A combination casket and casket display comprises a reduced height casket shell adapted to receive the remains of a deceased and having a pair of side walls, a pair of end walls, and a bottom wall, the side walls and end walls having lower edges, the bottom wall extending below the lower edges of the side walls and end walls, a casket lid closable on the reduced height casket shell, and a casket display base having a pair of side walls and a pair of end walls, the side walls and end walls having upper edges. The reduced height casket shell is supported by the casket display base such that the lower edges of the side walls and end walls of the reduced height casket shell are at about the same height as the upper edges of the side walls and end walls of the casket display base, and the bottom wall of the reduced height casket shell extends below the upper edges of the side walls and end walls of the casket display base so as to nest within the casket display base. A combined height of the reduced height casket shell and display base is about equal to a height of a conventional height casket shell.

A casket comprises a casket shell adapted to receive the remains of a deceased having a pair of side walls, a pair of end walls, and a bottom wall, and a casket cap closable on the casket shell. A dish assembly is mounted to an underside of the cap. The dish assembly includes a cap panel comprising a sheet of magnetic material. At least one medallion having text and/or graphics representing a life aspect of the deceased is removably mounted on the cap panel. The medallion comprises a medallion blank having at least one magnet on a rear side thereof and having a recess on a front side thereof, a two-dimensional image positioned in the recess of the medallion blank, and a transparent layer of material overlying the two-dimensional image. The transparent layer of material is dome-shaped in cross section such that a peripheral outer edge of the layer is thinner than a central portion of the layer. The magnet removably secures the medallion blank to the magnetic material of the cap panel.

A modular casket made of lightweight materials is structurally reinforced using a structural sealant along at least the inner surfaces of the side panels, and optionally along at least side edge portions of a base panel to which the side panels are coupled, to stiffen and rigidize the casket against flexion along longitudinal and lateral axes, as well as torsional flexion. The structurally reinforced casket is sealed or more readily sealed against leakage and provides other benefits of structural stiffness and rigidity with relatively small cost and weight penalties.

A grave marker assembly that can be removably mounted and secured to a support surface such as a lawn crypt lid. The grave marker assembly has a fastening system that is not exposed to view and yet allows the grave marker to be easily installed and removed. The fastening system includes a channel and interior opening formed on a base member that is adapted to receive a fastener. The fastener in turn is adapted to be inserted into an opening formed on the crypt lid or other support surface. The assembly further includes a multi-function frame disposed along the outer periphery of the memorial marker that can serve as a decorative feature and draining functions.

A method of forming a portion of a sheet metal casket shell comprises supporting a piece of sheet metal on one side with a female die having a center die portion and opposite end die portions configured to pivot relative to the center die portion, supporting the piece of sheet metal on the opposite side with a male die having a center die portion and opposite end die portions, and pivoting the end die portions of the female die relative to the center die portion of the female die to cause the opposite ends of the piece of sheet metal to fold around the end die portions of the male die. The method can be repeated with a second piece of sheet metal thereby forming two shell halves which can be welded together to form the shell.

A reusable casket includes a metal casket box having an opening at one end and including a panel section rotatably attached to the casket box which is closeable to enclose the opening and openable to allow longitudinal movement of a casket insert into and out of the casket box through the opening. A transverse member adjacent the panel section connects opposing side panels of the box to partially define the opening. The panel section is retained to the transverse member in the closed position by locking bolts extending through the panel section to engage the transverse member. A method of making the metal casket box includes welding side, end, and floor panels together, moveably attaching the panel section relative to an opening in the end of the casket box, and attaching the transverse member to the side panels adjacent the panel section.

A casket assembly includes a bottom panel, side panels, flaps and end panels. The bottom panel is formed of a pliable material. The side panels are formed intrinsically with the bottom panel. Each side panel includes a lower section and an upper section foldably attached thereto. The lower section extends vertically upward from the bottom panel. In a first configuration, the upper section extends upward from the lower section. In a second configuration, the upper section extends in a direction other than vertically upward from the lower section. The end panels are formed intrinsically with the bottom panel. The flaps extend laterally from each end of the upper section. The flaps in the first configuration extend upward from a first vertical level defined by the top portion of the lower section, and in the second configuration extend downward from the first vertical level.

A cremation casket includes a lid and a base. The base includes a lower member and an upper member. The lower member includes a base panel and at least first and second upstanding side wall panels. The first and second side wall panels are disposed in planes generally perpendicular to a plane in which the base panel is disposed. The upper member includes first and second upstanding side wall panels that are disposed in planes generally parallel to the planes in which the first and second side wall panels of the lower member are disposed. First and second flap panel members are also provided that are movable between the storage position wherein the base has a relatively reduced height and a used position, wherein the base has a relatively enlarged height.

A removable handle assembly for a cooking vessel a gripping body, a front end of which forms a flared jaw. The flared jaw has projections adapted to clamp the wall of a vessel. The projections are substantially linear in shape in directions that intersect in front of the gripping body. A flared mobile jaw is mounted on the gripping body to rotate about a first axis between a release position and a clamping position. The flared jaw has two projections (504) of substantially linear shape in directions that intersect in front of the gripping body. An actuating lever mounted on the gripping body rotates about a second axis between a deployed position and a retracted position. A mechanism actuated by the actuating lever locks the mobile jaw in the clamping position.

A handle has at least one fastening plate or holding part which can be fastened in a through-hole in a thin wall such as a sheet-metal wall by means of snap devices. According to the invention, the fastening plate forms or carries a pivot bearing for the at least one end of a handle, or the like, which is bent, for example, from a round material such as thick wire, this end having a round cross section.

A lock assembly includes a coupling mechanism connected to a spindle assembly. The coupling mechanism has an outer sleeve having a longitudinal interior opening that extends along a first axis. An operator handle includes a proximal lock core opening, and a distal shaft portion having an axial opening configured to receive the outer sleeve. The distal shaft portion and the outer sleeve are configured to define a through path oriented across the longitudinal interior opening of the outer sleeve. A portion of the through path at the outer sleeve is configured to threadably receive a setscrew to fasten the operator handle to the outer sleeve. A keyed lock core has a tailpiece that is positioned in the longitudinal interior opening of the outer sleeve to obstruct the through path and block access to the setscrew via the through path to prevent unauthorized removal of the operator handle.

An electronic device includes: a housing provided with an opening that accommodates a component; a cover member that covers the opening; a projecting part that projects from an inside face of the housing; a slide knob slidably provided to a surface of the housing; and an elastic slide lock member that fixes the cover member to the housing, wherein the elastic slide lock member includes: a movement part that is coupled to the slide knob, moves together with the slide knob, and is provided with a fixing projection; a fixing part that is rotatably supported by the projecting part of the housing; and a coupling part that couples the movement part and the fixing part and is elastically deformable.

A hinge for transport cases, trunks, suitcases and the like, comprising two elements which are mutually articulated about a common axis and are both able to rotate with respect to the common axis. Each element is delimited by two parallel walls and has a total width that is equal to the width of the channel delimited between the stiffening ribs of the transport case, suitcase or trunk on which it will be installed. Each element is associable with the stiffening ribs of the respective transport case, once it is inserted between the ribs, without requiring any mechanical machining of the surfaces of the case.

A castor with separate brake device and brake release device is provided with a shell, a brake piece, a brake unit and a brake-release unit. The brake unit and the brake-release unit are two separate members, while they are interactively linked by a push portion and the notch portion, so as to ensure the accuracy of the brake operation. Whenever the castor is in a brake-activated status or brake-deactivated status, the brake pedal and the brake-release pedal pivot in opposite direction to present different angles, which makes it easier for the user to see the status of the castor (in brake position or non-brake position), and prevents confusion or accidental operation.

A brake disk for a motor vehicle includes a friction ring and at least one insert portion. The insert portion is located within and arranged coaxially with the friction ring, and is configured so as to possess an annular disk shape and define a plurality of openings. The friction ring is configured such that material of the friction ring fills the plurality of openings.

A vehicle brake pad includes a back plate layer, an underlayer, an adhesive layer that mediates between the back plate layer and the underlayer, and a friction material layer, wherein the vehicle brake pad does not include a shim and wherein at least one of the back plate layer, the adhesive layer, and the underlayer has a loss factor of 0.2 or higher, calculated according to the following Equation 1, at temperatures from −100 to 300° to damp noise of a frequency range of 200 to 20,000 Hz at temperatures from −100 to 300°: (Equation 1) Loss factor η=(f2−f1)/f0, where η is a loss factor, f0 is a noise frequency, f1 is a minimum value of amplitude of a noise frequency when a noise level is reduced by 3 dB, and f2 a maximum value of amplitude when the noise level is reduced by 3 dB.

A brake pad of a disc brake, having a pad carrier plate and an intermediate layer which is fastened to the bottom surface thereof and carries an abrasive friction lining, is configured in such a way that the thickness of the unused friction lining is less than or equal to a predefined maximum wear dimension. The thickness of the friction lining plus part of the thickness of the intermediate layer correspond to the maximum wear dimension.

The invention relates to an electromechanical-magnetically integrated braking assistance device, comprising an electrical motor, an oil holder, a braking main cylinder, an assistant force generating portion, and a pedal input rod, an absolute displacement sensor or a relative displacement sensor is connected to the pedal input rod; a lead screw is sleeved over the pedal input rod, and a ball nut is sleeved over the lead screw; a ball nut bushing is fixed to the ball nut by being sleeved over the ball nut; a driven gear is fixed to the ball nut bushing by being sleeved over the ball nut bushing; and the electric motor meshes with the driven gear via a transmission mechanism. An end of the lead screw which passes through the ball nut bushing has an aperture, into which a feedback disc is installed; an end of the feedback disc is connected to an end of an output rod which is coaxially arranged with the lead screw inside the assistant force generating portion, and another end of the output rod extends into the braking main cylinder and is connected to a piston of the braking main cylinder.

Disclosed herein is a yaw brake system including a multi-disk member disposed in an upper portion of a tower frame of wind generator and including at least two disks, and a braking member disposed in a lower end of a nacelle frame of the wind generator, and provided to brake yawing of a nacelle by interlocking with the multi-disk member. In accordance with the disclosure, it is possible to prepare for buildup of equipment, such as a blade, a hub, or a nacelle, depending on an increase in power of wind power generation, and at the same time to more effectively brake yawing of the nacelle due to a rapid change in wind direction while overcoming a limited space in the nacelle.

In an approach to interlock braking, one or more driving wheels and one or more driven wheels are engaged to rotate in the same first direction. One or more braking wheels are driven by a power transmission mechanism associated with the one or more driving wheels. A first braking surface, associated with the one or more driven wheels, and a second braking surface, associated with the one or more braking wheels, engage. A braking force is generated by the engagement of the first braking surface and the second braking surface, and transmitted by the power transmission mechanism to the one or more driving wheels.

A method for mounting a flexible tube associated with braking hydraulics on a bicycle between a braking control member and a braking member. The method provides a mounting cable for use in locating the flexible tube within a bicycle frame element while the ends of the flexible tube are exposed so a respective end can be connected to the control member and the braking member. The method simplifies the insertion process and reduces damage to the flexible tube. A tool for inserting the flexible tube is also provided.

A disc brake, preferably a compressed air-actuated disc brake, in particular for a motor vehicle, has a brake application mechanism with a brake rotary lever, at least one spindle unit having a threaded rod screwed into a bridge, and a brake caliper. The caliper frames an edge region of a brake disc. The brake caliper has a brake application portion and a caliper back which are connected together via tie bars. The brake application mechanism with the brake rotary lever is received in the brake application portion of the brake caliper from an application face side of the brake disc. The brake application portion of the brake caliper has a first region, in which the application mechanism and a force transmission portion of the brake rotary lever are arranged, a second region, which is formed as a lever housing, and a lever portion for the brake rotary lever. A support wall with a bearing portion, which forms a pivot bearing with a brake rotary lever axis that runs parallel to the brake disc, for the brake rotary lever is arranged between the first region and the second region.

A brake piston includes a piston pocket. The piston pocket receives a nut that is axially movable along a center axis. The nut is restricted from rotating within the piston pocket when a torque due to a frictional engagement between a nut seal and an inner pocket wall, one or more projections, or both is greater than an input torque at the nut. The nut is rotatable within the piston pocket when a torque due to the frictional engagement between the nut seal and the inner pocket wall, the one or more projections or both is less than the input torque at the nut and is less than the torque due to the frictional engagement between the piston and the piston seal.

A brake caliper is provided with a timing and retraction controller, a brake pad and a lock-connection comprising an engaging component and a locking component. The timing and retraction controller adjusts brake timing, eliminates parasitic brake losses and dampens out-of-plane vibration between the brake pad and rotor. The brake caliper includes a housing disposed over a brake rotor; first and second opposing brake pads extendably and retractably mounted on opposite sides of the caliper housing, brake pistons that extend and retract the brake pads into and out of frictional engagement with the rotor, and brake pad timing and retraction controllers disposed on opposite sides of the caliper housing. Each controller includes a Belleville spring or other resilient member with a short compression travel limited to between about 1.50 mm and 0.025 mm. The short stroke Belleville spring of each controller applies a hold-off force against the extension force of the brake pistons that slightly delays brake pad extension and slightly reduces brake pad clamping force against the rotor, thereby advantageously providing a front wheel braking bias when applied to the rear wheels of a vehicle. The restorative force applied by the short stroke Belleville forcefully and uniformly retracts the brake pad from the rotor, eliminating parasitic brake losses, and dampening out-of-plane vibration between the brake pad and rotor.

An adjusting device for a disc brake, in particular for utility vehicles, is provided. The adjusting device includes a freewheel having an inner ring and an outer ring. The inner ring and outer ring together with multiple rolling bearing balls form an axial ball bearing. The inner ring is rotatably supported relative to the outer ring by the rolling bearing balls. The freewheel further has a cage in which multiple clamping rollers are biased with compression springs and compression pieces, the cage being arranged between the inner ring and the outer ring in a radial direction relative to a through-bore passing through the inner and outer rings. The compression springs may be pretensioned by rotating the cage relative to the inner ring and then fixing the cage to on the inner ring with a locking device.

The invention relates to a pad for a bicycle disc brake, comprising a support frame and an element made of friction-wearing material associated with said support frame. The element made of friction-wearing material comprises a visual wearing indicator, which preferably is defined on an upper portion of the element made of friction-wearing material, more preferably at a side end area of said upper portion. The invention also relates to a bicycle disc brake comprising a pair of pads of the type described above.

A brake device of a transmission includes a first brake provided in a transmission including an outer cone and an inner cone, a second brake provided at one end of the first brake and operated at the time of a low stage or backward movement, and an elastic body provided between the first brake and the second brake to operate the first brake or the second brake depending on a spring load.

A bicycle fork includes a pair of fork leg assemblies, each of the leg assemblies having an upper leg telescopingly engaged with a lower leg. A damping assembly is provided in at least one of the legs. The damping assembly includes lock-out and blow-off compression circuits. These compression circuits are externally adjustable without tools. Furthermore, these two compression circuits may be adjusted independently of each other.

A one-piece rail vehicle brake disk is made of steel or cast iron, comprises at least one effective surface with which a friction element comes in contact during a braking maneuver, and is designed in such a way that the effective surface has a plurality of blind holes.

An attachable high-manganese steel brake disk includes a first disk member including air vents disposed radially therein to be spaced apart from each other, and a pair of second disk members installed to be attached to two surfaces of the first disk member and having a braking surface in contact with a brake pad. Between the first disk member and the second disk members, at least the second disk members are provided as high manganese steel members.

An electro-mechanical brake device may include: a driver configured to generate rotary power; a first gear connected to an output shaft of the driver, and the first gear configured to rotate with the output shaft; a second gear installed in a direction crossing the first gear, engaged with the first gear, and configured to rotate with the first gear; a third gear engaged with the second gear and configured to rotate with the second gear, the third gear having a rotating gear bar installed in parallel to the output shaft and configured to rotate with the output shaft; a moving nut engaged with the third gear and configured to move linearly; and a piston installed in a shape covering an outside of the moving nut, and pushed by the moving nut so as to pressurize a brake pad.

The invention relates to a brake system, in particular wedge drum brake for utility vehicles, comprising a transmission element and a piston element, wherein the transmission element is guided displaceably along a transmission axis, wherein the piston element is guided displaceably transversely with respect to the transmission axis, wherein the transmission element has a transmission surface which is oriented in an inclined manner with respect to the transmission axis, wherein the piston element is supported with a piston surface on the transmission surface, wherein a displacement of the transmission element along the transmission axis brings about a displacement of the piston element substantially transversely with respect to the transmission axis.

The present invention relates to a brake system comprising an actuating part and a brake part, the actuating part having a pressure chamber and a restoring section, the pressure chamber and the restoring section being separated from one another in a fluid-tight manner by way of a piston, it being possible for the piston to be fixed on an engagement element in such a way that a movement of the piston brings about a movement of the engagement element, the engagement element protruding into the brake part and having, in the brake part, a force section which is designed to transmit a force to a brake means, the brake part and the predominant part of the actuating part being arranged in a housing.

An adjustment control for adjusting a damping curve of a shock absorber includes an aperture seat coupled to a base of the shock absorber. The aperture seat defines a flow tube. A plug, in mechanical communication with a spring, slidably engages the flow tube. A plug nut is threadably coupled to an adjustment nut shaft stud and is in mechanical communication with the spring. An adjustment nut is coupled to the base. The adjustment nut has a non-circular cavity to receive at least a portion of the adjustment nut shaft stud and at least a portion of the non-circular region of the plug nut such that the plug nut cannot rotate relative to the non-circular cavity of the adjustment nut. An adjustment knob causes rotation of the adjustment nut shaft stud. The rotation of the adjustment nut shaft stud causes axial movement of the plug nut.

A rollator braking system for a rollator includes two handles, two brake lever assemblies, and two wires. The rollator includes a frame and a plurality of wheels attached to the frame for moving the rollator. The two handles are adjustably connected to the frame, and each handle including a gripping member. Each of the two brake lever assemblies include a bracket fixedly connected to the handle and a lever rotatably connected to the bracket to rotate towards and away from the gripping member when in an unlocked position, and fixedly connected to the bracket when in a locked position. Each of the two wires are operably connected between a lever assembly and a brake on one of the wheels such that when the lever is rotated towards the gripping member, the brake slows rotation of the wheel, and when the lever is in the locked position the brake stops the rotation of the wheel.

A disc brake rotor including a hub portion and a brake disc is provided. The brake disc extends radially outward from the hub portion and includes an outboard disc face and an inboard disc face. A plurality of channels are disposed in the brake disc that are circumferentially spaced from one another. Any one channel in the plurality of channels is open to either the outboard disc face or the inboard disc face. The brake disc includes an outer ring and an inner ring that are circumferentially continuous and uninterrupted along at least the outboard disc face and the inboard disc face. The outer ring is radially spaced from the inner ring with the plurality of channels disposed radially between the outer ring and the inner ring. Advantageously, this arrangement increases shear strength of the brake disc while providing enhanced cooling.

A piston manufacturing device includes a first forming device (42) configured to form an annular groove (61) in a piston (11), and a second forming device (52) configured to press an edge (15) of an opening (14) of the piston (11) toward other end side in an axial direction of the piston (11) and to form a thick section (65) extruded from an inner circumferential surface (12b) arranged between the edge (15) and the groove (61) toward an axial center side of the piston (11), wherein a recessed section (53) is formed at a portion of the second forming device (52) that is arranged to abut the edge (15) so that an inner circumferential side of the edge (15) is plastically deformed toward the other end side in an axial direction of the piston (11).

The invention relates to a vehicle disk brake having a brake-application device which provides the braking force and which is composed of a force element, preferably a pressure medium cylinder, and of a pressure-boosting lever arrangement, and having a readjustment device for compensatory readjustment of the wear-induced air clearance of the brake. The readjustment device comprises, as constituent parts, a rotatably arranged drive element (25) which can be actuated by the brake-application device, a readjustment element (26) arranged rotatably on the same axis, and a transmission device arranged in the movement path between drive element (25) and readjustment element (26). To provide a vehicle brake which is equipped with a readjustment device for compensatory readjustment of the wear-induced air clearance and in which the readjustment means is of structurally simple design and has a small number of parts, the transmission device is in the form of a helical wrap spring (30) which, along a first helix section (31), is supported radially with respect to the drive element (25) and, along a second helix section (32), is supported radially with respect to the readjustment element (26), wherein the former radial support is realized at the inner side, and the latter radial support is realized at the outer side, of the wrap spring (30).

A friction lining for a brake pad of a braking system includes a solid body of friction material having plurality of slots intersecting at a vortex zone formed as a circular recess in the friction lining. The slots open into the vortex zone at offset locations to promote circulation of air within the vortex zone. The slots extend along a horizontal arc that follows the curvature of a rotor of the braking system when in use. Vertical slots may be included that also open into the vortex zone at offset locations.

A railcar brake beam assembly including a brake beam formation having a tension member, a compression member and strut, and with the strut defining an axis for the brake beam assembly. First and second brake head assemblies are disposed to opposite lateral sides of the axis, with each brake head assembly being operably carried by the brake beam formation and includes a guide member extending in a direction away from the axis. The first and second brake head assemblies are generally centered laterally relative to the axis of the brake beam assembly. A distal end of the guide member on the first brake head assembly is disposed a different lateral distance from the axis of the brake beam assembly than is a distal end of the guide member on the second brake head assembly to minimize lateral shifting movements while maintaining adequate clearances for permitting reciprocal moments of the brake beam assembly during application of braking forces. A method of designing a brake beam assembly for a railcar is also disclosed.

A friction disk brake system may comprise a plurality of rotor friction disks and a plurality of stator friction disks. At least one of the friction disks may be a split disk friction disk. The split disk friction disk may comprise a first disk half and a second disk half. A carbon foam damping feature may be located between the first disk half and the second disk half.

A plate assembly for a multi-disk brake system is provided. The plate assembly includes at least one of a pressure plate or an end plate and a floating plate wear liner mounted against the at least one of the pressure plate or the end plate. The floating plate wear liner is configured to contact a contact surface of an adjacent rotatable friction disk in response to the multi-disk brake system being actuated.

A brake rotor assembly can include a structural part having a receiving surface and at least one friction surface parts having a contact surface. The friction surface part can be fixably attached to the receiving surface of the structural part such that the contact surface faces away from the receiving surface of the structural surface to form at least part of an annular braking surface arranged concentrically around an axis of rotation of the structural part.

The present disclosure provides a fibrous preform, comprising an annulus having at least one of an outer diameter portion or an inner diameter portion, the outer diameter portion extending radially inward from an outer diameter of the fibrous preform and the inner diameter portion extending radially outward from an inner diameter of the fibrous preform. In various embodiments, the fibrous preform further comprises a medial diameter portion disposed between the outer diameter and the inner diameter, wherein the medial diameter portion comprises a first needling profile, and the at least one of the outer diameter portion or the inner diameter portion comprises a second needling profile. In various embodiments, the first needling profile is less than the second needling profile.

A disc brake (10) of the type including a pivoting lever having eccentric journals which act on a pair of tappets is disclosed. The tappets are adjusted in length by rotation, and each tappet has a tappet gear (22). A centrally located intermediate gear (24) is provided between the tappet gears to form a gear train, synchronizing the rotation of the two tappets and therefore ensuring that they remain the same length. The centrally located intermediate gear (24) includes a socket (26) for receiving a centrally located adjuster. The adjuster may be installed and removed from the disc brake through an aperture at the rear of the brake caliper, without any substantial disassembly of the brake and without de-synchronizing the tappets or even interrupting the gear train between the tappets.

A heat dissipation structure for a brake pad is provided for being assembled to a caliper device. The caliper device includes a caliper body, and the caliper body has a receiving space. The heat dissipation structure includes: a main body, integrally extruded from aluminum and cut to have an ultimate appearance, including a plate body and a heat dissipation portion integrally extending from the plate body, the plate body for being disposed on the caliper body and at least partially extending into the receiving space, when the main body is assembled to the caliper body, the heat dissipation portion is exposed outside the caliper body. A brake pad assembly is further provided, including a heat dissipation structure as described above, further including a brake pad, the brake pad disposed on a lateral face of the plate body.

The invention relates to a brake shoe (1) for disk or drum brakes, which comprises a supporting plate (2) with a friction pad (3) attached thereto and at least one wear indicator (4), characterized in that the wear indicator (4) has a wear sensor (6) for continuous or multi-stage measurement of the wear of the friction lining and a receiver and transmitter unit (5) for wireless signal transmission, the receiver and transmitter unit being a passive RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) or SAW (Sound Acoustic Wave) transponder.

The present application provides a back mixing device for use with a pneumatically conveyed flow of solids having a varying flow rate. The back mixing device may include a nozzle, a chamber in communication with the nozzle, and an exit. The chamber may include an expanded area leading to a restriction such that the chamber creates a recirculation pattern in the flow of solids so as to smooth the varying flow rate though the back mixing device.

Described herein are systems and methods for achieving fast pyrolysis of wood and other carbonaceous solids in rotary reactors. Novel heating, feeding and condensing methods result in high oil yields near those currently achieved with more complicated fast pyrolysis systems. High intensity burners are arranged and controlled to produce high heating rates and uniform temperature of the rotating cylindrical walls of the reactors. The feeding system delays the onset of pyrolysis until the solids fall onto the heated kiln walls. The pyrolysis gases and vapors are rapidly withdrawn and quenched with recycled liquids. The first condenser incorporates a clean out nozzle. Char products are readily separated and discharged into a heat exchanger where heat is recovered and used together with heat from reactor flue gas to dry the solids prior to being fed to the reactor.

A pre-processing assembly and method for processing fuel feedstock containing oxygen and hydrocarbons having higher and lower hydrocarbon content for a fuel cell, wherein the pre-processing assembly has a deoxidizing bed for reducing oxygen in the fuel feedstock and a pre-reforming bed for reducing higher hydrocarbon content in the fuel feedstock and wherein the deoxidizing bed and the pre-reforming bed are disposed within a common reaction vessel such that the fuel feedstock first passes through the deoxidizing bed and thereafter through the pre-reforming bed. The pre-reforming assembly may further include a propane processor bed for processing propane and propylene in the fuel feedstock, where the propane processor bed is disposed within the common reaction vessel with the deoxidizing bed and the pre-reforming bed.