Abstract: A refining plate for refining lignocellulosic material including: a radially outer peripheral edge and a substrate surface; a refining zone having a plurality of substantially radially disposed bars and grooves between the bars, wherein the bars protrude upward from the substrate surface and the grooves each have a groove width, and a steam channel traversing the bars and grooves of the refining zone, wherein the steam channel has a radially outer end radially inward of the outer peripheral edge of the plate and the steam channel has a width substantially greater than the groove width.

Abstract: A shredder including a housing having a throat for receiving articles to be shredded, a shredder mechanism, a blocking member, and an electrically powered motor and cutter elements. A thickness detector comprises a contact member extending into the throat. The shredder includes an actuator for moving the blocking member between a retracted position and an extended position. The actuator and the thickness detector are coupled to enable the actuator to move the blocking member from the retracted position to the extended position responsive to the movement of the contact member by insertion into the throat of the at least one article above a predetermined maximum thickness threshold. The blocking member is configured such that in the extended position the blocking member prevents further insertion of the at least one article into the throat, and in the retracted position the blocking member permits further insertion thereof into the throat.

Abstract: An adzer skid assembly having a frame and a base plate attached to the frame. The base plate has an adzer unit attached thereto. The frame has a receptacle for slidably attaching the frame to a railroad track maintenance machine so that up and down motion of the railroad track maintenance machine does not produce up and down motion of the adzer skid assembly. Hydraulic cylinders are attached to the baseplate and are attached to skids, wherein the hydraulic cylinders raise and lower the skids relative to the frame and baseplate and determine the cutting depth of the adzer unit. During the adze cutting process the adzer unit is supported entirely by the skids as the skids move across railroad crossties.

Abstract: Fibrous materials, compositions that include fibrous materials, and uses of the fibrous materials and compositions are disclosed. For example, the fibrous materials can be operated on by a microorganism to produce ethanol or a by-product, such as a protein or lignin.

Abstract: There is described a crushing plant and a method for controlling the same. The crushing plant includes a crusher (1) and a feeding arrangement (3), and is driven by a diesel engine (13). A load value related to the diesel engine is retrieved e.g. by means of a J1939 interface. If the retrieved value exceeds a predetermined threshold value, the control loop of the feeding arrangement (3) is altered. Thereby it can be avoided that the diesel engine (13) stalls, such that continuous operation of the crushing plant may be ensured.

Abstract: A gyratory crusher comprises a first crushing shell mounted on a crushing head, and a second crushing shell mounted on a machine frame, a crushing gap being formed between said first and second crushing shells. A method of controlling the operation of said crusher comprises measuring a parameter being representative of the stresses to which the crusher is exposed during the crushing of material, determining an average value of said parameter, determining a deviation value of said parameter, calculating a peak value based on said average value and said deviation value, comparing said peak value to a reference value, and controlling the operation of the crusher in view of said comparison between said peak value and said reference value.

Abstract: A bi-directional pocket member that retains a stump cutter tooth. The pocket affixes to a selected wheel side surface of a driven wheel, which has a first wheel side surface and a second wheel side surface. The pocket member has a pocket body, which has a first pocket edge, a second pocket edge, a first pocket side surface, a second pocket side surface, a radial inward pocket portion and an integral radial outward pocket portion. The radial inward pocket portion contains attachment bores used to operatively attach the pocket member to the driven wheel. The radial outward portion contains a retention bore used to retain the stump cutter tooth.

Abstract: A motor vehicle for collecting paper for shredding including an electric motor configured to at least assist in propelling the motor vehicle; a compartment configured to receive paper; at least one of a bin lifting device, a shredder mechanism, a conveyance device, and a dumping device; and at least one battery. The bin lifting device is configured to lift a bin and deposit the paper in the compartment, the shredder mechanism is configured to shred the paper in the compartment, the conveyance device is configured to transport the paper from a first location to a second location within the compartment, and the dumping device is configured to discharge the paper from the compartment. The at least one battery is configured to power (i) the electric motor and (ii) the at least one of the bin lifting device, the shredder mechanism, the conveyance device, and the dumping device.

Abstract: Disclosed is a shredder including a detector having a first contact member on one side of the shredder's throat and a second contact member on the other side. The contact members extend into the throat and are independently moveable relative to one another to enable insertion of an article into the throat. The article can move the contact members relative to one another by a combined amount. The shredder may prevent its motor from driving its cutter elements if it determines that the combined amount of independent relative movement correlates to a thickness that is equal to or greater than a predetermined maximum thickness. In an embodiment, the contact members may include binary switches. The contact members aid in controlling and/or reducing flutter and wrinkles when articles are fed into the shredder.

Abstract: A cutter assembly for an electric pencil sharpener has a cutter bracket and a cutter. The cutter bracket has a pencil sharpening hole and an engaging structure. The pencil sharpening hole is defined in the cutter bracket for a pencil to be inserted into the pencil sharpening hole. The engaging structure is formed on the cutter bracket to engage a rotating frame in the electric pencil sharpener. The cutter is mounted rotatably on the cutter bracket. Accordingly, the cutter assembly is replaceable for the electric pencil sharpener when the cutter of the cutter assembly is damaged or worn.

Abstract: A shredder includes a housing having a throat for receiving at least one article to be shredded, and a shredder mechanism received in the housing and including an electrically powered motor and cutter elements. The shredder also includes a detector that is configured to detect a thickness of the at least one article being received by the throat, and a controller that is configured to operate the motor to drive the cutter elements to shred the at least one article and to set a flutter threshold higher than the predetermined maximum thickness threshold, if the detected thickness is less than a predetermined maximum thickness threshold. The controller is also configured to thereafter continuously detect the thickness of the at least one article being inserted into a throat of the shredder; and to perform a predetermined operation responsive to the thickness detector detecting that the thickness of the at least one article is greater than the flutter threshold.

Abstract: The invention concerns a vortex machine modified to intensify the vortex in the machine by installing inlet fans in addition to the main fan and modifying the configuration of the machine. Additional intensification of the vortex is achieved by introducing microwaves into the vortex machine. The vortex machine has a vortex tube, an inlet tube to the vortex tube at the inlet end, a feed inlet to the vortex tube between the inlet end and an outlet end and a fan rotor at the outlet en to draw air in a vortex through the vortex tube. An inlet fan in the inlet tube adapted to force air into the vortex tube. These modifications and additions achieve commercially viable capacities of the vortex machine in drying, grinding and process applications.

Abstract: Methods to detect when a human body contacts a predetermined portion of a machine are disclosed. The methods distinguish contact with a person from contact with other materials. The methods are particularly applicable in woodworking equipment such as table saws to distinguish contact between a person and the blade of the saw from contact between the blade and wet or green wood. The methods and woodworking equipment may include predictive blade stop algorithms that prevent unnecessary activations of a safety brake during coast down of a blade and continued protection in the event a main power switch is turned off.

Abstract: A shredder includes a housing having a throat for receiving at least one article to be shredded, and a shredder mechanism having a motor and cutter elements. The shredder also includes a detector that is configured to detect a thickness of the at least one article being received by the throat, and a controller that is configured to operate the motor to drive the cutter elements to shred the at least one article and to set a flutter threshold higher than the predetermined maximum thickness threshold, if the detected thickness is less than a predetermined maximum thickness threshold. The controller is also configured to thereafter continuously detect the thickness of the at least one article being inserted into a throat of the shredder; and to perform a predetermined operation responsive to the thickness detector detecting that the thickness of the at least one article is greater than the flutter threshold.

Abstract: A method of making frac sand having a selected grade from a naturally occurring, mined sand having a SiO2 content of at least about 80 percent and having a particle size range where the maximum particle size is less than about 8.

Abstract: Disclosed is a hand-crank pencil sharpener, comprising a housing and a gearing member and a sharpening member which are installed within the housing. The gearing member is connected to a hand crank and transmits a rotation of the crank to the sharpening member. A vertical feeding path is provided for a pencil to be inserted into the sharpening member. The hand-crank pencil sharpener further comprises a feeding member in the feeding path. The gearing member comprises a gearing branch for driving the feeding member. The inserted pencil is fed into or withdrawn from the sharpener automatically by a linkage of the gearing branch and the feeding member when the crank is rotated clockwise or counterclockwise.

Abstract: An apparatus for cutting dado cuts in a board includes a first base member that includes an adjustment for surrounding a fence. A pair of rods extend away from the first base member and are attached to a first rail. A second base member includes a pair of spaced apart holes through which each of the pair of rods passes. A locking lever is used to secure the second base member in position relative to the pair of rods. The second base member is mounted over the rods in either of two ways. Each side of the second base member provides an indication as to where and edge of the dado cut will occur in a board. The width of the dado cut is readily adjustable by urging the second member into the desired position and by actuating the locking lever.

Abstract: A cone crusher includes a stationary main shaft and an eccentric that rotates about the main shaft to cause gyrational movement of a head assembly to crush rock within a crushing gap. The cone crusher includes a counterweight assembly mounted for rotation with the eccentric. The counterweight assembly includes a counterweight body having a series of tanks. Each tank can receive either a first ballast and a second ballast or a combination thereof. The first ballast is formed from a material having higher density than the second ballast to increase the concentration of weighting in desired locations around the counterweight assembly.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device (1) for cooling a metal strip (2) between two rolling stands (3), wherein the strip (2) is led over a leading-over element (4) of a flat form and arranged under the leading-over element (4) is a spraying element (5), which directs cooling medium (7) onto the underside (8) of the strip (2) through at least one opening (6) in the leading-over element (4). To achieve an improved spray pattern, the invention provides that at least two openings (6) are introduced into the leading-over element (4), said openings being arranged next to each other in a direction transverse (Q) to the conveying direction (F) of the strip (2) and having an elongated form, wherein the longitudinal axis (9) of the opening (6) is aligned at an angle (?) with respect to the conveying direction (F) of the strip.

Abstract: A shredder includes a housing having a throat for receiving at least one article to be shredded, a shredder mechanism received in the housing and including a powered motor and cutter elements used to shred the at least one article, a detector configured to detect a presence of the at least one article being received by the throat, and a controller coupled to the motor and the detector. The controller is configured to allow a running operation of the motor responsive to the detector detecting an article being received by the throat. Also, after a predetermined amount of time, the controller may stop operation of the motor if an article is not inserted into the throat. A thickness detector may also be used in the shredder.