Abstract: A system for heat-treating a coil of metal can include a furnace, an unwinding system, and a quenching system. The furnace may receive the coil of metal and elevate a temperature of the metal to be within a pre-heated temperature range, such as a homogenizing temperature range or an annealing temperature range. The unwinding system may unwind at least a portion of the coil in a heated state in which the metal is within the pre-heated temperature range or before the metal has cooled past a threshold amount below the pre-heated temperature range. The quenching system may receive the unwound portion of the coil from the unwinding device and reduce a temperature of the unwound portion to a within a quenched temperature range within a predetermined amount of time.

Abstract: A system for heat-treating a coil of metal can include a furnace, an unwinding system, and a quenching system. The furnace may receive the coil of metal and elevate a temperature of the metal to be within a pre-heated temperature range, such as a homogenizing temperature range or an annealing temperature range. The unwinding system may unwind at least a portion of the coil in a heated state in which the metal is within the pre-heated temperature range or before the metal has cooled past a threshold amount below the pre-heated temperature range. The quenching system may receive the unwound portion of the coil from the unwinding device and reduce a temperature of the unwound portion to a within a quenched temperature range within a predetermined amount of time.

Abstract: Disclosed is a cooling system (104) and method for a metal processing system (100). The cooling system (104) includes a cooling header (114), an exhaust system (118), a temperature sensor (128), and a controller (130). The cooling header (114) selectively dispenses a coolant onto a metal substrate (110), and the exhaust system (118) removes heated coolant from the metal substrate (110). The temperature sensor (128) is downstream from the cooling header (114) and detects a temperature profile of the metal substrate (110) across a width of the metal substrate. The controller (130) is communicatively coupled to the cooling header (114) and the temperature sensor (128), and the controller (130) controls the cooling header (114) based at least on a detected temperature profile.

Abstract: A system for heat-treating a coil of metal can include a furnace, an unwinding system, and a quenching system. The furnace may receive the coil of metal and elevate a temperature of the metal to be within a pre-heated temperature range, such as a homogenizing temperature range or an annealing temperature range. The unwinding system may unwind at least a portion of the coil in a heated state in which the metal is within the pre-heated temperature range or before the metal has cooled past a threshold amount below the pre-heated temperature range. The quenching system may receive the unwound portion of the coil from the unwinding device and reduce a temperature of the unwound portion to a within a quenched temperature range within a predetermined amount of time.

Abstract: A rapid quenching line can be suitable for use with hot coil at, or above the metal strip's recrystallization point. Hot coil can be uncoiled by a low tension uncoiler using a non-contacting hold-down device. The metal strip coming off the hot coil is rapidly quenched (e.g., at rates of at or above 100° C./s or 200° C./s) through multiple quenching zones. Coolant can be removed, such as with an air knife and/or a wiper (e.g., an ultra-compliant wiper). Steam can be collected from earlier quenching zones and be repurposed to provide humid air to the metal strip, such as at regions where the temperature of the metal strip is at or below the Leidenfrost point. The cooled metal strip can pass through a bridle to increase the tension in the metal strip before the metal strip is optionally lubricated and then recoiled or otherwise further processed.

Abstract: Provided herein are systems and methods for containing a viscous material, such as coolant, applied to cool a roll or a roll processed engineering material such as a metal strip. In particular, a viscous material containment system can include a housing, a viscous material delivery system, a plurality of movable seals and a plurality of gas delivery devices. A method for cooling a roll can include applying a vicious material, such as coolant, to the roll and containing the viscous material on the roll using the viscous material containment system. In some cases, the viscous material containment system can be used to facilitate removal of the viscous material from the roll.

Abstract: Provided herein are systems and methods for containing a viscous material, such as coolant, applied to cool a roll or a roll processed engineering material such as a metal strip. In particular, a viscous material containment system can include a housing, a viscous material delivery system, a plurality of movable seals and a plurality of gas delivery devices. A method for cooling a roll can include applying a vicious material, such as coolant, to the roll and containing the viscous material on the roll using the viscous material containment system. In some cases, the viscous material containment system can be used to facilitate removal of the viscous material from the roll.

Abstract: In embodiments of the invention, a tamper-evident bag includes multiple side walls, a closed bottom, and an opening defined by a top edge of the multiple side walls. A handle feature is disposed on two side walls. A pressure-sensitive adhesive strip is disposed proximate to the top edge of a first side wall. A perforation line of uniform height is disposed in the multiple side walls above the handle feature and below the pressure-sensitive adhesive strip. Methods for using and manufacturing a reusable tamper-evident bag are also disclosed.

Abstract: In variations of embodiments, a tamper-evident bag includes multiple side walls, a closed bottom, and an opening defined by a top edge of the multiple side walls; a handle feature is disposed on two side walls; a pressure-sensitive adhesive strip is disposed proximate to the top edge of a first side wall; and/or a perforation line of uniform height is disposed in the multiple side walls above the handle feature and below the pressure-sensitive adhesive strip. In variations of embodiments, methods for using and manufacturing a reusable tamper-evident bag are also disclosed.

Abstract: A personnel management system and method is disclosed. The personnel management system comprises beacons distributed around an employer facility to assist in tracking employee movement, automating punch-in and punch-out events, automating timecard record keeping, and providing navigation services within the employer facility. Detection of an employee in proximity to a particular beacon triggers a server system to log the time of the detection and update of the employee's timecard with a punch-in event, if confirmed by the employee. Similarly, detection of the employee later triggers the server system to log the time of the detection and update of the employee's timecard with a punch-out event. In some embodiments, the beacons interact with employee mobile phones via a BLUETOOTH protocol. Automation of these operations improves the accuracy and convenience of employee timekeeping while preventing some types of fraudulent behavior, thereby saving employers money.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing square bottom plastic bags designed to stand upright when opened. The bags are constructed with open tops, side handle openings and attached headers or with t-shirt style handles. The bags are produced in registered bag stacks and include means for adhering a rear surface of one bag to a front surface of a subsequent bag making the bags self-opening when used in dispensing rack. The headered bags have tear-off headers or headers with weakened areas that will rupture upon dispensing. The t-shirt bags have apertures through the handles to suspend the bags on a rack or a header attached above the handles. The bags have detachable or rupturable center tabs. The bags are registered with hot pins or cold stakes through an upper portion of the bags or bag handles. The bags have openings, microperforations, or are formed of porous material to dissipate heat or moisture.

Abstract: A square bottom plastic bag is designed to stand upright when opened. The bags are constructed with open tops, side gussets, side handle openings or with t-shirt style handles. The t-shirt bags may have apertures through the handles to suspend the bags on a rack. The bags may have detachable or rupturable center tabs. The bags may have openings, microperforations, or are formed of porous material to dissipate heat or moisture. The bags are formed from a flattened gusseted tube of polyethylene cut into bag blanks of a selected length. The blank is slit upwardly from its lower end and portions of the front and back panels and side gussets are folded and sealed to form a square, flat bag bottom.

Abstract: A t-shirt style grocery or merchandise bag pack includes a plurality of plastic bags, each having a pair of bag handles and a central tab located above the bag mouth. The bag pack is suspended from a dispensing rack by openings through the bag handles and a hanging aperture located in the central tab. The tab is designed to rupture at the hanging aperture when the bag is dispensed from the rack. The tab may have a flattened top and a pair of opposed lateral sides or it may have a rounded top. The weakened area may take the form of a cut or a notch. These weakened areas may begin at the hanging aperture or one of the lateral sides of the flattened top tab or at a point below the top most point of the rounded tab. The weakened area may also be perforation or a single opening.

Abstract: A door handle lock includes a coupling member resiliently coupling an outer knob (or outer handle) with an outer shaft rotatably secured in an outer escutcheon fastened on an outside surface of a door; and a cam rotatably defined within the coupling member and secured on a spindle which is axially connected between the outer knob and an inner knob fastened to an inside surface of the door for operatively unlocking a latch normally protruding to be locked into a door frame, whereby upon a rotation of the spindle to allow the cam to retard a centripetal depression of the coupling through an access hole formed in the outer knob to prevent from decoupling of the outer knob from the outer shaft to enhance the security of a door handle; while upon an angular rotation of the spindle to bias the cam to allow a centripetal depression of the coupling, the outer knob will be decoupled and detached from the outer shaft for an easy maintenance or assembly of the door handle lock.