Abstract: A tufting machine producing athletic turf bearing precise graphic patterns at a high throughput rate is disclosed. The machine includes tenter frame to which a backing material is attached, a bed frame to which the tenter frame is attached, a support assembly upon which the bed frame is movably mounted, and a series of tufting frames upon which tufting head components are mounted. The tenter frame and bed frame are computer-controlled to advance and retract the backing relative to the tufting frames, and the tufting head components are computer controlled to laterally shift and to asynchronously reciprocate tufting needles as is necessary to form a desired tuft pattern.

Abstract: A method for coating an artificial athletic turf made of a backing having a top face and a bottom face and having yarn tufted through the backing such that cut pile extends from the top face and backloops of yarn are closely adjacent the bottom face so that a porous coat is disposed over the backloops and bottom face in order to bind the yarn to the backing. Tiny droplets of coating material are sprayed onto the bottom face of the tufted backing at an inclination angle of less than 45 degrees to the plane of the backing and under conditions which cause sprayed droplets of material to bind the backloops to the backing, but not deposit along narrow areas of the backing between rows of backloops, thus, allowing the turf to remain porous.

Abstract: A method for using a tufting machine to produce athletic turf bearing precise graphic tuft patterns at a high throughput rate is disclosed. The utilized machine includes tenter frame and a series of tufting frames upon which tufting head components are mounted. The entire length of a piece of backing material is wrapped around the tenter frame, and the tenter frame circulates the backing past the tufting frames, and the tufting head components are shifted as may be necessary to form a desired graphic tuft pattern.

Abstract: An artificial athletic turf includes a backing having a top face and a bottom face, yarn tufted through the backing such that cut pile extends from the top face and backloops of yarn are closely adjacent the bottom face and a discontinuous coat is disposed over the backloops and bottom face in order to bind the yarn to the backing. The coating material is sprayed onto the bottom face of the tufted backing at an inclination angle of less than 45 degrees to the plane of the backing and under conditions which cause sprayed material to bind the backloops to the backing, but not deposit along narrow areas of the backing between rows of backloops, thus, allowing the turf to remain porous in spots.

Abstract: A scanning interferometer for obtaining surface profile data for an object to be scanned in which a carriage-driven focal mechanism moves through a range of predetermined scan positions at which interference fringe images are to be captured while using a high resolution, linear position measurement device attached to the motor-driven carriage in order to identify its precise vertical scan position, and both light pulses are emitted and an image capture device is triggered into simultaneous operation only upon the position measurement device signaling that the focal mechanism is arrived at one of the predetermined scan positions.

Abstract: A turf collecting machine capable of automatically collecting laid artificial athletic turf, separating the infill and tufted backing components of the collected turf, and then depositing those separated components into separate storage containers. The apparatus also includes mechanisms for cleaning the infill particles collected.

Abstract: A method for using a tufting machine to produce athletic turf bearing precise graphic tuft patterns at a high throughput rate is disclosed. The utilized machine includes tenter frame and a series of tufting frames upon which tufting head components are mounted. The entire length of a piece of backing material is wrapped around the tenter frame, and the tenter frame circulates the backing past the tufting frames, and the tufting head components are shifted as may be necessary to form a desired graphic tuft pattern.

Abstract: A tufting machine producing athletic turf bearing precise graphic patterns at a high throughput rate is disclosed. The machine includes tenter frame to which a backing material is attached, a bed frame to which the tenter frame is attached, a support assembly upon which the bed frame is movably mounted, and a series of tufting frames upon which tufting head components are mounted. The tenter frame and bed frame are computer-controlled to advance and retract the backing relative to the tufting frames, and the tufting head components are computer controlled to laterally shift and to asynchronously reciprocate tufting needles as is necessary to form a desired tuft pattern.

Abstract: A turf collecting machine capable of automatically collecting laid artificial athletic turf, separating the infill and tufted backing components of the collected turf, and then depositing those separated components into separate storage containers is disclosed. The apparatus also includes mechanisms for cleaning the infill particles collected.

Abstract: A tufting machine capable of producing individual articles of athletic turf bearing precise graphic patterns is disclosed. The machine includes a support frame to which a backing material is statically held, a tufting frame that spans above and below the backing and is computer-controlled to travel along the support frame, a yarn-inserting needle carriage disposed above the backing along the tufting frame and a yarn-catching looper carriage disposed below the backing along the tufting frame. The carriages are computer-controlled to asynchronously shift relative to each other as may be necessary for their individual yarn-inserting components and yarn-catching components to cooperate.

Abstract: An artificial athletic turf includes a backing having a top face and a bottom face, yarn tufted through the backing such that cut pile extends from the top face and backloops of yarn are closely adjacent the bottom face and a discontinuous coat is disposed over the backloops and bottom face in order to bind the yarn to the backing The coating material is sprayed onto the bottom face of the tufted backing at an inclination angle of less than 45 degrees to the plane of the backing and under conditions which cause sprayed material to bind the backloops to the backing, but not deposit along narrow areas of the backing between rows of backloops, thus, allowing the turf to remain porous in spots.

Abstract: An artificial athletic turf includes a backing having a top face and a bottom face, yarn tufted through the backing such that cut pile extends from the top face and backloops of yarn are closely adjacent the bottom face and a porous coat is disposed over the backloops and bottom face in order to bind the yarn to the backing The coating material is sprayed, under high pressure and in distinct particles, onto the bottom face of the tufted backing under conditions which cause sprayed particles to rapidly cure and, therefore, partially cohere to each other in a porous network in which coating material generally is not accumulated between the backloops and backing face and does not fill a significant proportion of the fiber pores existent in the backing

Abstract: A tufting machine capable of producing individual articles of athletic turf bearing precise graphic patterns is disclosed. The machine includes a support frame to which a backing material is statically held, a tufting frame that spans above and below the backing and is computer-controlled to travel along the support frame, a yarn-inserting needle carriage disposed above the backing along the tufting frame and a yarn-catching looper carriage disposed below the backing along the tufting frame.

Abstract: An apparatus for allowing golfer to practice their golf swings thereupon is provided. The apparatus includes a base mat having a void space within it. A flexible beam is atop the base mat, spanning over the open space. A synthetic turf surface that simulates natural grass covers the apparatus. When a golfer swings a golf club to strike a golf ball that is resting on the turf above the beam and, in the process, strikes the turf as well, the elasticity of the beam allows the apparatus's hitting surface to deflect downward, absorb much of the impact of the golf club and give the golfer the sensation of taking a divot from a natural playing surface.

Abstract: An auxiliary chamber is connected to the main pumping chamber of a liquid dispensing pump. The auxiliary chamber includes a resilient rolling diaphragm in fluid communication with the fluid in the main pumping chamber and is expandable for receiving liquid from the main pumping chamber during an output stroke with an adjustable stop member being located behind the diaphragm for restricting the displacement of the diaphragm by the volume of fluid entering the secondary chamber from the pumping chamber and thus controlling the output from the pump by controlling the net internal pump chamber volume.

Abstract: An automatic ratio control system for a single or multiflavor post-mix beverage dispensing valve of a beverage dispenser including a flow meter in each syrup and water conduit, a temperature sensor in each syrup conduit, an adjustable flow control in each syrup and water conduit, an automatic flow control adjuster, and an electronic control system including a microprocessor and appropriate software for adjusting a particular flow control when a measured flow rate falls outside of a range of preferred flow rates.

Abstract: A beverage dispenser valve system in which the mixture ratio is controlled by continuous modulation of the solenoid valves. The solenoid valves have movable stop means (or push rods) that control the travel of the armature, which in turn controls the position of a needle valve with respect to the valve seat to gradually change the flow opening and thus the syrup and water flow rates. A microprocessor uses the movable stop to adjust the syrup and/or water flow rate to deliver the proper ratio of syrup to water based on the flow of water and syrup as measured by flow meters. In addition, the total flow rate from the nozzle can be controlled and varied in relation to the distance the cup lever arm is depressed; thus, the flow rate can be made slow at the beginning and end, and fast in-between.

Abstract: A beverage dispenser valve system in which the mixture ratio is controlled by continuous modulation of the solenoid valves. The solenoid valves have a movable stop (or push rod) that controls the travel of the armature, which in turn controls the position of a needle valve with respect to the valve seat to gradually change the flow opening and thus the syrup and water flow rates. A microprocessor uses the movable stop to adjust the syrup and/or water flow rate to deliver the proper ratio of syrup to water based on the flow of water and syrup as measured by flow meters. In addition, the total flow rate from the nozzle can be controlled and varied in relation to the distance the cup lever arm is depressed, thus, the flow rate can be made slow at the beginning and end, and fast in-between.

Abstract: A beverage dispenser valve system in which the mixture ratio is controlled by continuous modulation of the solenoid valves. The solenoid valves have movable stop (or push rods) that control the travel of the armature, which in turn controls the position of a needle valve with respect to the valve seat to gradually change the flow opening and thus the syrup and water flow rates. A microprocessor uses the movable stop to adjust the syrup and/or water flow rate to deliver the proper ratio of syrup to water based on the flow of water and syrup as measured by flow meters. In addition, the total flow rate from the nozzle can be controlled and varied in relation to the distance the cup lever arm is depressed; thus, the flow rate can be made slow at the beginning and end, and fast in-between.

Abstract: A thermoelectric generator module which is formed with a hot side heat exchanger having extruded fins on one surface and in contact with a series of individual thermoelectric semiconductor modules on the opposite side of the exchanger. A cold side heat exchanger attached to the opposite side of the semiconductor modules from the hot side heat exchanger, producing a thermal gradient across the semiconductor modules. The semiconductor modules are placed in an arranged pattern so that a maximum of heat flow through the modules is produced. Each semiconductor module is connected electrically to each other so that their output may be combined to produce a large quantity of electric power. A series of generator modules may be interconnected in a series or parallel combination to form a thermoelectric generator of varying power output.