Abstract: An efficient reversible grilling device is used for grilling, broiling, frying, baking, boiling and steaming. It is a single element made of rigid heat conductive material with one side being flat and the other side having a plurality of nesting recesses for spherical and ovate food products. The maximum height of the reversible cooking device is ? inch. Each of the plurality of nesting recesses has a depth greater than 50% of the height of the grilling device. A plurality of orifices cut through the element in the areas of the nesting recesses and in the areas away from the nesting recesses. Either surface can be used to prepare foods while providing fat and grease drainage.

Abstract: An apparatus for removing pits from prunes or other soft fruit, including holders defining pockets for holding soft fruit, an excess fruit removal assembly (e.g., comprising one or more paddle wheels), a pitting knife assembly, and a holder drive assembly for translating the holders along a closed loop. Each pocket defined by each holder is movable between open and closed configurations as the holder is translated around the loop. Each holder includes a top chuck plate shaped to guide an article of fruit into each pocket with reduced risk that excess fruit (fruit not properly seated in a pocket) will remain lodged on the chuck plate after the holder has translated past the excess fruit removal assembly. Other aspects are a chuck plate configured for use as a top chuck plate of a fruit holder of a pitting apparatus, and a fruit holder including such a chuck plate.

Abstract: A juice extractor includes a strainer tube mounted to receive juice and pulp of a fruit. An orifice tube reciprocates within the strainer tube and has an ejection port and is configured to generate pressure and separate juice and pulp, collect core, and discharge core out of the ejection port. A sensor is positioned adjacent the orifice tube and configured to sense material ejected from the ejection port.

Abstract: A support mechanism for preventing outward deflection of a cracker shaft in an egg breaker assembly, about which are supported in orbiting fashion a plurality of circumferentially spaced rows of egg breakers. A disk shaped portion is mounted in slaved rotatable fashion about an intermediate location of the cracker shaft and exhibits a plurality of exteriorly facing and circumferentially offset inwardly recessed scalloped surfaces. An outer fixed and guiding cam is secured to an aligning intermediate location of the breaker and exhibits an inner arcuate extending and guiding/support surface in outwardly spaced and aligning fashion relative to the scalloped locations of the rotating disk.

Abstract: An apparatus for compacting a divided material is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a chamber. The chamber includes an opening at one end. A valve is positioned proximate the opening. The apparatus further includes a container capable of dispensing a divided material into the chamber. A plunger is configured to compact the material into the chamber when the valve is closed. The plunger is also capable of pushing the compacted material through the opening and out of the chamber when the valve is open. A process and system for metering a material are also disclosed.

Abstract: An imprinter for creating impressions of designs in media such as buttercream, fondant, gum paste, modeling dough, and cookie dough for decoration. The imprinter includes a retainer having a retainer body and at least one retaining portion and a lock configured to be received by the retainer. The lock has a lock retaining portion engageable with the retaining portion of the retainer to selectably secure the lock to the retainer.

Abstract: The supply of a negative pressure to an opening P(+1) adjacent to an opening P(0) is stopped by switching a suction valve connected to the opening P(+1) from an open state to a closed state while keeping a positive pressure valve connected thereto closed. Then, near the opening P(+1), a force for holding a blanket becomes gradually weaker against a pressure force in a pressurized space. Associated with that, an air component in the pressurized space flows into a space between a portion of the blanket vertically above the opening P(+1) and an upper surface, whereby the blanket portion is lifted from the upper surface and brought into contact with the lower surface of a printing plate. In this way, a contact area is slowly and stably widened while a sudden change of a pressure in the pressurized space SP5 is suppressed.

Abstract: A doctor assembly for a pad printing system includes a body and a doctor blade. The body has an outer surface and an opposite inner surface that defines a passageway through the body. The inner surface engages a removable pre-filled ink cup to secure the ink cup to the body. The inner surface directs ink from the ink cup through the passageway toward an ink-receiving surface of a cliché device. The doctor blade is coupled with the body and engages the cliché device. The doctor blade wipes the ink along the cliché device as the body laterally moves relative to the cliché device. The doctor blade is coupled with the body such that the doctor blade is laterally spaced apart from the inner surface of the body.

Abstract: A digital flexography system includes an imaging member with a charge generating layer formed from an array of addressable pixels and a charge transport layer thereon. Ink is delivered to the imaging member using a simple rough donor roll, rather than an anilox roll. Instead of controlling the amount of ink delivered using the anilox roll, the amount of ink is controlled by the pixels on the imaging member.

Abstract: A method of producing a print product comprises: performing digital printing of each surface of the print product, sequentially and repeatedly, on a continuous paper; forming a section by cutting the printing-completed continuous paper into a paper sheet and folding the paper sheet in two; forming a section block by at least one of sections; and folding the section block in two.

Abstract: An ink film thickness distribution forming method in an ink supply apparatus including an ink fountain. A plurality of ink fountain keys are arranged in the ink fountain. Ink is supplied to an ink fountain roller in accordance with the opening ratios of the plurality of ink fountain keys. Ink is transferred to an ink ductor roller from the ink fountain roller. Ink from the ink doctor roller is transferred to an ink roller group including at least one ink form roller. A throw-off operation of the ink form roller positioned at an end of the ink roller group is performed after the end of a print job. The ink roller group is divided into a plurality of roller subgroups after the end of the print job. The ink in at least one of roller subgroups is removed. An ink film thickness distribution forming apparatus is also disclosed.

Abstract: A printing machine in which automatic supply of ink from different types of ink container to the ink fountain is possible, and in which further automation of replacement procedure, simplification of replacement procedure, and reduction of time required for replacement procedure are achieved is provided. The printing machine comprises an ink fountain member 2 having fountain-forming faces forming an ink fountain 1; an ink fountain roller 3 for applying an ink to the outer peripheral surface through an ink channel between the ink fountain roller 3 and the ink fountain member 2; a plurality of rollers 4, 15 for supplying the ink applied to the outer peripheral surface of the ink fountain roller 3 to a printing portion; a plurality of ink containers 65, accommodating different types of ink, and being stored in a predetermined container storage unit 66; and an ink supply device 68 for holding the desired ink container 65 and supplying the ink therein to the ink fountain 1.

Abstract: A printing device employing a rewritable plate, includes: a first plate forming member forming a rewritable plate; a latent image forming unit as to the first plate forming member; a protrusion forming unit selectively adhering an ink-repellent particle to a portion where a latent image on the surface of the first plate forming member is formed; a second plate forming member accepting and holding the ink-repellent particle adhered onto the surface of the first plate forming member using a hollow included in the surface; a pressure adhesion unit configured to push the ink-repellent particle adhered into the hollow; and a recording material supply unit supplying a recording material to the surface of the second plate forming member; with the surface of the ink-repellent particle having a property of repelling the recording material, and also the surfaces of the plate forming members having a property not to repel the recording material.

Abstract: A printing system includes first and second printing apparatuses that form images on first and second surfaces of a continuous recording sheet, respectively. The second printing apparatus includes a printing unit that forms a toner image on the sheet; a conveying unit that conveys the sheet at a reference speed in the printing unit; a fixing-conveying unit that conveys the sheet and fixes the toner image adhered to the sheet; a buffer unit that takes up slack in the sheet generated because of a difference in conveyance between the conveying unit and the fixing-conveying unit; a determining unit that determines a brake force for stopping conveyance of the fixing-conveying unit, based on a buffer amount of the buffer unit, which corresponds to the slack in the sheet; and a conveyance control unit that performs control to stop conveyance of the sheet by the determined brake force.

Abstract: A method for controlling a printing operation includes detecting at least one position and/or an extent of a register mark located on a printing material by means of a register mark sensor, and using the detected at least one position and/or the extent of the register mark for register control. The method further includes acquiring at least one item of color information by means of the same register mark sensor during the printing operation, carrying out color monitoring with at least the at least one item of color information, and determining a color deviation with respect to a reference value. Furthermore, the method includes defining a threshold value for the color deviation, and outputting a warning and/or automatically making a change from good to poor products when the threshold value for the color deviation is exceeded.

Abstract: A detonator system (10) which has a plurality of segments (16), each segment having a respective plurality of detonators (14), and a synchronizer (18, 12), which may be a compound arrangement or a single device, which prevents the transmission of voltage modulated signals to the detonators (14) in one segment (16A) if current modulated segments are being transmitted from the detonators (14) in another segment (16B).

Abstract: A flameless smoke pot and a method of generating smoke using the smoke pot. The smoke pot includes a casing having a side wall with an inlet openings and containing a plurality of perforated tubes containing red phosphorous pellets. A heat generating pyrotechnic composition is disposed at a first end of the casing to generate heat which flows through the perforated tubes containing red phosphorous pellets to produce white phosphoric acid clouds of smoke. The white phosphoric acid clouds of smoke are combined with atmospheric an containing water to generate the white phosphoric acid clouds of aerosol smoke. The white phosphoric acid clouds of aerosol smoke are directed through a perforated flame arrester whereby visible flame is prevented from being created.

Abstract: A cylindrical warhead is divided into a conical central segment and peripheral segments. The central segment has a disk-shaped liner bounding a cavity with high explosive and forming a penetrating projectile. The peripheral segments are hingedly attached to the central segment and have outer segment faces bounding respective cavities with high explosive, the segment faces forming sidewalls of the warhead in a closed position. The peripheral segments can be released to an open position in which the segment faces point in the forward direction for detonation. The warhead may be used in the closed position for single hardened targets such as armored vehicles and in the open position for area targets such as lighter vehicles and personnel. Opening of the warhead may be enabled at a time of launch of the warhead, or at a time of target acquisition after launch.

Abstract: The disclosure is directed to an energy recovery system for a mobile machine. The system may have a tank configured to store a liquid fuel for combustion within a main engine located on the locomotive, and a fuel delivery circuit connecting the tank to the main engine. The system may also have an auxiliary engine, and a boil-off circuit connecting the tank to the auxiliary engine. The system may also have an accumulator fluidly connected to the boil-off circuit between the tank and the auxiliary engine and configured to store gaseous fuel formed in the tank, and a carbon adsorbent disposed within the accumulator and configured to adsorb the gaseous fuel. The auxiliary engine may be configured to selectively generate a suction force to withdraw gaseous fuel adsorbed onto the carbon adsorbent.

Abstract: The seed distribution tower of an air seeder has a distribution head that splits a single, primary stream of conveying air and seeds into a plurality of secondary streams for delivery to openers that deposit the seeds into the ground as the seeder advances. The outlets through which the secondary streams exit the head are constructed as modules that can be individually installed and replaced without disassembling the entire head. Shut-off valves and/or flow sensors may or may not be incorporated into certain or all of the modules to provide optimum user flexibility.

Abstract: A thread cutting mechanism is mounted on a sewing machine which includes a sewing platform. The thread cutting mechanism includes a driver assembly and a thread cutting assembly. The driver assembly includes a stepping motor, a swing lever pivotally connected to the stepping motor, and a pushing rod connected to the stepping motor and swing lever and driven jointly with the swing lever by the stepping motor to perform a back-and-forth process. The thread cutting mechanism is disposed on the sewing platform, and includes a thread hooking blade connected to and driven by the swing lever to move back-and-forth along a thread hooking path and to hook back a sewing thread, and a thread cutting blade disposed on the thread hooking path and for cutting the sewing thread when the thread hooking blade hooks back the sewing thread.

Abstract: Provided are improved methods for joining two pieces of fabric along a seam (e.g., curved seam) to form a fabric pattern piece (e.g., quilting block unit) using an embroidery machine. A digitized file instructs an embroidery machine to stitch a perforated guide-line in a stabilizer material secured inside an embroidery hoop for forming an opening having a desired shape in the stabilizing material. A first fabric is temporarily affixed to one side of the stabilizer material, and an opening with a seam allowance margin is cut in the fabric along the desired seam defined by the opening/shape in the stabilizing material. The seam allowance margin is folded through the opening/shape to the reverse side, and a second piece of fabric is affixed to the folded margin. The digitized file instructs the machine to stitch a hidden seam along the desired seam providing esthetic, geometrically precise fabric pattern pieces.

Abstract: A method and vessel for shipping hazardous chemicals, includes an articulated tug barge having a plurality of holds substantially filled with containers or tanks of hazardous chemicals, each container, or tank, being associated with an ISO frame, and the holds include a plurality of cofferdam bulkheads.

Abstract: A dock assembly is made of floats and deck supports on top of the floats. The floats have upwardly opening channels in which utility conduits may be laid from above before the channels are closed by the deck supports. Whalers attached to the sides of the floats and deck supports connect adjacent floats to each other. Decking may be attached to the deck supports. Rods extending from side to side hold the whalers in place and fasten the deck supports to the floats.

Abstract: This offshore installation for producing electrical energy from thermal energy of the oceans includes a floating platform supporting a generator for producing electrical energy from the temperature difference of the water at the surface and at a depth and associated with a pipe for drawing up water from a depth, is characterized in that the pipe for drawing up water from a depth include three portions, including a first formed with a rigid pipe, the lower end of which is immersed at a great depth and the upper end of which is immersed in midwater at a reduced depth, a second portion formed with flexible pipes for connecting the upper end of this rigid suction pipe to a third portion forming a suction pipe, formed with rigid pumping pipes structuring a lattice of pipes attached under the platform.

Abstract: A foil structure for providing buoyancy and lift to a floating device is provided. The foil structure comprises an elongated left hand side floating device section and an elongated right hand side floating device section. The left hand side floating device section and the right hand side floating device section are placed at a predetermined distance to a longitudinal axis of the floating device and oriented substantially parallel thereto. A left hand side foil and a right hand side foil protrudes from the left hand side floating device section and the right hand side floating device section, respectively, towards a vertical plane through the longitudinal axis and is oriented at an acute angle to a horizontal plane. A leading edge of each foil intersects the respective floating device section in proximity to a bow portion thereof. Each foil extends along the respective floating device section and terminates in proximity to a stern portion thereof.

Abstract: A hydraulically adjustable planing device mounted midship on a pontoon boat to provide lift to the pontoon boat and reduce drag. The adjustable planing device includes a modular frame and an adjustable planing plate. A front end of the planing plate is rotatably attached to a front member of the modular frame such that the planing plate is movable between a raised position wherein the planing plate is above the waterline and a lowered position wherein a rear end of the planing plate engages the waterline to lift the pontoon boat. In another form, the adjustable planing device includes two or more longitudinally extending planing plates that are individually operable between raised and lowered positions to provide lateral trimming and improved steering of the boat. Optionally, a single skirt plate is attached to each rear end of the single or multiple planing plate(s) for additional lift for longer pontoon boats.

Abstract: A transportation apparatus for use as a towable watercraft is provided. The transportation device comprises a watercraft component, a mounting component, and an axle component. The transportation apparatus allows a single user to tow and portage the transportation apparatus with a standard bicycle.

Abstract: A rowing boat footrest assembly includes a stationary support member and a footrest member. The stationary support member is configured and arranged for coupling to a boat structure with a pivot axis extending through a portion of the stationary support member. The footrest member has a footrest surface coupled to the stationary support member for pivotal movement about the pivot axis. The footrest member is configured and arranged to support a shoe such that with the shoe positioned on the footrest surface the pivot axis extends laterally through the shoe between a sole of the shoe and an upper surface of the shoe.

Abstract: A derivation part derives accelerator information AR corresponding to accelerator opening angle and rotating speed information ER corresponding to engine rotating speed, based on the traveling information reflecting the operational state of a drive mechanism of a vehicle, acquired by an acquisition part. Subsequently, a generation part generates a pseudo sound signal of a waveform pattern corresponding to a combination of AR and ER. On the other hand, a level control part calculates a level designation value LVC based on the derived rotating speed information. The level control part reduces the pseudo sound signal level at a change rate to decrease discomfortness for the passengers in the vehicle, if ER continuously changes in a predetermined range for a predetermined time period during the calculation of LVC. As a result, pseudo sound that does not impart any discomfort sense to the passengers in the passenger compartment is generated.

Abstract: A microwave plasma reactor for manufacturing a synthetic diamond material via chemical vapour deposition, the microwave plasma reactor comprising: a plasma chamber (2); a substrate holder (4) disposed in the plasma chamber for supporting a substrate on which the synthetic diamond material is to be deposited in use; a microwave coupling configuration (12) for feeding microwaves from a microwave generator (8) into the plasma chamber; and a gas flow system (13,16) for feeding process gases into the plasma chamber and removing them therefrom, wherein the microwave coupling configuration for feeding microwaves from the microwave generator into the plasma chamber comprises: an annular dielectric window (18) formed in one or several sections; a coaxial waveguide (14) having a central inner conductor (20) and an outer conductor (22) for feeding microwaves to the annular dielectric window; and a waveguide plate (24) comprising a plurality of apertures (28) disposed in an annular configuration with a plurality of arms

Abstract: A method for feeding farmed fish by using au automatic feeder (20), which supplies a feed to the farmed fish in accordance with a preset feeding schedule, and a feed-demand sensor (22), which detects a demand for the feed by the farmed fish, characterized in that the feed-supply by the automatic feeder (20) is controlled on the basis of the detection results from the feed-demand sensor (22).

Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems and methods for detecting motion of an object, such as the paw of rat. A tag comprising an inductive element and a capacitive element may be attached to the object and the motion detected by monitoring the affect of the tag on a time-varying magnetic field.

Abstract: A crowd gate control system includes a holding pen for dairy livestock, a crowd gate, and a controller. The holding pen is adjacent to an entrance to a milking parlor. The crowd gate is operable to form a side of the holding pen and move in relation to the entrance to the milking parlor along an axis substantially parallel to two other sides of the holding pen. The controller is operable to store a triggering threshold associated with a counter related to the milking parlor, determine whether the counter has reached the triggering threshold, and initiate a first mode of operation of the crowd gate in response to determining that the counter has reached the triggering threshold.

Abstract: According to an aspect of the invention a device for braiding horse hair while minimizing damage to the horse hair is provided. The device includes at least one semi-rigid, resilient material being intertwined with the horse hair into a braid and to form and retain the braid into a decorative shape. In an embodiment, the at least one semi-rigid, resilient material intertwined with the horse hair to form and retain a decorative shape.

Abstract: A trigger arrangement for an animal training apparatus, the trigger arrangement including a fluid pump having a pump actuator, the pump including an inlet and an outlet and a sound emitter configured to be actuated by the pump actuator, wherein actuation of the pump pumps fluid from the inlet to the outlet accompanied by a simultaneous emission of sound from the sound emitter.

Abstract: A system and method for remote guidance of a dog or other suitable animal to and from a selected location using GPS related triangulation methods. The system using a series of audible cues or electrical shocks to guide the dog from a current location to a target location by continually monitoring the current GPS location of the dog and establishing a waypoint target for the animal as it moves. The system issues cues such as audible signals to control the dog and keep it confined within a suitable corridor so that the next waypoint may be attained. Using the invention, a dog owner can control the movement of the dog as the owner moves in its proximity, thereby creating an invisible tether or “virtual leash” or to the animal.

Abstract: A stair safety apparatus includes a wrist with an elastic cord attaché at one end to said band. A bar member attached by one end to a second end of the elastic cord. The bar member is of a length sufficient to allow the bar member to become wedged between a wall-mounted stair rail and a wall.

Abstract: A non-transitory computer program product includes instructions that when executed by a process dynamically controls a retractable tether to provide a mechanism by which a pet can be safely exercised on a bicycle or other vehicle. The pet avoids injury when running in front of the bicycle and stopping short, by having a detector detect the relative motion of the pet and the bicycle so as to automatically apply brakes to the bicycle prior to the pet being injured. Variations include a zone detection mechanism that detects a relative position of the pet relative to the bicycle, and uses a different set of braking parameters, depending on the zone in which the pet is located.

Abstract: A handle for walking dogs on three leashes and for untangling crossed leashes while walking. The handle has three leash attachment locations, and the three locations correspond roughly to the vertices of a triangle. Regardless of the shape of the handle, or the positioning of the leash attachment locations on the handle, three lines produced to connect the three leash attachment locations will form the sides of a triangle. There are three graspable handle grips, each handle grip interposed between two of the three leash attachment locations. There is also an alternate handle for walking four dogs and a method for untangling leashes while walking.

Abstract: A system providing for heat recovery from exhausted flue gas in a steam generator is described comprising a flue gas outlet conduit defining a flow path for flue gas from a flue gas outlet of a steam generator to a flue gas conduit junction point; a flue gas primary conduit defining a flow path for flue gas from the junction to a primary air preheater; a flue gas secondary conduit defining a flow path for flue gas from the junction to a secondary air preheater; wherein a steam generator process fluid heat exchanger is disposed within the flow path of the flue gas primary conduit upstream of the primary air preheater to recover some heat from the flue gas in advance of the primary air preheater. A method implementing the flow principles embodied in such a system is also described.

Abstract: A steam boiler includes a boiler housing. A helical coil for boiling water and superheating the wet steam is disposed within the boiler housing. A burner emits combustion gases which heat a heat emitter which is disposed in the inner space of the helical coil. Combustion gases from the burner enter the internal cavity of the heat emitter and then pass through perforations in the heat emitter before contacting the helical coil. As such, the heat emitter is heated by the combustion gases and serves as a radiant heat source for the helical coil.

Abstract: Method of operating a compression ignition engine on ether containing fuel obtained by on board conversion of an alcohol containing primary fuel and a system for use in the method. The ether containing fuel is prepared by dehydration of liquid alcohol containing fuel in present of a dehydration catalyst arranged in a radial flow reactor within a fuel accumulation chamber in a common rail.

Abstract: A hydrogen fuel generator having a fuel cell unit having a computerized injection controller and passive conductive tubular cells that are not coupled to a power source is described.

Abstract: Provided is a gas-liquid mixing nozzle (10) including an internal air discharge path (A), an external air discharge path (D), at least one liquid introduction path (B, C) which is disposed between the internal air discharge path (A) and the external air discharge path (D) and introduces a liquid having water and/or fuel as a main component into a nozzle discharge opening (18), and an impact member (22) with which a mixture of the air and the liquid mixed with each other in the outlets of the internal air discharge path (A) and the liquid introduction path (B, C) collides, the outlet of the internal air discharge path (A) and the outlet of the liquid introduction path (B, C) being disposed on the inside of a nozzle in relation to the nozzle discharge opening (18), and the impact member (22) being disposed between, the outlets of the internal air discharge path (A) and the liquid introduction path (B, C) and the nozzle discharge opening (18).

Abstract: A mechanical coolant pump for an internal combustion engine includes an outlet channel comprising an outlet valve and an outlet channel wall with a passing slit. An impeller is configured to pump a coolant into the outlet channel. The outlet valve comprises a shiftable flat valve plate configured to be shiftable in a transversal plane of the outlet channel through the passing slit of the outlet channel wall.

Abstract: A work vehicle is provided with an engine, a traveling device driven by driving force from the engine to cause the work vehicle to travel, a first hydraulic pump driven by the driving force from the engine to discharge hydraulic oil, and a cooling device having a cooling fan driven by the hydraulic oil supplied by the first hydraulic pump to cool the engine, and a control unit. The control unit performs a normal cooling control in which an upper limit fan speed is determined based on an engine speed, and a cooling suppression control in which the upper limit fan speed determined based on the engine speed is suppressed to be less than the upper limit fan speed during the normal cooling control when a predetermined operation required to increase the engine speed is performed.

Abstract: A method for operating an engine having a cylinder head, comprising: following light-off of an exhaust catalyst from a cold-start condition, circulating liquid coolant through a cooling jacket of the cylinder head, and at a subsequent engine-off condition, draining at least some of the liquid coolant from the cooling jacket. In this way, at a cold start condition, the cooling jacket of the cylinder head may be filled with air, thus decreasing the amount of time needed for the exhaust catalyst to reach a light-off temperature.

Abstract: A system and method of reducing soot and/or improving the efficiency of a motor. The system and method regulates the supply of cooling oil to a cooling section of a cylinder based upon observed parameters. These parameters can include such things as engine temperature, load, rpm etc. The control can be provided by using a look up table.

Abstract: The scavenging passage includes a wall surface that defines an orientation direction of a main scavenging gas flow spouting from the scavenging port to the cylinder chamber. In a boundary portion between the scavenging port and the scavenging passage, a wall surface located on an opposite side of the exhaust port is composed of an inclined surface inclined in a direction further away from the exhaust port than a wall surface of a deep portion of the scavenging passage. The scavenging port includes a rear wall surface located in a portion on the opposite side of the exhaust port. The rear wall surface continues to the inclined surface to extend in the direction away from the exhaust port and generates an incidental scavenging gas flow incidental to the main scavenging gas flow and higher in speed than the main scavenging gas flow.