Abstract: A thermal center flight indicator is provided that serves glider pilots who want to gain altitude by circling in thermals. The indicator is activated when entering a thermal, indicating to a pilot a continually computed approximate position of the center of the thermal relative to the present position and heading. The pilot can iteratively improve his track, thus making better use of the thermal. The indicator comprises a computing unit and an indicator, and computes input signals from a position-fix-unit and a measuring unit for the vertical speed. The computing unit computes a product of vertical speed and position coordinates, and sums up all positive products of position coordinates and vertical speed. The computing unit forms coordinates of a thermal center by dividing the sum of all products of position coordinates and positive vertical speed by a sum of all vertical speeds.

Abstract: An apparatus for intermittently atomizing a fluid with the assistance of a gas or a mixture of gases. The apparatus includes a cylinder having a cylinder head with a valve seat and at least one flow passage, a piston driven within the cylinder by a rotating crankshaft, an injection valve having a valve head and a spring element urging the valve head into engagement with the valve seat to close the flow passage. The injection valve generally includes an actuating surface that cooperates with the piston to mechanically open the valve when the piston reaches the end of its compression stroke. As a result, the present invention delays the start of valve opening until the piston maximizes the atomizing pressure within the cylinder thereby advantageously maintaining small fluid drop sizes. Additionally, flow passages formed within or proximate to the valve head provide a corridor through which the cloud of drops enter the combustion chamber.

Abstract: An apparatus for intermittently atomizing and injecting fuel with the assistance of air. The apparatus includes a cylinder (1) having a cylinder head (4) with a valve seat (5) and at a flow passage, a piston (2) driven within the cylinder by a rotating crankshaft (3), an injection valve (6) with a valve head (14) and a spring element (7) urging the valve head (14) into engagement with the valve seat (5) to close the flow passage. The injection valve generally includes an actuating surface (12) that cooperates with the piston (2) to mechanically open the valve (6) when the piston reaches the end of its compression stroke. As a result, the present invention delays the start of valve opening until the piston maximizes the atomizing pressure within the cylinder (1) thereby advantageously maintaining small fluid drop sizes and high velocity of the spray jet. Additionally an annular gap (16) around the valve head (14) directs the spray jet centrally into the combustion chamber (10).

Abstract: Reeds for an air jet loom. Each reed has a weft insertion channel. The reed teeth are formed in such a way that they have a first region for the guide channel and a straight section for seating-up of the weft thread. The profiling of the teeth allows secondary air streams towards the base of the weft insertion channels. This improves the stability of the thread by keeping the weft closer to the base of the channel.