Abstract: A rotary type internal combustion engine having stationary stator housing and a rotor, which is rotatably mounted within the stator housing. The rotor has a thrust face, which is exposed to combusted gases within the engine. The thrust face has a variable surface area. The stator has a profiled inner surface or a contoured end cap which varies the surface area of the thrust face exposed to combusting gases and thus provides the engine with a required torque characteristic.

Abstract: A rotary engine, motor, compressor or pump having a stator housing (101) and a rotor (102). A variable volume working chamber is formed between the stator housing (101), rotor (102), thrust face (176) of moveable arm (116) and the thrust face of moveable arm (118). The surface area of thrust face (176) varies with the varying profile of the stator housing inner surface (166) as the rotor (102) rotates to provide a desired torque characteristic. The surface area of the thrust face of moveable arm (118) is constant during at least part of the working cycle.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided for monitoring the processing of a group of articles having different properties, for example differing weights and/or quality grades. The method includes the steps of obtaining information about the differing properties of the group, using this information to provide a main visual model of the property distribution within the group, and providing a first subsidiary visual model relating to the processing of a first sub-group of articles from within the group, the provision of the first subsidiary model causing a modified form of the main visual model to appear, related to the remaining articles of the group after removal of the articles forming the first sub-group. The method is particularly effective for use in monitoring the processing of poultry carcasses being conveyed in succession along a path, for sorting by weight and grade of carcass.

Abstract: An amplifier circuit with improved turn-on and turn-off transient operation includes a differential amplifier and a selectively variable reference generator for controlling the amplifier output during circuit turn-on. The amplifier has differential inputs which are driven by a reference voltage from the reference generator and a single-ended input signal. During circuit turn-on, the selectively variable reference voltage, generated by charging the bypass capacitor with a constant current source, charges in a linear manner from ground potential toward its final value of, typically, half of the power supply voltage. During circuit turn-off, the bypass capacitor is discharged with a constant current source in a linear manner toward ground potential. This allows improved turn-on and turn-off transient operation to be realized, e.g.