Abstract: An actuation indicator that includes a drum sub-assembly, which includes a rotatable actuation indicator wheel, a rocking, ratchet pawl for rotating the indicator wheel in a set direction and a rocking mechanism for the pawl driven by a slipping clutch arrangement, is described. The slipping clutch arrangement includes a slipping clutch spring engaged at one end to a pinion of a rack and pinion assembly and at a second end to the ratchet pawl.

Abstract: A method for operating a water cooler, wherein the water cooler includes a cooling system, a storage compartment assembly, a water dispenser assembly, and a climate control assembly including a thermostat and a control capillary, includes coupling the control capillary to the thermostat, and coupling the thermostat to the cooling system such that the thermostat controls the operational state of the cooling system. The method includes positioning the control capillary adjacent each of the storage compartment assembly and the water dispenser assembly, determining the temperature of the storage compartment assembly and the water dispenser assembly using the control capillary, and cooling the storage compartment assembly and the water dispenser assembly using the cooling system.

Abstract: An adaptive defrost control includes a microcomputer for controlling the initiation and termination of a defrost operation based, at least in part, on opening of the fresh food door and the freezer door. The control monitors the compressor run time and the fresh food and freezer door open times and adjusts the time until defrost accordingly. A pre-chill operation cools the freezer prior to defrosting the evaporator coils so that the defrost heat will have less of an affect on the maximum temperature after defrost, and enables the freezer compartment to be maintained at a temperature a few degrees higher than with known refrigerators, providing energy savings.

Abstract: A device for administration of a medicated aerosol via the lungs consists of an inhalation mouthpiece 11, with an associated adjustable vaporizer 12, and of a compressed-air control valve 14 through which a pre-settable (13) volumetric flow of compressed air can be discharged to the vaporizer 12 containing the liquid medicament throughout a settable period of time. For operation of the device an electronic controller is provided on which the vaporizing period of the vaporizer and a pause interval can be set, with provisions being made for triggering the beginning of the vaporizing operation by means of a pressure sensor responsive to a suction pressure in the mouthpiece.

Abstract: The distributor of a cigarette rod maker has a chamber bounded at least in part by a concave guide for a flow of fragments of smokable material in a stream of transporting fluid, such as air. The stream contains a surplus which is withdrawn from a centrally located zone of the chamber by a stationary apparatus having at its underside an inlet for the entry of surplus fluid and containing a nozzle which conveys the surplus fluid to a suction pipe serving to convey the surplus from the chamber.

Abstract: A tobacco distributor wherein a flow of tobacco particles is delivered to a rotary carded drum by a duct which is at least substantially horizontal so that the overall height of the distributor can be reduced accordingly. The duct comprises or cooperates with devices which segregate fragments of rock and/or fragments of metallic material from the flow which is being advanced into the range of the carding on the drum. The latter converts the flow into a carpet which is ready to be transformed into one or more continuous rod-shaped fillers. The duct is agitated to promote the advancement of the flow from its receiving section to its discharge end at the carded drum.

Abstract: A tobacco stream which is built at the underside of the lower reach of an endless foraminous belt conveyor is monitored by a detector which generates a signal in response to detection of excessive accumulations of tobacco in the stream. Such signals are used to interrupt the delivery of a tobacco flow to the belt conveyor, to arrest the device which supplies tobacco that forms the flow, to remove tobacco from the belt conveyor, and to restart the delivery of tobacco to the belt conveyor, to restart the tobacco supplying device, and to deactivate the tobacco removing device when the stream is removed from the belt conveyor. The interruption of delivery involves diversion of tobacco into a path which leads to a magazine. The tobacco removing device can include a valve which deactivates a suction chamber serving to attract tobacco to the belt conveyor, a mechanical tobacco remover and/or one or more nozzles which serve to blow compressed air against tobacco on the belt conveyor.

Abstract: The diameters of successive rod-shaped articles of the tobacco processing industry are ascertained while the articles advance in the flutes of a conveyor, first along a rolling unit which turns successive articles at random through different angles and thereupon past a photoelectronic detector wherein a radiation source emits a narrow beam of radiation which impinges upon successive articles for intervals of time which are dependent upon the diameters of the articles. The transducer of the detector generates signals which are indicative of the monitored diameters, and such signals are transmitted to an evaluating circuit which controls an ejector for unsatisfactory articles and/or displays the monitored diameters on a screen. The articles are partially lifted off the conveyor by cushions of compressed air during transport past the rolling unit.

Abstract: Belt conveyors which advance two or more discrete streams of fibrous material past discrete surplus removing equalizing devices are guided in such a way that the portions of streams which are in the process of being trimmed are spaced apart from each other stream. This renders it possible to employ reliable equalizing devices having pairs of coplanar rotary trimming discs. The conveyors are guided by pulleys and/or their marginal portions extend into grooves which are provided in the sidewalls of channels for the streams of fibrous material. The equalizing devices are staggered with respect to each other in the direction of transport of the streams.

Abstract: A first stream of tobacco particles is subdivided into several narrower streams at a diverting station where the lowermost portions of several upwardly sloping panels are inclined with reference to each other and with reference to a foremost panel which guides the first stream. First nozzles which discharge compressed air are used to compel the particles of the first stream to advance along the concave upper side of the foremost panel, and additional nozzles are used to discharge compressed air which compels the second streams to advance along the concave upper sides of the respective panels.

Abstract: A digital measuring instrument which samples at discrete points in time the analog input signals emitted by a measurement transducer of an electrical supply system in a sample and hold circuit. The sampled values are digitized in an analog/digital converter and are then used to determine a system specific quantity such as, for example, the root mean square value or the system frequency. This measuring instrument is suitable for solving the essential measurement value processing tasks occurring in an electrical supply system in a simple manner and with projectable measurement accuracy. This is achieved by the fact that the digital processing unit includes a block for shifting the fundamental and harmonic frequencies to a direct current signal which is proportional to the system specific quantity and a subsequent filter arrangement with a digital low-pass filter for suppressing the frequencies deviating from the direct current signal and a digital band-stop filter for suppressing aliasing frequencies.

Abstract: A cigarette rod making machine wherein the distributor forms a continuous stream of tobacco particles including freshly admitted tobacco particles and surplus which is removed from the stream by a trimming device. Fresh tobacco particles are drawn from a duct and are converted into a shower which is classified prior to admission of the surplus. The surplus is admitted across the full width of the shower of fresh tobacco in such quantities that the combined mass of the surplus and fresh tobacco in the trimmed stream is substantially constant. This is achieved by monitoring the quantity of surplus which is removed from the stream and regulating the rate of admission of fresh tobacco in accordance with the characteristics of signals denoting the monitored quantities of the surplus.

Abstract: A shower of fibrous material is directed against the underside of the lower reach of a foraminous endless belt conveyor so that the fibrous material gathers into a continuous stream which is attracted to the conveyor by suction and is moved longitudinally past a trimming device which removes the surplus. The density of the stream is monitored upstream and downstream of the trimming device, and the corresponding signals are processed in an evaluating circuit into additional signals which are indicative of the quantity of the removed surplus. The removed surplus is weighed and the weighing device generates signals also denoting the quantity of the surplus. Such signals are compared with the additional signals and further signals, which denote the differences between the intensities of the compared signals, are used to modify signals denoting the density of the stream downstream of the trimming device. The thus modified signals are used to adjust the trimming device.

Abstract: A method for error-protected switching operation of switching devices of a high-voltage switching station. The current operational state of the station is determined from the signals provided by position indicating contacts (K.sub.I, K.sub.II, K.sub.III) of the switching devices. Using the obtained operational state, switching operation request commands (for example KA) are checked for release or blocking status by means of error-protected switching interlocking rules. In the case of changes in the topological configuration of the high-voltage switching station and/or in the case of changes of the error-protected switching interlocking rules, it is possible to adapt the basic method to these changes in a simple manner and without losing operational reliabilty. This is achieved by decoupling the topological configuration of the high-voltage switching station from the error-protected switching interlocking rules.

Abstract: A shock absorber with a variable damping characteristic has a piston which is reciprocable in a cylinder to divide the oil-filled interior of the cylinder into two chambers. The chambers are connectable to each other by way of several passages including a first set for permitting the flow of damping fluid from one chamber into the other chamber through a first one-way valve in response to movement of the piston rod into the cylinder, and a second set of passages which permit the fluid to flow from the other chamber into the one chamber in response to extraction of the piston rod from the cylinder. The piston is further formed with several bypass channels which are adjacent one another and wherein the flow of fluid between the two chambers (either directly or by way of selected passages) is regulated by cores which are movable axially in response to energization of inductance coils or in response to dissipation of energy by springs.

Abstract: The wrappers of filter cigarettes are tested during transport in the peripheral flutes of a drum-shaped conveyor through a testing station where at least one end of the wrapper receives air at a previously stabilized pressure. The stabilized pressure is monitored by an electropneumatic transducer which further monitors the pressure differential between the interior and the exterior of the wrapper at the testing station and transmits appropriate signals to a computer which generates test signals by forming a quotient from the signals denoting the pressure differential and the signals denoting the stabilized pressure. The computer can further process and evaluate signals denoting a selected reference pressure as well as the pressure of air which is used to reduce the likelihood of leakage of air from the interior of the wrapper at the testing station.

Abstract: The diameter of a continuous filter rod is monitored in a tubular nozzle through which successive increments of the rod are conveyed axially and which directs against the external surface of the tubular envelope of the rod a narrow annular stream of compressed air at a pressure which does not result in deformation of the envelope. The thus admitted air is permitted to escape into the atmosphere only by way of two narrow passages which flank the region of contact between the air stream and the envelope. A flow meter indirectly monitors the rate of flow of air through such passages and generates signals which are indicative of the diameters of successive increments of the envelope. The pressure of the air stream which impinges upon the envelope is constant.

Abstract: An improved thermally actuated diffuser is disclosed. The diffuser comprises three thermal sensor actuators. A first thermal sensor actuator is responsive to changes in the room air temperature and is engaged when cool air is supplied through the duct into the room. A third thermal sensor actuator is responsive to changes in the room air temperature and is engaged when warm air is supplied to the room. A second thermal sensor actuator is responsive to changes in the duct air temperature and brings either the first or second thermal sensor actuator into engagement with the diffuser when the appropriate temperature of air is supplied through the duct and disengages the thermal actuator not being used with that duct air temperature.

Abstract: A thermally powered change-over diffuser is disclosed which includes a housing having an outlet and movable blade assembly mounted with respect to the outlet for displacement between a first position producing a Coanda flow across a surface, such as a ceiling, and a second position producing a detached stream in a generally normally extending direction with respect to the surface. The diffuser is preferably thermally powered and includes a rapid change-over assembly enabling substantially immediate shifting between the two positions so as to provide a cooling mode of discharge and heating mode of discharge. Additionally, means for adjusting the volume of air discharged is provided.

Abstract: An improved thermally actuated diffuser is disclosed. The diffuser comprises four thermal sensor actuators. A first thermal sensor actuator is responsive to changes in the room air temperature when cool air is supplied through the duct into the room. A second thermal sensor actuator is responsive to the duct air and is adapted to engage the first thermal sensor actuator when cool air is supplied through the duct and to disengage the first thermal sensor actuator when warm air is supplied through the duct. A third thermal sensor actuator is responsive to changes in the room when warm air is supplied through the duct. A fourth thermal sensor actuator is responsive to changes in the duct air temperature and brings the third thermal sensor actuator into engagement when warm air is supplied through the duct and to disengage the third thermal sensor actuator when cool air is supplied through the duct.