Abstract: A nozzle assembly for a welding torch and a welding torch including said nozzle assembly is provided. The nozzle assembly generally comprises a base defining a distal threaded portion for securing the nozzle assembly to a distal end portion of a conductor tube of the welding torch, the base defining a distal threaded portion and a nose defining a mating threaded portion adapted to engage the distal threaded portion of the base, thereby removably securing the nose to the base. The distal threaded portion may comprise tapered Edison threads or a shell thread design.

Abstract: A cooktop includes a plurality of heating elements, a user interface for inputting a power level, a detection assembly for detecting a position and size of at least one cookware element, and a control unit designed to combine a plurality of heating elements into a heating zone depending on the detected size and position of the cookware element and to operate the heating elements of the heating zone with a total heat output. In order to ensure a reproducible total heat output, the control unit is designed to calculate a bottom surface of the cookware element from the measurands of the detection assembly and to determine the total heat output depending on power level and bottom surface.

Abstract: A butt position detecting method for a weld joint, when an arrangement direction of a first member and a second member is defined as a first direction, and a direction that is perpendicular to the first direction is defined as a second direction, the first member has a corner portion and a chamfer portion, and a two-dimensional displacement sensor is arranged at a position offset from the butt portion toward the first member side in the first direction, and such that an angle ?s at which the second direction and an optical axis direction of irradiation light of the two-dimensional displacement sensor intersect with each other and an angle ?a at which the second direction and a formation direction of the chamfer portion of the first member intersect with each other satisfy a condition expression: 0°<?s<?a.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are described that use a cylindrical drum type vacuum drum and allows accurately registered, high resolution laser patterning of thin films on discrete lengths or flexible substrate material that are unwound from an unwind reel and after processing are rewound onto a rewind reel. Length compensator units are provided either side of the drum to accommodate variations in the length of the substrate due to differential rotation of the drum and the unwind and rewind reels.

Abstract: A combined fermentor and press assembly. The combined fermentor and press assembly includes a pot, container or bag having a preestablished volume “V” defined therein. A must and a future pomace being positioned in said preestablished volume “V”. A drain space “DS” defined within the preestablished volume “V” and a drain system, consisting of tubes and valves connected to a receptacle and a pump drawing a liquid from the must and the future pomace.

Abstract: An upright electric roaster and smoker having an air flow passage outside of, and adjacent to, the food heating chamber. The air flow passage has an upper inlet in the heating chamber so that air flows upwardly through the heating chamber from a bottom air inlet and subsequently flows downwardly through the air flow passage from the upper inlet of the passage to an outlet located in a lower portion of the passage.

Abstract: An optical heat exchanger and an associated system and method are provided to allow a vehicle, such as an unmanned air vehicle, a rocket or the like, to deliver more payload at a lower cost. The optical heat exchanger includes a support surface defining a plurality of tapered openings. Each tapered opening tapers from the first size proximate an outwardly facing end of the opening to a second smaller size proximate an inwardly facing end of the opening. The inwardly facing end of each tapered opening is in communication with the propellant. The optical heat exchanger also includes a plurality of lenses with each lens positioned proximate the outwardly facing end of a respective opening. Each lens is configured to receive an electromagnetic energy beam and concentrate the majority of the electromagnetic energy beam through the inwardly facing end of the respective tapered opening, thereby heating the propellant.

Abstract: A cooker hob device, in particular to an induction cooker hob device, includes at least one switching unit and at least one control apparatus. In order to obtain a high degree of efficiency, the control apparatus is constructed to automatically prompt the at least one switching unit in at least one operating cycle to switch in at least one entire first time interval using at least one switching parameter having a value which changes at least substantially continuously.

Abstract: A regulator assembly which includes a housing for accommodating at least two regulators, wherein the housing has receptacles formed therein, into which the regulators can be inserted from an open side of the housing, where each receptacle has associated therewith retaining elements, which are positioned to elastically engage side faces of the regulator to be inserted into the receptacle so that the regulator is positioned and/or fixed in the receptacle.

Abstract: The invention relates to an adjustable steam injector of the type which has an injector housing with an inlet for a product which is to be heated and an inlet for steam. The injector housing also has an outlet for the product mixed with steam. The injector also includes an injector body displaceable in the injector housing. About the front end of the injector body there are disposed concentric gaps for product and steam, respectively. The injector body has a recess in its front end. The recess has the same extent as the cross sectional surface of the injector body and has its greatest depth in the center of the injector body.

Abstract: A consumable assembly for use in an arc welding apparatus is provided that includes a nozzle assembly having a nozzle body, an insulator disposed within the nozzle body, and a nozzle insert disposed within the insulator. The nozzle insert includes an internal gas diverter. A contact tip is disposed within the nozzle assembly and includes at least one aperture extending from an exterior portion to an internal cavity, an exit orifice, a distal end face, and an exterior surface extending between the at least one aperture and the distal end portion of the contact tip. The internal gas diverter directs a flow of shield gas exiting the at least one aperture along the exterior surface of the contact tip.

Abstract: A consumable assembly for use in an arc welding apparatus is provided that includes a nozzle assembly having a nozzle body, an insulator disposed within the nozzle body, and a nozzle insert disposed within the insulator. The nozzle insert includes an internal gas diverter. A contact tip is disposed within the nozzle assembly and includes at least one aperture extending from an exterior portion to an internal cavity, an exit orifice, a distal end face, and an exterior surface extending between the at least one aperture and the distal end portion of the contact tip. The internal gas diverter directs a flow of shield gas exiting the at least one aperture along the exterior surface of the contact tip, and a principal distance from the at least one aperture to the distal end face is varied to adjust the flow of the shield gas for improved cooling.

Abstract: A nozzle assembly for a welding torch, a welding torch that includes said nozzle assembly, and a method of using the welding torch is provided. The nozzle assembly generally comprises an insulator having a plurality of grooves around an outer periphery, a plurality of sealing members disposed within the grooves of the insulator; and a nozzle body slip-fit around the insulator, such that at least one of the insulator and the nozzle body define position indicia.

Abstract: Roller board assemblies and methods of manufacture and use. A roller board assembly may include a roller board having a first roller board insert which is removably coupled to a housing and a second roller board insert which is also removably coupled to a housing. The removability of the first and second roller board inserts may allow for variation in the desired roller board insert configuration such as shape and size of grooves in the roller board, thus allowing for variation in the shape and size of the item to be rolled. A first coupler may couple the first roller board to the housing through a hole in the housing. A handle on the housing may allow a user to grip the housing and apply the motion required to roll an item.

Abstract: A retort rice meal producing system includes a pressurized steamer mechanism performing a steam heating process on raw rice under pressurizing, a steamed-rice single granulation mechanism removing surface-layer moisture from the steamed rice processed for single granulation as being conveyed by a conveyer, a quantitative filling mechanism of measuring the steamed rice subjected to single granulation for each pack and filling a container with the steamed rice, a packing mechanism further filling the steamed-rice-filled container filled with the steamed rice with at least an amount of a liquid such as a rice-cooking liquid required for soaking and moisture absorption and air for allocating a head space, and sealing the container, a soaking/moisture-absorbing mechanism reversing a package of the sealed container a plurality of times and causing the rice-cooking liquid to be absorbed into the steamed rice, and a retort sterilizing apparatus.

Abstract: A beverage server includes a removable lid with a display adapted to be viewed from a distance, the display equipped with LEDs that flash information to users with respect to a freshness and fluid level of a beverage in the server.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an induction hob with a number of induction coils (12) on a cooking surface (10) and an apparatus for determining the temperatures on the induction coils (12). The induction coils (12) are arranged on the cooking surface (10) according to a predetermined scheme. At least one temperature sensor (14, 16, 18, 20; 24, 26) is arranged within an intermediate space between two or more induction coils (12). The at least one temperature sensor (14, 16, 18, 20; 24, 26) and the central portions of at least two adjacent induction coils (12) are thermally connected by heat conductor elements (22). The temperature sensors (14, 16, 18, 20; 24, 26) are electrically connected to at least one evaluation circuit for determining the temperatures of the adjacent induction coils (12).

Abstract: A method for laser welding first and second components is provided including moving a laser beam across a portion of a surface of the first component at a speed sufficient to generate protuberances on the surface of the first component by means of a humping effect, juxtaposing said first and second components such that opposed surfaces of the first and second components are separated by said protuberances on the surface of the first component, and laser welding said first and second components by scanning the laser beam in a region in which said surfaces are separated by said protuberances. The height of the protuberances can be controlled by controlling a scanning speed of the laser beam.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for controlling the movement of liquids into and out of a container is described. The cleanable, portable, fully automated apparatus includes a main container for holding the food product, a liquid inlet container having a liquid inlet and inlet valve for controllably providing liquid into the main container and a liquid outlet container receiving liquid drained from the main container. A heater automatically heats the main container and a motor rotates or otherwise moves the main container and a receiving position for receiving fresh liquid from the inlet container to a drainage position for draining waste liquid via gravity from the main container into the outlet container. This rotation/movement of the main container can be used repeatedly to add fresh liquid and remove waste liquid during multiple fully automated cycles (e.g., sprouting, rinsing, soaking, cooking, etc.) that do not require user interaction.

Abstract: A liquid heater such as a direct electrical resistance liquid heater having multiple flow channels is provided with a temperature-sensing element in the form of a wire extending across numerous channels, preferably all of the channels, near the downstream ends of the channels. The resistance of the wire represents the average temperature of the liquid passing through all of the channels, and hence the temperature of the mixed liquid exiting from the heater. A bubble suppressing structure is provided in the vicinity of the wire.