Abstract: Various building components and building construction techniques are disclosed. One embodiment comprises a joist end bearing condition wherein a joist rim is supported on a support structure adjacent to a bearing wall and attached thereto. Joists are attached to the joist rim and noncombustible board may be supported on the joists to form a floor surface. Other embodiments include metal joist rims that also function as headers for walls and headers for window and door openings in walls. Various methods of constructing walls from prefabricated panels formed from cold-formed steel components are also disclosed.

Abstract: System and apparatus for repair of concrete surfaces, and a method of using the same, having slab removal plates, slab replacement plates, slab transport/replacement frame carrier vehicles, slab injection/guide collars for application of fluid binding material as support for the replacement slabs, and microprocessor controlled global satellite coordinates, wireless transmission, and bar code identification for slab replacement.

Abstract: A lightweight roofing slate that is resistant to the pressure of high forced winds. The roofing slate is preferably made from autoclaved aerated concrete that is lightweight, fireproof, termite proof and can withstand hurricane force winds when properly mounted to a roof. Roofing slates are applied to the roof in an overlapping formation. An adhesive material is applied to the bottom surface of each roofing slate so that the overlapping roofing slate is secured to the top surface of the adjacent roofing slate and each roofing slate is further secured to the roof. A nontoxic, water based sealer is applied to the top surface of the roofing slates after they are secured to the roof.

Abstract: Interconnectable panels having tongue-and-groove connections are mechanically connected to each other by first moving two panels into an intermediate position and then pivoting one panel with respect to the other. The underside of the tongue of one panel has a depression, while the groove of another panel has a protruding lower lip. The lower lip has a projection that fits in the depression when the two panels are in the intermediate position.

Abstract: A system and method for forming concrete structures, using foam panels as forms, supported by vertical tracks with horizontal bridge pieces inserted through the forms. The bridge pieces are in the form of triangular webs with coaxial rings for supporting vertical rebars centrally between opposing forms. The coaxial rings on opposing bridge pieces key together to securely hold the vertical rebars. At the corners of the structure, corner retaining extrusions are used having fins for retaning the foam panels, and having various included angles such as 60°, 75°, 90°, 120°, 135°, 150° or 165°. Specific types of corner tie pieces for square, obtuse or acute corners are used to connect together the corner retaining extrusions at the inner and outer corners of the structure.

Abstract: Provided is a form for use in placing concrete, which is made from a recycled resin composition including a recycled polyester resin, a lactone polymer, an epoxidized diene based block copolymer, and optionally a polyolefin resin. The form can be made extremely advantageously from the view point of production cost since it utilizes a recycled resin such as waste PET. Further, the form is easy to set up and to remove after the placement of concrete when a support is used for setting. The form for use in placing concrete according to the present invention is improved in formability and has excellent mechanical strength.

Abstract: A matrix frame system for carrying skin structure on the outside of the frame in a plural-story building. The system features plural stand-off mounts anchored to such a frame at regular, spaced, row-and-column locations located near connection nodes between columns and beams in the frame. Each mount includes an outwardly looking, mount-defining face which occupies an upright matrix support plane, which plane is spaced outwardly of, and at a defined angle to, the adjacent outside “plane” of the associated building frame. Also included in the system are plural, generally planar (including “angular planar”) matrix frame panels each having plural perimetral corners disposed adjacent different mount-defining faces in a different stand-off mounts, with pluralities of such corners of different and adjacent panels meeting at, and disposed adjacent, different, single, common mount-defining faces in different single stand-off mounts.

Abstract: Supporting structure for supporting the leveled ceiling, or other constructive elements, of an habitable construction, where said supporting structure can be fabricated with only three different kinds of structural elements, joined with each other by screws or any other suitable joining mean, where said structural elements have a simple shape which allow a fast, simple and cheap construction of very flexible ceiling supporting structures, which do not get deformed nor attacked by termites, as the time goes on, and which are able to satisfy the requirements of different kinds of habitable constructions that normally involve the supporting of ceilings in the lower part of rough works, like truss, slabs and other related elements.

Abstract: A support device is provided for the preferred application of buckling opposing support of an I-joist having an erroneously cut hole in its web portion. The support device may have an approximate U-shape with two substantially parallel bridging structures combined by a structure that combines the bridging structures and provides an alignment reference with the chords. In the case where an erroneously cut hole is identified, the support device may be laterally attached to the I-joist such that both bridging structures flank the erroneously cut hole. Once the bridging structures are attached to the web, the bridging structures define with the remainder of the web a buckling opposing interface. The support structure is preferably monolithically fabricated from sheet metal and scaled in conjunction with dimensional standards of commercially available I-joists.

Abstract: A novel procedure in construction houses is presented with the particular characteristic of being projected to support efficiently the loads generated by high speed winds as the ones in the atmospheric phenomenon denominated TORNADO. The procedure steps can be summarized as follows: a first step consists of constructing the structure of a prototype house. A second step consists of the covering of the structure with steel lamina, forming a fuselage of the house, a showier final effect, then a covering in the interior with hard tongued and grooved wood. A third step consists of setting the closings of the structure. Therefore, the range of the invention is subscribed to the universe of the structural profiles used for metallic constructions.

Abstract: A self-supporting roof lighting system that accepts low elevation light and rejects high elevation light may be produced by making arrays of parallel laser cuts through, or partly through, a flat sheet of transparent acrylic, cutting the segment containing the arrays from the sheet, positioning the segment over linear heating elements to soften the acrylic along the lines between adjoining laser cut arrays, folding the segment along the softened lines through the angle necessary to form a multi-faceted structure of saddle, pyramid or higher order form and allowing this structure to cool and solidify to produce a self-supporting angle-selective roof lighting system with an array of light redirecting laser cuts on each facet.

Abstract: A novel building construction is described for exterior building walls. The construction comprises an interior frame formed of a plurality of laterally spaced studs or beams, a layer of rigid insulation adjacent to the exterior side of this steel frame, exterior building cladding adjacent the exterior side of the rigid insulation and a plurality of non-thermal conducting plastic connectors extending through the layer of rigid insulation and connecting together the exterior cladding and the interior steel studs or beams. Vertical channels are formed adjacent both the inside and outside faces of the insulation layer to remove moisture. This provides the required structural strength with a minimum of thermal conductivity from the warm side to the cold side of the building envelope, while providing exterior drain channels and interior moisture removing channels.

Abstract: A sheet material support device that is attachable to studs, joist, beams or other suitable framing components and that facilitates mounting orthogonal junctions of sheet material pieces without need of multiple studs is described. The device includes a fastener-receiving member used to fasten the sheet material to the device and a stud-mounting member orthogonally transecting the fastener-receiving member that is used for mounting the device on the stud. The sheet material support device is made of a pliable plastic material and can be quickly mounted to the studs through the stud-mounting member using an ordinary construction grade staples. Each of two orthogonally oriented sheet materials forming the junction are quickly mounted by being fastened through the stud-mounting member into the stud in one case and into the fastener-receiving member in the other case.

Abstract: A panel (1) for use in cladding a wall (12) and comprising a rigid base member (2) having first and second opposed surfaces (3,5) with a step (4,6) provided in each of the surfaces so that in situ the panel (1) can overlap with neighbouring panels to form a substantially uniform and planar base sheet. The step (6) in the second surface has a recess (7) provided therein for receiving a shaped edge region of a first neighbouring panel in situ, and an edge region (8) of the base member (2) being shaped to be received by a recess of a second neighbouring panel in situ. One or more facing members (9) secured to one of the first and second surfaces (3,5).

Abstract: A multi-piece clamp for installation on a standing seam is disclosed. One component of the clamp is a clamp body with a clamp body slot formed therein. This slot may be mounted on a standing seam without having to slide the clamp body onto an end of the seam. Another component of the clamp is an insert(s) that may be disposed within the clamp body slot between a clamp body slot wall and the standing seam. One or more seam fasteners may be directed through the clamp body and a clamp body slot wall to secure each of the inserts within the clamp body slot by a compression of the same, and further to secure the clamp to the standing seam.

Abstract: An interconnect for a solid oxide fuel cell includes a compliant superstructure having a first portion defining a separator plate contact zone and a second portion defining an electrode contact zone, wherein the super structure is porous. In one embodiment, the superstructure is defined by a plurality of compliant substructures provided in a first direction and a plurality of compliant substructures provided in second direction to define a woven structure.

Abstract: A device for aseptically filling sterile containers provided with a mouth closed by a frangible membrane, comprising actuators (K) carrying a fill group provided at its distal end with cutting means (T) and valve means and at its proximal end with means (Y) for driving the valve means. The valve means consist of a fill tube (R) closed by a conical bottom (U), externally provided with an elastomeric plug (P), and having one or more lateral slots (A) at the bottom (U), the fill tube (R) being slidably arranged within an external guide tube (E) suitable to abut on the container mouth, upon cutting of the membrane, and with which the plug (P) achieves a seal.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for packaging and taking away packaged sequenced product such as mail pieces. The apparatus includes a packaging device having an output end, and adapted to package sequenced products. A clamping device is adjacent to the output end of the packaging device. A conveying system is downstream from the clamping device. The conveying system incrementally moves a drop off tray. The clamping device holds one of a plurality of packaged sequenced products such that the drop off tray is in a position to stack multiple packaged sequenced products of the plurality of packaged sequenced products into the drop off tray. In one embodiment, this allows the packages not to hit the drop off tray during the stacking process. A method of packaging is also provided.

Abstract: There is now provided a beverage bottling plant for filling bottles and like containers with a liquid beverage filling material and a conveyer arrangement for aligning and distributing packages containing filled bottles and like containers. The conveyer arrangement permits rotation of a package upon traveling from the conveyer input to the conveyer output.

Abstract: The present description discusses apparatus and methods for applying straps around a bundle of objects by applying a variable force to tension the strap around the bundle of objects and then actuating a series of cams to control the sealing of the strap around the bundle of objects. The strap is bonded together by the insertion of a heating element between the strap ends to activate the adhesive thereon. The strapping machine for accomplishing the above method is configured with a feed and tension unit configured to provide a simplified “V-shaped” strap path that reduces bending of the strap, reduces friction on the strap, and minimizes other strap feeding difficulties. The machine is further comprised of a track assembly configured with a track channel having a plurality of biased covers. The covers are biased in a closed position until tension is applied to the strap, which forces the covers to pivot open and release the strap around the bundle of objects.

Abstract: An apparatus for holding and cutting film (1) comprises a unit (6) for gripping and tearing the film (1), located outside the profile of the platform (2) and designed to enable a portion of film of width (L1) between a stack (3) of products on the platform (2) and a film feed reel (4) to be intercepted after the stack (3) has been wrapped and to subsequently tear the portion of film (1) thus intercepted, acting in conjunction with a partial rotation of the platform (2).

Abstract: This invention is a novel process for skin packaging, and is an addition to the usual vacuum packaging processes. Instead of the skin being pushed down on to the object being sealed, by atmospheric air pressure created by a partial vacuum under the skin, it is instead pushed down on the object being sealed by increased external pressure. Both use the same difference between the outer air pressure and the inner air pressure. This difference in how the pressure differences are obtained, however, changes many of the procedures, and some of the results. There are many new opportunities opened up by this new process that can only be determined by further studies and experimentation.

Abstract: An sealing system includes a frame, a ferrite core disposed within the frame, and a litz wire coil disposed proximate to the ferrite core for producing an electromagnetic field within the ferrite core, where the ferrite core and litz wire coil are adapted to direct the electromagnetic field toward a foil to seal an opening of a container with the foil. The sealing head is air cooled within the induction sealing unit.

Abstract: The present invention comprises a series of embodiments of a swivel cheeked bridle bit wherein the cheek portion, comprising a dee and/or lower or curb rein attachment eye or ring, is separate from the purchase, with the purchase serving as a pintle for the swivel attachment of the cheek portion to the remainder of the bit structure. The upper harness attachment ring, for attaching a curb chain, nose strap, and/or cheek strap to the bit, is immovably affixed to the upper end of the purchase, which in turn is immovably affixed to the mouth bar of the bit. This ensures that the upper ring does not rotate or swivel as the cheek is turned, thus avoiding twisting the ends of the straps attached to the upper ring and precluding turning the edge of the attachment ring and any attached straps into the side of the face of the animal.

Abstract: A bit (10) includes a mouthpiece (12) having two mouthpiece members (20). Each of the mouthpiece members has an end (20a,20b) which faces the other mouthpiece member, and the two ends are connected to one another by a joining arrangement comprising (26) one or more pivots and a stop system. The stop system limits the relative angular displacement of the mouthpiece members from a reference position towards the rear of a horse. In the reference position, the joining arrangement and the two ends of the mouthpiece members connected by the arrangement lie approximately along a straight line. The stop system prevents relative angular displacement of the mouthpiece members from the reference position towards the rear of the horse or limits the relative angular displacement in this direction to a minor fraction of the maximum possible relative angular displacement of the mouthpiece members from the reference position towards the front of the horse.

Abstract: A portable ladder is presented for assisting a rider to mount a horse. The portable ladder is flexible and attaches to the saddle. The saddle need not be specially adapted to receive the portable ladder. The ladder may also be folded up for carrying or stowing while riding.

Abstract: An engine exhaust gas purification device is disclosed. The purification device has a filter (13) which traps particulate matter contained in the exhaust gas from an engine; a differential pressure detection sensor (16) which detects a differential pressure of the filter; a sensor (14, 15, 21, 31, 33) which detects an engine running state, and a microcomputer (22). The microcomputer (22) is programmed to compute an estimated ash amount ASH_a of the filter based on the detected differential pressure; compute an oil consumption amount OC_total based on the detected engine running state; compute an ash density DENS_ASH from the oil consumption amount OC_total and estimated ash amount ASH_a, and compute an ash amount ASH of the filter based on the oil consumption amount OC_total and ash density DENS_ASH.

Abstract: The invention concerns a device for the upkeep of a hedge (10) comprising an element adapted to move in reciprocating motion parallel above and/or beside the hedge (10). The displacement is performed repeatedly and automatically so as to prevent the hedge from growing beyond a predetermined limit by the trajectory of the mobile element. The mobile element is shaped like a gantry and moves along one or several aerial or ground rails (4). The ridges of the gantry are fitted with a cutting edge or with an abrasive element (6). The mobile element is driven by a roller (3) and is mounted on an electric gear motor (1).

Abstract: A method of determining crop parameters in an agricultural harvester has the steps of determining at least one crop parameter during a working process with a compacting device which is fillable with a crop probe, and using for determining the at least one crop parameter of the crop probe depending on at least one defined compression of the crop probe produced by the compacting device.

Abstract: A machine for mowing stalk-like crop is equipped several intake and mowing arrangements disposed in side-by-side relationship to each other for the cutting of standing crop and for the conveying of the harvested crop. At the rear side of the intake and mowing arrangements, a transverse conveying channel is provided through which the harvested crop can be transported at least approximately transverse to the direction of operation. The downstream end of the transverse conveying channel communicates with an intake channel through which the harvested crop can be delivered to a chopper arrangement. A conveying arrangement, that can be driven, is arranged outside the transverse conveying channel in order to remove a jam, if necessary, that was caused by harvested crop emerging from the transverse conveying channel. The conveying arrangement is mounted for rotation about an approximately vertical axis.

Abstract: A grass catcher is provided for attachment to a lawn mower such as a commercial lawn mower. In certain example embodiments, the catcher includes at least one baffle for causing a venturi effect during grass cutting operation. The presence of such a baffle may allow for reduced grass clogging and/or improved grass packing in the catcher during mower operation in certain example instances.

Abstract: A windrow merger has a frame supporting first, second and third pickup assemblies, with the two outside pickup assemblies foldable between an extended use position and a retracted travel position. Each of the pickup assemblies includes a reversible conveyor providing multiple windrow merging configurations. The pickup assemblies are interchangeable and aligned to define an unobstructed pickup face.

Abstract: A process to recover energy from a gas having a temperature of above 650° C. and an absolute pressure of more than 1.

Abstract: A gas turbine plant with a compressor, a combustion chamber, a turbine and at least one heat sink is operated with a working medium in the form of a carbon dioxide/water mixture. A hydrocarbon reacts as fuel with oxygen in the combustion chamber, and the excess carbon dioxide and water thereby occurring is tapped from the circuit. The compressor and the turbine have in each case a rotor with moving blades and a casing with flow ducts and with guide blade cascades. In the compressor and/or the turbine, matching to the expansion behavior of the working medium, which is different from that of air, is brought about by modifications of the flow ducts, of the moving blades and/or of the guide blade cascades.

Abstract: A gas turbine apparatus is provided wherein a turbine is driven or rotated by burning a mixture of a fuel and compressed air and supplying a combustion gas generated by the combustion. A flameout determination unit is provided in the apparatus which is adapted to calculate the air/fuel ratio in the air/fuel mixture, correct the calculated air/fuel ratio to calculate a corrected air/fuel ratio which is substantially constant, compare the calculated corrected air/fuel ratio with a predetermined reference air/fuel ratio, and generate a signal indicative of occurrence of a flameout when the corrected air/fuel ratio is smaller than the reference air/fuel ratio.

Abstract: A gas turbine apparatus is provided which prevents a sudden rise in temperature in the event of changing a speed such as upon start-up, thereby obviating a reduction in lifetime. The apparatus comprises a rotational speed control unit, acceleration control unit, low signal selector, and an opening operating unit. The rotational speed control unit receives a current rotational speed and a predetermined target rotational speed of a turbine, and processes them to output a control signal indicative of an opening degree of a fuel control valve to make the turbine rotate at the target rotational speed. The target rotational speed is set as a predetermined downwardly convex monotone increasing function having an elapsed time as a variable during a start-up period to rated condition.

Abstract: A vehicle exhaust system includes a catalytic converter and an outlet sensor. The outlet sensor generates a sensor signal based on an oxygen level of exhaust gases exiting the catalytic converter. A controller communicates with an engine and the outlet sensor, and monitors the sensor signal during a predetermined period of engine operation. The controller commands an intrusive catalyst monitor test in a default order if the outlet sensor signal transitions through both thresholds during a predetermined period. The controller performs an intrusive outlet sensor test during cruise operation of the engine if the signal fails to transition through both thresholds during the catalyst monitor test.

Abstract: A reformate/buffer system and method for operating an exhaust emissions control device are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, the reformate/buffer system comprises: a hydride storage bed, a hydride cycling bed disposed in fluid communication with the hydride storage bed, a hydrogen separation device, a reformate flow path, coolant flow passages in thermal communication with the hydride cycling bed, and reformer flow passages in thermal communication with the hydride cycling bed. The reformate flow path is formed by the hydride storage bed, the hydride cycling bed, and the hydrogen separation device and is disposed in fluid communication with the hydride storage bed and hydride cycling bed.

Abstract: The invention relates to a new method and system for optimizing the efficiency of an automotive catalytic converter by adjusting the engine air/fuel ratio based on estimates of the actual amount of oxidants stored in the catalyst. The oxidant storage capacity of the catalyst is adjusted by controlling engine spark in response to an estimate of a current amount of oxidants stored in the catalyst and an estimate of the total available oxidant storage capacity of the catalyst. To maintain engine speed in spite of adjustments to the engine spark, the engine air mass is also adjusted.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for using a sensor. A sensor is selectively coupled with an environmental condition for which the sensor is designed when a first predetermined event occurs. The sensor is selectively decoupled from the environmental condition when a second predetermined event occurs.

Abstract: In order to improve the decrease of the catalytic action and the deterioration of the exhaust purification performance, a catalyst installed in the exhaust pipe of an engine and a secondary air pump for supplying secondary air into the exhaust pipe are provided, and the secondary air pump is operated even after the engine has stopped.

Abstract: Fuel is added to exhaust gas 9 upstream of a catalytic regeneration type particulate filter 13 in an exhaust pipe 11. The fuel added is oxidized on a flow-through type oxidization catalyst 14 before the particulate filter 13 to generate exothermic heat with which captured and accumulated particulates in the particulate filter 13 are burned off to forcibly regenerate the particulate filter 13. When the driving is being performed in light-load engine operation areas upon forcible regeneration of the particulate filter 13, a retarder 22 is activated, with an accelerator pedal retaining its on-state, and an amount of fuel injected is increased to compensate reduction of torque due to such activation of the retarder 22.

Abstract: A continuous processing trap apparatus is capable of increasing the trapping efficiency while maintaining conductance required by a vacuum chamber. The trap apparatus includes an exhaust passage for evacuating a hermetically sealed chamber by a vacuum pump, a hermetically sealed trapping and regenerating casing extending across the exhaust passage and a regenerating passage adjacent to the exhaust passage, and a trap unit movably housed in the trapping and regenerating casing for selective movement between a trapping position connected to the exhaust passage and a regenerating position connected to the regenerating passage. The trap apparatus further includes valve bodies disposed one on each side of the trap unit and supporting seals on outer circumferential surfaces thereof for sealing the exhaust passage and the regenerating passage from each other, and a monitoring mechanism for monitoring whether the seals are functioning normally.

Abstract: A bearing system for a turbocharger shaft includes an elongated bearing carrier with two anti-friction ball bearings mounted in its ends and with a radially extending flange at one end that cooperates with stationary housing portions and carries thrust loads of the rotor in both directions. The elongated bearing carrier is supported within the housing by axially spaced elastic supports which permit the rotating assembly to rotate about its mass center and provide a shock and vibration cushion. The elongated bearing carrier and housing cooperate to provide a coolant cavity which communicates with the outside periphery of the elongated bearing carrier between the axially spaced elastic supports, which also act as coolant seals between the elongated bearing cavity and the bearing housing. The coolant cavity protects the bearing system and anti-friction ball bearings from heat conducted from the exhaust gas-driven turbine and also cools the housing.

Abstract: Internal explosion engine and generator having an explosion chamber, a movable member forming one wall of the chamber, a charge of non-combustible gas sealed inside the chamber, means for repeatedly igniting the gas in an explosive manner to drive the movable member from a position of minimum volume to a position of maximum volume, means for returning the movable member from the position of maximum volume to the position of minimum volume, and means coupled to the movable member for providing electrical energy in response to explosion of the gas. In one disclosed embodiment, the movable member is a piston connected to a crankshaft, and it is returned to the position of minimum volume by a flywheel on the crankshaft. In another, two pistons are connected back-to-back in a hermetically sealed chamber to prevent loss of the explosive gas.

Abstract: The present invention includes a rotary engine, comprising a stator that includes a bladed heat transfer stator segment comprising an outer surface comprising a plurality of blades creating a flowpath on the outer surface. Rotary engines include Stirling engines and Wankel engines and compound rotary engines.

Abstract: An electrically insulative layer of a shape memory alloy (SMA) actuator includes an inorganic material formed upon a portion of an SMA substrate. A conductive material formed upon a portion of the electrically insulative layer in a trace pattern includes a first end, a second end, and a heating element disposed between the first and second ends. The SMA substrate is trained to deform at a transition temperature achieved when electricity is conducted through the conductive material via first and second interconnect pads terminating the first and second ends of the trace pattern.

Abstract: The invention relates to a braking device, which mainly comprises a pneumatic servomotor (1) and a master cylinder (2), the servomotor comprising in particular a rigid casing (10), a moving partition wall (11), front and rear chambers (101, 102), and a pneumatic piston (12), and the master cylinder (2) comprising more particularly primary and secondary pistons (221, 222) defining primary and secondary pressure chambers (241, 242), and an actuating rod (23) which controls the primary piston (221).

Abstract: The turbocharged exit air from a turbocharger flows through an intercooler, and then into an air intake manifold of a diesel engine. The intercooler exchanges heat with a liquid coolant in the intercooler when the coolant is cooler than the charge air, and substantially does not exchange heat with the liquid coolant in the intercooler when the coolant is warmer than the charge air. A controller located on the coolant tubing leading into the intercooler compares the temperature of the charge air to the temperature of the coolant, and at least partially stops the coolant from circulating by at least partially closing a valve in the coolant tubing when the charge air is cooler than the coolant.

Abstract: A heat exchange cooling system for an internal combustion engine co-generation plant, which allows exhaust recycled gas combustion while maintaining lower head temperatures to reduce thermal NOx emissions while delivering increased process/utility heat to a proximate co-generation client, is provided. The cooling system has two cooling loops with different flow rates: one through the engine and the second through exhaust manifolds, such that higher engine block flow resulting in cooler head temperatures is provided, while allowing higher temperature coolant to flow through exhaust exchangers, such that when the two coolant flows converge at a process/utility heat exchanger for heating co-generation client liquid, the combined flows substantially increase the transferred heat.