Abstract: A self-cleaning, water saver shower head which will provide a maximum flow rate without regard to water pressure and which may be adjusted from a no flow condition to a fine mist to a spray to a heavy pulsating rinse stream. The device uses a cavitation inducing orifice at the inlet to the head and a second cavitation inducing set of orifices upstream of the outlet with an elongated mixing chamber therebetween. A plunger is disposed in the outlet downstream of the second cavitation inducing orifices to direct the water exiting the device against a diffuser sleeve to define the spray. Rotation of a sleeve which defines the outlet and carries the diffuser causes axial displacement of the plunger within the outlet to provide the desired spray. In an embodiment of this invention, instead of a no flow condition, a drip condition will be produced by rotating the sleeve to cause axial displacement of the plunger until a knurled flange seats at the outlet thereof.

Abstract: A spray gun for airless atomization and electrostatic deposition of a coating material upon a substrate, including a gun nozzle tip element serving to prevent arcing from the gun nozzle tip to an adjacent electrical ground. As disclosed, the airless spray gun includes a metallic nozzle tip from which atomized liquid coating material is emitted, and the thus-emitted coating material is charged by an electrode mounted on the nozzle which is electrically isolated from the metallic tip. During use of the spray gun, the metallic tip becomes charged via electrical charge conduction through the emitted atomized coating material. To prevent arcing from the charged tip to an electrical ground, a pair of resistive threads are secured in bores in the spray gun nozzle, each having a first end electrically connected to the conductive tip and a second end extending slightly beyond the nozzle.

Abstract: A quick release mechanism for a sprinkler head comprises a frangible element and a heat expansible fluid contained therein. A thermally conductive element or heat sink extends through a wall of the frangible element. A portion of the heat sink is in contact with the expansible fluid and another portion of the heat sink is disposed outside the wall. The heat sink conducts heat from the outside of the frangible element to the heat expansible fluid within so as to accelerate expansion of the fluid and rupture of the frangible element.

Abstract: Distribution members of a spreading device are disposed closely adjacent to each other. The distance between the points of closest approach of the distribution members being about two centimeters with the outside diameter of each distribution member being about thirty-five centimeters. Flow of material to each distribution member of the spreading device is controlled by a delivery member which comprises dosing plates that are independently displaceable relatively to each other and to the bottom of the device's hopper. The dosing plates and the hopper's bottom have openings which cooperate with one another in an adjustable manner which makes it possible to adjust independently the position of the delivery of material to the distribution member both in radial and circumferential directions, and to adjust the size of the openings.

Abstract: Apparatus for deflecting a high pressure jet of liquid, comprising the provision of a pair of sharp edged deflecting members secured to a nozzle member in a position such that the sharp edges of the deflecting members protrude into the jet of liquid to shape the jet to the required form. The provision of sharp edged deflecting members obviates the necessity for complex nozzle forms. The relatively simple shape of the deflecting members permits their formation from a hard material by machining or the like in an economical manner.

Abstract: A device for introducing dosed quantities of pulverized solid materials into a carrier gas stream is presented. The device is particularly suitable for injecting solid fuels into a shaft furnace during metal refining. The device comprises a housing which defines a flow chamber in the axial direction for the flow of pressurized fluid or carrier gas. The housing also has a side aperture therethrough. The side aperture is connected to a container holding pulverized materials. Coaxial inner and outer sleeves, at least one of which is capable of rotation, are located within the housing. The outer sleeve communicates with the aperture while the inner sleeve has an axial bore which provides a passage for the carrier gas. Upon rotation of a sleeve, slots provided on each sleeve will align and overlap with each other and with the aperture to define a variable sized passage between the container and axial bore whereby the pulverized material is delivered therethrough to the carrier gas stream.

Abstract: The throat configuration of a converging-diverging nozzle (16) is varied by defining a throat area (18) of the nozzle by a plurality of impinging ion beams arranged symmetrically around the throat area of the nozzle and directed toward a central point (34) within the aforementioned throat area. Each of the ion streams is independently controlled so as to permit variation in the symmetry of the throat area as well as the size thereof, and permit deflections of the fluid flow paths as well as changes in, for example, a thrust generated by a fluid stream passing through the nozzle.

Abstract: A collecting chute for collecting weighed articles discharged from an automatic weighing system divided into left and right sections. Each section has an inner article receiving portion and an outer article receiving portion. Two article discharge portions are provided side-by-side at the bottom end of each section. The left and right sections each include an upper, outer chute and a contiguous lower, outer chute, an upper, inner chute and a contiguous lower, inner chute, and a discharge chute contiguous to the lower, outer chute. The left lower, inner chute has an outlet which extends solely into the right lower, outer chute, and the right lower, inner chute has an outlet which extends solely into the left, lower outer chute, thereby communicating the left and right lower, inner chutes with the right and left discharge chutes, respectively. The upper, outer chutes and the upper, inner chutes are capable of being disassembled into plural component parts.

Abstract: An improved brake mechanism for use with roller conveyors is provided. The brake mechanism comprises a brake plate, a brake shoe and a jack mechanism for biasing the brake plate and shoe into and out of braking orientation with conveyor rollers. The brake plate is generally flat and has two rigid extensions thereon. The brake shoe is a resilient, or elastic, loop of material which is stretched between the brake plate extensions and which is securely held thereon by resiliency of the brake shoe material. The brake shoe may be rapidly and easily mounted upon, or removed from, the brake plate without the use of special tools. Preferably, the brake shoe is manufactured from surgical tubing, which generally possesses sufficient resiliency for the application and which has a high enough coefficient of friction to be effective in braking conventional conveyor rollers.

Abstract: In a fertilizer spreader having a reciprocatively swinging distributor pipe, a distributing device is secured to the front end outlet of the distributor pipe. The distributing device comprises an upper part; a bottom part forwardly upwardly inclined and upwardly bent at both sides form a pair of inclined side plates; and a front clash part provided with an opening therein and interconnecting the upper and bottom parts, whereby the discharge speed, direction and timing of the fertilizer discharged from the outlet of the distributory pipe are variously changed so as to spread the fertilizer relatively uniformly.

Abstract: A device for introducing dosed or proportioned quantities of pulverized solid materials into a carrier gas stream is presented. The device comprises a housing which defines a flow chamber in the axial direction for the flow of pressurized fluid or carrier gas. The housing also has a side aperture therethrough. The side aperture is connected to a container holding pulverized materials. Coaxial inner and outer sleeves, at least one of which is capable of rotation, are located within the housing. The outer sleeve communicates with the aperture while the inner sleeve has an axial bore which provides a passage for the carrier gas. Upon rotation of a sleeve, slots provided on each sleeve will align and overlap with each other and with the aperture to define a variable sized passage between the container and axial bore whereby the pulverized material is delivered therethrough to the carrier gas stream.

Abstract: A lawn sprinkler for a garden hose is provided and consists of a pair of oppositely extending tubular arms rotatable with respect to a tubular base member, a pair of nozzles each mounted on an arm, a device for adjusting the position of each nozzle with respect to each arm and a pair of water deflectors. Each water deflector is adjustable with respect to each nozzle to receive a jet of water obliquely for purpose of giving motion to each arm and directing the jet of water in any desired direction.

Abstract: Apparatus for spreading chaff includes brackets for mounting the apparatus beneath and rearwardly of the cleaning shoe of a combine or other grain threshing machine and separately of any straw chopping and spreading apparatus provided adjacent the straw discharge opening. The apparatus comprises a pair of fans rotatable in a horizontal plane above a base plate and upstanding walls defining housings around the fans and discharge nozzles extending to the sides of the apparatus to discharge the chaff from each fan in a sideward direction and to substantially prevent discharge of chaff rearwardly of the apparatus.

Abstract: A pressure compensated emitter for irrigation systems and the like includes a generally tubular hard plastic support body for mounting in a port or opening in an irrigation line with a flexible tubular flow control member mounted within the housing with a seal end sealingly engaging a seat in the outlet end of the housing with an inlet port extending toward the inlet opening in the housing with the flow control device being a flexible tubular member having an inlet section of a generally teardrop cross-sectional configuration of a first diameter and a tubular barrel of a second diameter of a generally cylindrical tubular cross section with the inlet section responsive to a first range of pressures and the barrel section responsive to a second range of pressures for regulating and maintaining a substantially uniform flow rate over a range of pressures.

Abstract: A rapid-acting fire suppressant valve that includes a linearly-movable poppet having a long stroke enabling the poppet to move beyond the suppressant flow stream. Poppet motion is initiated by venting a pre-pressurized piston-cylinder unit; ledge mechanism attached to the piston moves out of the poppet path to permit the valve-open action. The valve is characterized by redundant seal action during standby periods, and rapid poppet motion during the valve-opening operation.

Abstract: Improved control over the distribution pattern and the amount of fertilizer, grass seed or the like dispensed by a broadcast spreader is accomplished by mounting a variable rate control device in a material directing chute secured below a basin wall of a hopper. A web or ramp portion of the chute is spaced below a discharge port in the hopper, and the rate control device is rotatably mounted in a housing formed in the rear of the chute to engage a shutter that is slidably mounted under the discharge port.

Abstract: A normally-open, solenoid-controlled valve rapidly controls the flow of liquid between a high pressure supply and a relatively lower pressure drain. The valve includes a stationary valve-seat spindle and a cylindrical valve sleeve encircling and slidable along part of the valve-seat spindle. The valve-seat spindle is provided with an annular control edge and the valve sleeve includes a frustoconical pressure-responsive contact surface which is moved into and out of valve-closing contact with the control edge by means of axial reciprocation of the valve sleeve between valve-closed and valve-open positions. The valve-seat spindle includes a flow passage therein which is in continuous fluid communication with a high pressure fluid inlet in a valve housing and which extends to and discharges into a plenum region formed between the spindle and the sleeve adjacent to the control edge and relatively toward that part of the seat spindle along which the valve sleeve slides.

Abstract: A fluid deflecting assembly is disclosed primarily for use in an outlet port of an air conditioning unit for controlling the direction of an air flow discharged from the outlet port. The fluid deflecting assembly comprises a tubular body having a flow passage for passing a fluid flow axially therethrough, a nozzle body mounted on the tubular body and having a nozzle disposed downstream of the flow passage in a direction of the fluid flow, a restriction surface extending downstream of the flow passage in surrounding relation to the nozzle, and a guide wall surface extending downstream of the nozzle and flaring radially outwardly from the nozzle in surrounding relation thereto, and a bias flow shield disposed in the flow passage upstream of and radially outwardly of the nozzle for adjustably blocking a portion of a bias fluid flow directed by the restriction surface toward the nozzle.

Abstract: The invention relates to a high-pressure liquid installation with a pressurized water generator (10) to which a spraying device (42) is connected, while an adjustable pressure-limiting valve (14) is arranged between the pressurized water generator (10) and the spraying device (42). The pressure-limiting valve (14) is adjustable in its pressure by remote operation by electrical signals which can be generated by electrical control elements (56, 58), while a delay device (40) may be provided for surge-free pressure adjustment.

Abstract: The speed of a pallet as it descends down a pair of inclined rails in a flow rack is controlled by a series of speed-control wheels mounted on axles fastened to frame members located underneath the pallet. A tapered roller bearing is interposed between each axle and wheel to mount the wheel for combined rotary motion and axial motion. Brake pads are mounted on the frame member for engaging a braking surface on the wheel as it moves axially in response to the pallet load. The brake pads apply friction to the wheel for slowing the speed of the pallet. A bar is provided adjacent the lower end of each rail for engaging the speed control wheels on the pallets to increase the axial pressure thereon and to increase friction for arresting the pallets and separating the same.