Abstract: A gas distribution manifold arrangement and methods for the gas precharge of a plurality of associated hydropneumatic hydraulic accumulators. Each accumulator receives, as by an elastic bladder in the accumulator, a precharge of a pneumatic fluid such as nitrogen. Each accumulator has a corresponding gas inlet valve through which pneumatic fluid is admitted to the accumulator. A hollow gas manifold is provided and a separate conduit connects the corresponding gas inlet valve of each accumulator through a corresponding selector valve on the manifold to the interior of the manifold. With the gas inlet valve of each accumulator open, and all of the selector valves on the gas manifold open, charging gas admitted to the gas manifold flows in parallel paths to apply an equal gas precharge to all accumulators.

Abstract: A machine to insert and stake rivets in a flexible sheet is disclosed. The machine includes a riveting punch and an associated anvil and, in cooperation therewith a clamping device having parts which float relative to the riveting punch and the anvil so that during insertion and staking of the rivet, the sheet, and more particularly the opening in the sheet for receiving the rivet can be adequately supported at a variety of distances relative to the midpoint between the riveting punch and anvil. The clamping device includes a frame carried by the punch and a sleeve carried by the anvil which cooperate to clamp the flexible sheet; and the frame and sleeve are resiliently associated with the punch and the anvil such that portions of the riveting motion of the press will cause clamping prior to riveting.

Abstract: A cartridge-type powder actuated piston tool with automatic cartridge feed by gravity and manual fastener feed. The tool is designed specifically for the setting of fasteners to secure insulating board to ingot mold walls.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for removing form sand from a casting box and for comminuting and sand clods formed by the sand removed from the box, in which the casting box is placed on a grate having two grate portions, preferably tiltable about spaced tilting axes between a first position, in which the grate portions are located in a common substantially horizontal plane for receiving a filled casting box on its upper surface, and a second position in which the two grate portions extend upwardly inclined from a center line of the grate.

Abstract: A power-actuated tool for fastening insulation plates to ingot mold surfaces. The tool includes a cocking foot which reciprocates with respect to the tool breech. Reciprocation of the cocking foot cocks the firing pin and opens and closes an ammunition loading window. A double sear is provided so that the tool cannot be air-fired.

Abstract: To load fastening elements into the muzzle end of the barrel in an explosive powder driven setting gun, a tubular shaped feeding device is pivotally connected to the housing of the gun for movement between a first position where a fastening element can be inserted into the feeding device and a second position where the tubular shaped feeding device is aligned with the muzzle end of the barrel. An ejector is movably positioned in the feeding device for inserting a fastening element into the muzzle end of the barrel. The feeding device includes a member which prevents displacement of the barrel into the firing position when the feeding device is in the second position.

Abstract: A system for pulverizing waste food and converting it into dried animal feed in which the waste food is first passed through a cylindrical chopper comprising a pivotally mounted hammer on a rotating plate which operates in relationship to a fixed cylindrical surface of lands and grooves, and thereafter, the food is passed between horizontally arranged and relatively rotating sets of lands and grooves. The material is then passed to a buffer storage tank where it is agitated to maintain consistency, and thereafter, in a constant flow provided to a rotating drum-type dryer where the material is dried and formed into flakes having a moisture content of 10 to 14 percent.

Abstract: A system for measuring and regulating the grinding space between two metallic grinding discs and to prevent direct contact therebetween; one of the discs being rotated while the other one remains stationary to grind therebetween fibrous cellulosic material, such as moisture-containing wood chips, for pulp making. One of the discs is electrically insulated from the other parts of the system and is included in an electric circuit with the positive and negative terminals connected to the disc at points electrically insulated from one another and the moisture in the wood chips collected in the grinding space is used to produce a conductive cell, such as an electrolytic variable resistance, which bridges the two terminals and closes the circuit. The resistance of the cell which varies in response to fluctuations in the grinding space is measured by an ammeter or similar measuring device which thus gives a reading of the width of the grinding space.

Abstract: A plant for the cryogenic comminuting of materials which are resilient, th or difficult to comminute at room temperature, in particular rubber and plastic material, wherein the comminuting means, the charging hopper and the feeding means for the material to be comminuted are all contained within one and the same insulated enclosure, said enclosure being in communication with the outside only over calibrated adjustable openings defining a given outflow of gas, a cryogenic liquid is introduced in the comminuting means in a quantity that is variable according to the minimum optimal temperature required in the mill for any specific comminuting operation.

Abstract: An automatic means for the attachment of spring clips to wooden frame members of furniture which clips serve in the attachment of springs to the frame. The clips are preformed in long coiled strips and are fed therefrom into a pneumatic driving tool which separates individual clips from the strip and drives their pointed ends into the frame members at controlled spaced intervals as the frame member is fed past the driving tool.

Abstract: A piston for driving tacks comprises a magazine that holds a series of tacks preferably interconnected in a strip by individual casings that are detachably interconnected in side-by-side relation in the strip. As the strip advances through the magazine, the casings each containing an individual tack, are severed from the strip by a reciprocating driver which grips and advances the tack and casing and drives the tack, and then retracts to the initial position where the advancing strip forces the empty casing from the driver in the direction of strip advance. The driver has a projection thereon that contacts and ejects this empty casing upon the next advance of the driver. The gun is recocked by pneumatic recoil.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for pulverizing material into comminuted particles in which at least three rollers are mounted for rotation and maintained in contact with the material on a grinding ring. The rollers are suspended in a manner to allow the rollers to swivel about respective vertical axes perpendicular to their respective axes of rotation.

Abstract: A sample preparation device comprising a wet mill having a lower discharge opening for discharging crushed wet material from the mill. A continuous flow centrifuge is arranged at a lower level than the mill. Flow means provide a direct communication between the discharge opening and the centrifuge for the direct transfer of the crushed wet material from the mill into the centrifuge.

Abstract: A solid waste pollution control process for the dry recovery and restoration of 100% recycled paper pulp, machine cleaned confetti thrashed paper, fibrous fuels, plastic materials and construction aggregates from "solid municipal refuse", consisting of municipal household garbage, household yard trash, and commercial trash from supermarkets and retail establishments, condominiums, apartments, offices and warehouses. The solid municipal refuse is automatic machine sorted, machine chopped and thrashed and machine and air cleaned and is subjected to specific gravity and ballistics separation to recover the confetti thrashed paper while eliminating and rejecting from this confetti thrashed paper the loose, soft, decayed, wet and extraneous matter including high density particles and abrasive materials, such as metal particles, grit and glass such that this extraneous matter and materials are separated into fibrous fuels and construction aggregates.

Abstract: Procedure for preparing hot groundwood from wood chips, wherein a chip stream is conducted into a pressurized steaming chamber, where the chips stay a few minutes and are heated to a temperature higher than 100.degree. C., and from the steaming chamber through a sluice feeder into a hot grinder of enclosed construction, i.e. the stage I grinder, when the pre-ground groundwood is conducted through a separating cyclone into a stage II grinder, the groundwood derived herefrom being conducted towards further treatment steps. The pre-ground groundwood is conducted from the steam separating cyclone through a sluice feeder into the stage II grinder. The stage II grinding is carried out in a hot grinder of enclosed construction.

Abstract: An auger feed granulator having a cutting chamber, the cutting chamber having a rotating knife assembly which traces a cutting circle which intersects the envelope defined by the auger. The rotating knife assembly engages and removes material carried into the cutting chamber by the auger. The knife assembly axis is offset from the auger axis. Stationary knives are provided adjacent the rotating knife assembly, as well as a removable screen having a selected mesh size which coacts with the rotating knives to determine the granule size of the material which exits from the machine. The screen is mounted on one side of the granulator and preferably has a radius of curvature the same as the radius of the circle traced by the rotating knife assembly. Lastly, the granulator is mounted on a base provided with a jack screw for tilting the granulator to any desired position without changing the relationship of the working parts of the granulator to each other.

Abstract: For inserting sticks into wieners or other articles, the apparatus includes: a wiener holder having an array of side-by-side wiener chambers; a stick box including an array of side-by-side feed grooves aligned with the wiener chambers; a push rod assembly including an array of side-by-side push rods for pushing the sticks from the feed grooves into the wiener chambers; and a power mechanism for reciprocating the push rod assembly. The stick box includes means for supporting and guiding respective stacks of sticks for each feed groove. The feed grooves are T-shaped in cross-section having a bar portion for accommodating flat sticks in free sliding relation; and the grooves accommodating push rods having a corresponding T-shaped cross-section for free sliding, reciprocating movement in the feed grooves. The push rods are held in a push bar with a clearance fit for self-guidance through these grooves.

Abstract: A method of breaking up and separating waste glass with use of a lattice comprising a grizzly made up of parallel bars arranged at a spacing smaller than the minimum width of projection of three-dimensional extraneous matter and auxiliary parallel bars disposed over one surface of the grizzly and arranged at right angles to the bars, the diagonal dimension of the openings of the lattice being smaller than the maximum width of projection of planar extraneous matter, the method being characterized by dropping the waste glass onto the grizzly surface of the lattice to break up the waste glass under gravity and to separate the waste glass into an undersize portion passing through the lattice and an oversize portion, and repeatedly subjecting the oversize portion to the aforesaid operation to obtain cullet as an undersize material and to remove the extraneous matter from the waste glass as an oversize material.

Abstract: In known processes and known apparatus for mechanical separation of a combination of meat and bone into useful fractions, the combination is conveyed as by a screw through a screen, which constitutes a portion of an elongated cylindrical conduit, and softer components are expressed through the screen, while harder components are contained by the screen.

Abstract: A pneumatic fastener driving tool includes a safety arrangement that requires the tool to be placed against a workpiece before a manual trigger valve is operated in order to permit the tool to fire. Once the tool is placed against the workpiece the safety arrangement prevents "touch" firing by moving the tool toward and away from the workpiece. In two embodiments, the safety arrangement includes a piston valve which is fluid operated to close off a control line to the main valve of the tool whenever the trigger is operated before the tool is placed against a workpiece and when an attempt is made to "touch" fire the tool with the trigger held operated. In a third embodiment, metering orifices in a valve actuated by moving the tool against a workpiece prevent repeated "touch" operation of the tool.