A ground power supply line for electric traction vehicles is provided with two conductors carried by a series of tiles aligned to one another; each tile has a conductive plate and a lower supporting structure, which is made of insulating material and accommodates electric connectors, normally open switches, and a control and command unit, which switches the switches for selectively electrically connecting the conductive plate to the conductors in response to a signal deriving from an electric traction vehicle passing over said external conductive plate; the upper surface of the conductive plates is flushed with the remaining part of a road surface.

A snow plough arrangement comprising a least one snow plough unit and related to a system for driving an electrically propellable vehicle along a roadway. The vehicle has three sources of power: a vehicle-related power generator, a set of batteries and vehicle-external electric stations. The vehicle is provided with a current collector which is displaceable up and down and sideways in relation to the direction of transportation, in order to be brought into mechanical and electrical contact with elongated tracks positioned below the roadway and comprising a conductor adapted to be connected with an electric station. The snow plough unit is rotatably fastened to the contact means in an upper area thereof about a horizontally oriented axis of rotation and adapted to clear loose obstacles from the track and yield to solid obstacles. The snow plough unit and the axis of rotation are movably disposed in a vertical direction by means of a resilient member. The snow plough unit comprises a forwardly directed edge portion oriented in the direction of travel, the edge portion comprising a point, which may be brought into contact with the bottom of the track and/or the conductor.

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

Controlling a power system in a mining truck includes receiving data indicative of an expected change in suitability of the mining truck for on-trolley operation, and outputting a control command to an actuating mechanism for a pantograph responsive to the data and prior to occurrence of the expected suitability change. A mining truck and power system are further provided, wherein a pantograph having an electrical contactor is adjusted between a first configuration contacting an overhead trolley line, and a rest configuration, responsive to data indicative of the expected suitability change.

An aerial cable car system including transportation operating equipment for passenger and/or freight transport, wherein electrical consumers are connected for operation thereof to a rechargeable electrical energy store of a transportation operating equipment by a respective power circuit. The transportation operating equipment includes an operating control device connected to measuring devices for dynamically capturing measurement values based on available quantity of energy in the energy store. The operating control device includes a storage module having at least one stored measurement control value and an associated control parameter. The operating control device includes a filter module comparing a captured measurement value to the at least one stored measurement control value and reading out corresponding stored control parameter, based on which power circuits can be selectively coupled or decoupled to the energy store by the operating control device. Electrical consumers in transportation operating equipment can be fed without interruption by the energy store, even during travel.

An arrangement of a rail for suspended conveyors or suspended cranes and a slip contact holder mounted thereon, wherein the rail comprises a profile body and a profile head connected thereto and disposed above the profile body, wherein the profile body is C-shaped in cross section, forms a hollow space for chassis, and has a slit open to the bottom, and the profile head comprises upper, substantially horizontal profile walls and the slip contact holder is disposed within the hollow space and attached to the upper profile walls. A plurality of punchouts are disposed in the upper profile walls, disposed in at least one row and at regular, repeated distances as seen in the longitudinal direction of the rail, and barb-like catch pawls are disposed on the slip contact bolder and engage with the punchouts in order to attach thereto.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

A method of controlling combustion of a gas appliance includes the following steps: a) Read a first burning data in a database; b) Burn gas according to the first burning data; c) Obtain a burning efficiency of the gas appliance; and d) Compare the burning efficiency with a predetermined value, and repeat the step b to the step d when the burning efficiency is higher than the value, or read a second burning data in the database and burn gas according to the second burning data when the burning efficiency is lower than the value. The present invention provides plural stages of burning according to the main component of the gas to be burned to increase the total burning efficiency.

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

A heating system comprising a fuel burner in co-operation with a primary heat exchanger, a reservoir for storing warmed water in, and a blending valve, and a controller wherein in use a user can signal to the controller to warm the water in the water store using a heater or by the primary heat exchanger, and when hot water is required water is removed from the water store and mixed with water from a cold main prior to being or after the water from the cold main has been admitted to a further heat exchanger for heating the water.

A steam generator includes a substantially horizontal gas conduit (1) to guide a heating gas flow (2) and an evaporator unit positioned at least partially in the horizontal gas conduit for transferring heat from the heating gas to a flow medium which flows through the evaporator unit. The heat transfer section of the evaporator unit of the steam generator is bottom fed, which means that the inlet conduit is arranged at a lower region of the heat transfer section. The outlet conduit is arranged at an upper region. The inlet conduit allows an once through operation of the evaporator section which is necessary to enable operation under supercritical circumstances. The evaporator unit includes at least two evaporator stages (3, 4) which are arranged in a cascade. Each evaporator stage includes a heat transfer section (12, 21) and a separator (14, 23). The presence of the separators (14, 23) subdivides the evaporator unit into evaporator stages (3, 4).

A controller determines and adjusts system parameters, including cleanliness levels or sootblower operating settings, that are useful for maintaining the cleanliness of a fossil fuel boiler at an efficient level. Some embodiments use a direct controller to determine cleanliness levels and/or sootblower operating settings. Some embodiments use an indirect controller, with a system model, to determine cleanliness levels and/or sootblower settings. The controller may use a model that is, for example, a neural network, or a mass energy balance, or a genetically programmed model. The controller uses input about the actual performance or state of the boiler for adaptation. The controller may operate in conjunction with a sootblower optimization system that controls the actual settings of the sootblowers. The controller may coordinate cleanliness settings for multiple sootblowers and/or across a plurality of heat zones in the boiler.

A condensing fuel-fired appliance has a condensate trap that includes a trap body; a float; a flue gas inlet port for the introduction of flue gas into the interior region of the trap body; a condensate outlet port for the discharge of condensate from the interior region; and a flue gas outlet port for the discharge of flue gas from the interior region of the trap body. The float is configured to move in response to condensate collected in the interior region of the trap body to a position to substantially block the discharge of flue gas from the interior region through the flue gas outlet port. The float is also configured to move to a position to substantially block the discharge of flue gas from the interior region through the condensate outlet port when there is little or no condensate in the interior region of the trap body.

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

A robotic tubesheet walker having two rails connected by a central hinge, wherein the central hinge can be opened or closed by an actuation device. Upon each rail is mounted a carriage, wherein each carriage can move along its respective rail toward or away from the central hinge by means of a drive mechanism. Each carriage further contains at least two “gripper” attachment mechanisms, such as camlocks, to grip the tubesheet. The grippers either insert into tube holes within the tubesheet to fasten the respective carriage to the tubesheet, or retract to disengage. Further attached to the central hinge is a tool support fixture, and attached to the tool support fixture is a coupler that holds maintenance or inspection tools.

A buckstay connecting system includes a socket part that is fixed to the horizontal buckstay being separated from a lower end of the vertical buckstay between the lower end of the vertical buckstay and the horizontal buckstay, and an insertion part that is fixed to a lower portion of the vertical buckstay, is inserted into the socket part so as to be able to slide in a vertical direction, inhibits the horizontal buckstay from being inclined, and is allowed to be fastened to the socket part.

The building heat exchange system is suited for installation in areas having warmer seasonal climates. The system can include an external solar heated water supply, and an indoor water heater. An enclosure extends around the water heater, with indoor air flowing between the enclosure and water heater to a duct for distribution. During cooler conditions the water heater heats incoming water from the relatively cool external water supply, with the warmth of the water heater warming the air for distribution into the bathroom or other area as desired. In warmer times, the water supplied from the water supply can be sufficiently hot that additional heating is not needed, and can be hotter than desired. In such warmer conditions, the water heater can serve as a radiator, with heat radiated from the water heater being absorbed by air flowing past the water heater and expelled to the external environment.

A method of assembling a syngas cooler is provided. The method includes coupling a supply line within a cooler shell, coupling a heat transfer panel within the cooler shell, and coupling a heat transfer enclosure within the cooler shell such that the heat transfer enclosure substantially isolates the heat transfer panel from the cooler shell. A manifold is coupled in flow communication with the supply line, the heat transfer enclosure, and the heat transfer panel.

A water heater system comprises a water tank, a burner plenum, a flue, a blower, a combustion air passageway, a dilution air passageway, an upstream manifold, and a downstream manifold. The upstream manifold divides air from the blower so that some air flows through the combustion air passageway to the burner plenum and some air flows through the dilution air passageway to the downstream manifold. The downstream manifold combines the air from the dilution air passageway with combustion products from the flue.

An improved method of making a baked pastry, particularly, a shell or wrap for a samosa from a pastry dough in a convection baking oven having a convection atmosphere, the method comprising baking the dough in the oven at a baking temperature for a baking period of time, the improvement having the convection atmosphere with a sufficiently moist atmosphere for the duration of the baking time to prevent the pastry from becoming dry.

This invention relates to a heating/cooling system operating on the basis of a novel SPLIT BUFFER TANK; representing an efficiency improvement alternative to HVAC systems functioning with existing commercial buffer tanks. Currently, commercial buffers have the heat source provider (HSP)-return and system-return discharging to a common buffer/vessel. Novel SPLIT BUFFER is provided with a SEPARATION DISK placed inside the tank as mechanical way of separating the hot water inflow from the HSP from the warmer water inflow from system return. The disk moves up and down along the tank driven by demanded water supply and return. Pump-1 circulates hot water from the hot section of the buffer to the secondary system claiming for heat. Pump-2 circulates warmer water from the warmer section of the buffer through the HSP where it is reheated, and subsequently stored in the hot section of the buffer to reinitiate this cycle again.

A system includes a gas turbine engine that includes a compressor section configured to generate compressed air and a combustor coupled to the compressor section. The combustor is configured to combust a first mixture comprising the compressed air and a first fuel to generate a first combustion gas. The gas turbine engine also includes a turbine section coupled to the combustor. The turbine section is configured to expand the first combustion gas to generate an exhaust gas. The gas turbine engine also includes a boiler coupled to the turbine section. The boiler is configured to combust a second mixture comprising a portion of the first combustion gas and a second fuel to generate a second combustion gas that is routed to the turbine section. In addition, the boiler generates a first steam from heat exchange with the second combustion gas.

A circulating fluidized bed boiler includes a rectangular furnace having multiple particle separators connected to an upper portion of each of a front wall and a back wall of the furnace. Each particle separator includes a gas outlet, and a flue gas duct system connected to the gas outlets for conducting cleaned flue gas to a back pass. The particle separators are arranged in pairs. Each pair includes a front separator arranged adjacent to the front wall and a back separator arranged adjacent to the back wall. The flue gas duct system includes cross over ducts, each duct connecting the gas outlet of a front separator of a pair of particle separators, across and over the furnace, to the gas outlet of the back separator of the same pair of particle separators, and to the back pass, which back pass is arranged on the back wall side of the furnace.

A burner box includes a housing, a fuel tube and a porous heat dissipating surface. The housing is bounded by a sidewall and has a top and an opposite bottom that are each open so that the sidewall defines an open passage that allows unimpeded vertical airflow. The fuel tube extends into the passage and defines a plurality of spaced apart orifices that distribute fuel into the open passage. The fuel tube is at a distance from the top of the housing so that substantially all of the fuel is entrained by the combustion air before the fuel reaches the top. The heat dissipating surface is disposed across the top of the housing and supports a flame. The heat dissipating surface includes enough open area so that the fuel/air mixture passes through the porous heat dissipating surface unimpeded. The heat dissipating surface dissipates heat from the flame and prevents flashback.

An evaporator surface structure of a circulating fluidized bed boiler having a furnace that is enclosed by sidewalls and has a bottom and a ceiling. The evaporator surface structure includes at least one vertical and separate evaporator surface unit that is spaced apart from the sidewalls of the furnace. The at least one evaporator surface unit (i) is formed of planar water tube panels that extend from the bottom of the furnace to the ceiling of the furnace, and (ii) consists of two cross-wise joined vertical water tube panels.

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

A spring whip is formed of plural lengths of helically wound springs having respectively smaller diameters permitting them to be interconnected about a common axis. The springs are movable between a telescoped storage position, and an extended operative position. A hollow housing is provided both as a hand grip as well as a storage housing for the springs in a telescoped position. A magnet is located in the top of the housing and restrains the springs in their telescoped storage position. A weighted tip is formed at the distal end of the smallest diameter spring for aiding in the projection of the springs into their extended position, and simultaneously forming a closure for the housing when the springs are in their storage position.

A device for use during riding and training of animals such as horses which can be utilized either as a riding crop or longeing whip. The body portion of the device defines a crop having a handle formed at one end and a cracker attached to the opposite end. A plurality of flexible wand elements are nested within the body portion and are telescopically extendable from that end to which the cracker is attached. A line defining a lash is attached to the wand element whose axis coincides with that of the body portion and the cracker is fabricated in the form of a closeable pocket. The device forms a longeing whip with the lash and wand elements fully extended and when retracted the lash is retained in coiled form within the closeable pocket thus converting the device to a riding crop.

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

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

A spring whip which defines a defensive weapon for emergency use to disarm an attacker carrying and intending to use a knife, gun or any other type of offensive weapon, the spring whip having a hollow housing serving as a hand grip and providing an internal storage compartment for receiving plural lengths of helically wound springs, the springs being of sequentially increasing larger diameter size. The springs are operatively arranged relative to each other about a common axis so as to be maneuverable between a telescoped stored position within the housing compartment and an extended whipping position extending from one end of the housing. The lengths of springs are alternately wound in opposing clockwise and counter clockwise directions to facilitate moving between the telescoped stored position and the extended position, and also to permit threading together of adjacent sections, to thereby securely lock them in place in the extended position.

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

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

A knock down spring whip assembly including a hollow housing which serves as a handgrip, and also stores a spring subassembly formed of lengths of helically wound springs of sequentially increasingly larger diameter size to move between a telescoped position within the housing and an extended whipping position projecting from one end of the housing with the springs wedgingly engaging each other in an end to end arrangement. A removable closure unit is provided for plugging the other end of the housing to define a storage compartment. The closure unit includes an integral magnet for retaining the spring subassembly in the telescoped position, where the closure unit can be replaced with other types of closure units. The housing includes a tapered end and an annular constriction for providing both a wedging engagement of the projecting springs as well as a positive locking action. Weighted ball bearings can be included within one of the springs for spiral rotation therethrough to provide an additional striking force. The striking spring can be replaced by a solid rod for an increased striking force. Preferably, the tip portion at the striking end is also removable to permit the spring whip assembly to be disassembled into its component parts.

The present invention relates to riding clappers crops, in which the clapper (1) is made, at least partly, of molded material the mass of which surrounds at least the adjacent end of the crop (2) in order to provide the fixation of the two parts to each other.

The lunge whip for training horses is light in weight, balanced and long. It includes a main body having a number of telescoping tapering hollow tubular sections movable between a collapsed storage position and an extended operative position. The front section or sections are flexible and resilient to aid the whipping action of the whip. A long cord lash of synthetic braided non-tangling fiber such as polyester or polyamide fiber is attached by a swivel to the front end of the main body and bears a popper cord at its front end. The popper cord is preferably of sisal twine and has a front end bearing a popper tassel for audibly signaling a horse during training. The whip main body bears a pair of spaced hooks for use as cord lash winders when the whip is collapsed. The cord lash may be connected to a loop in a wire wrapped around the front end of the main body and covered with a heat shrunk sleeve. Alternatively, the front end of the main body can be embedded in a cavity in the cord lash and the assembly covered by the heat shrunk sleeve. The whip is simple, efficient, easy to handle and inexpensive.

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

A knock down spring whip assembly including a hollow housing which serves as a handgrip, and also stores a spring subassembly formed of lengths of helically wound springs of sequentially increasingly larger diameter size to move between a telescoped position within the housing and an extended whipping position projecting from one end of the housing with the springs wedgingly engaging each other in an end to end arrangement. A removable closure unit is provided for plugging the other end of the housing to define a storage compartment. The closure unit includes an integral magnet for retaining the spring subassembly in the telescoped position, where the closure unit can be replaced with other types of closure units. The housing includes a tapered end and an annular constriction for providing both a wedging engagement of the projecting springs as well as a positive locking action. Weighted ball bearings can be included within one of the springs for spiral rotation therethrough to provide an additional striking force. The striking spring can be replaced by a solid rod for an increased striking force. Preferably, the tip portion at the striking end is also removable to permit the spring whip assembly to be disassembled into its component parts.

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

A horsewhip includes a coupler having one end secured to a handle portion and having a ring formed in the other end. The coupler includes a recess formed in the middle portion. A tail portion includes a loop formed in one end for engaging with the recess of the coupler and includes a free end for engaging through the opening of the ring so as to solidly secure the tail portion to the handle portion. The tail portion may be easily secured to and may be easily disengaged from the handle portion by the users such that the tail portion can be easily replaced with a brand new one.

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

Disclosed is a container system that is adapted to be accessed by horse mounted users. The container system finds particular application in storing equestrian implements, such as riding crops. The container is mounted at an elevated height upon a fence and additionally includes rounded forward faces. Thus, the container is easy to access by riders and presents less of a danger to the horse and its rider. Furthermore, the container is advantageously formed from a weather resistant plastic material.

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