Abstract: A microfibrous sorbent article is provided. The microfibrous sorbent article comprises an elongate boom having a substantially oval cross-section. The boom is formed of multiple adjacent microfibers layers, the layers being bonded to each other by entanglement of fibers between adjacent layers. Also provided is a method for making the microfibrous sorbent article.

Abstract: A detaping machine is provided for removing parts from a reel of sealed pocket tape, with minimum handling of such parts. The machine has a spindle on which the sealed pocket tape is mounted. The pocket tape includes a carrier tape portion and a cover tape portion. The carrier tape is fed into the detaping machine in an inverted position; and it is guided on an upper track of the machine. The cover tape is wound on a take-up reel located beneath the upper track. As the cover tape is wound, the carrier tape is driven on the upper track between guide flanges. An aperture is located in the upper track, and it is sized to permit devices, located in the inverted pockets of the carrier tape, to drop through to a second guide track located beneath the aperture. The devices in the second guide track then may be repackaged in carrier tubes or the like, without damaging the leads and without manual handling.

Abstract: A liquid separator apparatus to extract liquid, usually water, from a water-solids mixture. The apparatus includes liquid separator device with a housing with an inlet and an outlet separated by a liquid extraction chamber. The housing sidewalls defining the extraction chamber are porous, and are preferably comprised as a plurality of spaced apart slats. The slats can be movable inwardly and outwardly relative to the housing in order to vary the volume of the extraction chamber. A transfer pipe has an outlet end connected to the inlet of the separator device. The transfer pipe is closed-walled and has an inlet end connectable to a solids material moving apparatus such as a solids pump for movement of a water-solids mixture through the transfer pipe into the liquid separator device. A source of air under pressure such as an air compressor introduces compressed air into a side wall of the transfer pipe to accelerate removal of water from the water-solids mixture.

Abstract: Integrated circuit parts to be loaded are guided down an inclined ramp in a guideway for gravity feeding into a storage and transport tube. A tube holder member is attached to the bottom of the ramp; and it has an aperture through it for receiving a tube to be loaded. A blocking device, in the form of a lever arm, is attached to the tube holder member, and extends into the guideway through which the integrated circuit devices travel. When a tube is inserted into the tube holder member, a projection on the lever arm is engaged by the end of the tube to move the lever arm out of engagement with the guideway or any integrated circuit parts in it. When the tube is full of parts, it is removed from the tube holder member and the lever arm drops into place to either rest on the top of the next integrated circuit part in line or to fall into the guideway to prevent further movement of parts into the tube holder member.

Abstract: The invention relates to an air cleaner comprising a generally bell-shaped air cleaner housing and a generally frustoconical filter positioned concentrically within the housing. The housing has an air inlet at its small end and an air outlet at its large end for the flow of air generally axially into and out of the housing. The filter has a filter element coaxially juxtaposed the interior surface of the housing. The filter element is generally annular and has an upstream portion and a downstream portion. The downstream portion of a member supportably engages the upstream portion of the filter element. The upstream portion of the filter element has a diameter larger than the diameter of the member downstream portion. The member blocks the flow of air into the interior of the filter element and directs air axially along the exterior of the filter element. A downstream annular support piece engages the downstream end of the filter element.

Abstract: A sanitary material moving pump having a ram mounted for rreciprocal movement in a pumping chamber. An elongte tubular housing is connected at one end to the ram for purposes of reciprocal movement of the ram to move material through the pumping chamber. A piston shaft is mounted in stationary relationship relative to the pumping chamber in alignment with the design pumping axis of the pumping chamber. The end of the housing opposite the ram extends outward of the pumping chamber and is installed on the working end of the piston shaft. A piston is mounted on the inside end of the piston shaft. Hydraulic fluid lines communicate with opposite sides of the piston to reciprocate the housing on the piston shaft and the ram in the pumping chamber. Apparatus is provided for correctly adjusting the alignment of the hydraulic power unit to be as coincident as possible with the design pumping axis of the machine.

Abstract: A flow controlling system having a viscosity sensitive means for producing a simulated fluid pressure which varies in correspondence with a fluid pressure at a predetermined portion of a fluid flow circuit on the basis of the viscosity of the fluid flowing through the circuit, and a pressure regulating means, that is responsive to changes in the simulated pressure, for maintaining a predetermined pressure at that predetermined portion of the fluid flow circuit. In particular, in a preferred embodiment of the invention, the flow controlling system is utilized in an engine timing control tappet system of the type having at least one expansible tappet for controlling timing of a fuel injector using oil that is supplied by a pump to an engine lubrication circuit.

Abstract: A liquid separator to extract liquid, usually water, from a water-solid mixture. The liquid separator has a housing with an inlet and an outlet separated by a liquid extraction chamber. The housing sidewalls defining the extraction chamber are porous, and are preferably comprised as a plurality of spaced apart rails or slats. The spacing between the rails provides a porosity for extraction of water. The rails are movable inwardly and outwardly relative to the housing in order to vary the volume of the extraction chamber. Bias means are provided that normally bias the rails inwardly of the chamber. A water-solids mixture is pumped through the chamber and tends to expand the chamber against the force of the biasing means. The combination of effects upon the subject mixture is to cause water extraction through both the squeezing by the slats and the friction occassioned by the dewatering of the subject mixture.

Abstract: A feed conveyor having reciprocating sidewalls to move the feed along and distribute it about a feed bunk. The conveyor has elongated substantially parallel sidewalls arranged lengthwise of and above the feed bunk. The sidewalls move toward one another to capture feed between them, then move forward to advance the feed along the bunk while holding it by friction. The sidewalls then are moved apart to release the feed and move back to the starting position. One sidewall can be driven while the other trails. The sidewalls can be laterally inclined to form a truncated V-shaped open bottom trough to advance the feed. The sidewalls are connected together by inverted U-shaped pins such that the trailing sidewall follows the driven sidewall.

Abstract: A material moving apparatus, and in particular, a material moving pump such as a manure pump. The pump includes a pumping chamber defined by interior chamber walls, and a piston or ram mounted for reciprocation in the chamber. The ram has side walls generally in conformance with the shape formed by the interior walls defining the chamber. The side walls of the ram are slotted or provided with grooves which induce turbulence in fluid flow between the side walls of the ram and the interior walls of the chamber to inhibit backflow of material from a position in front of the ram to a position behind the ram. The pump thus operates efficiently to pump material of low viscosity or material of low density.

Abstract: A combination muffler and catalytic converter for an exhaust system. The unit comprises an outer housing having an inlet to receive exhaust gases, and a venturi is located within the housing and provides an aspirating effect to draw air into the housing from the atmosphere for the catalytic conversion. The venturi includes a diverging conical outlet section, and the gases are discharged from the outlet section through a plurality of perforations which aids in obtaining a uniform distribution of the gases to the catalytic unit that is located centrally of the housing. After passing through the catalytic unit, the gases are discharged from the housing through a discharge pipe having a closed inner end and perforations in its wall through which the gases flow. The perforated discharge pipe provides a self-controlling system which prevents overheating of the catalyst.

Abstract: A handling system to move material and particularly manure from a collection area to a holding or storage station. The manure handling system includes a manure pump assembly having a hopper mounted over a pump housing which defines a triangularly shaped pumping chamber. An outlet valve located at the end of the chamber is urged closed by a rubber spring internally connected in the chamber. A triangular ram or piston shaped to conform to the shape of the chamber reciprocates in the pumping chamber to push manure delivered from the hopper past the outlet valve to a discharge pipe leading to a holding station. Means are provided for heating the discharge pipe and the pumping chamber, thus to permit year-round and above-ground use of the system.