Abstract: A kinetic structural component may have a flexible structure having at least one degree of freedom. The flexible structure can be moved between a compressed position and an expanded position or vice versa. The flexible structure may have at least one substructure which is configured, when said flexible structure is in the expanded position, to expand to form a curve or an arc and/or linearly.

Abstract: An apparatus for cleaning a floor includes a housing, chassis, wheels, motor, steering mechanism, cleaning assembly, optionally a squeegee assembly, and at least one of a side sweeping system, front sweeping system, and pick-up system. The side sweeping system includes a turntable with central axis, a drive wheel disposed in coaxial relationship with the turntable, a sweeper motive device in communication with the drive wheel, a plurality of brushes distributed radially around the drive wheel and adapted to be driven by rotation of the drive wheel, and a pivoting connector configured to enable the side sweeping system to pivot laterally in response to contact with a wall while at least one of the brushes maintains contact with the floor adjacent the wall while the apparatus is in operation, and the brushes move debris disposed on the floor adjacent the wall toward the front of the apparatus.

Abstract: A floor cleaning tool including a housing, a reservoir that is coupled to the housing and that contains a cleaning solution, and a resiliently deformable plate that is coupled to the housing. The plate defines apertures that are fluidly coupled to the reservoir, and the apertures are oriented to deposit cleaning solution onto a surface. The plate is removable from the housing.

Abstract: A floor cleaning tool including a housing, a reservoir coupled to the housing and adapted to hold a cleaning solution, and a floor-engaging roller coupled to the housing and rotatable with respect to the housing. The tool also includes a wheel by which the floor cleaning tool moves across a floor surface in a direction of travel at least partially defining a front, rear, and lateral sides of the floor cleaning tool. The tool further includes a squeegee laterally insertable between the roller and the wheel, and a squeegee mount located between the roller and the wheel by which the squeegee is releasably mounted to the floor cleaning tool by first and second laterally opposed protrusions rotatably secured within first and second apertures at opposite ends of the squeegee.

Abstract: An apparatus for cleaning a floor includes a housing, chassis, wheels, motor, steering mechanism, cleaning assembly, optionally a squeegee assembly, and at least one of a side sweeping system, front sweeping system, and pick-up system. The side sweeping system includes a turntable with central axis, a drive wheel disposed in coaxial relationship with the turntable, a sweeper motive device in communication with the drive wheel, a plurality of brushes distributed radially around the drive wheel and adapted to be driven by rotation of the drive wheel, and a pivoting connector configured to enable the side sweeping system to pivot laterally in response to contact with a wall while at least one of the brushes maintains contact with the floor adjacent the wall while the apparatus is in operation, and the brushes move debris disposed on the floor adjacent the wall toward the front of the apparatus.

Abstract: An apparatus for cleaning a floor includes a housing, chassis, wheels, motor, steering mechanism, cleaning assembly, optionally a squeegee assembly, and at least one of a side sweeping system, front sweeping system, and pick-up system. The side sweeping system includes a turntable with central axis, a drive wheel disposed in coaxial relationship with the turntable, a sweeper motive device in communication with the drive wheel, a plurality of brushes distributed radially around the drive wheel and adapted to be driven by rotation of the drive wheel, and a pivoting connector configured to enable the side sweeping system to pivot laterally in response to contact with a wall while at least one of the brushes maintains contact with the floor adjacent the wall while the apparatus is in operation, and the brushes move debris disposed on the floor adjacent the wall toward the front of the apparatus.

Abstract: A floor cleaning tool including a housing, a reservoir coupled to the housing and adapted to hold a cleaning solution, and a floor-engaging roller coupled to the housing and rotatable with respect to the housing. The tool also includes a wheel by which the floor cleaning tool moves across a floor surface in a direction of travel at least partially defining a front, rear, and lateral sides of the floor cleaning tool. The tool further includes a squeegee laterally insertable between the roller and the wheel, and a squeegee mount located between the roller and the wheel by which the squeegee is releasably mounted to the floor cleaning tool by first and second laterally opposed protrusions rotatably secured within first and second apertures at opposite ends of the squeegee.

Abstract: An apparatus for cleaning a floor includes a housing, chassis, wheels, motor, steering mechanism, cleaning assembly, optionally a squeegee assembly, and at least one of a side sweeping system, front sweeping system, and pick-up system. The side sweeping system includes a turntable with central axis, a drive wheel disposed in coaxial relationship with the turntable, a sweeper motive device in communication with the drive wheel, a plurality of brushes distributed radially around the drive wheel and adapted to be driven by rotation of the drive wheel, and a pivoting connector configured to enable the side sweeping system to pivot laterally in response to contact with a wall while at least one of the brushes maintains contact with the floor adjacent the wall while the apparatus is in operation, and the brushes move debris disposed on the floor adjacent the wall toward the front of the apparatus.

Abstract: A floor cleaning tool including a housing, a reservoir coupled to the housing and adapted to hold a cleaning solution, and a floor-engaging roller coupled to the housing and rotatable with respect to the housing. The tool also includes a wheel by which the floor cleaning tool moves across a floor surface in a direction of travel at least partially defining a front, rear, and lateral sides of the floor cleaning tool. The tool further includes a squeegee laterally insertable between the roller and the wheel, and a squeegee mount located between the roller and the wheel by which the squeegee is releasably mounted to the floor cleaning tool by first and second laterally opposed protrusions rotatably secured within first and second apertures at opposite ends of the squeegee.

Abstract: A floor cleaning tool having a body, a cleaning solution reservoir, a brush or other rotating roll by which floor cleaning is performed, and at least one wheel enabling tool movement across a floor. In some embodiments, the tool has a rotatable handle that can be locked in two or more rotational positions, and that can be rotated about a laterally-extending axis of the handle. Some embodiments of the tool have a roll retained by a bracket having one or more axially-extending portions secured by a fastener for easy roll removal, service, and/or replacement. Some embodiment of the tool have a resiliently deformable fluid nozzle plate for easy cleaning. The tool can have a squeegee assembly that is laterally insertable (e.g., between the roll and wheels of the tool) for mounting, such as by rotatable projections insertable into a mount of the tool.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided to clean a paint feed-line (1) of a painting system, line running from at least one paint tank (2, 9) to a paint deposition device (3) and feeding paint in this direction during the operational stages. During cleaning stages between operational stages, a cleaning substance is forced through the feed line (1). An inert gas, for instance nitrogen, is used as the gas for this purpose, and at the end of the cleaning stages the feed line (1) is filled with the inert gas. The gas remains in the feed line (1) until the next operational stage begins.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided to clean a paint feed-line (1) of a painting system, line running from at least one paint tank (2, 9) to a paint deposition device (3) and feeding paint in this direction during the operational stages. During cleaning stages between operational stages, a cleaning substance is forced through the feed line (1). An inert gas, for instance nitrogen, is used as the gas for this purpose, and at the end of the cleaning stages the feed line (1) is filled with the inert gas. The gas remains in the feed line (1) until the next operational stage begins.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided to clean a paint feed-line (1) of a painting system, line running from at least one paint tank (2, 9) to a paint deposition device (3) and feeding paint in this direction during the operational stages. During cleaning stages between operational stages, a cleaning substance is forced through the feed line (1). An inert gas, for instance nitrogen, is used as the gas for this purpose, and at the end of the cleaning stages the feed line (1) is filled with the inert gas. The gas remains in the feed line (1) until the next operational stage begins.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and to apparatus used to clean a paint feedline (1) of a painting system, said line running from at least one paint tank (2, 9) to a paint deposition device (3) and feeding paint in this direction during the operational stages. During cleaning stages between operational stages, a cleaning substance is forced through the feed line (1). An inert gas, for instance nitrogen, is used in the invention as the gas for this purpose, and at the end of the cleaning stages the feed line (1) is filled with the inert gas. The gas remains in the feed line (1) until the next operational stage begins.

Abstract: The pressure of compressed air in one or more nozzles which convert successive increments of a running tow of filamentary filter material into a rodlike filler in a filter rod making machine is regulated in response to variations in the speed of the filler. This ensures that the resistance which the filter rod sections offer the flow of tobacco smoke does not deviate from an optimum value when the speed of the filler is reduced below the nominal speed. The pressure of air which is admitted to the nozzle or nozzles is regulated by a variable-speed blower which compresses air preparatory to admission into the nozzle or nozzles, or by installing in the conduit or conduits for one or more nozzles a pressure regulating valve which is adjusted by a servomotor in response to signals denoting the speed of the filler.

Abstract: Apparatus for recovering tobacco particles from unsatisfactory filter cigarettes has a rotary centrifugal aligning device which converts randomly supplied unsatisfactory cigarettes into a single file and transports successive cigarettes of the file past the peripheral surfaces of two rotary disc-shaped wrapper-engaging implements serving to break the wrappers and thus expose the tobacco-containing fillers for segregation from the wrappers and filters. The marginal portions of the implements are monitored by discrete photocells which generate signals on detection of cracks, chipping and/or other defects of the implements, and such signals are used to arrest the drive for the aligning device and for the implements.