Abstract: A method and apparatus for delivering a predetermined amount of material into a predetermined position on each of a series of moving trays while avoiding spillage of the product onto other portions of the trays. A conveyor lifts the material from a supply bin and deposits the material onto a shaker pan. The shaker pan delivers the material in an even flow on to a rotating turntable having a plurality of radially extending gutters thereon. The turntable directs the material to flow along the gutters and into a plurality of hoppers disposed at the periphery of the turntable. The hoppers are rocked to distribute the product evenly within each hopper. Once a hopper is full, any excess material falls onto a drip tray which returns the material back to the supply bin. The filled hoppers are rotated above the trays, which are moving on a conveyor, and release the material onto a predetermined area of the trays by means of funnels mounted adjacent to each hopper.

Abstract: A pipe insulation sleeve is made of mineral wool bound by a thermosetting binder and comprising an outer insulating layer consisting of a slab of mineral wool hardened throughout, the outer layer having a plurality of radial slits taken out from its inwards-turned surface, which slits run axially and are essentially closed and originally of V-shaped form, and an inner layer of mineral wool bonded to the outer layer by a thermosetting binder and of such thickness and density that it is in itself rigid and at the same time imparts rigidity to said outer layer. The insulating sleeves according to the invention are particularly advantageous when the inner diameter is 300 mm or greater and the thickness is more than 100 mm. A method and arrangement for production of the pipe insulation sleeve is also described.

Abstract: A filling nozzle for use in filling a valve bag eliminates sifting of product during and after the filling operation. A body member, adapted for insertion into the valve sleeve, has a material passage therethrough adapted to direct a stream of product emerging therefrom through the valve. A vent is provided, connected to a first conduit, for continuously drawing a low vacuum between the nozzle and the sleeve, both during and after the filling operation, to remove any product particles there present. A second conduit is provided for introducing a high pressure blast of air into the material passage to remove any product remaining therein after a bag has been filled. Finally, a third conduit is provided for drawing a high vacuum in the material passage to remove any particles remaining therein after the filling operation has been completed.

Abstract: This tank drain cover is designed to cover and uncover the drain opening in a foldable liquid storage tank, with little loss of liquid when the liquid in one tank is transferred to a similar tank. Primarily, it consists of a flexible and water-proof flap, that will fasten over the drain opening in the tank, and velcro fastener strips or other fastener means are secured to the flap and around the drain opening through the tank, to effect the holding of the flap over the opening.

Abstract: A lock system which prevents the mixing of different kinds of oil at a gasoline tank comprises: locks for different kinds of oils provided on each of couplings constituting oil filler ports of underground tanks of the gasoline stand and each of tank base valves of a tank truck, and keys separately provided for unlocking the locks for the different kinds of oil, wherein only the lock on the couplings of the oil filler ports which accepts a selected key which unlocks the corresponding tank base valve of the tank truck can be unlocked. When one of the tank base valves is opened and an oil filler hose is connected to the oil filler port of one of the underground tanks, only the oil filler port of the underground tank containing the same kind of oil as that in the corresponding tank of the tank truck can be opened, thereby ensuring that the same kind of oil is reliably poured into the underground tank from the tank truck.

Abstract: The invention relates to improved apparatus for filling containers with liquid and/or paste substances under sterile conditions, and comprises a filler-valve (1) giving out directly into an enclosed sterile chamber (4) whose bottom-opening (5) affords access to the neck (6) of single containers (7) to be filled. Provision is made for a device (60) which lays hold on the container neck (6) when inserted into the opening (5) thus keeping the same in vertical alignment below the valve (1), and for at least one plate whose function is that of closing-off the opening (5) automatically whenever no container is offered thereto for the purpose of being filled.

Abstract: Methods and structures are provided for filling cryogenic flasks such as those used in portable, liquid oxygen therapy systems. A circular baffle plate is disposed within the flask neck near the bottom thereof and is sized to allow a narrow annular opening between the baffle edge and the flask neck wall. The liquid fill line is extended downwardly through the baffle plate, so as to discharge liquid below the plate. The baffle plate functions to provide a gas-liquid separation zone within the flask neck; to provide a radiation shield while liquid is present in the flask; and to provide a gas trap to minimize liquid venting in case of tip-over.

Abstract: An engine or gearbox oil sampling device for use with an engine or gearbox containing lubricating oil. The device includes a hand held container having a flexible tube communicating with its interior. The free end of the tube is provided with a hollow member adapted for entering an engine or crankcase oil access opening. Prior to accessing oil the pressure within the container is reduced below atmospheric pressure by connecting the flexible tube with a vacuum pump through a vacuum pump head which supports a flexible and resilient stopper for sealing the end of the tube opposite the container fluid tight after reducing the pressure therein. The stopper includes a frangible wall ruptured by the hollow tubular member as it enters the oil access opening.

Abstract: Disclosed is an accumulator for use on hydraulic brake systems. The accumulator includes a housing, a pressurization cap which is threadably connected into the housing and a resilient bulb contained within a volume between the housing and pressurization cap. The resilient bulb provides a flexible volume which can expand in response to high pressure surges and shock waves experienced by the braking system. The bulb is contained primarily within an interior cavity formed in the pressurization cap. The resilient bulb is constructed in a size and shape which causes an annular volume between the bulb and pressurization cap to be pre-pressurized when the accumulator is assembled together. The accumulator is also provided with a particularly effective sealing arrangement to prevent leakage of air and hydraulic fluid from around the bulb.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an improved apparatus for filling tanks with liquid gas. The apparatus includes a carrier for receiving tanks adapted for holding liquid gas. The carrier moves the tanks from one station to another. A filling device is provided at one station for delivering liquid gas under pressure to a tank. An apparatus identifies the amount of liquid gas in the tank after the tank leaves the filling device. A leak detector indicates whether gas is leaking from the tank after being filled.

Abstract: The invention comprises a turret type container-filling machine in which the containers are advanced to and from filling position by a continuous belt and in which the containers are metered into filling position by a pair of parallel screws shaped to engage and hold the container while the filling spout of the filling machine is being lowered to the container mouth. The containers are exited along a curved portion of the track which is canted toward the center of its curvature at an angle such that gravity neutralizes the centrifugal force engendered by the containers traveling that curvature.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for use in filling a valve bag eliminates sifting of product during the filling process. A filling nozzle is inserted into the valve of a bag to be filled. A flow of particulate material is provided through the filling nozzle and into the bag. When the bag is full, the flow of particulate material is terminated. A blast of high pressure air is then introduced into the nozzle in order to clear the nozzle of any residual particulate material therein. A low pressure blast of air is introduced between the nozzle and the filling valve to suspend any particles present in the filling valve after the nozzle has been cleard by the high pressure blast. A vacuum is introduced into the nozzle to suck any suspended particles out of the filling valve after the low pressure blast has been introduced. A boot can be inflated around the nozzle to seal the nozzle within the bag valve before filling the bag.

Abstract: A crack arrester for stopping a propagating ductile fracture in an object such as a pipe comprises a band defined by a plurality of continuous, high tensile strength, nonmetallic fibers which are wound around the object in intersecting relationship with the direction of propagation and are encapsulated in a resin matrix which is cured.

Abstract: A system for handling fluent solid material includes a material collecting hopper having a bottom provided with several discharge openings, ducts for delivering material from all the discharge openings into a transfer hopper that has one or more bottom outlets. An upright feed conduit with a feed valve is connected to each bottom outlet. If there are two or more bottom outlets at least one may connect to a bypass conduit with a bypass feed valve. A moistening chamber receives liquid at a controlled rate, and material from a feed conduit goes directly into the moistening chamber while material from a bypass conduit does not. Each conduit is provided with a material flow transducer that controls the position of the feed valve in response to the sensed volume of material flowing through the conduit so as to closely control the rate at which material flows from the conduit. Each feed valve or bypass feed valve may be closed so as to load a transport vehicle either with dry material or with moistened material.

Abstract: A pulsation damper includes a housing which bounds an internal space and two substantially coaxial openings at opposite axial ends thereof. A movable wall sealingly subdivides the internal space of the housing into a fluid-containing compartment which is supplied with the fluid whose pulsations are to be damped through one of the openings, and a gas-containing compartment which communicates with the other opening. An actuating rod is connected to the movable wall for joint movement therewith and has an extension portion which extends into the other opening and has an annular recess and forms a sealed interface with the surface bounding the other opening. Two annular channels open onto such surface at axial spacings from the recess in an equilibrium position of the movable wall.

Abstract: A system for verifying that the proper ingredient-containing transport containers have been assembled at a particular soup-blending kettle, in which a hole-coded metal key is permanently affixed to each container and provided with an array of machine-readable holes corresponding to a number unique to each container. At the ingredient-dispensing station, a key-reader reads out the identifying number of the container and transmits it to that kettle station to which the container is to be delivered. The transport container is then delivered to the kettle station, where the key code is again machine read; the container number thus read out at the kettle station is compared with that previously transmitted from the ingredient-dispensing station, and if they both represent the same number then the proper container has been delivered to the kettle station and its contents are dumped into the kettle.

Abstract: A protector for a threaded end section of a cylindrical part, such as pipe, has a tubular body having a plurality of flexible ribs projecting from a wall of the body. The ribs, in an unflexed condition, extend at an acute angle in a forward direction toward the pipe upon which the protector is placed on the threaded end section of the pipe. The body is disposed in space telescoped confronting relation to the threaded end section of the pipe to preclude circumferential and radial destructive stress between the body and the threaded end of the pipe. In one embodiment the ribs comprise first ribs engageable with the threaded end section of the pipe and second ribs located adjacent the first ribs in holding engagement with the threaded end section of the pipe.

Abstract: An integrated filling and pasteurizing apparatus comprising a filling machine and a pasteurizing machine. The pasteurizing machine having a balance tank for temporary storage of the product to be pasteurized, and a pasteurizing station coupled to receive the product from the balance tank and to deliver the pasteurized product to the filling machine. The filling machine includes a hopper coupled to receive pasteurized product from the pasteurizing station, a container-filling station connected to the output of the hopper, and drive mechanisms for sequentially delivering containers to be filled to the filling station and for sequentially moving filled containers from the filling station to a container-closure station.

Abstract: An improved reusable plug for sealing hollow cylindrical members, in particular, the jacket legs, pile sleeves, pilings, conductor pipes, or other similar members of offshore structures, the improved reusable plug comprising a packer mandrel assembly, packer member, packer setting assembly, dog locking sleeve assembly, pressure equalization plug assembly, and overshot retrieving assembly.

Abstract: A self mixing funnel according to the teachings of the present invention is shown as including an outer funnel portion and an oil retainer. The oil retainer is suspended within the outer funnel portion with its filling open end below the filling open end of the funnel portion. Oil may then be placed in the oil retainer and gasoline can be poured into the oil retainer for mixing with the oil and overflowing the filling open end of the oil retainer into the outer funnel portion for discharge therethrough. In its most preferred form, the oil retainer further includes a discharge open end having a releasably sealing stopper. An elongated rod is further provided attached to the stopper and including a float and an enlarged member. The float floats on the mixed liquid in the collection container for removing the stopper from the discharge open end of the oil retainer when a predetermined level is reached.