Abstract: Mantle lifting device (10) has a body (26) configured to selectively engage and disengage an opening (24) of a mantle (12) by rotation in respective opposite directions about a central axis (28) of the body (26). The body (26) is provided with a lifting point (30) which is configured to couple with a lifting device such as a crane (not shown). The body (26) is in the general form of a plug having an upper surface (34) and an opposite surface (36) and tapered circumferential surfaces (38 and 40). The surface (40) is provided with indicia (43) commencing at a distance d on the surface (40) below the edge (42). This is used to indicate safe or unsafe lifting conditions. The indicia (43) being visible when the device (10) is engaged with the mantle (12) is an indication that the mantle (12) is worn to the extent that it may not be safe to lift the mantle (12) by way of the device (10), or at least not without additional safety precautions being taken.

Abstract: Mantle lifting device (10) has a body (26) configured to selectively engage and disengage an opening (24) of a mantle (12) by rotation in respective opposite directions about a central axis (28) of the body (26). The body (26) is provided with a lifting point (30) which is configured to couple with a lifting device such as a crane (not shown). The body (26) is in the general form of a plug having an upper surface (34) and an opposite surface (36) and tapered circumferential surfaces (38 and 40). The surface (40) is provided with indicia (43) commencing at a distance d on the surface (40) below the edge (42). This is used to indicate safe or unsafe lifting conditions. The indicia (43) being visible when the device (10) is engaged with the mantle (12) is an indication that the mantle (12) is worn to the extent that it may not be safe to lift the mantle (12) by way of the device (10), or at least not without additional safety precautions being taken.

Abstract: A jaw assembly for a jaw crusher is disclosed where the assembly comprises a jaw stock (12), a wear plate (16), and a fastening device in the form of a bolt (34) with a square head (42) at one end and a washer (56) and fastening nut (52) positioned at an end opposite to the one end. The bolt (34) extends between the jaw stock (12) and the wear plate (16). The fastening device (34, 42, 56, 52) is operative to adopt a clamped configuration where the device provides a clamping force along a fastening axis to clamp the wear plate (16) at the jaw stock (12), and a released configuration where the fastening device does not prevent the wear plate (16) from being separated from the jaw stock (12). The fastening device (34, 42, 56, 52) is accessible from a direction that is transverse to that fastening axis, to enable the device (34, 42, 56, 52) to be changed from its clamped configuration to its released configuration.

Abstract: A jaw assembly for a jaw crusher is disclosed where the assembly comprises a jaw stock (12), a wear plate (16), and a fastening device in the form of a bolt (34) with a square head (42) at one end and a washer (56) and fastening nut (52) positioned at an end opposite to the one end. The bolt (34) extends between the jaw stock (12) and the wear plate (16). The fastening device (34, 42, 56, 52) is operative to adopt a clamped configuration where the device provides a clamping force along a fastening axis to clamp the wear plate (16) at the jaw stock (12), and a released configuration where the fastening device does not prevent the wear plate (16) from being separated from the jaw stock (12). The fastening device (34, 42, 56, 52) is accessible from a direction that is transverse to that fastening axis, to enable the device (34, 42, 56, 52) to be changed from its clamped configuration to its released configuration.

Abstract: An additive material is applied to a substrate, such as a paper web used as a wrapping material for cigarette manufacture. A predetermined pattern of additive material is applied to the outer surface of the wrapping material of a formed cigarette, and most preferably of a formed filtered cigarette. In particular, an application system for applying additive material of a controlled type, in a controlled manner and in a controlled location on the wrapping material of a formed two-up filtered cigarette rod is located within a tipping machine. During controlled rotation of each such formed rod (e.g., due to cooperation of a transfer drum and a laser cam), additive material is applied to the outer surface of a desired location of the wrapping material of each such rod.

Abstract: A novel isolated nucleic acid which corresponds to a gene located on human chromosome 2p21-16.3 is provided, and a polypeptide encoded thereby, together with mouse and chicken orthologs. The encoded polypeptides share a PGECCPLP motif and include an insulin-like growth factor binding domain, cysteine-rich repeats, an RGD motif and transmembrane domain, and interact with members of the transforming growth factor superfamily. The nucleic acids of the invention, and polypeptides encoded thereby, may be useful in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases including eye defects, neurodegenerative diseases, renal and kidney disease, bone and tooth abnormalities, wounds and skin damage.

Abstract: An amusement apparatus simulating the game of football is provided. The apparatus includes a simulated playing field, a deck of cards bearing instructions for offensive football plays of designated types, a toy football made of soft material such as foam rubber, and a receiving figure. The receiving figure is formed of a flat vertical member, a base to which the flat upright member is attached and a receiving receptacle attached to the forward side of the vertical member. The receiving receptacle is of a size sufficiently large to receive the football and has enclosed side bottom and forward sidewalls and an open top.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for reclaiming tobacco from cigarettes is disclosed. The apparatus and method include a cigarette pack opener and a method of opening cigarette packs wherein the packs are conveyed by an endless conveyor along a path of travel having an arcuate portion and a linear portion. The packs are inputted to the conveyor at the arcuate portion where a pair of circular cutting knives are arranged to cut off the end panels of the pack. The packs are then conveyed to the linear portion of the path where pusher/squeeze bars are urged against the side panels of the pack to deform the pack and cause the cigarettes to fall from the pack by gravity into a collector. The empty pack is conveyed to another arcuate portion of the path where it is discarded.

Abstract: An apparatus and method of delivering smokable material to a cigarette maker with reduced degradation of the smokable material. A vertical reservoir tube is provided directly overhead of a plurality of rotatable and longitudinally vibratable rollers having interdigitating pins attached thereto. The rollers serve to meter and open the smokable material. The opened smokable material then falls as a shower from the rotating rollers to a convergent channel formed by two walls oriented at different angles to the horizontal. Air flow channels are provided which feed air along each wall, thereby providing an essentially laminar stream of air downwardly along the walls. An arrangement of multiple hoppers is also provided which permit blending of different types of smokable material prior to forming the smokable material into a braid and feeding the braid to the cigarette maker garniture.

Abstract: An apparatus for making smokable rods having smokable material contained in first and second wrapping materials, the first wrapping circumscribing the smokable material and the second wrapping material circumscribing and overwrapping the first wrapping material is provided. The apparatus includes a garniture means including a movable belt which travels along a predetermined path; a first bobbin for supplying a first wrapping material onto the movable belt of the garniture so as to travel along the path of the movable belt; and a second bobbin for supplying a second wrapping material onto the first wrapping material on the movable belt so as to travel along the path of the movable belt.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for making cigarettes and reclaiming tobacco from rejected cigarettes and rejected cigarette packs are disclosed. A system and method is disclosed for making and packing cigarettes in which tobacco is recovered from individual rejected cigarettes and rejected cigarette packs and then recycled to the maker for inclusion in new cigarettes. Included in the system and method is an apparatus and method for removing cigarettes from cigarette packs to facilitate individual cigarette recovery and tobacco reclamation, in which individual packs of cigarettes are conveyed to an opener stage which removes both end panels of a cigarette pack, and then to an extraction stage which increases the cross-sectional area of the pack, thereby loosening the packed cigarette matrix, applies a nonintrusive removal force, removing the cigarettes from the pack and separating the empty pack from the removed cigarettes.