A container (10) for consumer goods comprises a first panel (16) having a pattern (22) applied to an area (20) of the external surface thereof; and a second panel (26) comprising a transparent optical element. The first panel (16) and the second panel (26) are moveable relative to each other between a first position, in which the transparent optical element in the second panel (26) does not overlie the pattern (22) on the first panel (16), and a second position, in which the transparent optical element in the second panel (26) at least partially overlies the pattern (22) on the first panel (16), whereby an altered image of the pattern is visible through the transparent optical element.

A container storing an anesthetic is disclosed. The container is sealed by a closure and stores a liquid anesthetic solution. The anesthetic is from 0.1% to 10% by weight of the liquid anesthetic solution. The container is made of a material that is inert to the anesthetic and the closure is made of siliconized rubber or a metal. A concentration of the anesthetic in a liquid anesthetic solution stored in the container following a predetermined time period is at least 93% of a concentration of the anesthetic in a liquid anesthetic solution before the liquid anesthetic solution is stored in the container.

A binding cover having a transparent overlay cover disposed over and around the spine of the binding is configured to provide a label pocket on the spine portion of the binding cover wherein a label may be inserted easily without tools or rigid label material. In several embodiments the label pocket provides a fixed label space. In another embodiment the label pocket opens along the spine when the binding cover is opened, and returns to a closed position when closed, thereby retaining a label inserted therein. In another embodiment a method for forming the label pocket is provided.

Circuits and techniques to linearize the operation of an RF power amplifier are described. A linearizer circuit may include a non-amplification signal path which includes a delay line and an amplification signal path which includes at least one amplifier stage. In some embodiments, the amplification signal path may include an odd number of amplification stages. The linearizer may be used to precondition an input signal of an RF power amplifier in a manner that improves the overall linearity of operation.

A power combiner/divider having a waveguide, a plurality of amplifiers disposed on a supporting structure, a plurality of probes, each one having a first end electrically coupled to an output of a corresponding one of the plurality of amplifiers and a second end projecting outwardly from the supporting structure and into the waveguide. The probes are disposed in a common region of the waveguide. The region has a common electric field maximum within the waveguide. A first portion of the probes proximate the sidewalls have lengths different from a second portion of the probes disposed in a region distal from the sidewalls of the waveguide. The waveguide is supported by the support structure. The power combiner is a monolithic microwave integrated circuit structure.

Split amplifiers with configurable gain and linearization circuitry are disclosed. In an exemplary design, an apparatus includes first and second amplifier circuits and a linearization circuit, which may be part of an amplifier. The first and second amplifier circuits are coupled in parallel and to an amplifier input. The linearization circuit is also coupled to the amplifier input. The first and second amplifier circuits are enabled in a high-gain mode. One of the first and second amplifier circuits is enabled in a low-gain mode. The linearization circuit is enabled in the second mode and disabled in the first mode. The amplifier is split into multiple sections. Each section includes an amplifier circuit and is a fraction of the amplifier. High linearly may be obtained using one amplifier circuit and the linearization circuit in the low-gain mode.

Apparatus and methods disclosed herein perform gain, clipping, and phase compensation in the presence of I/Q mismatch in quadrature RF receivers. Gain and phase mismatch are exacerbated by differences in clipping between I & Q signals in low resolution ADCs. Signals in the stronger channel arm are clipped differentially more than weaker signals in the other channel arm. Embodiments herein perform clipping operations during iterations of gain mismatch calculations in order to balance clipping between the I and Q channel arms. Gain compensation coefficients are iteratively converged, clipping levels are established, and data flowing through the network is gain and clipping compensated. A compensation phase angle and phase compensation coefficients are then determined from gain and clipping compensated sample data. The resulting phase compensation coefficients are applied to the gain and clipping corrected receiver data to yield a gain, clipping, and phase compensated data stream.

The invention relates to a workholder (10) for holding a workpiece to be processed in a machine tool, which workholder (10) is in the form of a annular body (12) having a central through hole (14), said annular body (12) having at least one weakened area (18, 20; 34, 36, 38, 40; 50, 52, 54, 56) obtained by material removal, as well as at least one pressure chamber (22; 42, 44; 58, 60) assigned to said at least one weakened area (18, 20; 34, 36, 38, 40; 50, 52, 54, 56) that can be charged with a pressurized fluid. Said at least one weakened area (18, 20; 34, 36, 38, 40; 50, 52, 54, 56) is dimensioned and arranged so as to cause said annular body (12) to be elastically deformable in an axial and/or a radial direction (a, r). As a result, with pressure acting on said pressure chamber (22; 42, 44; 58, 60), said annular body (12) can then be deformed elastically in a well-defined manner in an axial and/or a radial direction (a, r).

A multi-spindle machining machine with a tool changing mechanism contains a base; a carrier including a seat to move in Z axis, a rotary shaft fixed on the seat laterally to drive the seat to rotate in A axis, and a fixing holder coupled to an end portion of the rotary shaft to fix a work piece; a tool changing mechanism including a mount mounted to the rotary shaft to rotate with the rotary shaft and a monitor fixed on the seat to measure a length of the tool clamped on a driving spindle, and including a plurality of slots to receive the tools respectively; a working head moving above the carrier and the tool changing mechanism in X and Y axes and including the driving spindle mounted on a lower end thereof to rotate axially, and the lower end of the driving spindle allowing to engage and disengage the tool.

A product dispensing system includes an overcap that has a locking element extending therefrom. A container has a product disposed therein. A bracket is attached to the container. The bracket includes at least one flange and at least one slot. The at least one flange extends toward the at least one slot. A resilient member is disposed within the locking element.

A device for forming containers from heated parisons of thermoplastic material, which includes a heating section and a blow molding unit provided with at least one blow molding station. The parisons are held along at least a portion of a transport path between the heating section and the blow molding unit by a carrying element, which has a head that can be inserted into a mouth section of a parison and which includes at least two positionable clamping elements. At least one of the clamping elements is positioned in a recess provided on a side of the head relative to a longitudinal axis of the carrying element. The recess has upper and lower sliding surfaces that extend obliquely relative to the longitudinal axis for acting on the clamping element. The upper head part and the lower head part are braced relative to each other by at least one spring.

A machine and method for knurling an end portion of a cylindrical workpiece including a hypodermic needle or biopsy needle. The machine includes a base to which a reciprocating mechanism and a serrated block are attached. A pressure bar is positioned above the base and has a second serrated block attached thereto. The pressure bar is reciprocated back and forth, each movement comprising a stroke. A pair of lobes are attached to the top surface of the pressure bar. A pair of roller blocks are also attached to the base, each roller block having a rectangular opening and a roller located therein. The pressure bar passes through the rectangular openings. As the pressure bar is reciprocated back and forth and the lobes come into contact with the rollers, the pressure bar is biased toward the base whereby a knurl is formed in a workpiece placed between the two serrated blocks. A method for knurling an end portion of a cylindrical workpiece is also disclosed.

A new machine for and method of manufacturing fluted pin fasteners and the pins produced thereby are disclosed which utilize a circular grinding arrangement of a plurality of grinders which grind flutes into a threaded pin. An internally threaded collar threads onto the pin. When the collar engages a surface of a work piece, resistance to further threading increases. When sufficient resistance to threading occurs, the driver deforms the lobes of the collar radially inward toward the axis of the collar. Material of the collar positioned internally from the lobes responds to deformation of the lobes and flows radially inward into the flutes of the pin to lock the collar, pin, and work piece together. The driver then rotates freely, and a joint has been made with a predetermined axial load thereby locking the component parts together. The apparatus grinding the flutes into the pins comprises a vibratory feed bowl loading threaded pins into a four station rotary drum assembly rotationally driven by a drive mechanism through a plurality of stations. There is a feed station to receive pins into drum assembly, a grind station to grind the pins, and an eject station to eject the ground pins. The circular arrangement of grinders is mounted on a table which is translated up and down by an air spring against a cam wheel to grind the pins located at the grinding station.

An apparatus for forming armed sutures has a swaging station for receiving, holding and swaging needles that are deposited therein. A linear motor drives a suture insertion gripper, which pulls suture from a supply reel and inserts a cut end thereof into a needle held in the swaging station. A ganged needle transfer assembly with a plurality of spaced needle gripper units carries needles along a line substantially at right angles to the suture line and transfers them to and from the swaging station and other needle processing stations. A precisor orients needles prior to placement in the swaging station and a pull test assembly tests armed sutures in both destructive and non-destructive modes. Both ends of the production line may be automated, e.g., by robots which load and offload needles prior to and after swaging, respectively. The apparatus is capable of forming double armed sutures by using a rotatable mount for the suture insertion gripper and a secondary, loop gripper. A suture transfer gripper extending up to the suture from a multi-tiered stack of slide tables. The suture transfer gripper cooperates with the suture insertion and loop grippers to hold the suture during cutting, insertion and transfer to the pull test apparatus and thereby protects the suture during processing.

A system comprises a first piston comprising a first piston shaft and a first drive pin. A first piston cylinder comprises a first body and a first groove, wherein the first groove defines a first aperture, the first aperture oriented axially along the first body and configured to receive the first drive pin. The first body encloses the first piston and allows the first piston to travel axially within the first piston cylinder. A drive shaft comprises an axis, a drive groove, and a surface, wherein the drive groove forms a continuous channel along the surface and receives the first drive pin. In one embodiment, a first distribution wheel comprises a first face, a second face, a first inlet aperture, and a first outlet aperture. The first distribution wheel couples to the first piston cylinder and to the drive shaft at a first end of the drive shaft, and rotates axially with the drive shaft along the axis of the drive shaft. The first inlet aperture allows hydraulic fluid to pass through the first face and the second face and the first outlet aperture defines a groove on the second face.

The invention relates to a neutral setting apparatus for adjustable hydraulic machines, in particular the adjustment of the neutral position of a servo valve. In particular, the invention relates to servo adjustment devices with mechanically adjustable control pistons, wherein the forces necessary for this can be applied mechanically, electro-magnetically, pneumatically or hydraulically. The invention relates to a neutral setting apparatus of an adjustable hydraulic machine, with a housing in which a mounted input shaft is arranged, to one end of which a torque can be applied for rotating the input shaft about an axis. Thus providing a robust and cost-effective setting mechanism for the neutral position of a servo valve.

A radial thermal engine with an improved valve system is disclosed herein comprising intake and exhaust port valve assemblies fluidly connected to respective intake and exhaust ports contained within a cylinder head assembly. Each intake and each exhaust port valve assembly comprises at least one rotatable port cover having spaced apart openings which are periodically alignable to the intake and exhaust ports, respectively.

The invention relates to a method for the impregnation of a product consisting of fibrous material and formed from a continuous web (22), the method comprising at least one first step of cutting out a specific zone (24) of the continuous web (22) and at least one second step of applying an impregnation product to the specific zone (24), the first and second steps being carried out simultaneously or virtually simultaneously.

A fluid-working machine has a working chamber of cyclically varying volume, high and low pressure manifolds, and high and low pressure valves for regulating the flow of fluid between the working chamber and the high and low pressure manifolds respectively. A controller actively controls at least one said valve to determine the net displacement of working fluid of the working chamber on a cycle by cycle basis. At least one said valve is a variable timing valve and the controller causes the valve to open or close at a time determined taking into account one or more properties of the performance of the fluid working machine measured during an earlier cycle of working chamber volume.

A hydraulic system is provided, having a pump, operably connected to a motor. It also comprises a controller-driven hydraulic actuator, operably connected to the pump and a hydraulic valve, operable to direct hydraulic fluid to and from either a rod side or a cylinder side of the hydraulic actuator. Rod and cylinder side pressures are pre-defined based on the instantaneous acceleration or deceleration required. Decelerating the hydraulic actuator could involve maintaining the current pressure in the meter-out side of the hydraulic actuator and decreasing the current pressure in the meter-in side by varying the speed of the pump. Deceleration of the hydraulic actuator could also include decreasing pressure on the meter-in side of the hydraulic actuator at a higher rate than on the meter-out side. Acceleration is achieved using a similar approach.

An electrical discharge machine with automatically replaceable electrodes. The machine includes an electrode holder with a clamp operable to alternately receive and release an electrode, an electrode cartridge containing a plurality of stacked electrodes and a shuttle movable toward and away from the electrode holder. When the shuttle is moved toward the electrode holder, it removes an electrode from the cartridge and moves it into alignment with the electrode holder.

A line voltage control circuit for use with a multi-string LED drive system which provides a common line voltage for multiple LED strings that are connected to respective current sink circuits at respective junctions. An error amplifier receives the minimum junction voltage and a reference ‘desired junction voltage’ at respective inputs, and a voltage regulator outputs the line voltage in response to a voltage applied to a feedback input. A comparator toggles an output when the maximum junction voltage (Vmax) exceeds a reference limit (Vlimit). A multiplexer receives the error amplifier output and a fixed voltage at respective inputs and provides one of the signals to the regulator's feedback input in response to the comparator output. When Vmax>Vlimit, the fixed voltage is provided to the feedback input and the line voltage is reduced, thereby protecting low voltage current sinks from potentially damaging high voltages.

The punch retainer mounted on a die shoe has a body with a backing plate fastened to the top face thereof. The body is formed with a first bore for retaining a punch, the inner end of which abuts the backing plate. A first dowel projecting from the mounting face of the die shoe extends into the backing plate in axial alignment with the central axis of the first bore. Second and third bores in the body register with second and third holes in the backing plate. Tubular dowels engage in the registering bores and holes to align the backing plate on the body. The retainer is mounted on a die shoe by holding screws which extend through the tubular dowels and thread into the die shoe. The backing plate is aligned on the die shoe by either a separate fourth dowel in the backing plate spaced remotely from the first dowel or by extending one of the tubular dowels beyond the backing plate for engagement with a registering opening in the die shoe.

A linear actuator for a variable-geometry member of a turbocharger includes a piston/rod assembly that can axially translate and also pivot to a limited extent. A permanent magnet is mounted in a fixed position within the actuator. A non-magnetized flux carrier is mounted in the piston/rod assembly, and its movement alters the magnetic field of the magnet. A Halls effects sensor detects the magnetic field and the signals produced by the sensor are used for determining axial position of the piston/rod assembly.

A fluid actuator includes a housing having a fluid chamber providing a first friction surface. An actuating member is arranged in the fluid chamber and has a second friction surface slideably engaging the first friction surface. The actuating member is configured to slide within the chamber between first and second positions. An insert is constructed from a first thermoplastic material and provides one of the first and second friction surfaces. A body structurally supports the insert and provides one of the housing or actuating member. The body is constructed from a second thermoplastic material molded about the insert and including short reinforcing fibers.

The present invention relates to a position sensor and limit switch apparatus for an actuator. The actuator has a cylinder and a piston with at least one magnetized portion reciprocatingly disposed within the cylinder. The apparatus includes an elongate housing aligned parallel with the cylinder. A magnetostrictive linear displacement transducer is disposed within the housing for sensing the position of the at least one magnetized portion. The apparatus includes a switch means responsive to the transducer for operatively interrupting actuation of the piston upon the at least one magnetized portion reaching a limit position.

A variable displacement fluid working machine includes an inward ring and an outward ring, one of the inward ring and the outward ring including a rotatable ring cam coupled to a drive shaft, the other including a plurality of radially extending piston cylinders circumferentially spaced around the respective ring. The outward ring has first and second axially spaced structural members and a plurality of demountable blocks demountably retainable therebetween, the demountable blocks having either piston cylinders or ring cam segments. The demountable blocks are removable radially to facilitate maintenance and repair and to facilitate radial access to the inward ring.

A piston assembly includes a piston having a crown with an upper combustion surface with a cylindrical outer surface extending downwardly from the upper combustion surface. A pair of pin bosses depends from the crown to a pair of pin bores having generally cylindrical bearing surfaces aligned along a pin bore axis with a top wall portion extending between the pin bosses. The top wall portion has a concave bearing surface forming a continuous concave bearing surface with the pin bores. A separate skirt is fixed to the piston against relative movement. At least one rib extends upwardly from the top wall portion of the piston on opposite sides of the pin bore axis to a lower wall surface of the crown. The at least one rib joins the crown to the top wall portion to provide structural support to the top wall portion against unwanted deflection.

A piston engine may include a heat pipe capable of transferring heat away from a portion of the piston engine such as a combustion section. The heat pipe may be included as part of a piston assembly, a cylinder, or both. The heat pipe may be filled with a suitable heat pipe fluid that may undergo a phase change such as, for example, water, ethanol, ammonia, sodium, other fluids or combinations thereof. Boiling and condensing of the fluid within the heat pipe may utilize the latent heat of the fluid during heat transfer. Multiple heat pipes may be used in some instances.

The invention relates to a rotary machine with pistons (22) and a turret (25), including: —a frame (2), through which a shaft (1) extends, having a geometrical axis x-x' and mounted in a stationary manner relative to the frame (2); —a thrust plate (9) rotatably mounted on the shaft (1); —an oscillating plate (15) bearing on the thrust plate (9); —a torsion bar (18), a first end of which is pivotably connected to the frame (2) and a second end of which is pivotably connected to the oscillating plate (15); —a spherical female bushing (14) rigidly connected to the oscillating plate (15) and pivotably connected around a spherical male knuckle centered on the shaft (1), the knuckle including a spherical male bushing (10) rotatably mounted relative to the shaft (1), characterized in that the rotary machine includes a means for rotating the spherical male bushing (10) about the geometric axis x-x'.

A linear actuator includes a cylinder main body, which is provided at one end thereof with a lock mechanism capable of restricting displacement of a slide table. The lock mechanism is equipped with a lock plate and a sub-piston. The lock plate is rotatable toward a side of the slide table by an elastic force of a spring, inserted into an insertion groove, and restricts displacement of the slide table. The sub-piston is displaced by a pressure fluid supplied to a supply port, and releases a displacement restricted state of the slide table by the lock plate.

The present invention provides a piston for a spark-ignition engine, comprising: a land part 18, an upper surface part of which has a crown part 26 forming a combustion chamber; a pair of skirt parts 20 extending downward from a peripheral part of the land part 18 and facing each other in a radial direction thereof; a pair of sidewall parts 19 coupling side end parts of the pair of skirt parts 20 to each other; and a pin boss part 21 that is formed in each of the sidewall parts 19. The present invention can inhibit the generation of HC produced at the time of combustion, while thermally protecting a top ring 30 fitted into a top ring groove 24a on an outer circumferential surface of the land part 18. The crown part 26 is configured by a flat base surface 27 and a bulging part 15 bulging upward above the base surface 27, and a thinned part 40 provided in the land part 18 is formed deep such that the deepest part thereof is positioned inside the bulging part 15.

A brake cylinder for pneumatic vehicle brakes, especially for commercial vehicles, includes in addition to a pneumatic locking mechanism, a manual release mechanism for manually releasing the spring brake section, and a device designed to visually recognize the manual release condition of the spring brake section outside of the housing.

A cylinder liner for insert casting which is excellent in heat conductivity with a cylinder block is provided, the cylinder liner for insert casting of the present invention comprising a cylinder liner for insert casting 2 which is formed with projections 5 with heights of 0.3 to 1.2 mm and undercut parts 6 in a ratio of 20 to 80/cm2 on an outer circumferential surface 4 over which, in turn, a thermally sprayed layer 7 is covered, wherein the thermally sprayed layer 7 is comprised of a ferrous material and wherein a ratio of a surface area of a thermally sprayed layer 7 surface at a certain region on the outer circumferential surface 4 of the liner with an area of the region is 12 to 23. The thermally sprayed layer preferably has a thickness of 0.01 to 0.2 mm. The thermally sprayed layer is preferably formed using a wire shaped thermal spraying material.

A method of casting a core includes the steps of preparing a first half of a corebox, preparing a second half of a corebox such that the parting line of a core formed from the first and second coreboxes runs along the vertical axis of the core.

Embodiments related to a self-contained coupler for model railroad rolling stock are provided. In one example, a self-contained coupler comprises a coupler assembly including a knuckle and an uncoupling assembly configured to operate the coupler assembly. The example uncoupling assembly includes a signal input for receiving a signal and a motivator coupled to the coupler assembly via a movable link, the motivator operative to adjust the knuckle from a first position to a second position responsive to the signal. The example uncoupling assembly also includes a housing including the motivator and a rolling stock mounting location for mounting the uncoupling assembly to an item of the model railroad rolling stock.

A machine for distributing blowing wool from a bag of compressed blowing wool is provided. The machine includes a chute having an inlet end configured to receive the bag of compressed blowing wool. A shredding chamber is positioned downstream from the chute and configured to shred and pick apart the blowing wool. The shredding chamber includes a plurality of shredders configured for rotation. Each shredder includes a plurality of paddle assemblies mounted to a shredder shaft. Each paddle assembly has a plurality of paddles. The paddles have a hardness within the range of 60 A to 70 A Durometer to better grip the blowing wool for shredding and prevent jamming of the blowing wool within the shredder.

The present disclosure, in one aspect, relates to a milling apparatus having a cutter housing and feed chute, a rotary cutter, at least partially housed within the cutter housing and in communication with the feed chute, and a feed ram removably positioned within the feed chute for maintaining a workpiece against the rotary cutter. The feed chute and feed ram may be selectively positionable at one of several angular positions with respect to the rotary cutter. In this manner, the force applied by the feed ram on the workpiece is a function of the weight of the feed ram and the angular position of the feed ram with respect to the rotary cutter.

A machine for shredding plastic container including a pressing device having a main housing having an interior space, a first opening for feeding container and a second opening for disposing the shredded pieces, a fixed plate position at one end within the housing and having slits arranged in matrix pattern, facing the interior of the housing, and having sharp edges, a movable plate having plurality of blades connected to at least one arm. The movable plate can move along a central axis within the housing and the blades have edges facing the sharp edges of the fixed plate. The containers are placed between the plates, such that when the movable plates moves along the central axis of the housing toward the fixed plate, the blades crash and cut the container into flakes. Pegs protrude from the blades, such that when the arm moves forward, the pegs punch the container.

A method of separating a mined material that comprises assessing the grade of successive segments of the mined material, and separating each segment on the basis of grade into a category that is at or above a grade threshold or a category that is below the grade threshold. An apparatus is also disclosed.

The invention relates to a magnetic safety device especially designed for use with a combined food cutting and processing machine. An assembly of elements work together to move a magnet vertically and modify the relative position of said magnet with respect to a magnetic detector/sensor located in the interior of the motor block of the combined food cutting machine.

Method and device for preparing a paste by blending or mixing materials, in particular for making aluminum production electrodes. The method includes the following operations: a) introducing the materials to be blended or mixed into a vat (31) having an inner surface extending along a substantially horizontal axis of revolution (X), b) rotating the vat (31) about the axis of revolution (X) and urging the materials via centrifugation against the inner surface of the vat (31), and c) locally dislodging the centrifuged materials from the inner surface by rotating the vat (31) and causing same to fall onto a crumbling tool (40).

The present disclosure relates to a material reducing machine convertible between a grinding configuration and a chipping configuration. The material reducing machine includes a rotary component that is rotatable about an axis of rotation, the rotary component defining a grinding configuration boundary that extends at least partially around the axis of rotation. The material reducing machine also includes a plurality of hammers secured to the rotary component, the hammers including end portions that project outwardly beyond the grinding configuration boundary of the rotary component. Furthermore, the material reducing machine includes a boundary enlarging structure that mounts over the rotary component, the boundary enlarging structure defining a chipping configuration boundary that extends at least partially around the axis of rotation when the boundary enlarging structure is mounted over the rotary component, the chipping configuration boundary being positioned outside the grinding configuration boundary. The boundary enlarging structure is not mounted over the rotary component when the material reducing machine is in the grinding configuration and the boundary enlarging structure is mounted over the rotary component when the material reducing machine is in the chipping configuration.

A self-contained automatic access port unit having a sensor that recognizes when refuse is approaching the cover, and to activate a direct current motor, solenoid, or drive cylinder which in turn moves a drive arm to open a cover to permit refuse to drop through the access port unit into a trash container therebelow, thereby avoiding the need for a user to make contact with the trash access port. A switch or timer causes the access port unit to close its cover. Motion of the drive arm is initiated by the motor, solenoid or drive cylinder, but continues through momentum imparted to the drive arm and cover. The cover engages a seal ring to provide a uniform impervious countertop surface.

A food processor of one design includes a housing including a motor and a coupling for rotating a food processing implement. The housing receives a feed chute assembly with a receiving chute for food to be processed. The feed chute assembly also includes an aligned discharge chute communicating with a processing implement, such that food is processed linearly from the receiving chute to the discharge chute. The housing has an open front for receiving containers for food processed by said food processor. This results in a smaller food processor which is capable of directly feeding processed food into a container separate from the food processor itself.

A cutter assembly is presented for mounting to one or more hammers of a rotor assembly of a grinding machine. The cutter assembly includes a base, a tip and a fastener securing the base and the tip to the hammer. The base includes a key having side walls extending upwardly from a surface of the base and spatially oriented as sides of a pyramid that is truncated before reaching their apex. The tip includes a keyway having side walls extending inwardly from a lower surface into a body of the tip and spatially oriented as sides of a pyramid. The keyway mates with the key of the base. In one embodiment, the tip is reversibly mountable to the base such that cutting edges may be selectively used within grinding operations.

This is a scalable water cleansing system intended for very low technology primitive communities buildable for between $600 and $1,000 of parts. A gravity feed system is contemplated with one or more of an initial filtering stage(s), a settling stage, a UV treatment stage, and an ozonator stage. A stand-alone power system with solar power needing no infrastructure is contemplated to enhance purification. The system can improve the worst of water quality, including for small groups; and under some conditions to end up with clean water of a quality found in developed countries with mature water systems. For water to the site in communities with low precipitation, the water brought in would be emptied into the initial stage of the water cleansing system, and the person who brought the water would draw from the last stage most or all of the amount of water carried in.

A device for filtering liquids has a container, units for introducing a liquid to be filtered into the container, a container outlet for unfiltered liquid to be discharged from the container, and at least one rotor, which is drivable to rotate around the container axis. The rotor has a hollow shaft mounted in an end wall and a support device fastened thereon for filter elements, which are arranged with a clearance to the container axis or rotate around their own axis. The interior of the filter elements opens via the support device and the hollow shaft out of the container as the discharge for filtered liquid. To provide improved filtration conditions, the container internal radius of the inner wall of the container circumferential shell is enlarged up to a maximum in the container circumferential direction while bulging the inner wall between two minima. The bulge forms a guide unit which guides the liquid toward the filter elements.

An apparatus and method are provided for filling multi-chamber containers with different loose bulk materials. The apparatus and method may be particularly well-suited to packaging at least one bulk material, which is susceptible to water, chemicals, or other contaminants, with at least one other bulk material. The apparatus is a machine that includes separate hoppers for handling the separate bulk materials, and directs the separate bulk materials into different chambers of a multi-chamber container, which is then transported away from the machine for storage or use. The machine may include one or more movable hoppers supported on tracks, for moving the bulk materials to the hoppers that direct the bulk materials into different chambers of the multi-chamber container. A controller and data logger may be provided to control the apparatus and record the quantity and/or weight of the contents of each multi-chamber container.

Method for filling containers with liquids, wherein the containers are filled using a plurality of controllable filling elements and the liquid is fed to these filling elements starting from a reservoir, common to the filling elements, for storing the liquid, wherein during the filling the containers are transported at least in sections along a circular track and wherein the filling of the containers by at least one filling element is controlled as a function of at least one first parameter characteristic of the liquid in the reservoir and this parameter is determined repeatedly at given intervals of time during the filling operation.