Abstract: A food display case for displaying pre-cooked food products while preserving them at optimal serving conditions for prolonged periods of time is disclosed. The display case includes an outer housing with a display window, a recessed primary food heating element which evenly distributes heat across the display case, an air circulation system for providing a convective air flow, and a food moisturizing spray for retaining a desired humidified environment within the display case. In addition, a radiating heat lamp is suspended from the top of the display case for providing additional heating within the display case.

Abstract: A method of collecting and conditioning either or both of a fluid bed combustion cyclone or bed ash, from a sulfur-containing petroleum coke combustion, by transferring dry combustion ash, containing anhydrous calcium sulfate and resultant lime to a pneumatic tanker, transferring the tanker with the ash to a storage site, and discharging the dry ash through a mixing pump onto the storage site while adding sufficient water to hydrate anhydrous calcium sulfate and resultant lime in the ash and provide about 7-25 percent by weight excess water in the ash.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to an apparatus for the segregated collection of different types of waste materials such as bottles or cans and comprises a segregated trash receiving unit which is placed within a conventional trash can such as a standard 55-gallon drum. The trash receiving unit is affixed to the interior wall of the exterior trash can and is additionally provided with an opening aligned with an opening extending through the side wall of the exterior trash can. The opening in the trash receiving unit is larger than the opening in the exterior trash can so that when cans and bottles which are placed through the exterior trash can opening and into the trash receiving unit, the collected bottles and cans may be easily dumped out of the trash receiving unit once it is removed from the exterior trash can.

Abstract: A bookend is disclosed for a bookshelf having top and bottom surfaces and a forward edge, which top surface supports a row of books in an upright condition with the bound edges of the books facing forwardly. The bookend includes a shelf engaging section having a first engagement portion for engaging the top surface of the bookshelf adjacent to the row of books, a second engagement portion for engaging the bottom surface of the bookshelf underneath the row of books and a first intermediate portion that extends across the forward edge of the bookshelf for interconnecting the first and second engagement portions. There is a bookstop section attached to and extending upwardly from shelf engaging section for engaging the book at the end of the row of books.

Abstract: A sheet inverter and stacking apparatus has at least one sheet inverter wheel having at least one arcuate sheet retaining slot into which a sheet may be inserted. The wheel is incrementally rotated from a sheet load position to a sheet unload position and a sheet is driven in the process direction into the slot when the inverter wheel is in the load position. The sheet is removed from the slot, stacked in a stacking tray and its leading edge registered. The sheet retaining slot provides minimal resistance to sheet movement in the slot upon insertion in the slot in the process direction and provides high resistance to sheet movement in the slot in a sideways direction transverse to the process direction.

Abstract: A system which is physically oriented in a vertical plane, is attached to a wall, and has a hinged keyboard. The keyboard is attached to the system solely by a hinge which has at least three positions. The hinge has a closed position to minimize space when the system is not used, an open position during normal use, and a breakway position to release the keyboard when excessive pressure is applied. The breakway keyboard eliminates damage caused by excessive pressure placed on the keyboard due to a person leaning on the board.

Abstract: A method of tying a balloon having an inflatable bulb bounding a chamber, a flexible neck with a passageway in communication with the chamber, and a filling opening in the neck through which a fluid can be directed into the neck passageway and inflation chamber. The method contemplates the steps of providing a device with a housing having first and second elongate legs projecting therefrom in substantially parallel alignment, placing the neck of the balloon between the first and second legs, situating a length of flexible line across the neck in lengthwise alignment with and adjacent to one of the legs, twisting the legs about their length to thereby roll the balloon neck against itself and surround the line, and tying the line against itself so that the neck is embraced by the line. The invention is also concerned with a hand tool device for carrying out the method.

Abstract: A fitmentless, aseptic, temporarily sealed pouch is formed from two multiple-ply side walls sealed together at marginal edges. A portion of the seal is removable. Half seals joining the plies within each side wall are disposed in the side walls proximate the removable seal, but do not seal the side walls together. Apparatus and processes for handling, filling and sealing the pouch in an aseptic chamber include apparatus for moving the pouch through a sterilant bath, into and out of an aseptic chamber, a cutter for cutting off the removable seal, and vacuum jaws for engaging, stretching and opening the pouch. Once opened, the pouch is filled, then closed, sealed and moved out of the chamber through the bath.

Abstract: There is disclosed apparatus for aseptically filling a flexible container having a rigid fitment including a neck, outer flange surrounding the neck, a frangible membrane and an outer rim. The apparatus includes an enclosed filling chamber including a platen with an opening, clamping jaws for holding the fitment in the opening, a vacuum head and sealing unit for removing a lid loosely placed on the fitment and supporting it within the sealing chamber while the sealing chamber, fitment and lid are sterilized, a fill tube which is retractable within a housing and shiftable to a position in sealed engagement with the neck to introduce product into the container. After the container is filled, the fill tube is withdrawn and enclosed in its housing, the lid is transferred back onto the rim and heat sealed in place. The fitment is then unclamped to end the filling cycle.

Abstract: There is disclosed an aseptic flexible walled container having a rigid fitment member cooperative with an aseptic filling apparatus and including a neck, outer flanges surrounding the neck, a frangible membrane and an outer end rim receptive of an hermetically sealed lid. The neck is formed with an internal chamferred seating shoulder for fluid-tight engagement with a fill tube. One outer flange cooperates with clamping jaws of the aseptic filling apparatus for detachably sealing the fitment to a sterilizing chamber and placing it in position for insertion of the filling tube which ruptures the membrane and permits the aseptic introduction of product to the container's interior. The other outer flange is secured to an opening in a wall of the flexible container. The joined fitment and container are presterilized prior to filling.

Abstract: A single phase induction motor control system employs power line assisted starting and runs at higher than power line frequency from an electronically generated inverter supply. This inverter supply is employed to provide an out of phase mains frequency signal to the run winding during starting in order to create the rotating magnetic field needed to start the motor. After the motor has started, the power line supply is disconnected from the start winding and the inverter supply frequency is increased gradually to a final value corresponding to the desired operating speed. In this system no phase shifting capacitors are needed to provide the out of phase starting voltage and the run winding is optimized for running conditions.

Abstract: An upright vacuum cleaner having an elongated handle and a cord reel biased to retract the electrical cord has a cord guiding and locking device comprising a housing having two internal cavities open at both the top and bottom thereof and opening into each other. One of the cavities is adapted to clamp onto the handle above the cord reel, and the other cavity includes a locking member pivotably mounted in an opening formed in a wall thereof. The locking member has a pair of legs disposed angularly to one another, one leg has a through slot to allow the cord to pass therethrough when the plane of the slot is substantially perpendicular to the cord but is sized to frictionally grip the cord when the plane of the slot is not substantially perpendicular thereto. The other leg is accessible at the opening for depression by an operator and a stop member restrains the first leg and the slot to substantial perpendicularity when the cord is being extended from the reel and when the second leg is depressed.

Abstract: A screw-housing for an extruder or injection moulding machine, having a longitudinal bore on the internal surface of which is defined grooving, preferably in the form of a number of equidistantly spaced grooves, extending longitudinally throughout substantially the whole length of the housing or alternatively throughout a major portion of the length of the housing downstream of the feed zone thereof.

Abstract: A shipping container is disclosed for containing an article for shipment and for holding the article in relatively stable condition during shipment or storage. The container is made of one-piece fiberboard construction, and is generally formed from two pairs of opposed panels which are closed at the ends. To secure the article within the container, end flaps are also provided which may be folded into the container to cooperate with the article to hold it in a relatively stable position inside the container.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for localizing a source of faulty color operation of a color television receiver having an image producing element and a chassis providing signals to the image producing element through sockets in a chassis output signal connector removably received by an input signal connector on the image producing element. A plurality of visual voltage magnitude indicators are provided to visually indicate at least relative voltage levels of an applied signal. Each of the visual voltage magnitude indicators preferably comprises a light emitting means such as a neon glow lamp variable in brightness in response to variations in magnitude of applied voltage levels. Individual electrical connections are affected between each of a plurality of the sockets of the chassis output signal connector and respective ones of the plurality of visual voltage magnitude indicators with the chassis output signal connector removed from the image producing element input signal connector.