Abstract: A coating-material drying method for drying a coating film of a coating material applied to a vehicle body by electrodeposition coating includes: an irradiation step of applying an electromagnetic wave to the coating material staying in a gap formed in the vehicle body to decrease the viscosity of the coating material such that the coating material flows out from the gap; and a drying step of drying and hardening the coating film by heating the vehicle body after the irradiation step. In the irradiation step, a part of the vehicle body is kept at a temperature less than 110° C., the part being a part where the coating material flowing out from the gap flows.

Abstract: A flash dryer of cut tobacco comprises a drying duct (16) for connecting a feeding section (14) of cut tobacco to a tangential separator (18). The drying duct (16) has an upstream-side duct portion (16a) extending straight from the feeding section (14) at an elevation angle ranging from 30° to 60° and a downstream-side duct portion (16b) curving upward in a convex shape. A dry gas that flows through the drying duct (16) may contain superheated steam.

Abstract: A subdividing apparatus for use in an cut tobacco expanding system comprises a primary de-clumper arranged to receive a tobacco cake of impregnated cut tobacco taken out of an impregnation container and subdivide the received tobacco cake into tobacco loaves, and a secondary de-clumper arranged to receive the tobacco loaves from the primary de-clumper, subdivide the received tobacco loaves first into tobacco chunks and then further subdivide the tobacco chunks into tobacco lumps. The secondary de-clumper includes paired rotary rakes and a rotatable drum rake 26 located below the rotary rakes.

Abstract: An apparatus for carrying out a method of controlling the moisture of tobacco material comprises a hollow rotating cylinder (6) having an inlet (4) and an outlet (8) for tobacco material, and a feeding device for supplying a moist air flow into the rotating cylinder (6) such that the moist air flow runs out from the inlet (4) toward the outlet (8) within the rotating cylinder (6). Temperature and relative humidity of the moist air flow supplied into the rotating cylinder (6) are within the range of 40-80° C. and 80-95%, respectively.

Abstract: An apparatus for carrying out a method of controlling the moisture of tobacco material comprises a hollow rotating cylinder (6) having an inlet (4) and an outlet (8) for tobacco material, and a feeding device for supplying a moist air flow into the rotating cylinder (6) such that the moist air flow runs out from the inlet (4) toward the outlet (8) within the rotating cylinder (6). Temperature and relative humidity of the moist air flow supplied into the rotating cylinder (6) are within the range of 40-80° C. and 80-95%, respectively.

Abstract: A flash dryer of cut tobacco comprises a drying duct (16) for connecting a feeding section (14) of cut tobacco to a tangential separator (18). The drying duct (16) has an upstream-side duct portion (16a) extending straight from the feeding section (14) at an elevation angle ranging from 30° to 60° and a downstream-side duct portion (16b) curving upward in a convex shape. A dry gas that flows through the drying duct (16) may contain superheated steam.

Abstract: An infrared moisture measuring apparatus includes a first infrared light-emitting diode (LED) for emitting infrared rays of a measuring beam whose infrared absorption varies by the moisture content of an object to be measured and a second infrared LED for emitting infrared rays of a reference beam whose infrared absorption does not substantially vary by the moisture content of an object to measured. Also, an optical system is provided for illuminating the infrared rays of the measuring and reference beams emitted by the first and second infrared LEDs on the object and focusing the infrared rays reflected from the object, and an InGaAs light-receiving device is provided for receiving the infrared rays focused by the optical system and outputting a light-received signal which corresponds to a light quantity of the received infrared rays. The moisture value of the object is obtained based on the light-received signal output from the InGaAs light-receiving device.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process wherein a large glass preform is flame abraded to have a clear and smooth surface. In particular, the present invention pertains to a method for flame abrading a surface of a rotating glass preform by an oxyhydrogen flame which moves along a length of the glass preform, in which a movement velocity of the oxyhydrogen flame or a flow rate of oxyhydrogen of the oxyhydrogen flame is varied to conduct the flame abrasion treatment.

Abstract: A cermet blade member including a cermet substrate is provided which consists essentially of: 0.2% by weight to 8% by weight of a binder phase of at least one binder metal of cobalt and nickel; 5% by weight to 30% by weight of a first hard dispersed phase of at least one material of zirconia and a stabilized zirconia; and the remainder of a second hard dispersed phase of at least one metal carbo-nitride. The metal of the above-mentioned metal carbo-nitride is selected from metals in Group IVA in a periodic table. In addition, a cermet blade member including the cermet substrate and a hard coating layer formed on the surface of the cermet substrate is provided. The hard coating layer consists of at least one layer of a compound selected from a titanium carbide, a titanium nitride, a titanium carbo-nitride, titanium carbo-oxide represented by TiCO, titanium carbo-oxi-nitride represented by TiCNO and an aluminum oxide.

Abstract: A flexible boot for universal joints including a joint body having an inner ring fixed to one end of a first shaft and an outer ring provided on one end of a second shaft comprises both ends fixed to the outer ring and to the first shaft, respectively, and a bellows portion positioned between the both ends and having at least one valley. There is provided at least one elastic holder ring closely contacted with an outer peripheral surface of the at least one valley to prevent acute folding of the valley of the flexible boot.

Abstract: A universal joint provided with a joint body having an inner ring disposed at one end of a first shaft and an outer ring disposed at one end of a second shaft, and a flexible boot fitted at its opposite ends to said outer ring and the first shaft. Inside the flexible boot is formed a sealed space in which grease for lubricating the joint body is enclosed and which is charged with nitrogen gas.

Abstract: A bulkhead for use in container liner bags comprises a liner bag mounted to the inside of a container and containing goods charged therein, a plurality of support members disposed while being vertically spaced apart from each other to the end of the container on the side of the door, the both ends of which are detachably fitted to engage into the recessed grooves on both of the side walls of the container for supporting the end face of the liner bag on the side of the door, a positioning apparatus for fixing the vertical position of the uppermost support member and a spacer apparatus for suspending the support members other than the uppermost support member from the just-mentioned uppermost support member for fixing the vertical position between them. The assembly of the support members can serve as an effective bulkhead because of easy attaching and detaching while possessing sufficient withstanding force.

Abstract: The liner bag for use in containers comprises a bag main body having bottom, side, front and upper faces corresponding to the configuration on the inner walls of a container, in which the joining edge between the upper face and the side face is bent convexly toward the opposed joining edge, engaging members for detachably engaging the bag main body near the upper and lower four corners on the front thereof to the container, a pair of engaging metal members attached respectively to the two upper corners on the container door side and a pair of side belts which are attached along the joining edges between the upper face and both of the side faces, the ends of which are led out from the ends of the upper face on the door side and in which the led out portions are clamped with each other after being engaged to the engaging metal members. The liner bag can easily be installed to and removed from the container and the sagging in the upper face of the liner bag can be prevented without reducing the volume thereof.

Abstract: An arrester holder apparatus having a cassette type insulating support which is detachably mounted in a distributor of a communication apparatus and has a plurality of openings staggered about the longitudinal axis thereof. A plurality of contact members are molded together with the cassette type insulating support such that one end of each of the contact members constitutes one contact portion which is in contact with a corresponding one of terminals of the distributor and such that the other end of each of the contact members constitutes the other contact portion which is exposed in a corresponding one of the openings at one side thereof. A ground member comprising a metal spring is mounted on the cassette type insulating support such that one end of the ground member has a plurality of contact pieces, each being exposed in the corresponding opening at the other side thereof and such that the other end of the ground member constitutes a common contact portion which is grounded.

Abstract: A communication system protective device usable for various types of electrical communication lines, said device comprising a compact and simple arrangement of jack boards and protectors whereby an overvoltage or overcurrent induced in an outside line is prevented from being applied to the electrical communication apparatuses arranged on interior wiring to keep them safe from failure.