This invention describes a collagen fiber reconstituted rawhide useful in the production of pet chews, and a method for making the same. Beginning materials include animal skins with hair, depilated limed splits and leftovers from the manufacture of rawhide pet chews. The materials are pretreated, ground, subjected to acid treatment to swell and separate the collagen fibers that comprise the animal hide, further ground into pulp, vacuum filtered, mixed with a dehydration agent that chemically shrinks the expanded fibers, drained, formed and dried into sheet and finally exposed to a cross-linking agent to increase the adhesive strength of the end product. Edible materials, including meats, may be added to the solution prior to draining, to enhance the nutritional value and palatability of the final product, and the reconstituted rawhide sheets may be bleached for appearance.

An elongate rectangular cultivation box having an open top, is configured so as to allow an outer tank, which serves as a cultivating water storage part, and an inner tank, which serves as a receptacle for bivalves (benthic organisms) S that are to be cultivated, to be both combined and separated. A gap that serves as a water supply opening and a gap that serves as a space in which sediments can accumulate on the bottom of the outer tank are defined when the inner tank is accommodated in the outer tank. Water passage holes are provided in the bottom of the shellfish receptacle (inner tank) and a mesh filter such as netting is stretched across the top face of the bottom. The cultivation boxes are arranged in a vertically stacked manner, with the front portions and rear portions thereof staggered so that cultivation water W that overflows over a front ledge of a shellfish receptacle flows downward into the supply water storage part of a lower cultivation box.

A chew toy for canine dental care formed of a plurality of elongated rawhide strands, each strand defining a width within the range of about 0.20 to 7.5 millimeters and a thickness within the range of about 0.20 to 3.0 millimeters. The strands are braided together so as to define at least one rawhide braid of a desired size. The rawhide braid is wound or twisted and tied to define a desired chew toy size and shape that, upon be chewed by a dog, provides a messaging of the dog's gums and a cleaning and flossing of the dog's teeth. The chew toy can be soaked in an aqueous solution containing one or more therapeutic agents and/or an animal attractant and baked dry to impregnate the agent(s) or attractant within the rawhide for release when chewed by a dog.

A green-light device for driving mice away includes a casing and a control circuit in the casing, wherein the control circuit comprises a power conversion circuit, a voltage regulating integrated circuit (IC), an amplifying circuit, a control knob, an ultrasonic frequency oscillator circuit, a logical-determination circuit and multiple green-light emitting diodes (LED) coupled to and controlled by the logical-determination circuit. The control knob is configured to be switched to lead the control circuit to create an ultrasonic wave or a special light wave such that mice can be cheated or driven away.

A slider device includes a slider frame having a top rail and a bottom rail. A first parallel member connects the top and bottom rails and arranges generally perpendicular to the top and bottom rails, but lies in a common plane. A second parallel member disposes or arranges at an end of the frame opposite from the first parallel member. The second parallel member links or connects between the top and bottom rails. A third parallel member arranges intermediate to the first and second parallel member. A D-shaped ringlet couples to the frame adjacent to the first parallel member. The ringlet and frame lie in a common plane.

A device for separating clean litter from soiled litter comprising a receptacle with one inlet and two discharge outlets. Soiled animal litter enters the receptacle through the inlet and clean litter is separated out from the soiled litter. When the container is tilted in a first direction, feces exit the container through the first outlet and clean litter is retained in the receptacle. When the container is tilted in a second direction, clean litter exits the container through the second outlet and clean litter is retained in the receptacle.

The invention relates to a device for and method of milking dairy animals, in particular cows. The device and method have been improved in order to enhance the efficiency of use. In one embodiment, for the milking, teat cups are connected by means of a robot arm to respective teats of the dairy animal. This makes it possible to start the milking of the teats of the dairy animal. A milk flow from the respective teat can be measured. The milking can be ended by means of a control unit in dependence on a comparison value which is calculated on the basis of a milking parameter representative of a milk flow from the respective teat and in dependence on a deactivation threshold. According to the invention, the milking of the last teat is ended in dependence on a last-teat period to be calculated.

A liquid hummingbird feeder is provided with a liquid container having a sealable top opening and a bottom opening, a liquid tray adapted to immerse the bottom opening in liquid, and a valve mechanism adapted to close the bottom opening to enable the liquid container to be filled through the sealable top opening.

A birdseed dispenser and birdfeeder incorporating the same are provided. The dispenser has a base assembly mounted to a first opening formed in the sidewall of the birdseed reservoir, including a front plate having a second opening formed therein, a flange extending around the second opening and projecting away from the front plate, and an end wall supported by the flange such that the flange and end wall together define a chamber. The dispenser also includes an apertured piece received in the chamber having a first seed aperture of a first configuration and a second seed aperture of a different configuration. The apertured piece is moveable between a first orientation, which places the first seed aperture in a seed accessible state permitting birds access to the seed, and a second orientation to place the second seed aperture in the seed accessible state.

A tube bird feeder comprising a seed tube having a side wall and at least one feed opening in the side wall, a top ring mounted on a top marginal edge of the seed tube, a cover removably engaged with the top ring, at least one perch mounted on the seed tube proximate the feed opening, and a base member removably secured to the seed tube adjacent the bottom marginal edge, the base portion having a protrusion engaging with an aperture in the seed tube proximate the bottom marginal edge.

A hay bale holder having an enclosure that retains a hay bale within chain link fencing is disclosed. The hay bale holder includes a spring mechanism that causes the chain link fencing to tightly retain the hale bale. Hay can then pass through openings in fencing to allow animals to remove portions of hay from a comfortable height without excessive waste.

A holder for holding a clothing or apparel article, the holder comprises a main body for supporting a clothing article and a plug-in module carrying a scent treatment substance. The scent treatment substance is adapted for scent emission and/or odor absorption. The plug-in module is adapted to disseminate scent to the ambient and/or to absorb odor from the ambient so that scent can be disseminated by the holder to the clothing item supported on the holder or odor can be absorbed from the ambient.

A method for printing on a lower surface of a peak of a baseball cap comprising: a) printing an image on the lower surface of the peak when the peak is at an elevated printing temperature and when the peak is in a generally planar configuration; b) allowing the peak to cool to a temperature below an elevated formation temperature; and, c) heating the peak to the elevated formation temperature and applying a non-planar shape to the peak, wherein the peak comprises a deformable insert that is solid at the elevated printing temperature and deformable at the elevated formation temperature.

A hat insert device for maintaining a hat in a desired condition is provided. The hat has an inner flap along an opening of the hat. The hat insert device comprises a flat, planar insert having a first side, a second side substantially opposite the first side, a top edge, a bottom edge substantially opposite the top edge, a first edge between the top edge and the bottom edge, and a second edge substantially opposite the first edge. A retaining mechanism is formed in either the top edge of the insert or the bottom edge of the insert for maintaining the insert in a desired position. Upon positioning the insert inside the inner flap at the front of the hat, the insert provides support, stiffness, and structure in the hat.

A hanger may be used for supporting a garment. The hanger may include a hook, a medium connected to the hook, a first branch, a second branch, a third branch, and a fourth branch. The first branch may be connected through the medium to the hook and oriented according to a first direction. The second branch may be connected through the medium to the hook and oriented according to a second direction. The third branch may be coplanar with both the first branch and the hook, disposed between the first branch and the hook, connected to the medium, and oriented according to a third direction different from the first direction. The fourth branch may be connected to the medium and oriented according to a fourth direction different from the second direction, wherein the medium may be disposed between the third branch and the fourth branch.

An implement for use in a bathroom or a kitchen which is composed of at least one rod which is oval in cross section, the rod being aesthetic in appearance and providing an advantageous force distribution over rods with circular cross sections. The implement can be a hanging device, such as a hanger, a hanger for ties and belts, and many other variations having a hook portion for engaging a cylindrical support, an over-the-door/vertical wall device also including the rods with the oval cross section, the latter devices being, for example, clothes supporting hooks, hooks for articles made from fabric; wire metal baskets having a rim and/or transition device made from a rod with an oval cross section; paper or magazine holders comprising parallel racks separated by upstanding walls; bag dispenser and handles for implements.

A device to aid in conditioning a baseball glove, namely in the formation and/or maintenance of a baseball pocket, typically includes one or more balls, two or more looped straps, and a means for coupling the two or more looped straps to the one or more balls. The one or more balls are placed in a baseball glove proximate a desired location for the baseball pocket, and the two or more looped straps are fed through a slot of the glove interposing an interior of the glove and an exterior of the glove and wrapped around the exterior of the glove to force the ball deeper into the desired location for the baseball pocket and secure the glove around the ball.

The present invention discloses a device for hanging clothes, comprising an engaging portion and a deformable elongate member, the elongate member comprising a connection mechanism such that the elongate member can be deformed back upon itself and connected to itself to form a loop.

Disclosed is a paw insertion device. In one embodiment, the device includes two pivotally interconnected arms. Each of the arm can include a paw insertion guide at a distal end. The insertion guides are designed to be inserted into an article of animal footwear. The opposite grip ends of the arms can then be brought together to spread apart the insertion guide and permit the animal paw to be easily positioned within the footwear. A lock subassembly is also included for permitting the insertion device to be locked in the opened position.

A friction reducing element for a hanging device includes a roller configured for positioning on an upper portion of a hook and a tubular elastomeric sleeve stretch-fitted over an outer surface of the roller. The roller is provided with a contoured outer surface and the sleeve is made from a thermoset elastomer such that the friction reducing element facilitates positioning of the hanging device, along a clothing rod. Use of the thermoset elastomer also prevents premature development of areas of deformation on the friction reducing element over time. The friction reducing element may be assembled into an upper portion of a hook for a clothes hanger, or other similar hanging device.

A pre-threaded and knotted needle with a length of thread knotted though the eye of the needle and a connection securing the ends of the thread and a sleeve securing a bundle of the thread so that the thread is not tangled until it is released and ready for use The thread is bundle is formed by wrapping it into a bundle and securing a sleeve around the bundle of the thread so that the thread is not tangled until it is released and ready for use. The bundle is released for use by pulling on the needle and the end of the thread to release the bundle of thread.

A process for the controlled gasification of a carbonaceous feedstock includes pyrolizing the feedstock by conveying the feedstock through a retort surrounded by a plurality of successive heating chambers each comprising an axially adjustable chamber separation wall and each operated at a predetermined temperature, wherein a predetermined dwell time of the feedstock in each of the plurality of successive heating chambers is controlled by a conveyance rate of the feedstock through the retort and a position of each of the axially adjustable chamber separation walls to produce a gas product and a solid product. The gas product includes methane and noxious chemicals and the solid product includes carbon, and the pyrolizing step is controlled using feedback related to constituents of the gas product.

The invention relates to a method of positioning service equipment of a coal-charging larry cart at charging ports of a coke oven, wherein a rail-guided larry cart is moved on the roof of a coke oven and is positioned at locations known by a machine control system and corresponding to charging ports in the oven roof in order to charge the oven chambers, and wherein then at least one piece of service equipment of the coal-charging larry cart is guided to the charging ports by horizontal biaxial positioning movements. According to the invention, an optical measurement method is used after each positioning of the larry cart to detect the coordinates of at least one marking that is applied to the oven roof and that has a fixed relationship with the center axis of a charging port within a measurement field that is predefined by the measurement method and to compare them with reference values that are stored in the machine control system for the marking. The deviations between the measured coordinates and the coordinates stored in the machine control system are determined for both axial directions. Differential values are then taken into account as correction values during the positioning movement of the piece of service equipment. The subject matter of the invention is furthermore formed by an apparatus for carrying out the described method.

A method and apparatus for pyrolytic destruction of polymer products including whole vehicle vulcanised rubber tires is disclosed. The apparatus 111 has a reaction chamber 153 into which a tire can be placed, and immersed for pyrolytic decomposition in a molten alloy of zinc with a minor proportion of aluminium. The apparatus 111 has a heated reservoir 155 in which the alloy is maintained in a molten state, and from where it can be transferred to the reaction chamber 153 to immerse the tire. Fluid hydrocarbon byproducts are drawn off for condensation and recovery, and solid zinc sulphides are also recovered. Where steel belted tires are processed, carbon and steel residues are also recovered.

A system and method for processing biomass into hydrocarbon fuels that includes processing a biomass in a hydropyrolysis reactor resulting in hydrocarbon fuels and a process vapor stream and cooling the process vapor stream to a condensation temperature resulting in an aqueous stream. The aqueous stream is sent to a catalytic reactor where it is oxidized to obtain a product stream containing ammonia and ammonium sulfate. A resulting cooled product vapor stream includes non-condensable process vapors comprising H2, CH4, CO, CO2, ammonia and hydrogen sulfide.

A process and a unit for fluidized bed torrefaction and grinding of particles of a biomass with a largest dimension of 2 cm to 5 cm, and which unit contains an envelope having a general shape of a sector having a) two substantially vertical walls delimiting that sector; and b) at least one inclined wall defining three zones, from bottom to top: a lower zone provided with a fluidization means, and provided with a grinder placed at the bottom of that zone; an intermediate zone (2) provided with a fluidization means; and an upper zone (3) provided with a fluidization means; and a pipe (11) for introducing the particles reaching into the unit to the level of the intermediate zone.

The invention relates to a method of manufacturing charcoal. It is characterized in that: first hot gases are generated by at least one heating means; its first gases are mixed with second gases in order to form a gas mixture; this mixture is sent into a charge of wood in order to generate therein a pyrolysis front; an overpressure is created between the upstream end and the downstream end of the charge so as to force this front to pass through it in one direction, namely from the upstream end to the downstream end; and third gases are recovered downstream of the charge, at least a first portion of said third gases, in the form of a stream of said second gases, is conveyed by a conveying means. The invention also relates to a device for implementing this method.

A method of treating untreated low calorific coal containing moisture and organic volatiles includes feeding untreated coal to a dryer, and drying the coal. The dried coal is subjected to a pyrolyzing step where oxygen-deficient gases are brought into contact with the coal, thereby lowering the volatile content of the coal and producing a stream of pyrolysis effluent gases. The pyrolysis effluent gases are subjected to a separation process to separate lean fuel gases from liquids and tars, wherein the separation process removes less than about 20 percent of the pyrolysis effluent gases as the liquids and tars, with the remainder being the lean fuel gases. The lean fuel gases are returned to the dryer combustor, the pyrolyzer combustor, or the pyrolyzer.

A styrene monomer reclamation process and system is described. The styrene monomer reclamation process includes providing a waste plastic. The waste plastic includes styrenic polymers. The waste plastic is formed into polymer particles. At least a portion of the polymer particles are dissolved in a solvent to form a polymer stream. The dissolved polymer particles are depolymerized to form a styrene monomer stream.

A device for proportioning of secondary combustion air into the secondary air soles of coke oven chamber ovens is shown. The device is formed by a slide gate or a parallelepiped device or by plates moved by means of a thrust bar, the thrust bar being moved longitudinally in parallel to the coke oven chamber wall so that the plates move away from the secondary air apertures and open or close these. The thrust bar is moved by means of a positioning motor, with the power transmission being effected hydraulically or pneumatically. Via suitable measuring parameters, it is thus possible to optimize secondary heating so that heating is provided evenly from all sides, thus achieving an improvement in coke quality.

The present technology describes apparatus, systems, and methods for the thermal decomposition of carbonaceous feedstocks through continuous pyrolysis. A reciprocating reactor is described that includes an inner reactor pipe and an outer reactor pipe. The outer reactor pipe has a first portion that surrounds the inner reactor pipe forming an annulus space, and a second portion that extends beyond the inner reactor pipe and forms a turnaround zone. The inner reactor pipe defines an inner reactor zone that produces partially reacted carbonaceous feedstock, and the annulus space defines an outer reactor zone that produces product gases and solids.

A method for processing plastic waste, in particular polyolefins, and a device for processing plastic waste, in particular polyolefins, are used especially in the industrial utilization of plastic waste. The method consists in that a primarily refined charge after being fed into a reactor (6) is fluidized and cracked during forced progressive-rotational movement coinciding with heating. A gas-steam fraction obtained during a utilization process is continuously guided out to a cooling system whereas impurities are periodically guided out from the reactor (6) to a waste tank (22).

A method for reducing the coking time in the oven area near the door or end wall and for improving coke quality and situation of emissions by compensating for radiation losses through coke oven chamber doors and end walls is described. This compensation is accomplished by varying the height of the coal cake in the environment of the frontal coke oven chamber doors. The variation is achieved both by increasing or decreasing the coal cake over part of the length or over the entire length of the coke oven chamber door. The reduction in the height of the coal cake can be generated by omission of coal or coal compacts, the increase in height can be accomplished by stacking of coal and pressing or adding of coal compacts, with it also being envisaged to omit the pressing cycle so as to obtain a recess with a lower coal cake density which also has less heat radiation.

The loading device according to the invention comprises a magazine for receiving at least one printing plate and transferring it from the magazine to the plate cylinder. It also comprises at least one guide rail to guide a printing plate during transfer thereof by cooperation with a notch of a front edge of the printing plate, the notch sliding along the guide rail during the transfer.

A method for determining optical density is disclosed. A first measurement is taken on a white area of a substrate (402). A second measurement is taken on an area of the substrate printed with ink (404). A relative optical density of the ink is determined using the first and second measurements (406).

A method for controlling register settings of a printing press, includes rotating imaging cylinders of a first print unit and a second print unit, located downstream of the first print unit in a movement direction of a print medium, at a rotational speed to print an image on the print medium. The method includes of changing a length of the print image to a pre-determined length. The method further includes changing a register setting of the imaging cylinder of the second print unit based on the predetermined change in length of the print image to avoid misalignment of the print image printed by the first and the second print units on the print medium. Changing the register setting is dependent on a length of a section of the print medium between the first and the second print units. A device for controlling register settings of a printing press is also disclosed.

A light receiving section 27b receives a measurement beam, which is cast from a light projection section 27a and partially blocked by cream solder 19 scraped up by a squeegee 16, whereby a sensor 27 measures a one-dimensional size of a predetermined region of a cross sectional profile of the cream solder 19 as a cross sectional paste length and takes the cross sectional paste length as an index for an amount of residual cream solder 19. The amount of residual cream solder 19 can be numerically grasped at all times, so that versatility and accuracy in detecting the amount of residual cream solder 19 can be assured.

An apparatus and method for positioning and aligning one or more pre-punched printing plates on a cylinder for imaging a plate in a computer-to-plate drum imaging device. The apparatus includes an imaging cylinder and a registration device connectable to the cylinder. The apparatus includes at least one groove and one pair of register pins, with a first register pin in a fixed position, and a second register pin movable in the groove to a second position, and collinear with the first register pin in the axial direction of the cylinder, arranged such that when connected to the cylinder, the registration device allows a plurality of pre-punched printing plates with variable widths to be positioned and aligned on the cylinder with simplicity.

A printing cylinder assembly for a printing machine having a sleeve cylinder which can be simply coupled to and decoupled from a rotating shaft and which can be exchanged easily. The sleeve cylinder is mounted to fit on the rotating shaft so that it can be fitted on, and be extracted from, the rotating shaft, constituting a printing cylinder. The rotating shaft is provided with a cam shaft and a coupling member that constitutes a coupling mechanism. In a coupling and a decoupling state which the coupling mechanism comes into, rotations of the cam shaft cause the coupling member to couple and decouple the sleeve cylinder to and from the rotating shaft when the coupling member is diametrically urged against, and parted from, the inner diametric surface of the sleeve cylinder, respectively.

A security device comprises two or more regions (1, 2). Each region (1, 2) contains a material or combination of materials wherein the two or more regions exhibit substantially the same visible appearance under first viewing conditions and different visible appearances under second viewing conditions, the second viewing conditions. The second viewing conditions comprise a combination of a) visible light and b) substantially any UV wavelength.

A printing device 300 for printing elements in the form of sheets 10, includes a platen press 310 which hot stamps to affix to each sheet 10 with a colored or metallized film from at least one stamping strip 320. A transport device 340 introduces each sheet 10 one after the other into the platen press 310 by pulling the sheet 10 by its front edge. The printing device 300 further includes a device 360 able to partially restrain each sheet 10 by its rear portion during the phase of introducing the sheet 10 into the platen press 310.

A marking device for golf balls comprises a seat, an arch-shaped retainer, and a bottom plate. The seat defines a central recess and defines a bottom opening that communicates with the central recess. The seat is provided with an anti-slip pad within the central recess. Also, the seat is provided with upper positioning means and lower positioning means. The arch-shaped retainer is provided with retainer positioning means corresponding to the upper positioning means of the seat. The bottom plate is provided with plate positioning means corresponding to the lower positioning means of the seat. Therefore, the arch-shaped retainer and the bottom plate can be properly positioned on the seat. Furthermore, the arch-shaped retainer defines a central slit and the bottom plate defines a plurality of hollowed-out symbols. As such, the marking device can mark a line or symbol on a golf ball conveniently.

A web printing system automatically detects the location of a wrinkle in a moving web. The web has a plurality of marked reference positions including an inboard position, a center position, and an outboard position. A plurality of contact image sensors detect the reference positions after the web passes through a spreader and an inboard distance and an outboard distance are respectively measured from the center position. If the inboard distance is less than a nominal inboard distance, the wrinkle is identified as inboard of the center position. If the outboard distance is less than a nominal outboard distance, the wrinkle is identified as outboard of the center position. The machine operator is notified of the fault condition and takes action to remedy the situation.

An imaging part in a screen printing device which images a board and a screen mask includes a single camera which is disposed with a posture of horizontally facing towards an incidence optical axis, a half mirror which makes an imaging light, which is incident through a lower imaging optical axis, to be incident on a camera, and a mirror which makes an imaging light, which is incident through an upper imaging optical axis, to pass through the half mirror and to be incident on the camera, and further has an upper illuminating part and a lower illuminating part which individually illuminate respective imaging objects. Imaging light is taken in the camera in a state that the upper illuminating part and the lower illuminating part are individually operated in a mask imaging step and a board imaging step, respectively.

In one example, a device for use in a printer includes a flexible piece and a holder configured to removably attach the piece to a platen that has a surface over which a print substrate is moved through the print zone for printing on the substrate. The piece and the holder are configured to place the piece in tension along the platen surface such that, when the piece is attached to the platen, the piece becomes sufficiently rigid to counter substrate edge curl.

A device (1) for printing an impression by silk screen printing on at least one object (3), comprising of: a chassis (27); an object holder module (5) being movable relative to the chassis along a direction of pressing (Oz); a print head (7) including a screen holder module (29) and a squeegee holder module (31), the print head being movable relative to the chassis between an operating position close to the object holder module, and a maintenance position away from the object holder module, and an actuator (8) having a first part (125) and a second part (127) that is movable relative to the first part (125), the actuator (8) being adapted, in a first mode of operation, to be supported on the chassis by the first part and capable of moving the print head from the operating position to the maintenance position by a movement of the second part. The actuator is adapted, in a second mode of operation, to be supported on the chassis by the second part and is capable of moving the object holder module along the direction of pressing relative to the chassis by a movement of the first part.

A system and corresponding methods are disclosed for depositing of a layer of dampening fluid to a reimageable surface of an imaging member in a variable data lithography system by way of condensation. Dampening fluid in an airborne state is introduced proximate the reimageable surface in a condensation region. Conditions in the condensation region are such that the airborne dampening fluid preferentially condenses on the reimageable surface in a precisely controlled quantity, to thereby form a precisely controlled layer of dampening fluid of desired thickness over the reimageable surface. Among other advantages, improved print quality is obtained.

A device for heating at least one tool that is disposed on the circumference of a rotating cylinder, for example on the circumference of an embossing cylinder. The embossing tool is produced from a magnetizable material and it is fixed to a carrier sleeve that is produced from a non-magnetizable material.

Systems and methods for applying customer-specific labels to an unprinted or non-displayed side of printed products.

During the development of Low Power Mode (LPM) (also known as L2 Mode) for DSL (Digital Subscriber Line) systems, it has become apparent that one of the most important issues is the impact on deployed legacy DSL systems. Legacy DSL systems are not capable of operating in the presence of large changes in crosstalk noise from neighbouring lines entering and exiting LPMs. For example, prior LPM methods at least do not assure that legacy lines will be protected to guarantee that no retrains will occur. These and other issues are addressed herein.