Abstract: A hand-held hot melt glue gun having a melt chamber, a needle and a nozzle that is movable with respect to the needle to open or close a discharge port in fluid communication with the melt chamber. A spring closure urges the needle and nozzle toward relative positions to close the discharge port. An opening element moves the nozzle with respect to the needle to open the discharge port, and a trigger mechanism is provided for advancing solid glue into the melt chamber and for operating the opening element. A time delay mechanism provides a time delay between the opening of the discharge port and advancement of glue into the melt chamber.

Abstract: A hand-held hot melt glue gun having a melt chamber, a needle and a nozzle that is movable with respect to the needle to open or close a discharge port in fluid communication with the melt chamber. A spring closure urges the needle and nozzle toward relative positions to close the discharge port. An opening element moves the nozzle with respect to the needle to open the discharge port, and a trigger mechanism is provided for advancing solid glue into the melt chamber and for operating the opening element. A time delay mechanism provides a time delay between the opening of the discharge port and advancement of glue into the melt chamber.

Abstract: The invention relates to nucleic acid sequences defining a genomic region conferring high silicon (Si) accumulation as discovered in the soybean (Glycine max) cultivar Hikmok sorip. Plants having this region, named HiSil, introduced in its nucleic acid exhibit increased Si uptake. Furthermore, markers associated with high Si accumulation and 5 methods of identifying high Si accumulating plants using the markers are provided. The method provided by the invention can be used to develop new plants with high Si accumulation capacity, through breeding, genetic modification or any other forms of plant propagation.

Abstract: A hot melt glue gun provides a melt chamber for supplying melted glue to a discharge nozzle. An auxiliary chamber is connected to the melt chamber, and melted glue is drawn from the melt chamber into the auxiliary chamber when discharge of glue is terminated. The glue drawn from the melt chamber reduces the possibility of glue dripping from the discharge nozzle.

Abstract: A hot melt glue gun provides a melt chamber for supplying melted glue to a discharge nozzle. An auxiliary chamber is connected to the melt chamber, and melted glue is drawn from the melt chamber into the auxiliary chamber when discharge of glue is terminated. The glue drawn from the melt chamber reduces the possibility of glue dripping from the discharge nozzle.

Abstract: A dispenser for a fluid material includes a handle portion and a cartridge having the material to be dispensed. The cartridge is easily mounted to the handle portion or removed, whereby the handle portion may be used with a variety of cartridges, each of which may contain a selected material. The handle portion includes a plunger that is moved linearly by actuation of a trigger mechanism, which is engaged by a user's finger. The trigger mechanism is configured to release pressure applied to the plunger quickly upon release of pressure on the trigger and to allow the plunger to move away from the cartridge to ensure release of pressure in the material to be dispensed to prevent dripping.

Abstract: A nozzle for applying a fluid material to an object includes a tubular wall with several circumferentially spaced ribs that extend outward from the tubular wall to engage an object to which the fluid material is to be applied. The ribs space the tubular wall from the inner wall to provide a gap for the fluid material and aligning the tubular wall with the hole in the object. The tubular wall provides at least one opening between adjacent pairs of ribs for the fluid material to flow into the gap. A sealing surface on the nozzle engages a portion of the object preventing escape of the fluid from the gap. In a process for using the nozzle, a user manually detects equilibrium between the pressure applied to the fluid in the nozzle and the pressure in the nozzle to determine when the gap has been filled.

Abstract: An extrusion tool includes a dispenser body having a handle portion, a container-receiving portion, and a base portion. The handle portion is connected to and extends between the container-receiving portion and the base portion. The container-receiving portion defines a forward-facing aperture and a container well extending along a container well axis, where the container well is constructed and arranged to receive and retain a squeeze container with a nozzle of the squeeze container extending through the forward-facing aperture. A trigger is operatively connected to the dispenser body and movable between a non-dispensing position and a dispensing position. The trigger has a finger portion and a contact lever portion that is oriented to move into and out of the container well when the finger portion is moved between the non-dispensing position and the dispensing position.

Abstract: An extrusion tool includes a dispenser body having a handle portion, a container-receiving portion, and a base portion. The handle portion is connected to and extends between the container-receiving portion and the base portion. The container-receiving portion defines a forward-facing aperture and a container well extending along a container well axis, where the container well is constructed and arranged to receive and retain a squeeze container with a nozzle of the squeeze container extending through the forward-facing aperture. A trigger is operatively connected to the dispenser body and movable between a non-dispensing position and a dispensing position. The trigger has a finger portion and a contact lever portion that is oriented to move into and out of the container well when the finger portion is moved between the non-dispensing position and the dispensing position.

Abstract: A nozzle for applying a fluid material to an object includes a tubular wall with several circumferentially spaced ribs that extend outward from the tubular wall to engage an object to which the fluid material is to be applied. The ribs are configured to space the tubular wall from the object to provide a gap between them for receiving the fluid material and to align the tubular wall with the object. The tubular wall provides at least one opening between adjacent pairs of ribs to allow the fluid material to flow into the gap. The nozzle includes a sealing surface that is configured to engage a portion of the object when the spaced ribs are engaging the object to prevent escape of the fluid from said gap and to allow pressure to be applied to the fluid material. This pressure is detected to determine when the gap has been filled.

Abstract: A dispenser for a fluid material includes a handle portion and a cartridge having the material to be dispensed. The cartridge is easily mounted to the handle portion or removed, whereby the handle portion may be used with a variety of cartridges, each of which may contain a selected material. The handle portion includes a plunger that is moved linearly by actuation of a trigger mechanism, which is engaged by a user's finger. The trigger mechanism is configured to release pressure applied to the plunger quickly upon release of pressure on the trigger and to allow the plunger to move away from the cartridge to ensure release of pressure in the material to be dispensed to prevent dripping.

Abstract: A system for applying heated compositions includes a heated supply tank for receiving and supplying a composition at a first temperature, and a heated discharge chamber for receiving the composition from the supply tank, heating it further to a desired temperature, and discharging the composition for its end use. The system may be a bulk dispenser or a hand-held glue gun. In preferred embodiments, the compositions are hot melt adhesives, particularly hot melt adhesives of reduced density.

Abstract: An offset printing press is provided. The offset printing press includes an image cylinder, a blanket cylinder having an axially convex outer surface, and a printing blanket disposed over the axially convex outer surface, the printing blanket including a carrier sleeve layer having at least one axially convex surface. An axially profiled shim is also provided.

Abstract: A nozzle for applying a fluid material to an object includes a tubular wall with several circumferentially spaced ribs that extend outward from the tubular wall to engage an object to which the fluid material is to be applied. The ribs are configured to space the tubular wall from the object to provide a gap between them for receiving the fluid material and to align the tubular wall with the object. The tubular wall provides at least one opening between adjacent pairs of ribs to allow the fluid material to flow into the gap. The nozzle includes a sealing surface that is configured to engage a portion of the object when the spaced ribs are engaging the object to prevent escape of the fluid from said gap and to allow pressure to be applied to the fluid material. This pressure is detected to determine when the gap has been filled.

Abstract: A variable cutoff printing press is provided. The variable cutoff printing press includes a first plate cylinder, a second plate cylinder, a continuous belt blanket contacting the first and second plate cylinders and a movable support cylinder supporting the belt blanket. The first and second plate cylinders, the continuous belt blanket and the movable support cylinder form a first print section and the movable support cylinder is movable to change the print length of the first print section. A method of printing images with a printing press is also provided.

Abstract: A variable cutoff printing unit is provided including a first upper plate cylinder carrying a first upper image, a first upper blanket cylinder including a first upper blanket print area for transferring the first upper image to a web and a first upper blanket non print area, a second upper plate cylinder carrying a second upper image, a second upper blanket cylinder including a second upper blanket print area for transferring the second upper image to the web and a second upper blanket non print area, a first lower plate cylinder carrying a first lower image, a first lower blanket cylinder including a first lower blanket print area for transferring the first lower image to the web and a first lower blanket non print area, a second lower plate cylinder carrying a second lower image and a second lower blanket cylinder including a second lower blanket print area for transferring the second lower image to the web and a second lower blanket non print area.

Abstract: Based on our identification of silicon influx and efflux transporter genes in plants known to take up silicon efficiently including wheat, horsetail, oat, sorghum, and barley, the present invention features polynucleotides encoding silicon transporters; vectors, cells, and plants including such polynucleotides, and methods for making such plants. The invention also features silicon transporter polypeptides and fragments thereof. Plants expressing heterologous silicon transporters may exhibit both increased silicon uptake and increased resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses. In particular, plants such as soybean expressing silicon transporters may exhibit increased resistance to pathogens such as rust.

Abstract: An offset printing press is provided. The offset printing press includes an image cylinder, a blanket cylinder having an axially convex outer surface, and a printing blanket disposed over the axially convex outer surface, the printing blanket including a carrier sleeve layer having at least one axially convex surface. An axially profiled shim is also provided.

Abstract: A printing blanket includes a carrier sleeve layer having at least one axially convex surface and a print layer disposed over the carrier sleeve layer. A blanket cylinder with a convex outer surface and a convex shim is also provided. An offset printing press is also provided.