Abstract: A regular-interval mail feeding apparatus is disposed between an automatic mail discriminating/postmarking apparatus and an automatic mail sorting apparatus, in an automatic mail handling system. When various kinds of mails are fed at irregularly intervals from the postmarking apparatus to the feeding apparatus, it temporaling stocks the mails at its stock and sends out the stocked mails one by one at a predetermined intervals to the sorting apparatus. When one kind of mails are fed at regular intervals, the feeding apparatus directly conveys the fed mails to the sorting apparatus without passing through the stock, by changing the mail conveying path in the feeding apparatus by using a gate member.

Abstract: In a particle measuring apparatus for measuring characteristics of particles by detecting light scattered at the particles while irradiating the particles in fluid with light, the scattered light is detected by means of a plurality of detectors and the characteristics of particles are determined by using pulse signals of detection signals coming from the plurality of detectors, which are coincident with each other.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a semiconductor integrated circuit comprises the steps of: forming buried layers in predetermined regions of a semiconductor substrate; forming an epitaxial layer covering the substrate and the buried layers; forming isolation regions dividing the epitaxial layer into a plurality of islands; selectively implanting ions to form a base region of a vertical bipolar transistor in a surface layer of one island and simultaneously to form a resistor region in a surface layer of another island; and selectively diffusing impurities into a surface layer of the base region, to form an emitter region of the vertical bipolar transistor.

Abstract: An apparatus for measuring particles in a liquid, with the apparatus including an arrangement for allowing a sample liquid to flow out from a nozzle into a gas in a stream, an arrangement for radiating light into the sample liquid stream coaxially with the axis of the stream, and an arrangement for collecting ways of light scattered by particles contained in the sample liquid stream at a point outside and by a side of the sample liquid stream and then detecting the collective light rays.

Abstract: A single-shaft multi-stage centrifugal compressor has a multiplicity of impellers for compressing a main gas and an impeller for compressing an intermediate suction gas which are carried by the same impeller shaft. The suction pressure of the impeller constituting the final stage for the compression of the main gas is maintained higher than the suction pressure of the impeller for compressing the intermediate suction gas. With this arrangement, a part of the main gas of a pressure slightly higher than the intermediate suction gas is introduced into the shaft seals, and the shaft seals and drainers are protected from any corrosive and toxic components which may be contained by the intermediate suction gas.

Abstract: In an automatic mail processing apparatus, a mail reject mechanism is disposed between a reading and sorting unit and labeling unit. The mail reject mechanism includes a reject member movable between a first position outside of a convey unit and a second position inside of the convey unit and a pneumatic cylinder for normally holding the reject member in the first position and being adapted, when the sorting data stored in a memory relating to a mail stack brought in an opposite position to the reject member is not appropriate to the mail stack, to move the reject member from the first position to the second position for removal of the mail stack from the convey unit.

Abstract: A horizontally split casing of a turbo machine, such as a centrifugal compressor, including one half casing formed with scroll grooves on an inner peripheral surface thereof, and the other half casing formed with cutouts in portions thereof corresponding to outlet scrolls. A second casing formed on an inner peripheral surface thereof with scroll grooves is attached to the other half casing in a manner to enclose the cutouts. The horizontally split casing of this construction is low in cost and yet enables a compact size and a light weight to be obtained in a horizontally split casing of a turbo machine.

Abstract: A damped bearing device operative to damp vibration acting on a bearing journalling a rotary shaft includes a spring body resiliently supporting the bearing with respect to a housing. The spring body includes a spring portion arranged on the outer peripheral side of the bearing to minimize the axial dimensions of the bearing device without increasing the stress produced in the spring portion of the spring body.

Abstract: A head flange mounting device for mounting a head flange on a casing in a turbo-machine, such as a centrifugal compressor, is disclosed which includes a plurality of slide keyways formed on the inner surface of the casing and on the outer circumferential surface of the head flange in such a manner that each slide keyway formed on the casing and each slide keyway formed on the casing and each slide keyway formed on the head flange are in juxtaposed relation to form a pair of slide keyways. A slide key is held in each pair of slide keyways so as to keep the center axis of the head flange in alignment with the center axis of the casing at all times.