Abstract: Provided herein is a rotary steam motor comprising an inlet assembly, a rotor assembly, and an exhaust assembly. The inlet assembly includes an inlet port and an inlet housing, the inlet port being configured to allow steam to enter the inlet housing. The rotor assembly includes a rotor having a plurality of vane slots, a support shaft, and a plurality of vanes, wherein the support shaft is configured to rotate with the rotor, and each vane is configured to slidably engage within a respective vane slot. The exhaust assembly includes an exhaust port and an exhaust housing, the exhaust port being configured to allow steam to exit the exhaust housing. The rotary steam engine further comprises a variable duration throttle assembly, wherein the variable duration throttle assembly is configured to regulate the flow of steam into the rotor assembly from the inlet assembly.

Abstract: This invention relates to a pre-loaded sliced food cooking product for use in cooking by microwave energy. The invention comprises two containment members that enclose two absorbent layers between which food items are pre-loaded into prior to purchase by the end-consumer.

Abstract: This invention relates to a cooking utensil, and more particularly, to an improved cooking utensil for use in cooking sliced pepperoni, salami or the like by microwave energy. The invention comprises a base that supports a cooking surface and lid, and collects the grease released during the cooking process.

Abstract: A thermal flowmeter to measure the rate of flow of a fluid in a conduit is provided. An important characteristic of the flowmeter is that it includes two radial junction thermocouples, one of them a downstream radial junction thermocouple and the other an upstream radial junction thermocouple. A heat source to supply heat to the conduit and fluid is provided. The heat source supplies heat preferentially to one of the radial junction thermocouples, preferably to the downstream one. The differential output of the two radial junction thermocouples is measured and is an index of the rate of flow of the fluid. Compensating temperature sensing means is provided to measure the base or process temperature of the fluid before it is affected by the heat source, to provide a base for the differential output. The flowmeter can be constructed in many different embodiments. A method of measuring flow, mass flow and viscosity using radial junction thermocouples is provided.

Abstract: The lower end of a hollow thermocouple well is removed and replaced by an end cap of a different thermocouple material than the well so that the junction between the end cap and the end portion of the well defines a radially activated thermocouple junction. A wire of the same material as the end cap is affixed to the end cap and electrical connections are made to the wire and to the well to provide a thermocouple output signal indicative of temperature measurement. In another embodiment two end caps are utilized at the end of the thermocouple well with the two end caps being of two dissimilar thermocouple elements and which have the necessary electrical connections made thereof to provide a thermocouple output signal.

Abstract: An improved thermometer which is case hardened and includes a total enclosure composed of a pair of first and second layer members covering the stem portion and the bulb portion respectively of the thermometer. A substantially transparent plastic material layer member covers the stem portion of the improved thermometer and has an index of refraction which is sufficiently high to allow a user to visually interpret the location of an internally contained heat expandable substance in relation to indicia formed on the stem portion. Additionally, the first layer member is irradiated from a source of soft Beta rays for hardening the outer surface layer of the first layer member. The bulb section of the improved thermometer is enclosed by a second thermally conductive layer member. Both the first and second layer members are joined to form a total enclosure for the thermometer throughout the extended length of both the bulb and stem portions.

Abstract: Method of covering a thermometer which includes forming a total enclosure composed of a pair of coatings covering the stem portion and the bulb portion of the thermometer. A substantially transparent plastic material covering the stem portion of the improved thermometer has an index of refraction which is sufficiently high to allow a user to visually interpret the location of an internally contained heat expandable substance in relation to indicia formed on the stem portion. The bulb section of the improved thermometer is enclosed by a thermally conductive layer. Both layers are joined to form a total enclosure for the thermometer throughout the extended length of both the bulb and the stem portions. Additionally, an increased amount of substantially transparent plastic material is added to the terminal end of the stem portion of the improved thermometer in order to provide a cushioning effect under dynamic loads when the thermometer inadvertently falls to an external surface.

Abstract: A partial oxygen pressure measuring system for quantitating the amount of dissolved oxygen in solution of a fluid sample. The system includes a sensor electrode within which a volume of fluid whose oxygen is to be measured is inserted. The sensor has a silver chlorided tube with an insulated nickel wire of reduced diameter passing coaxially and internal thereto. The nickel wire terminates in an end section which is platinum plated to form a polarizing surface. Both the silver chloride tube and wire pass external to the sensor and are electrically coupled to a pair of contact rings which represent cathode and anode junctions respectively. A biasing voltage is placed across the contact rings to form a circuit path through the wire, platinum coated surface, fluid sample and base reference silver chlorided tube in order to determine the current flow which is a measure of the oxygen level in the fluid sample.

Abstract: An improved thermometer which includes a total enclosure composed of a pair of coatings covering the stem portion and the bulb portion of the thermometer. A substantially transparent plastic material covering the stem portion of the improved thermometer has an index of refraction which is sufficiently high to allow a user to visually interpret the location of an internally contained heat expandable substance in relation to indicia formed on the stem portion. The bulb section of the improved thermometer is enclosed by a second thermally conductive layer. Both the first and seconds layers are joined to form a total enclosure for the thermometer throughout the extended length of both the bulb and the stem portions. Additionally, an increased amount of substantially transparent plastic material is added to the terminal end of the stem portion of the improved thermometer in order to provide a cushioning effect under dynamic loads when the thermometer inadvertently falls to an external surface.

Abstract: A clinical thermometer having a probe with a thermopile mounted thereon. The probe is inserted into a connector housing which includes a resistance thermometer for measuring the temperature of the cold junctions of the thermopile. The connector housing includes a portion of an electrical circuit mounted on a circuit board which is electrically connected to the resistance thermometer. The circuit board is electrically connected to a meter box having the remaining portion of the electrical circuit contained therein. The meter box includes a dial which is calibrated in degrees of temperature for visually indicating the temperature sensed by the hot junctions of the thermopile. The probe is releasably secured within the connector housing so that probes can be easily inserted and removed. The clinical thermometer provides a mechanism whereby the body temperature of a patient can be measured quickly and easily and without maintaining the cold junctions of the thermopile at a constant reference temperature.