A load sensitive magnetic clutch device includes: a magnetic pole rotating body having magnetic poles arranged on the circumference thereof and provided with a clutch projection of a claw clutch at an end thereof; a yoke rotating body configured to rotate about an axial center of rotation identical to that of the magnetic pole rotating body; and a high-torque input member configured to rotate about the identical axial center of rotation and having a clutch engaging portion engaging the clutch projection. The clutch projection is formed of a magnetic body. The clutch engaging portion includes a clutch retaining magnetic body configured to attract the clutch projection by a magnetic force. The clutch projection is attracted by the clutch retaining magnetic body by an application of a load torque exceeding a torque which is transferrable between the magnetic pole rotating body and the yoke rotating body.

A manual marine winch includes a safety knockout override preventing release of winch tension without the handle in stowed position. The winch includes a housing; a rotating drum on the housing; a winch line on the drum; a control for spooling and un-spooling the winch line on the drum, wherein the control includes a handle for selectively tensioning the drum and moveable between a position engaged with the drum and a disengaged stowed position; a tension holding mechanism on the housing comprising a ratchet gear coupled to the drum, a pawl selectively engaged with the ratchet gear, and a knockout configures to selectively disengage the pawl from the gear to allow for release of winch tension; and a safety knockout override coupled to the housing and selectively engaged by the handle and configured to prevent release of winch tension when the handle is not in the stowed position.

In order to treat human or animal hair fixedly arranged on a sopport, hair is divided into strands. The divided strands are subjected to a dielectric plasma treatment by drawing an apparatus connected to a high voltage source (8) through the strands. The apparatus can be in the form of tongs or have a comb-like structure.

Disclosed are fast-curing, inexpensive corn-gluten resin compositions, methods for making them, methods for forming them into solid articles. In some embodiments, the resin composition includes corn meal gluten and a non-toxic organic acid.

A polypeptide solution of the present invention is a polypeptide solution in which a polypeptide derived from natural spider silk proteins is dissolved in a solvent. The solvent contains at least one selected from the following (i)-(iii): (i) DMSO; (ii) DMSO with an inorganic salt; and (iii) DMF with an inorganic salt. Further, in the present invention, an artificial polypeptide fiber is obtained by: using the polypeptide solution as a dope solution; and extruding the dope solution from a spinneret into a desolvation bath so as to eliminate the solvent from the dope solution and form a fiber to produce an undrawn yarn. Moreover, in the present invention, a polypeptide is purified by subjecting the polypeptide solution to heat treatment and thereafter removing an undissolved substance therefrom. Thus, the present invention provides the polypeptide solution whose solute has high solubility and solvent itself is low cost, and that allows dissolution at high temperatures and has high safety: a method for producing an artificial polypeptide fiber: and a method for purifying a polypeptide.

A hand held tool for the tensioning and severing of cable ties, including reciprocating means for tensioning the cable tie tail, locking means to prevent further tensioning upon the attainment of a preselected tension level in the tie tail, and severing means to sever the tie tail from the cable tie head.

A hand held tool for the tensioning and severing of cable ties, including reciprocating means for tensioning the cable tie tail, locking means to prevent further tensioning upon the attainment of a preselected tension level in the tie tail, and severing means to sever the tie tail from the cable tie head.

The present invention provides a crane with an automatic counterweight balancing device and a method of arranging counterweight thereof. The crane includes a main body and a counterweight device mounted to the main body. The counterweight device includes first and second magnetic field generators and first and second permanent magnetic counterweight blocks. The crane uses a combined arrangement of the magnetic field generators, the permanent magnetic counterweight blocks, an electrical control device, and a transducer device to detect, in a real time manner, output torques of servo motors, whereby when the output torques are not equal to rating torques, magnetic field intensities are varied to change downward magnetic forces acting on the permanent magnetic counterweight blocks thereby regulating loading of the servo motors and thus regulating the output torques of the servo motors to effect automatic balancing of counterweight and improve stability of the crane during a conveyance process.

A method for controlling a hoisting or lowering movement of a load, which is suspended from a hoisting mechanism of a crane by means of at least two hoisting cables trained round cable sheaves on the load, by monitoring the position of the load and braking and/or stopping the hoisting mechanism upon detection of an undesirable position, wherein the cable sheaves are each connected to the load for pivoting about a horizontal axis, and the position of the load is monitored by detecting a pivoting movement of at least one of the cable sheaves.

A rotary distributor device for a hydraulic power steering, which receives oil from a pump and sends the oil selectively to a discharge or to an actuator of the steering in a desired direction, comprises a jacket, a slide, sealedly rotating in the jacket, a series of openings that cross the wall of the jacket, located in front of a series of corresponding openings which cross the wall of the slide, elastic member located between the jacket and the slide configured to maintain the openings of the jacket at the openings of the slide, in which each opening in the jacket includes, in succession starting from the outside, at least one radial hole, a slot lying in a radial plane, arranged symmetrically with respect to the axis of the hole, the width being smaller than the diameter of the hole, and the depth being such as to intersect the hole.

To provide an opening degree detection device for an automatically operated valve which is easily assembled into an automatically operated valve, makes it easy to ensure detection accuracy at the time of assembling the opening degree detection device, and is easily applicable to an existing automatically operated valve. The opening degree detection device includes: a base plate 4 which is detachably mounted on an automatically operated valve 2; a displacement sensor 5; and a target 6 having an inclined detection surface 6a which is detected by the displacement sensor 5. The target 6 is fixed to the base plate 4. The displacement sensor 5 is supported on a valve stem 14 by way of a sensor support member 21, and the sensor support member 21 is supported on the base plate 4 by way of a guide means.

A system for making braided barbed sutures includes a filament winding assembly, and a guide assembly including at least one barbed insert dispenser opening defining a passageway for orienting a barbed insert. The guide assembly is adapted to dispense at least one barbed insert from the dispenser opening into the filament winding assembly for winding a plurality of filaments around the at least one barbed insert for making a braided barbed suture. The passageway of the dispenser opening is adapted to allow longitudinal movement of the barbed insert relative to the passageway while simultaneously preventing twisting movement of the barbed insert relative to the passageway. As the barbed insert is being dispensed, the barbed insert dispenser opening is selectively rotatable for imparting rotation to the barbed insert as the filaments are wound about the barbed insert. The passageway may be an elongated slit having a greater width than height.

A textile yarn includes a first segment and a second segment. The first segment includes a plurality of first strands and has a substantially constant first denier. The second segment includes a plurality of second strands integrated together and has a substantially constant second denier. There are more second strands in the second segment than first strands in the first segment such that the second denier is greater than the first denier. A first portion of the plurality of second strands is made from a first plurality of yarn elements that extend through the first and second segments. A second portion of the plurality of second strands is made from a second plurality of yarn elements present in the second segment and not the first segment. The yarn elements in the second plurality of yarn elements terminate in a transition zone between the first segment and the second segment.

A rope having a cut-resistant jacket which includes a core comprised of a plurality of sub-ropes. The sub-ropes may be in a parallel strand configuration. The sub-ropes and the strands thereof may be made of fibers of a synthetic material, such as polyester, nylon, polypropylene, polyethylene, aramids, or acrylics. A cut-resistant jacket surrounds the core and is made from a material that has increased strength and/or abrasion resistance over the material of the core. The cut-resistant jacket may comprise steel wires and may further comprise braided steel wires or rope. The braided steel wires or rope may be covered with a plastic material for increased corrosion resistance. A filter layer may be disposed between the core and the cut-resistant jacket and may be wrapped around an outer surface of the core prior to the cut-resistant jacket being formed.

In a system and method for communicating data in a locomotive consist or other vehicle consist (comprising at least first and second linked vehicles), a first electronic component in the first vehicle of the vehicle consist is monitored to determine if the component is in (or enters) a failure state. In the failure state, the first electronic component is unable to perform a designated function. Upon determining the failure state, data is transmitted from the first vehicle to a second electronic component on the second vehicle, over a communication channel linking the first vehicle and the second vehicle. The second electronic component is operated based on the transmitted data, with the second electronic component performing the designated function that the first electronic component is unable to perform.

Data representative of a train consist (the train consist comprising a plurality of locomotives and a plurality of cars) and data representative of a route for the train consist can be processed by a processor to automatically determine which locomotives in the train consist should be powered on and which locomotives in the train consist should be shut down for each segment of the route. The processor can make these determinations based on an analysis of the train consist data and the route data with respect to a plurality of considerations that affect train efficiency. Recommendations for locomotive startups and shutdowns in accordance with such automated determinations can then be presented to the train crew for the crew to use during train operations. It is believed that when train crews are in compliance with such recommendations, significant improvements in efficiency, particularly with respect to fuel consumption, can be achieved.

A method for calibrating a moving object impact detector is disclosed. A controller may receive input indicative of movement of an impact element from a first position to a second position. The controller may also receive an activation signal corresponding to the movement of the impact element. The controller may further receive input indicative of instructions to correlate the activation signal with the movement of the impact element. The controller may selectively set the activation signal as a reference signal for the detector, with the reference signal being indicative of an impact the moving object impact detector is set to detect.

A system includes a communication module and a determination module. The communication module is configured to be located onboard a vehicle configured to travel along a route including plural sub-routes. The communication module is configured to receive route occupancy information from an off-board wayside module disposed along the route. The route occupancy information corresponds to a presence or absence of vehicular traffic on each sub-route within a range of a route detection system operably coupled to the wayside module. The determination module is configured to be located onboard the vehicle, and to obtain position information from one or more onboard detection units disposed onboard the vehicle. The determination module is configured to determine a particular sub-route on which the vehicle is disposed using a comparison of the position information obtained from the one or more onboard detection units and the occupancy information received from the off-board wayside module.

A consist communication system is disclosed for use with a train consist. The system may have a sensor associated with a component of the consist and configured to generate a signal indicative of a performance parameter of the component. The system may further include a controller, a fluid conduit, at least a first cable disposed within the fluid conduit and configured to transmit the signal from the sensor to the controller, and a glad-hand coupling fixedly connected to an end of the fluid conduit.

An electrical device not only controls train signals as trains advance, but also alters the voltage in the tracks leading up to the signals so that the trains will actually stop at a red signal, slow at an amber aspect and continue on at full speed when the signal is showing green. The electrical device of the present invention can change the “block signal” from “green” to “red”, thereby signaling the engineer behind the train to come to a stop. In addition, the electrical device can simultaneously change the voltage in the tracks to stop the approaching train at the red signal. Only when the forward train has cleared will the approaching train get a clear signal and voltage to resume its forward progress.

A system and method for determining dynamically changing distributions of vehicles in a vehicle system are disclosed. The system and method determine handling parameters of the vehicle system. The handling parameters are determined for different distributions of the vehicles among different groups at different potential change points along a route. The system and method also determine whether to change the distributions at potential change points based on the handling parameters. Based on determining that the distributions are to change, a selected sequence of changes to the distributions is determined at one or more of the potential change points along the route. Change indices are generated based on the selected sequence. The change indices designate times and/or the one or more potential change points at which the distributions changes. The vehicles included in a common group have common designated operational settings while the vehicles are in the common group.

A distributed power (DP) control system is contained within a non-freight carrying intermodal container for communicating with and receive instructions and/or commands from a command system of a lead distributed power locomotive within a train. The container is configured to be provided on a car adjacent to a remote non-distributed powered (non-DP) locomotive provided within a length of the train. One or more connection hoses connect the distributed power control system within the container to the non-DP locomotive to control application of at least its brake system.

An insulated concrete form including of first and second spaced sidewalls forming a cavity therebetween, said sidewalls having an inside surface and interconnected by a plurality of form ties, and a form insert made of an insulative material positioned adjacent the inside surface of at least one sidewall which thereby increases the R-value of the resulting structure.

A pair of mold cores (51, 52) for molding an undercut portion (P1) in a holder (30) installed inside a movable mold (13) are connected to and supported by a retaining piece (40) which is moved in the demolding direction, and at the time of demolding, the respective mold cores (51, 52) are guided by guide means (33, 34) from the molding position, where they are contacted with each other, to the mold release position, where they are separated from each other, being moved from one end side to the other end side of the retaining piece (40), in the mutually opposite directions so as to pass each other in the back and forth direction.

An arrow rest for supporting an arrow on an archery bow. In various embodiments, the arrow rest includes an over-center spring that is operatively coupled to a body of the arrow rest and a rotatable cam received in the arrow rest body. The rotatable cam is rotationally fixed to an arrow launcher. The over-center spring biases the arrow launcher into a first loading position when the spring is in a first position on one side of a central axis about which the cam rotates, and into a second launching position when the spring moves to an opposite side of the cam central axis. A release mechanism is configured to move the arrow launcher from the second, launching position to the first, loading position when an arrow is fired from the bow, but will not move the arrow launcher to the first, loading position if the bow is let down.

A wood substitute turning blank and method of making the same is described. The turning blank includes a body having an outer shell of relatively low tensile strength material positioned about a rotational axis of the body. An inner core of relatively high tensile strength material is positioned along the rotational axis of the body. The high tensile strength of the inner core allows this turning blank to be turned at high speed on a lathe or the like. The high tensile strength of the core enhances the overall tensile strength of the finished product.

A copying cutting device for wood lathes including two securing stems, two form securing devices each transversely mounted at the bottom end of each securing stem, a guide track device mounted above the securing stems, a cutter mounting device having a cutter mounted thereon screwably provided at the bottom side of the guide track device, and a form tracing device screwably disposed at the rear end of the cutter. The forms securing device positions a copy, and a tracing rod of the form tracing device urges against the tracing edge of the copy. The cutter slides in the cutter mounting device, which in turn slides in the guide track device. The cutter cuts the workpiece following the contour of the copy with the help of the tracing rod.

A rotating tenon cutter having a wooden or aluminum body and a curved cutter blade positioned adjacent to a throat having a bell mouth with a matching curve. A cylindrical tenon is formed with an attractive shoulder that curves from the tenon to the largest cross-sectional dimension of the work piece on the same radius as the cutter blade. A bubble level vial in the body indicates when the axis of rotation (and axis of the tenon to be formed) is horizontal. The cutter blade is repositionable on the body so that the bevel is appropriately presented for sharpening using a drum sander while the face or a flat side of the tenon cutter body rests on a drill press table.

A saw for simultaneously cutting and beveling including a cut-off saw, a cutting blade, and a beveling blade. The cutting blade cuts simultaneously while the beveling blade bevels. The beveling blade preferably has a head with two faces annularly connected by an annular slanted circumference. The head has at least one notch suitable for accommodating a respective at least one tooth insert interconnected with a respective at least one cartridge. Each cartridge is interconnectable with a respective tooth insert.

A miniature tenon cutter having an aluminum body and a flat cutter blade positioned adjacent to a throat having a funnel mouth utilizing a gauge to assist in establishing cutter blade position. The tenon cutter is used with an electric drill motor, and it forms a cylindrical tenon with a sloping shoulder.

A lathe cutter and chip fan is described in which an annular frame includes a rotary portion that is driven to rotate about an axis. The rotary portion is annular, forming a workpiece receiving opening. A cutter is mounted on the rotary portion and projects into the workpiece receiving opening. The cutter rotates with the rotary portion to cut material from a workpiece positioned within the workpiece opening. A housing forms a compartment about the rotary portion and cutter, with a central housing opening substantially aligned with the workpiece receiving opening. A chip discharge openly communicates with the compartment and is situated substantially tangentially with respect to a rotational path of the cutter. A plurality of impellers are mounted to the rotary portion for rotation therewith. The impellers are configured to produce an airflow through the housing with intake air entering through the central housing opening and discharging through the chip discharge, whereby chips of workpiece material removed from the workpiece by the cutter may be discharged in the airflow through the chip discharge.

An automatic lathe is provided including a table stand having a top with a plurality of legs coupled thereto and extending downwardly therefrom. A pair of spindle spinning assemblies are positioned on the top of the table stand. Each spindle spinning assembly has a securement rod rotatably mounted thereon which is adapted to releasably secure to an end of a spindle for spinning the same. A carriage assembly is adapted to slide between each spindle spinning assembly. The carriage assembly has a blade mechanism mounted thereon for engaging a front surface of the spindle secured between the spindle assemblies. The carriage assembly further includes a carriage motor functioning to move the carriage in a forward direction upon the receipt of a forward signal and move the carriage in a reverse direction upon the receipt of a reverse signal only when the carriage motor is actuated. Finally, a reverse direction mechanism serves to transmit the forward signal to the carriage motor when the carriage is moving in a reverse direction and reaches a first end of the top of the table stand. Further, the reverse direction mechanism transmits the reverse signal to the carriage motor when the carriage is moving in a forward direction and reaches a second end of the top of the table stand.

A cutting tool for cutting a work piece and catching debris during turning operations is described herein. The cutting tool comprises a tubular cutting member having first and second ends, the first end having a sharpened edge, and a debris receiving means connected to the second end. The tubular cutting member may have a number of different cross-sections providing a number of different cutting tool configurations for use in turning operations. The debris receiving means may further include a flexible hose having a first hose end and a second hose end, wherein the first hose end is connected to the second end of said tubular cutting member. The hose may be connected to a vacuum source to more effectively collect debris generated during turning operations. The tubular cutting member could be made in a range of sizes from one quarter inch to two inches in diameter, with a nominal tube length of from three inches to twenty inches, or even larger where needed. Both ends of the tubular cutting member could be sharpened, and reversed in the holder when one end is dull.

A wood lathe includes first and second seats disposed respectively and fixedly on two ends of a table. A first driving device includes a motor disposed on the second seat, an outer tube fixed between the first and second seats, and a rotating inner rod journalled within the tube and connected to the motor by a belt and pulley unit. An output shaft is journalled on the first seat, and is provided with a fixed first clamping element. A second clamping element is disposed adjacent to the second seat so as to clamp a workpiece between the first and second clamping elements. A second driving device is disposed within the first seat, and interconnects the shaft and the rod to transfer rotation of the rod to the shaft, thereby rotating the workpiece.

A cutting tool piece is provided including a rear portion and a lead portion, the lead portion including a front section having an upper side angled downwardly and forwardly and a lower side angled upwardly and forwardly to form a transverse lead cutting edge. The rear portion includes a hole to secure the tool piece to a cutting tool and transverse cutting edges extending outwardly from side walls of the front section. A system is also described for cutting a bowl by coring out an interior portion of a wood block by applying the cutting tool which is curved and rotatably mounted to a post. Its lead end with the tool piece attached creates a circular groove. The cutting tool is advanced on a path which curves toward the central axis of the lathe.

A concentric coaxial cutting machine which cuts cylinders, cylindroids or cones using a chain saw from a single larger object such as a wood tree trunk, a block of ice or a block of plastic. An embodiment of the invention comprises a transverse support member having directly or indirectly mounted thereon; a headstock member including; a headstock spindle member mounted to said headstock member including; a drive spindle rotationally mounted to said headstock spindle member and adapted to rotationally retain one end of an object to be centrically cut; a tailstock member including; a tailstock spindle member mounted to said tailstock member including; a tailstock spindle rotationally mounted to said tailstock spindle member and adapted to retain an opposite end of the object; a drive assembly in rotational communication with the drive spindle and adapted to rotate said drive spindle around a common axis with said tailstock spindle; and, a first chain saw variably aligned at an angle to said common axis and adapted to concentrically cut the object from at least the opposite end.

A cutting tool piece is provided including a rear portion and a lead portion, the lead portion including a front section having an upper side angled downwardly and forwardly and a lower side angled upwardly and forwardly to form a transverse lead cutting edge. The rear portion includes a hole to secure the tool piece to a cutting tool and transverse cutting edges extending outwardly from side walls of the front section. A system is also described for cutting a bowl by coring out an interior portion of a wood block by applying the cutting tool which is curved and rotatably mounted to a post. Its lead end with the tool piece attached creates a circular groove. The cutting tool is advanced on a path which curves toward the central axis of the lathe.

Cutting assemblies are disclosed that include an entrance portion and a receiving portion, with the receiving portion defining a receiving opening configured to be axially aligned with an entrance opening of the entrance portion when mounted to the surface of a cutting apparatus. Cutting assemblies are also provided that include a material carriage configured to be borne by a cutting apparatus. Cutting assemblies that include a material receiving portion configured to be slidably mounted to a surface of a cutting apparatus are also disclosed. Cutting methods are also disclosed that can include rotating a piece of material around the materials longitudinal axis and delivering the material to a cutting tool while the longitudinal axis of the material is aligned substantially opposite the direction of rotation of the cutting tool.

Cutting assemblies are disclosed that include an entrance portion and a receiving portion, with the receiving portion defining a receiving opening configured to be axially aligned with an entrance opening of the entrance portion when mounted to the surface of a cutting apparatus. Cutting assemblies are also provided that include a material carriage configured to be borne by a cutting apparatus. Cutting assemblies that include a material receiving portion configured to be slidably mounted to a surface of a cutting apparatus are also disclosed. Cutting methods are also disclosed that can include rotating a piece of material around the materials longitudinal axis and delivering the material to a cutting tool while the longitudinal axis of the material is aligned substantially opposite the direction of rotation of the cutting tool.

An embodiment of the invention provides a display panel, which includes a substrate having a pixel region and a peripheral region, a conducting layer overlying the substrate in the peripheral region, a first insulating layer overlying the conducting layer in the peripheral region, wherein a ratio between an area of the first insulating layer and an area of the conducting layer in the peripheral region is between about 0.27 and 0.99, a lower electrode layer overlying the first insulating layer, a second insulating layer overlying the lower electrode layer, and an upper electrode layer overlying the second insulating layer.

A flexible display device including: a flexible substrate having a display area and a moisture absorption area at a surface; a display unit at the display area; a moisture absorption layer at the moisture absorption area; and a sealant along an edge of the display area and configured to seal the moisture absorption layer and the display unit. The flexible substrate is configured to be folded at least one time, and the display area and the moisture absorption area are opposite to each other.

A method of manufacturing an LED lamp is disclosed. The method includes admixing an uncured curable liquid resin and a phosphor, dispensing the uncured admixture on an LED chip, centrifuging the chip and the admixture to disperse the phosphor particles in the uncured resin, and curing the resin while the phosphor particles remain distributed.

A fireproof unit for a sliding closure at the spout of a container containing metal melt, including a fireproof adapter block that can be placed on the container spout, a fireproof bottom plate connected thereto, to which bottom plate a slidable fireproof sliding plate can be connected, wherein the sliding plate allows the sliding closure to be opened or closed. In addition to the first bottom plate connected to the adapter block, a second bottom plate adjoins the adapter block. The second bottom plate can be slid in under the adapter block to replace the first bottom plate. The adapter block has a length in the direction of the second bottom plate such that the adapter block is in sliding contact with the second bottom plate at the lower sliding surface of the adapter block.

An insert which is useable with a baby bottle, a baby bottle including an insert, and a method of feeding an infant that serves to pace the infant's feeding rhythm. Generally, these devices and methods will be of use for a preterm infant, but that is by no means limiting because full term infants could also benefit from these devices and methods. The device generally cues the infant to swallow and breathe after each 1-4 sucks by stopping the flow of the fluid from the bottle after the infant has sucked sufficiently. Once the baby breathes, the bottle resets for the next repetition.

Embodiments herein relate generally to distribution of flow into vessels containing packed beds of media. An example application of such beds is to pressure swing or temperature swing adsorption systems. Systems herein may include a vessel and a distributor for distributing flow into a lower portion of the vessel. The system may include: a vessel comprising a top head and a bottom head; and a bottom head feed/effluent nozzle. A lower distributor having at least one flow permitting surface is disposed within the vessel and encompasses an inlet of the bottom head feed/effluent nozzle. A flow gap is formed between a bottom portion of the lower distributor and the bottom head feed/effluent nozzle.

The present invention relates to a nozzle structure of a dispenser pump button. According to the present invention, the nozzle structure of the dispenser pump button is designed in such a way that an outer nozzle with a discharge hole forwardly moves by the pressure of the content, and the content is discharged through the discharge hole distanced from an inner nozzle, thereby preventing the deformation of the nozzle. Therefore, the inflow of air into a cosmetic container is blocked, and thus the deterioration of the content can be prevented.

A foam chamber of a fire suppressant system having a closable testing outlet is disclosed. The foam chamber can operate in a testing mode and an operation mode. The invention has an inlet conduit for accepting a fire suppressant fluid attached to an expansion conduit. An expansion enclosure having two closable outlets is also attached to the inlet conduit and surrounds the expansion conduit. One outlet empties into the expansion enclosure. The other outlet extends through the wall of the expansion enclosure and empties outside of the expansion enclosure. Both of the closable outlets can be fitted with either an unbreakable seal or a frangible seal. If the foam chamber is configured for normal operation, the unbreakable seal is placed on the outlet that extends through the wall of the expansion enclosure and a frangible seal is placed on the outlet that empties into the expansion enclosure.

A material spreader assembly for the broadcast spreading of particulate material from the trailer hitch of a vehicle. A hopper for storing the particulate material is supported by a frame having a trailer hitch coupler for connection to the vehicle. A spreader including a spinner driven by an electric motor receives and disperses the particulate material. A control circuit receives electric current from the vehicle via a plug interface and a wiring harness and controls the operation of the spreader. A remote communicates user commands to the control circuit. The control circuit includes a motor control processor that controls a motor power relay and a motor driver to gradually ramp up the current supplied to the spreader for start up the spreader while preventing a high transient current draw spike. Component feedback sensors enable the motor control processor to provide an emergency shut off feature and warning signals.

A plumbing spout device which has a jet regulating device is provided, which is situated on an outflow side from an upstream attachment screen in a direction of flow. The jet regulating device is provided in the form of a perforated plate having at least a perforated field in at least a partial area thereof. The spout device has a mounting sleeve that supports the jet regulating device on an outflow side sleeve end area thereof, and the mounting sleeve is joined to the water spout of the plumbing spout fitment via a screwed, clip, detent, adhesive or welded connection. The spout device has a comparatively low installation height that does not significantly limit design possibilities when designing associated spout fitments. The spout device also makes it possible to achieve a high jet quality and a good jet pattern.

The invention is a centralized server-based system containing a database with relevant information regarding features, parameters, and characteristics of a particular irrigation system, which utilizes proprietary irrigation software to control a plurality of field modules, at one or more remote locations, via a network bridge adapter. An irrigation system may comprise a single server, or multiple servers that may be configured so that control of the entire system is centralized, and control of one or multiple irrigation locations may be accomplished remotely by wirelessly accessing, monitoring and controlling a location's field module matrix.