Abstract: This invention relates to a plant for the preparation of floated fodder, i.e. fodder in aqueous suspension made from humid grit or granulate and water with supplementary nutritional components and is based on a gastight high-rise silo comprising a central gravity shaft to which the grit is fed and from which the grit is extracted at the bottom via a conveyor facility. In accordance with the invention, a metering worm or screw opening onto a mixer is joined in gastight manner to the outlet of the bottom silo extractor, a second open mixer receiving supplementary nutritional components from containers which are not necessarily gastight, via individual metering worms or screws being situated in the water supply pipe or in the delivery pipe of the mixer.

Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed for emulsifying and atomizing fluid fuels with secondary fluids, in particular water, which has improved characteristics over commercially available apparata especially as regards the maximum mixable proportion of secondary fluid without undergoing efficiency deterioration, stability, and homogenization level. The apparatus comprises a first mechanical cavitation chamber wherein the fluid fuel and water are mixed and pretreated, a combined action cavitation chamber of a mechanical and electromagmetic type, and a final cavitation chamber, wherein homogenization of the fluid is completed. The combined actions within the intermediate chamber are achieved by generating within the chamber a centered corridor resulting from the effects of high pressure and vacua, and of an appropriate magnetic field. The invention also provides a method of treating fuel fluids by means of the apparatus illustrated.

Abstract: Blending reclaimed rubber buffing dust with tread rubber for tire retreading includes feeding buffing dust from a container through a discharge pipe into a hopper which receives the tread rubber horizontally in a ribbon form. An auger from the discharge pipe which is vertically orientated meters the buffing dust onto the tread ribbon in a predetermined measured quantity and in a direct feed, so as to affect a suitably blended rubber product for tire retreading.

Abstract: A corn popping machine and method of assembling the same for the popping, storing and displaying of popcorn, which includes a three-sided panel member of a generally U-shape forming three side walls to the popping machine. A top chassis plate is secured to the top edge of the panel member by securing means and includes means for attachment of corn popping equipment and electrical connecting and controls. The lower edge of the panel member is secured to a base member having channels to matingly retain the lower edges of the panel member. Doors are attached to the corn popping machine and cover the vertical opening between ends of the U-shaped panel. The method of assembling the corn popping machine includes the steps of attaching the top chassis member and the base member to the top and bottom edges of the panel member respectively.

Abstract: A mixing agitator for use in a kettle wherein food is mixed either with or without cooking of the food, the invention allows gentle mixing of substantially liquid mixtures to suspend solids uniformly therein without damage to the solids. The agitator preferably takes the form of a rotary shaft horizontally disposed within a kettle having a substantially hemispherical bottom portion, the shaft having contoured blade-like elements attached thereto which act on rotation of the shaft to lift material from the bottom of the kettle to the top of the body of the food and thus produce a uniform dispersion of liquid and solid materials during a cooking/mixing processing phase, a mixing only phase, or a subsequent phase of dispensing the uniformly mixed material from the kettle.

Abstract: A rotor for a centrifuge is provided with a peripheral groove having confronting slots communicating therewith. A retaining member is disposed so as to overlie each of the slots by a predetermined radial distance. The radial dimension of each slot is greater than the sum of the radial distance by which the retaining member overlies the slot and the radial thickness dimension of a tube carrier receivable within the slots. Thus, the tube carrier is movable within the slots from a first, radially inner, position to a second radially outer, position in response to centrifugal force such that when in the second position movement of the tube carrier in a direction parallel to the axis of rotation is prohibited.

Abstract: A self-wringing mop has a handle with a housing attached, a wringer in the housing including a basket with a perforated wall mounted for rotation in the housing by an electric motor, a wiper, and a manually operated actuator for selectively moving the wiper to an advanced position outside the housing for wiping operations and a retracted position inside the housing and the basket for wringing of the wiper by rotation of the basket.

Abstract: A plurality of scanning regions (22) are disposed about the anticipated region of a phase boundary (32) of two media. The change in position of the phase boundary (32) is detected by a scanning means (18) with which each scanning region (22) is scanned and a signal is generated for each of the scanning regions (22). The first media is more radiation-permeable than the second media. A beam path is generated by the scanning means and is detected and evaluated by a discriminator circuit as a logic one. The second media is less radiation-permeable than the first media. The absence of a beam path corresponding to scanning regions in the second media is evaluated by the discriminator circuit as a logic zero. The number of signals per measuring cycle is compared against the actual number of scanning regions (22) to locate and control the position of the phase boundary (32).

Abstract: A centrifuge cup insert having an outer container and an inner container disposed therein with a spacer means between the containers to afford a reservoir between the containers capable of holding a liquid, the reservoir communicating with the atmosphere; associated apparatus for weighing the cup insert and dispensing a metered amount of fluid into the reservoir; and a method of using the cup insert with or without the associated apparatus.

Abstract: Counter-rotating intermeshing rotors are employed to generate films of viscous material to enhance processing. The rotors are configured that they trap viscous material in open-ended chambers defined by the rotor surfaces. As rotation proceeds the chambers decrease in volume and the material is expelled through the ends of the chambers as a film. Longitudinally adjacent rotors each have a different angular orientation about their centers of rotation to provide a sawtooth stepped helix to convey material longitudinally.

Abstract: A coffee maker has a main body which has a jug stand and a support portion parallel to the base at a predetermined distance therefrom. A cylindrical jug for storing brewed coffee is placed on the jug stand. A cylindrical extractor is placed on the jug. A cylindrical mill case for storing coffee beans is detachably mounted on the support portion to be located above the extractor. A motor is mounted on the support portion and housed in the mill case. A cutter is mounted on a rotating shaft of the motor and located in the mill case. The cutter is driven by the motor to grind coffee beans in the mill case. The mill case has a supply port facing the extractor through which the coffee ground in the mill case is supplied to the extractor. The mill case, extractor, and jug are vertically aligned to be coaxial with each other.

Abstract: A vane shaft is suspended within a container in a pendulum or swinging fashion at its drive shaft by means of a pivotable coupling. The drive shaft can constitute the output shaft of a drive arrangement composed of a drive motor equipped with a transmission or gearing unit and supported upon a radial arm member. The drive motor together with its transmission also can be arranged in or at a central axis of the orbiting or revolving path of movement of the vane shaft, and the drive shaft can connect the drive motor equipped with the transmission with the vane shaft in the manner of a Cardan shaft. The vane shaft also can be directly suspended at the vertical output shaft of the transmission or gearing arrangement by means of a pivotable coupling. At the lower end of the vane shaft there is secured a buoyant or float body member serving for the lateral deflection of the vane shaft.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for producing a colloidal mixture of a high degree of hydration comprising a hollow enclosure having a feed inlet to receive at least two dissimilar products to be colloidalized and a discharge outlet to dispense the colloidal mixture comprising a thrust generating assembly including a down thrust generating component and an upthrust generating component to cooperatively generate a pair of concentrically disposed cylinders of liquid mass moving in opposite directions relative to each other within the hollow enclosure such that the interface face between moving liquid masses forms a liquid shear zone to impart high energy mixing therebetween to produce the colloidal mixture.

Abstract: Structure for converting a powered brush vacuum cleaner selectively to define a powder carpet cleaning apparatus. The conversion structure includes a shroud received within the nozzle. In one form, the shroud is movably mounted within the nozzle for selective disposition in a retracted position, permitting use of the nozzle in the normal vacuum cleaning manner, and in an operative position blocking the entrance to the suction passage for permitting the unit to be used as powder carpet cleaner. The shroud defines a smooth inner surface surrounding a portion of the brush for effectively preventing clogging of the brush during the carpet cleaning operation. An opening is provided in the nozzle wall for access to the movable shroud in effecting manipulation thereof between the retracted and operative positions. In another form, the shroud is fixedly mounted within the nozzle and a closure is removably installed for closing the entrance to the suction passage when it is desired to use the unit as a carpet cleaner.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for physically separating a heterogeneous mixture of immiscible liquids utilizing the difference in the viscosities of the components. At least one moveable surface is enclosed by at least one stationary surface to form a processing passage. Viscous-drag-induced momentum is transferred preferentially from the moving surface(s) to the more viscous component of the mixture, moving it downstream toward a collecting and pressurizing obstructing member. The resulting pressure "squeezes" the less viscous droplets upstream to separate from the collected material and drain from the passage through a drainage opening.In a preferred embodiment, an annular channel rotates within a housing, dragging the mixture from an inlet to an obstructing member extending into the passage near an outlet. The separated less viscous component drains from a drainage opening in the housing, while the more viscous component is discharged through the outlet.

Abstract: A fluid mixer in which a pair of interconnected blades (6,6') are mounted either side of a rotatable shaft (8), the blades are each formed from a flat plate bent to form two or more planar portions (40, 42, 44) and mounted to the shaft so that the leading edge (52, 54, 56) of each portion is at a lesser radial distance than the trailing edge (54, 56, 58) of each portion. In this way each blade portion is angled inwardly accurately and the whole blade is easy to form.

Abstract: An apparatus for separating solid matters having a rotor of a double-basket construction consisting of a centrifugal filtering basket which is secured in a basket which effects the separation relying upon the difference in specific gravity. A pipe is so arranged as to supply the liquid to be treated into the centrifugal filtering basket, and scoop pipes are arrayed near the side surfaces of the two baskets.

Abstract: Apparatus for cleaning the rotor of the spinning unit for the open-end spinning of yarn. The apparatus has a cleaning head with cleaning elements arranged in the form of a rotary brush mounted upon a rotatably driven shaft. In the cleaning head, at the rear side of the brush, there is provided at least one projection which deflects or bends the bristle of the brush axially outwardly at intermediate portions thereof so as to reduce their effective diameter so as to enable them to penetrate into the inlet opening of the spinning rotor.

Abstract: A low cost scraping implement has a plastic, elongated handle component with a recess in one surface thereof. A square of plate glass is held in the recess between a pair of downwardly extending safety, side surfaces in the handle by a retaining plate provided with a complementary recess. A bolt is received in aligned countersunk openings drilled through the handle member and the retaining plate and a nut threaded onto the shank of the bolt draws the retaining plate towards the handle member to clamp the glass square in place. The glass square can be repositioned within the recess to present eight different scraping edges. A worn or broken glass plate can be readily replaced to renew the scraper.

Abstract: The present invention teaches a medical device which mixes a primary medication with a secondary medication before administration to a patient. The device is also capable of automatically sequentially administering the primary medication alone to the patient. The device includes a medication chamber which is reduced in volume to deliver the secondary medication for mixing with the primary medication.