V/mmwherein V.sub.NmA is a threshold reference voltage that causes a current of at least N milliamps to start flowing across the resistor to cause the resistor to perform a surge absorbing function. N is an arbitrary value in the range of 1 to 10, and H is the axial length of the resistor along a direction of electric field in millimeters.

Abstract: In a database system for map information, matching and retrieving operations are carried out between an attribute database associated with a business and a map database. A matching key word is separated into a common noun part and a proper noun part, a synonym and an abbreviated word are inferred by employing rules respectively. Furthermore, a candidate key word is inferred by employment of a rule for combining these results at an optimum state, whereby a matching process is performed. Another address database is employed so as to realize a mutual retrieving operation even when the attribute database is not matched with the map database.

Abstract: A catalytic combustion apparatus for gas turbine or an exhaust gas purifier apparatus comprises a honeycomb structure disposed in a flow tube. A ring-shaped fringe region of the lower-course end face of the honeycomb structure abuts against a ring-shaped second supporting member. The second supporting member has a plurality of passages which allow a fluid to flow out downstream from the fringe region. In this arrangement, the fluid from the fringe region is caused to flow downstream through these passages. Accordingly, tensile thermal stress is reduced, so that the honeycomb structure is prevented from being damaged thereby. Since the honeycomb structure is supported by the second supporting member in planar contact therewith, moreover, stress is prevented from being concentrated on part of the structure. Thus, the honeycomb structure can be securely supported without being damaged by any stress.

Abstract: A method and system of transformer protection in which parallel admittance currents indicative of the apparent excitation state of a transformer to be protected are evaluated from the transformer terminal voltages and currents sampled at a proper interval, and discrimination between an internal defect and excitation inrush is made in response to a magnitude of the parallel admittance current, and a breaker opening command is issued in response to a judgement of internal defect. The method and system enables high-accuracy and high-sensitivity fault detection through a simple computation.

Abstract: An optical d.c. voltage transformer having an electrooptic medium to which a d.c. electrical field or voltage to be measured is to be applied. The electrooptic medium affects the polarized light from the polarizer by an electrooptical effect to a degree proportional to the strength of the electrical field or voltage. The transformer includes a photodetector for producing an optical signal proportional to the affected light received from the electrooptic medium, a device for converting the optical signal from the photodetector into an electrical signal, a chopper for pulsating the electrical field or voltage to be applied to the electrooptic medium, in terms of time, a detector for demodulating the electrical signal from the converting device in synchronism with the pulsated electrical field or voltage, and an output unit for visually presenting the demodulated electrical signal similar in polarity to the electrical field or voltage to be measured.

Abstract: A method for producing an oxide superconductor formed according to a chemical composition formula (R.sub.1-x Ca.sub.x)(Ba.sub.1-y Sr.sub.y).sub.2 Cu.sub.4 O.sub.8 and having a transition temperature of 77K or above, comprising the step of causing a reaction between (R.sub.1-x Ca.sub.x)(Ba.sub.1-y Sr.sub.y).sub.2 Cu.sub.3 O.sub.7-z and a Cu material such as CuO, wherein R stands for one or more rare earth elements selected from the group consisting of Y, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm and Yb, and wherein 0.01.ltoreq.x.ltoreq.0.25, 0.ltoreq.y.ltoreq.0.5, and 0.ltoreq.z.ltoreq.1. The advantage of this production method is that this production method does not require a hot static pressing process which takes a long time.

Abstract: A disaster prevention apparatus is adapted to intercept and disperse gas leaking from a disaster ship offshore. The apparatus includes a marine mover and a water curtain forming device for forming a water curtain on the lee of the disaster ship. Pressurized water is supplied to the water curtain forming device by a water pump. The water thusly supplied is ejected from the water curtain forming device in a direction substantially perpendicular to the water surface, thereby creating a water curtain on the water.

Abstract: An apparatus for tracking an overhead line includes a carriage, an arm provided relatively movable on the carriage, a hook assembly provided at both end portions of the arm and for slinging the arm over the overhead line, a vertical/rotational motion shaft provided vertically movable and rotatably on the carriage, a wheel supporting arm provided on the top end portion of the vertical/rotational motion shaft swingably, a pair of wheels provided at both ends of the wheel supporting arm with an extension line of the vertical/rotational motion shaft being between the wheels, and a clamp member for clamping the wheels on the overhead line.

Abstract: A method of controlling the position of an on-water water curtain device for building a water curtain on the water in order to stop or disperse dangerous gas leaking from a ship or to block flame and radiant heat due to the leaking gas. The method comprises the steps of detecting positions of the ship and the water curtain device, detecting wind direction and tidal current, and adjusting the position of the water curtain device to an optimal position in accordance with detected values so as to maintain the diaster prevention water curtain substantially perpendicular to the leaking gas.