Abstract: Titanium oxide-based photocatalysts which contain a metal halide in titanium oxide and which are prepared from titanium oxide and/or its precursor, which may optionally be heat treated, by contact with a reactive gas containing a metal halide of the formula MXn or MOXn (wherein M=a metal, X=a halogen, and n=an integer) with heating stably develop a high photocatalytic activity with visible light irradiation. The photocatalysts may subsequently be stabilized by contact with water or by heat treatment, and/or promoted by contact with a heteropoly acid and/or an isopoly acid so as to include a metal complex in the titanium oxide. Photocatalysts prepared in this manner exhibit novel ESR features. The present invention also provides methods for preparing these photocatalysts, a photocatalyst dispersion and a photocatalytic coating fluid containing such a photocatalyst, and photocatalytic functional products and methods for their manufacture using the photocatalyst.

Abstract: A guiding method and apparatus are presented for preventing the generation of lateral curving in a rolled slab produced in a roughing mill train, consisting of an edging mill and a horizontal mill in tandem, for example. The apparatus basically includes a first side guide placed upstream at the entrance to the edging mill, a second side guide placed downstream at the exit of the horizontal mill and a third side guide placed between the edging mill and the horizontal mill. The first side guide at the entrance to the edging mill synchronously closes the separation distance of the guide components upon the entry of the rolled slab into the first side guide, leaving a narrow space between the guide and the rolled slab. The third side guide closes the separation spacing based on slab exit timing representing the instant the tail end of the rolled slab passes through the edging mill. The second side guide assumes a narrow separation distance when the head end of the rolled slab enters therebetween.

Abstract: In a corner reduction device for reducing side corners of a slab with corner rolls, a pair of upper and lower corner rolls are mounted inside a unitary unit frame, and a corner roll unit housing the unitary frame which is movable in the direction of width and vertical direction of the material is formed. Vertical position of the corner roll unit is controlled by a lifting power control cylinder through a push rod and position in direction of material width is controlled by a reduction cylinder. Driving of cylinder servo valves is controlled in accordance with position set values set by position setters, load set values set by load setters, and feedback signals from position sensors, thereby controlling the corner roll positions to fixed lateral and vertical positions. The driving of the servo valves is corrected according to values detected by cylinder pressure sensors, to evenly reduce the right and left corners of the material.

Abstract: An automatic food frying and vending system having a refrigerated storage chamber for storing food material to be fried and a frying chamber for frying material in cooking oil are installed in the main body of the automatic food frying and vending system in discrete sections designated for their respective purposes. The refrigrated chamber includes a stocker unit for receiving and keeping a number of packed containers, each sealed by a lid. A feeding device is provided with a holder for receiving from a conveying device the sealed container and inverting the container.

Abstract: An automatic food frying and vending system which is so constructed that a storage chamber for storing therein the food material to be fried in their frozen state and a frying chamber for frying the material in cooking oil are installed in the main body of the automatic food frying and vending system in discrete sections designated for their respective purposes; then a stocker for receiving and keeping a larger number of packed containers, each having lid or cover, of the abovementioned food material to be fried is provided in the abovementioned storage chamber; a carrying device for taking out, one by one, from the storage chamber each container of the food material to be fried which has so far been housed in the stocker, and a transporting and feeding device for receiving thereon the container of the food material to be fried, as taken out of the storage chamber by the carrying device, opening the sealed cover of the container, and forwarding the food material to be fried into the frying chamber.