Abstract: A spline rolling rack assembly for cold-forming external surface configurations upon a metal workpiece is provided, having a durable carriage of the type secured upon a reciprocating slide assembly, a perishable rack insert that is removably secured upon the carriage, a locating key disposed between the rack insert and the carriage for properly aligning the rack insert upon the carriage, a locating assembly disposed upon the carriage and engageable with the rack insert for assisting in properly aligning the rack insert and the carriage between load and work positions, and multiple clamping assemblies disposed within said carriage for releasably securing the rack insert upon the carriage. The perishable rack insert is designed for quick and convenient replacement, reducing maintenance cost and idle time for these devices. The single-use insert relieves inventory burden and ensures that replacement tools are ordered in a timely manner.

Abstract: A press has an upper traverse, a lower traverse below the upper traverse, and vertical frame elements extending between the traverse, fixing same together against relative movement, and forming a rigid frame with the upper traverse and lower traverse. A central traverse is vertically reciprocal on the elements between the upper and lower traverses. A workpiece is fed horizontally through the press between the upper traverse and the central traverse. A stationary support is provided adjacent the frame, and the frame is supported for at least limited vertical movement relative to the support. A drive connected between the support, the frame, and the central traverse vertically reciprocates the frame and the central traverse relative to the support.

Abstract: A juice extractor includes an extractor frame, at least one inner side panel that divides the interior into a product material area and a drive mechanism cavity. An orifice beam includes an end extending through a beam opening in the inner side panel. An orifice tube is carried by the orifice beam and received within a strainer tube, which is mounted to receive juice and pulp as extractor cups engage together. A drive mechanism is positioned within the drive mechanism cavity and reciprocates the orifice beam to move the orifice tube within the strainer tube. A seal at the orifice beam and the beam opening prevents juice and peel from entering the drive mechanism cavity during extractor operation.

Abstract: A juice press as used in the production of wine for removing liquids from solids, having a horizontally positionable press frame that allows a vertical press mechanism to be rolled to a first position for interference-free loading of a press basket with material to be pressed, and then rolled to a second operating position located over the press basket. The press basket has a liquid channeling plate having an arrangement of holes and channels that creates a perimeter seal along a circumference at the bottom of a loaded press basket. The liquid channeling plate traps naturally occurring sludge along the circumference bottom and allows for efficient evacuation of extracted juice from the bottom of the basket as the press mechanism is operated.

Abstract: A pulpifier includes a holder having a compartment and a rear handle. A perforated screen is located in the compartment. A presser extends into the compartment and moves towards the screen. A front clamp extends from the holder for affixing the holder to a vessel supporting the pulpifier.

Abstract: A refuse bin comprises a refuse container (10) having a top opening (12) and a lid (14) hinged relative to the container to cover the opening. A compacting mechanism is fitted to the lid and comprises a compacting plate (22) mounted under the lid and an actuating rod (24) coupled to the compacting plate through an aperture (26) in the lid. The coupling is such that the rod (24) may be maneuvered from a storage position wherein the rod lies across the top surface of the lid and the plate is drawn up under the lid to an operative position wherein the rod stands upright over the aperture in the lid and may be pushed downwardly through the aperture to push the plate down into the container. The compacting mechanism further comprises a ratchet mechanism (50, 52, 54) for releasably locking the actuating rod (24) against movement upwardly through the aperture in the lid such that refuse in the container can be compacted by force applied to an edge (48) of the lid opposite the hinge.

Abstract: Tires are packaged in a stack by positioning the tires on a packaging device having a set of parallel alignment rollers such that the rollers contact the treads of the tires to orient the tires as a stable stack, with the respective center axes of the tires being substantially parallel to the axes of the rollers. At least one of the rollers is rotated to rotate all of the tires in the stack about their respective center axes to align the center axes of all of the tires with a longitudinal axis of a cylinder defined by the stack. After stopping the rotation, the stack is compressed in the axial direction while the alignment of the tire axes with the cylinder axis is maintained. One or more bands are then wrapped around the stack while maintaining the compression. Then the compression is released to release the stack which remains restrained by the bands.

Abstract: A pressing apparatus using a motor, in which a fast feed drive lowers an upper die to a position immediately before pressing, and a motor for pressing performs a pressing operation. The fast feed drive and the motor for pressing operate cooperatively, and only one position detector, which detects a present position of a slider, is provided for a set of the fast feed drive and the motor for pressing.

Abstract: A food masher includes a support frame having an opening, a hopper having a perforated floor, received detachably by the support frame within the opening, a handle extending from the support frame, a lever extending pivotally from the support frame, and a plunger attached to the lever and extending into the hopper.

Abstract: A method and a system for displaying images are provided. In the method, a pixel is provided that includes a layer of ferroelectric material and a layer of liquid crystal material. A first electric field is momentarily applied to the pixel to electrically polarize the ferroelectric layer to a first polarization. The first polarization is then used to maintain the liquid crystal material in a first orientation corresponding to a first apparent brightness of the pixel.

Abstract: A cotton receiver of a cotton harvesting machine including a floor and opposing side walls defining a cotton compacting chamber, each of the side walls including a plurality of spaced apart perforations therethrough for passage of air from the chamber, and a door enclosing an end of the chamber. The receiver includes compacting apparatus for compacting cotton into a compacted body which will have a sideward shape and extent at least generally defined by the opposing side walls, the door being openable to allow removal of a compacted body of cotton from the chamber through the end. The opposing walls are tapered divergingly toward the end such that when a compacted body is removed from the chamber through the end, cotton protruding into the performations will be released.

Abstract: A package pacer is configured for use with an automatic strapping machine having a strap chute through which strap material is fed and from which strap material is tensioned onto a package. The strapping machine has an in-feed conveyor defining a plane and is configured to automatically move a package into a packaging region bounded by the chute. The pacer includes a frame that is mountable to the strapping machine. A plurality of rollers are mounted to the frame in a stationary plane about coplanar with the in-feed conveyor plane. The rollers extend forwardly of the strapping machine and permit conveyance of the package therealong and onto the in-feed conveyor. A pacing element is movable between a stop position in which the pacer element is out of the in-feed conveyor plane and interferes with movement of the package onto the in-feed conveyor and a feed position in which the pacing element resides about coplanar with the planar stationary rollers and the in-feed conveyor.

Abstract: A refeed system for use in a strapping machine for feeding a strapping material around a load, positioning, tensioning and sealing the strapping material around the load. The refeed system refeeds strapping material into feed elements. The refeed system includes a driven, rotatable boost wheel having a first diameter when in a stationary mode and a second, larger diameter when in a second, rotating mode and an idler element opposite of the boost wheel. When the boost wheel is in the stationary mode, a first gap is defined between the boost wheel and the idler element to permit the free conveyance of strap through the gap and when the boost wheel is in the second rotating mode a strap, positioned in the gap is engaged by the boost wheel and is conveyed through the gap.

Abstract: A binding device for use on a cylindrical baling press that includes two binder dispensing mechanisms guided in a frame and which move transverse to a baling chamber of the baling press. Each binder dispensing mechanism further includes a binder advancing device having a drive wheel in rolling engagement with a drive mechanism configured to cause the drive wheel to rotate. The drive mechanism of the binder advancing mechanism is configured separately from a drive device of the binder dispensing mechanisms. Binding material is dispensed by the movement of the binder dispensing mechanisms and/or the movement of the drive device.

Abstract: A wine press for use in particular, but not exclusively, for pressing grapes for producing champagne. It is horizontal and includes an open-work base and pressing mechanisms formed of at least an axially mobile tray. The pressing mechanisms have a configuration adapted, during pressing, to shape the marc cake into a block so that at least a portion thereof is cantilevered by the simple removal of one at least of the pressing mechanisms, so that the portion can collapse into the chamber of the press onto the open-work base.

Abstract: A cotton receiving and densification apparatus for an upper region of a cotton module builder adapted for receiving a plurality of side-by-side flows of cotton and air and converging and densifying the cotton for distribution and conveyance downwardly into the module builder, including a cotton receiving chamber which tapers into a cotton densification chamber, both chambers being located above and downwardly opening into an upper region of a cotton compacting chamber of the module builder, the apparatus being capable of remaining intact when the module builder is collapsed for transport and storage.

Abstract: A screw press (1) for pressing fibrous material, in particular sugar beet pulp, comprising: at least one pair of helical elements (30) which are disposed mutually parallel and side by side and comprise at least one helix (32, 33) disposed about a rotary shaft which extends along a predetermined axial direction; a perforated walled filtering cage (5) supported by equidistant hoops (13, 14) and enclosing the helical elements (30) as an exact fit; a loading hopper (8); a discharge opening (9) for the exit of the pressed material; a collection sump (10) positioned externally to the filtering cage (4); in which the filtering cage (5) presents a modular structure having a distance between the axes of each module (M) which is constant and is a sub-multiple of, or equal to, the dimension of the loading hopper (8) measured along the predetermined axial direction, the loading hopper (8) being shiftable by its replacing one or more modules (M) of the filtering cage (5).

Abstract: A strapping machine feeds strapping material around a load, positions, tensions and seals the material around the load. The machine includes a work surface, a portion of which is upwardly pivotal. A conveyor mounted within the work surface has a friction belt drive. The conveyor roller closest to the strap chute has a middle portion that has a smaller diameter than the end portions. The middle portions are fitted together to rotate as a unitary element. A load compression assembly is mounted at the strap chute. A side squaring assembly aligns the load in the direction transverse to the load direction. A strap guide extends between a pre-feed assembly and the feed assembly and includes a fixed portion and a movable portion forming a guide path that is opened to access the guide path. An interlocked enclosure is mounted to the machine frame below the work surface to access the sealing head and the feed assembly.

Abstract: A juicer composed of: a housing provided to receive a rotatable element for extraction of juice; an arm that is mounted to the housing to pivot about an axis with respect to the housing; a pressing element for pressing a fruit half against the rotatable element; and a pivot element mounting the pressing element to the arm to pivot about a pivot axis with respect to the arm.

Abstract: A combination can crushing and retrieving device having a circular or tubular housing containing a plunger and having a rectangular opening in its side wall. The housing has a knife-edged slightly concave indent on the bottom of the housing opposite the rectangular opening, which indent generally conforms to the arch section of the necked down portion of a beverage can. When the concave indent is placed on the lip of a can laying on its side and forced down the can will “snap” upright, through the rectangular opening and into the housing. The can is then retained in the housing around the necked down portion by a foam/rubber lining located at the lower inside end of the housing. Then the weighted plunger is forced down onto the can, crushing the can and expelling any fluids remaining inside the can through the drinking opening. The can may then be ejected from the device by pressing an ejector rod.