Abstract: A consumable item keeping system and method wherein a consumable item keeping apparatus stores a variety of consumable items at a user side, and a consumable item supplying section is connected to the consumable item keeping apparatus via a communication circuit and supplies a variety of consumable items to the user side upon request. A consumable item replenishment level setting device sets a consumable item replenishment level for consumable items stored in the consumable item keeping apparatus and a signal generating device generates a signal indicative of arrival of the consumable items at the consumable item replenishment level. Further, a consumable item data transmitting device transmits order data indicating request for consumable items to be replenished to the consumable item supplying section via the communication circuit when the signal is generated in the consumable item keeping apparatus.

Abstract: A pneumatic tire having improved high-speed running performances is manufactured by conducting vulcanization of a green tire with a mold provided at a position corresponding to a given position between neighborhood of shoulder portion and neighborhood of bead portion with at least one protrusion which protrudes inside the mold and continuously extends in the circumferential direction of the mold and consists of a first arc segment having a center of curvature located outside from the inner surface of the mold and second arc segments each having a center of curvature located inside from the inner surface of the mold and smoothly connecting to the first arc segment at upper and lower ends in the radial direction of the mold.

Abstract: A pneumatic tire having improved high-speed running performances is manufactured by conducting vulcanization of a green tire with a mold provided at a position corresponding to a given position between neighborhood of shoulder portion and neighborhood of bead portion with at least one protrusion which protrudes inside the mold and continuously extends in the circumferential direction of the mold and consists of a first arc segment having a center of curvature located outside from the inner surface of the mold and second arc segments each having a center of curvature located inside from the inner surface of the mold and smoothly connecting to the first arc segment at upper and lower ends in the radial direction of the mold.

Abstract: Provided is a hot-air type heater including a heat generating means such as a burner heater from which hot air is produced and blown out the heater into a living room so as to warm up the inside of the room with a uniform temperature distribution even among various heating rate conditions. The hot-air heater includes at least of variable angle louvers which are vertically swingable, and a control means for swinging the louver in association with at least either a hot air flow rate at a hot air outlet opening of the heater or the heating value of the heat generating means, so that the louver is vertically swung in accordance with an output from the control means in order to minimize differences in temperature distribution in the room during operation of the heater under various heating conditions.

Abstract: The present inventon relates to methods for rendering materials inflammable, and in particular, to methods for preparing fireproof feathers.According to the present invention, a process for preparing fireproof feathers comprising steps of: (a) suspending a predetermined amount of feathrs in water to make a suspension of the feathers; (b) adjusting the pH of the suspension to lie within the range of pH 2-4 with acid to make a acidic suspension; (c) adding tetrabromophthalate derivative which is emulsified in water in advance and a water soluble compound to the acidic suspension, where the water soluble compound is preferably selected from the group including zirconium fluoride and titanium fluoride, and more preferably from the group including potassium zirconium fluoride and the hydro-acid of titanium fluoride; (d) resuspending and wahsing the feathers in water; and (e) drying the thus processed feathers.

Abstract: A heavy duty pneumatic tire is disclosed, which comprises a plurality of main grooves extending in a tire circumferential direction, shoulder land portions formed between the main grooves on the shoulder portions and edges of a tread, and a plurality of lateral grooves extending axially inwardly and outwardly in a tire axial direction on the shoulder land portions from the tread edges and spaced at an interval in the tire circumferential direction. The lateral grooves include the tread edges, and consist of two kinds of lateral grooves having different axial distances W.sub.1 and W.sub.2 from the tread edge to axially inward ends of the bottoms of the lateral grooves. An amplitude of the shoulder main grooves is varied corresponding to positions of the respective lateral grooves such that distances L.sub.1 and L.sub.

Abstract: A wick-type combustion apparatus for liquid fuels comprises: a pair of cylindrical walls extending vertically and opposed to each other with a gap; a cylindrical wick vertically movable as guided between and along the walls; a slit-form cylindrical fuel passage opening provided in the outer wall and adapted to be opened and closed by the descent and ascent, respectively, of the wick; a fuel trap chamber provided around the opening in communication therewith; and a cylindrical porous member vertically extending in the chamber.A flame or flames remaining after the descent of the wick can be instantaneously blown out by a blast of an explosive combustion which occurs in the fuel trap chamber. The porous member serves to reduce the amount of unburnt fuel used for the explosive combustion, so that an abnormal rise of flame or flames attendant with the explosion can be prevented.

Abstract: Disclosed is an improvement of electric shaver having a shearing blade assembly held in a suspended way. An electric shaver according to this invention uses a cantilever spring plate which functions to push and raise the outer blade as a counter action to the descent of the outer blade which is caused by a strong push of the shaver against the skin of the face, thus assuring a pleasing touch on the face and the clean shaving.