For the coupling of two parallel contact wires of an elastic contact line system with a rigid contact line system, which has a power track (3) and a contact wire (4) affixed thereon, an elongated cantilever (5) is provided in a transition area, whose rigidity increases in the longitudinal direction from the elastic contact line system to the rigid contact line system. The two contact wires (1, 2) of the elastic contact line system are located along the cantilever parallel to the first contact wire (4), which is, in turn, clamped over the entire length of the cantilever. All three contact wires (1, 2, 4) are affixed on several multiple clamps (9) in the area of the cantilever (5), which clamps are located in a distributed manner along the cantilever. The multiple clamps (9) are located in recesses (12) of the cantilever.

Disclosed is a system for transferring electric energy to a vehicle, in particular to a track bound vehicle such as a light rail vehicle. The system includes an electric conductor arrangement for producing an alternating electromagnetic field and for thereby transferring the energy to the vehicle. The electric conductor arrangement includes at least one alternating current line. Each alternating current line carries one phase of an alternating electric current. The conductor arrangement includes a plurality of consecutive segments. The segments extend along the path of travel of the, vehicle. Each segment includes one section of each of the at least one alternating current line.

The invention relates to a mining vehicle and method for its energy supply. The mining vehicle has a carriage, driving equipment for moving the carriage, and at least one mining work device. Further, the mining vehicle has at least one electric motor for operating a main function of the mining vehicle, and at least one electric motor for operating an auxiliary function of the mining vehicle. The mining vehicle further has a power-generating auxiliary unit. When necessary, the power-generating auxiliary unit supplies at least part of the power required by the electric motor operating the auxiliary function.

A hybrid car is a vehicle capable of being externally charged through a charging cable. The hybrid car includes a front door opened and closed when an occupant gets into and out of a vehicle cabin, and a cable reel mounted within the front door for taking up the charging cable. The front door has a resin portion located above the cable reel. A pull-out opening directed to the resin portion for pulling out the charging cable is formed in the cable reel. A take-out opening for taking out the charging cable pulled out from the pull-out opening from the front door to outside of the vehicle is formed in the resin portion. This configuration can improve workability during charging.

The upper lateral collection structure (8) is mounted on a land vehicle (1), notably an urban public transport vehicle, and cooperates, for the purpose of overhead electrical power supply to the vehicle, with fixed contact slippers (16) located along its route. This structure comprises: a conducting track (14) arranged longitudinally (NEW) the upper lateral part of the vehicle and comprising a contact region (15) for the contact slipper; an electrical connection connecting the conducting track to the electrical circuit of the vehicle; an insulating support (24) on which the conducting track is mounted; a means of mechanical connection of the collecting structure to the vehicle; and a damping device which damps out the shocks resulting from the contact slipper and ensures satisfactory contact between the conducting track and the contact slipper. This invention is of benefit to the manufacturers of electrically powered public transport vehicles.

An electrically powered mining vehicle including a frame rollingly supported on a surface for movement over the surface. An electric motor is coupled to the frame for proving power to the vehicle. A cable is electrically coupled to the electric motor for supplying electricity thereto and a cable management system is coupled to the frame and arranged to receive and payout the cable as the vehicle moves over the surface. A sheave bracket is coupled to the frame and arranged to direct the cable into the cable management system and includes a lower plate arranged substantially horizontally, a plurality of vertical rollers that are coupled to the lower plate and are arranged to guide the cable into the cable management system, and a horizontal roller that is coupled to the lower plate and arranged to elevate the cable above the lower plate.

A system for transferring electric energy to a vehicle, wherein the system comprises an electric conductor arrangement for producing a magnetic field and for thereby transferring the energy to the vehicle, wherein the electric conductor arrangement comprises at least one current line, wherein each current line is adapted to carry the electric current which produces the magnetic field or is adapted to carry one of parallel electric currents which produce the magnetic field and wherein: the at least one current line extends at a first height level,the system comprises an electrically conductive shield for shielding the magnetic field, wherein the shield extends under the track and extends below the first height level, anda magnetic core extends along the track at a second height level and extends above the shield.

A power cord management system for managing flexible electrical power cords associated with hair or bathroom handheld appliances includes a power cord storage body. A pair of spaced apart cord wrapping elements are coupled to the power storage body about which the flexible electrical power cord may be wrapped for storage. At least one of the cord wrapping elements is movable between a storage and release position. The cord wrapping elements are configured to retain the wrapped power cord upon the power cord storage body when the at least one of the cord wrapping elements is in the storage position and wherein the wrapped power cord may be removed from the power cord storage body without unwrapping the wrapped power cord when the at least one of the cord wrapping elements is moved to the release position. A power cord coupling mechanism is coupled to the power cord storage body for facilitating releasable retaining of a free end or other portion of the flexible electrical power cord to the power cord storage body.

A vehicle control device 50, a controller 100, an inverter control device 30 and a steering control device 32 constitute a control device 200 which controls elevation of sliders 4Ra and 4La of power collectors 4R and 4L based on information detected by a trolley wire detecting device (camera) 15. The control device 200 calculates positional relationship between a slider and a trolley wire 3R/3L based on the information detected by the trolley wire detecting device. When the slider has deviated from a prescribed range for being in contact with the trolley wire, the control device executes control to prohibit an operation for elevating the sliders or to lower the sliders when the sliders have been elevated. With this configuration, an electrically driven dump truck capable of lightening the operating load on the driver during the trolley traveling is provided.

An arrangement for operating a rail vehicle includes a DC voltage intermediate circuit which is connected to an energy supply network, at least one traction inverter which is connected at its DC voltage side to the DC voltage intermediate circuit and at its AC voltage side which is connected one or more traction motors of the rail vehicle. An auxiliary system inverter is connected at its DC voltage side to the DC voltage intermediate circuit and is connected at its AC voltage side to a primary side of an auxiliary system transformer. Auxiliary systems are connected to a secondary side of the auxiliary system transformer via an auxiliary line. Electrical energy generated by an electrical energy supply unit is transferred via the auxiliary line, the auxiliary system transformer and the auxiliary system inverter into the DC voltage intermediate circuit for operation of the at least one traction motor.

A transport vehicle equipped with a current collector, includes: a vessel to load a load; a current collector that extends to receive electric power from an overhead line and contracts and retracts so as to be disposed away from the overhead line; and a vehicle body that rotationally drives driving wheels by at least one of the electric power from the current collector and a self-propelled driving source and on which the vessel is placed; a pantograph position detector that detects a relative position of the current collector and the overhead line; and a control device that controls a driving direction of the vehicle body or gives an instruction of information with which a direction in which the vehicle body is to be operated can be recognized, so that the relative position is brought to a position where the current collector and the overhead line are connected.

A system for transferring energy to a vehicle, in particular a track bound vehicle, such as a light rail vehicle, wherein the system includes an electric conductor arrangement adapted to produce an electromagnetic field which can be received by the vehicle thereby transferring the energy to the vehicle the system further includes electric and/or electronic devices which are adapted to operate the electric conductor arrangement. The devices produce heat while operating the conductor arrangement and—therefore—are to be cooled. A cooling arrangement of the system includes a structure having a cavity in which at least one of the devices to be cooled is located. The structure includes a cover limiting the cavity at the top, wherein the device(s) to be cooled is/are located at a distance to the cover. The structure is integrated in the ground at the path of travel of the vehicle in such a manner that the cover forms a part of the surface of the ground.

The present invention is vehicle electric power supply system (A) that supplies electric power wirelessly to a vehicle (M) that is positioned within an electric power supply area (X). The vehicle electric power supply system (A) has: a power-receiving device (m1) that is provided in the vehicle; a plurality of power-transmitting devices (1a1, 1a2, 1a3, 1b1, 1b2, 1b3, 1c1, 1c2, 1c3) that are provided at mutually different positions within the electric power supply area; a position detecting device (4) that detects the position of the power-receiving device within the electric power supply area; and a control device (4) that, based on detection results from the position detecting device, selects from among the plurality of power-transmitting devices the power-transmitting device that is located in a position that corresponds to the power-receiving device, and then causes power to be supplied wirelessly from the selected power-transmitting device.

In a catenary-based transportation system which is provided with integrated power supply equipment having an electricity storage unit which stores electricity regenerated by vehicles traveling by electricity received from a catenary and supplies electricity to the catenary and the other power supply system which is a power supply system different from the electricity storage unit concerned, the performance of a rectifier of the other power supply system is determined based on a power-supplying contribution ratio γ of the other power supply system so that the cost value of the integrated power supply equipment becomes lower than a target cost value.

The method according to the invention aims to optimize the operation of a reversible traction substation (Sk) of a power supply system (4) for railway vehicles, said reversible substation being able to be commanded in a traction operating mode or a braking mode. This method includes: determining a current value (Mc) of a favored operating mode;maximizing at least one optimization function (F) that depends on the current value of the favored operating mode, based on instantaneous values (G(t)) of multiple operating properties of the substation (Sk);computing optimized values (Popt(t)) for multiple configuration parameters of the substation (Sk) from maximized values (Gmax(t)) of the operating properties.

A shaped block for positioning and/or holding a plurality of line sections of one or more electric lines along the track of a vehicle includes a plurality of recesses and/or projections. Edges of the recesses and/or the projections each delimit a space for the line sections into which one of the line sections can be introduced, so that said line section extends through the space in a longitudinal direction of the space. The longitudinal directions of the spaces delimited by the edges of the recesses and/or by the projections extend essentially mutually parallel in a common plane.

A method for producing process vapor and boiler feed steam in a heatable reforming reactor for producing synthesis gas. The sensible heat of a synthesis gas produced from hydrocarbons and steam can be used so that two types of vapor are produced during the heating and evaporation of boiler feed water and process condensate. The method also includes a conversion of the carbon monoxide contained in the synthesis gas. The method includes an optional heating of the boiler feed water using the flue gas from the heating of the reforming reactor. The sensible heat of the synthesis gas and of the flue gas originating from the heating can be used more efficiently. The disadvantages from the flue gas heating, which are caused by the fluctuating heat supply in the flue gas duct, are avoided. A system for practicing the method is also disclosed.

A novel 3-Input-3-Output (3×3) Fuel-Air Ratio Model-Free Adaptive (MFA) controller is introduced, which can effectively control key process variables including Bed Temperature, Excess O2, and Furnace Negative Pressure of combustion processes of advanced boilers. A novel 7-input-7-output (7×7) MFA control system is also described for controlling a combined 3-Input-3-Output (3×3) process of Boiler-Turbine-Generator (BTG) units and a 5×5 CFB combustion process of advanced boilers. Those boilers include Circulating Fluidized-Bed (CFB) Boilers and Once-Through Supercritical Circulating Fluidized-Bed (OTSC CFB) Boilers.

A water delivery system is provided, comprising at least one faucet device with a cold water faucet part and a hot water faucet part, a cold water line to the at least one faucet device, a tankless heater device for heating water, a hot water line having a first portion running from an outlet of the tankless heater device to the at least one faucet device and having a second portion running from the at least one faucet device to an inlet of the tankless heater device, and a circulatory pump arranged in the second portion of the hot water line, wherein the circulatory pump has a prefixed first performance level and a prefixed second performance level, wherein the first performance level causes a finite water flow in the hot water line which is below an operation threshold value of the tankless heater device.

The efficiencies of illustrative embodiments of vertical center flue type fuel-fired base water heaters are improved by installing in the water heaters variously configured tubular condensing type secondary heat exchangers of smaller diameters than the associated center flues. The efficiency increases are achieved with components and manufacturing processes similar to those utilized in the base water heaters and secondary heat exchanger materials similar to those in the tank portions of the base water heaters.

A domestic combined heat and power system including a power unit, a heat-storage tank which receives waste heat of the power unit for storing heat in direct water, and a main heat exchanger connected to the heat-storage tank, being heated by a burner so as to use the water as hot water. A waste-heat heat exchanger filled with a heat-transfer medium is installed between the power unit and the heat-storage tank such that a waste-heat pipe is arranged in the form of a coil at one side inside the waste-heat heat exchanger, and a heat-storage pipe of the heat-storage tank is arranged in the form of a coil at the other side. Waste heat of the power unit is indirectly heat exchanged to the heat-storage tank through the heat-transfer medium. Costs and waste of energy consumption are reduced, and there is sharing of functions that are duplicated across the heat-storage tank.

The present invention proposes a gap-filler insert (20) for use with cooling plates (12, 12') for a metallurgical furnace, the cooling plates (12, 12') having a front face (14, 14') directed towards the interior of the furnace, an opposite rear face (16, 16') directed towards a furnace wall (10) of the furnace and four edge faces (18, 18'). In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, the gap-filler insert (20) comprises a metal front plate (24) with a front side (24) facing the interior of the furnace and anchoring means (28, 28', 30, 30', 32, 34) for mounting the front plate (24) between two neighboring cooling plates (12, 12') in such a way that the front plate (24) extends between the edge faces (18, 18') of both cooling plates (12, 12'), and that the front side (26) of the front plate (24) is flush with the front faces (14, 14') of both cooling plates (12, 12').

A battery powered, hand-held, lightweight electrical shocking device provides a visible and audible display of sparks continuously upon the operation of a switch. The device is capable of delivering a jolting shock. The display of sparks makes clear the nature of the device and serves as a deterrent to unruly persons. The device is comprised of a non-conductive housing in a generally annular shape, permitting it to be gripped in one hand. On one surface away from the hand are first and second conductive plates separated from each other by an insulator. The electrical circuit comprises a free-running multi-vibrator, a small transformer, a rectifier, a voltage doubler and an internal spark gap. The circuit can deliver a series of short duration, high voltage, low current electrical shocks from two penlight batteries.

A DC voltage converter includes an oscillator that converts a DC battery voltage to an oscillating voltage, a low voltage transformer that increases the oscillating voltage to a higher oscillating voltage, and a voltage rectifying-capacitor charging network or multiplier that increases the higher oscillating voltage to yet a higher DC voltage at an output terminal for DC high voltage utilization devices and the like. An electric control switch is selectively actuated by the user to apply the battery voltage to the oscillator, resulting in the generation of the stepped-up DC voltage at an output terminal. Another DC voltage converter has an electronic switching circuit that automatically turns the oscillator on and off and a load capacitor across the electrodes that is charged and discharged to provide a shocking voltage. Utilization devices for the voltage developed by the converter shown are a miniature animal training device and a cattle prod device. The miniature animal training device has a pair of outwardly projecting electrodes mounted on a side at one end of the housing that is sized and shaped to fit within and conform to the palm of a hand. The cattle prod device has a pair of electrodes fixedly mounted on the end of a housing assembly made up of telescoping tubular housing sections arranged for relative axial movement whereby the pressing of the electrodes against an object to be shocked actuates the electric control switch and causes a shock of the object. The housing assembly is releasably supported by a rigid handle or an extensible handle assembly.

An apparatus for generating electric pulses is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a generator or oscillator for charging a storage capacitor and a control circuit for controlling the discharge of the capacitor through an output or discharge circuit which includes a controllable switch device and two output terminals or electrodes. In an embodiment, the output circuit also includes a high voltage output pulse transformer.Whenever a load resistance exists or occurs between the two output electrodes, a particular detector current will flow through the load resistance and through a specific detector or load sensing circuit in the apparatus. This detector current indicating that an external load resistance is present, will automatically start the charging generator which then will operate to charge and recharge the storage capacitor as long as the detector current exists, i.e. as long as the external load is present.

A stock or cattle prod for applying an electric shock to stock to induce them to move when loading them for transportation or through a cattle chute or the like comprises a handle having a high voltage generator and a battery therein. A head, which is angularly rotatable relative to the handle structure, is provided, this head having electrical contact means adapted to electrically, conductively contact said handle in any selectable angular position therebetween the head being adapted to extend forward from said handle and comprising a shaft carrying the contact means and, forward from this shaft terminating in a pair of spaced conducting tips or electrodes. The handle is constructed to insulate and protect the high voltage conductors and to provide a convenient switch for energizing the tips. The handle and shaft are constructed to afford rotation of the tips to any desired angle with respect to the operator's hand, both the handle and head being provided with external electrical insulation means effective to protect the operator from the electrical shock voltage, insulation while maintaining the electrical connections to the tips. The head on which the tips are mounted is relatively flat and is adapted to be held in face engagement with an animal's body, this facilitating the effective handling of the prod during use.

The shock prod comprises a circuit for producing high-voltage electrical pulses. The circuit is mounted in a housing and communicates electrically with two conductors integral with a prod extension. The prod extension extends from the housing in a fixed predetermined direction with respect to the housing. The extension is elongated in the fixed direction, terminates in a free end, and is generally flat with a high width-to-thickness ratio, having sufficiently high flexural rigidity and buckling resistance to avoid excessive deflection or deformation in use. With this novel configuration, the extension is constrained to bend in a preferred plane parallel to the thickness dimension. Loads applied in the other planes produce torsional deflection so as to allow bending in this preferred deflection plane. This wide, thin cross-section permits a wide electrode spacing simultaneously with a thin bending surface, resulting in the following: A minimum bending radius which greatly reduces instances of breakage; allows electrification and desired electrode spacing over any desired portion of the prod extension; eliminates need for separate electrode mounting hardware; remains operational even if the extension is snapped in two, when a sufficient electrode-conductor spacing geometry exists along the length of the prod extension.

An animal deterrent device consists essentially of a palm-sized handle of six to eight inches in length for hand gripping and defining a housing within the central portion thereof to house a plurality of generally rigid tubular sections telescoping one within the other within the housing and being adhered thereto by a fusible adhesive adhering an outer sleeve of the telescoping sections. A pocket clip is attached to the handle and the plurality of sections when fully protracted extending to a length of about three feet with the overall apparatus weighing less than six ounces. The apparatus may additionally have a loop attached for hand transporting of the apparatus. The apparatus is utilized by a jogger upon an attacking animal by extending the telescoping sections to form a rigid whip-like structure so as to engage the attacking animal with the extended telescoping sections.

A controlled shock animal training device is shown which includes a mounting collar for mounting the device about a portion of the animal's body. The strap has a pair of electrical contacts which are spaced apart on the mounting strap. An electrical circuit, carried on the mounting strap, connects the pair of spaced electrical contacts and provides a controlled voltage output through the contacts upon triggering of an electrical switch within the circuit. A foldable flap formed in the collar interrupts the electrical circuit during installation of the collar. The shock provided is of limited duration and controlled intensity and requires that the electrical switch be opened and then reclosed to repeat the shocking operation.

This device is designed to discourage pets from trespassing in neighbors yards, etc. Primarily, it consists of a plastic cylinder rotatable on a shaft placed in the ground. The cylinder includes a wire whip extending from its outer wall, for striking the pet when it licks bait on a bait stick extending from the device, and a spring on the inside of the cylinder is wound by a crank pin on the shaft, to set the device, which is harmless, and also produces the noise of a rattlesnake.

An improved stun-gun or electrical shock device which includes improved circuit elements to eliminate the frequent product failure due to corrosion and pitting of an internal spark gap as found in prior art electrical shocking devices. The conventional internal spark gap found in prior art stun-guns is replaced with a pair of surge arrestors, thereby eliminating the problems caused by corrosion and pitting of the internal spark gap which has caused prior art stun-guns to have a limited life and fail.

A multi-functional electronic self-protection device is disclosed. The device includes a flashlight with reflector which also mounts shock blocks. The casing includes a circuit board and booster together with a battery, and in the base thereof, a buzzer is mounted. A first switch controls the flashlight so that rotation of the lens case will turn the light on and off. A second switch controls the generation of an electric charge at the shock blocks so that when the casing is rotated and a switch depressed, a strong electrical charge whill be generated at the shock blocks. The base is also slidably mounted on the casing and by slidably displacing the base, a third switch activates the buzzer which is coupled also to the battery.

An animal defensive barrier device comprising a hand-grip portion having end caps; a strap connected to the hand-grip through one of the end caps; a loop portion distal at one end of the hand-grip and a loop portion distal from the first loop end; a plurality of knots between the hand-grip and the distal loop portion; and a plurality of sleeves on the strap between the hand-grip portion and the distal loop portion.

A training device to create an attention getting sound by striking a surface with the device, the material from which the device is formed producing a relatively loud sound but without painful impact irrespective of the striking vigor.

The present invention provides an electrically chargeable garment having a pair of leggings having an outer layer with a pair of closely spaced electrical terminals of opposite polarity disposed on the outer surface of the outer layer. There is also provided means for attaching the leggings to a wearer and means for adjustably supporting the leggings from the wearer.

A whip with a braided handle and method of fabrication which includes a generally cylindrical handle portion. The handle portion has an inboard end and an outboard end and is fabricated of a braided rope construction which comprises a plurality of single yarns twisted together to form a plurality of piled yarns which are then braided, with a helical angle of the twist of the single yarns within their respective plied yarn being equal and opposite to the helical angle of the plied yarns in the braid. Also included is an inboard first thread which is wrapped circumferentially about the handle end from adjacent the inboard end and extends outboardly. An outboard second thread is wrapped circumferentially around the handle portion to provide a handle. A whipping portion extends outboardly of the outboard end of the handle portion and is fabricated of extensions of the braided strands from the handle portion but in an unbraided braid form.

A disciplining apparatus including a handle and a plurality of elongated strips mounted on an end of the handle. The strips extend from the handle in a common direction. The strips are further configured in a shape of a cylinder.

A battery operated hand held device for use in handling or controlling livestock, particularly cattle, swine, sheep and horses. This invention provides a novel alternative to conventional electric livestock prods, which deliver an electric shock to the animal. While operating on the principle of external stimulus to invoke a flight response, this invention relies on vibration and/or sound rather than painful electric shock. This unique mode of action satisfies the needs in the livestock industry for low stress handling equipment and techniques with the welfare of the animal as a priority.

A personal defense device includes an electrical stun circuit and electrodes with a structure adapted for use as an impact weapon as well, and further includes a radially disposed flashlight or signal light therewith. The electrical circuitry for the stun apparatus is formed of flexible circuit material with dual circuit paths between each component, for reliability and resistance to damage due to impact forces incurred when the device is used as an impact weapon. A second, normally closed interrupter switch is provided for the stun circuit, with the user of the present device being required to hold the interrupter switch in order to keep the stun circuitry from operating when the master switch is turned on. The end opposite the handle includes a series of impact ribs with cutting blades removably installable thereon, to produce shallow (non-life threatening) cuts in an assailant during an attack.

Multiple embodiments of a personal defense device each include an electrical stun circuit and electrodes with a structure adapted for use as an impact weapon as well, and further include a radially disposed flashlight or signal light therewith. The electrical circuitry for the stun apparatus may be formed of flexible circuit material with dual circuit paths between each component, for reliability and resistance to damage due to impact forces incurred when the device is used as an impact weapon. A second, normally closed interrupter switch may be provided for the stun circuit, with the user of the present device being required to hold the interrupter switch in order to keep the stun circuitry from operating when the master switch is turned on. The end opposite the handle may include a series of impact ribs with cutting blades removably installable thereon, to produce non-lethal cuts in an assailant during an attack.

The invention provides a device for use in partially or fully immobilizing animals such as cattle, sheep and the like. The device includes a probe for insertion in the anal canal of the animal the probe comprising a pair of spaced electrodes connected by way of electrical conductors to a power source. The power source providing a pulsed electrical current having a voltage of between 2 and 10 Volts and a frequency of between 20 and 50 Hz to the electrodes.

The invention provides a device for use in partially or fully immobilizing animals such as cattle, sheep and the like. The device includes a probe for insertion in the anal canal of the animal the probe comprising a pair of spaced electrodes connected by way of electrical conductors to a power source. The power source providing a pulsed electrical current having a voltage of between 2 and 10 Volts and a frequency of between 20 and 50 Hz to the electrodes.

A control device for marine animals comprises an electrical device that applies an electrical voltage directly to a marine animal in order to shock the marine animal, for control thereof. The device preferably comprises a pole or rod having electrical prongs at one end which my be applied to the marine animal, thereby applying and electrical signal having a voltage, amperage and frequency that stuns and/or shocks the animal. The character of the electrical signal is such that the animal is temporarily paralyzed, so that it may be safely handled by humans for bringing it into a watercraft without otherwise damaging the animal.

An electrical shocking device is used for realistic defence training against edge weapons such as a knife. The device includes a handle and blade body shaped to resemble a knife. Spaced apart contacts along the edge of the blade body are selectively coupled to a voltage source for delivering an electrical shock through the contacts when contacted. The voltage source delivers a non-incapacitating electrical shock to produce a fear response in the person being trained without injuring or incapacitating the person. The voltage applied can be incrementally increased as training progresses.

An extendable electronic discharge staff will consist of a central sliding member translating within a tubular body member to be positioned by the means of a spring-loaded ball detent. When the central sliding member is positioned, it will be locked in place by the means of a locking nut at the distal end of the tubular body member. A forward adjustable handgrip will be located and locked into position along the length of the tubular body member to accommodate the size and comfort of the person using the device. By rotating the rear hand grip, the device will be turned on or off, and by sliding the rear handgrip forward or backward a high or low voltage will be delivered to the distal contact end of the central sliding member. On an alternate embodiment having three contact positions, the default center position delivers low voltage while both forward and backward outer positions deliver high voltage. This action gives the operator two different voltage capabilities along with a visible snapping arc to indicate the potential of the device. A sealed cylindrical housing fixed to the rear of the tubular body member will house a removable battery pack and electronic control module. The device is capable of giving a momentary delivery, a prolonged delivery, or several prolonged deliveries and has been designed not to stun an individual unless necessary, giving the unruly individual several warnings in advance.

An ergonomically designed timing module is integrated with an equine training whip, normally carried by the equestrian, especially for those needing to improve riding skills in point-to-point timed events such as cross country, stadium jumping, racing, barrel racing. This combination provides for safe operation and convenient viewing while in the saddle.

An animal herding device has an elongate tubular body portion adapted to avoid kinking thereof, a hand gripping member at one end and a noise making member at the other end. The body portion may be internally reinforced with a rope or like means. The body portion may also be optionally fitted with padding for specified uses.

The present invention relates to a gum dispenser for automatically dispensing gum by the vertical lifting of a gum case. Particularly, the present invention provides a container that has a self-sealing means, accurately dispenses a piece of gum one by one, prevents the generation of container defects, and provides ease of operation and molding. Currently, in the above operation structure, an inner case receiving gum therein is fitted in a lifting shaft of an outer case to be lifted or lowered so that a piece of gum is pushed up to an upper end of the lifting shaft, and then the gum is exposed to a dispensing hole perforated in a lid, which is coupled with the inner case, one by one for a user to enjoy. The above structure, however, has a disadvantage in that if two pieces of gum are lifted to the upper end of the lifting shaft and the lifting shaft is exposed to the perforated hole of the lid, then the lifting shaft and the dispensing hole correspond to each other 1:1 so that the two pieces of gum pop out, which makes the gum difficult to catch. In addition, if the lifting shaft is molded integrally with the outer case, the lifting shaft is likely to be twisted or bent due to the thickness thereof in the cooling procedure during the molding thereof so that it is difficult to achieve a precisely standing structure. Furthermore, if the inner case is repetitively lifted or lowered in the outer case, an outer force may be applied in the lifting motion according to a vacuum state, so that smooth operation becomes impossible and longer molding time is required in the molding. In addition, in the state that the lid is sealingly coupled with the outer case and the inner case for the sealing of the container during storage or delivery thereof, a perforated lid for implementing the dispensing hole may be pressed by the lifting shaft and the container may burst. If the perforated lid is formed to be thick in order to prevent the bursting, a pulling portion to be pulled for cutting the perforated lid is likely to be cut, and implementation of the dispensing hole may fail. As a result, the present invention is aimed at resolving the above problems.

An apparatus for dispensing elongated articles such as straws, including: a container for holding the elongated articles; a hopper to receive some of the elongated articles, where the hopper is reversibly movable between a closed state and an open state; and a manipulator for performing a cycle to release a single elongated article by isolating a single article and then moving the hopper from the closed state to the open state, thereby releasing only the single elongated article.

The present invention provides a system that allows an easy and quick exchange of small batteries of hearing devices as well as a method for exchanging a battery of a hearing device that combines the installation of a new battery into the hearing device with the deinstallation of the battery to be replaced from the hearing device in a single action using a single mechanism. The inventive battery exchange system comprises a carrier module 1, which features a hearing device receiving means shaped to receive a part of a hearing device 4 and a battery passage that traverses the carrier module 1, a battery dispensing module 2 adapted to accommodate at least one battery 7 and a battery ejection means 3 adapted to eject a battery 7 from the battery dispensing module 2 into the battery passage of the carrier module 1.