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.

An apparatus includes an inner rim, a base wall, a side wall and an outer rim. The inner rim has a first opening formed therein. The base wall extends outward from an inner edge of the inner rim and is integral with the inner rim. The side wall extends outward from an outer edge of the inner rim and is integral with the inner rim. The outer rim has a second opening formed therein and an inner edge integral with the side wall. The inner rim, base wall, side wall and outer rim are formed to prevent liquid seepage to one or more surrounding components of an appliance in which the apparatus is installed.

There are provided a generator internal pipe section that extends in the horizontal direction inside a steam generator; and a communication pipe section that is connected to the generator internal pipe section and is provided with a communication path, wherein one end of the communication path is connected to the pipe path at an upper end of a cross-section perpendicular to the flow direction of the cooling water in the pipe path and the other end of the communication path is positioned at the downside in the vertical direction in relation to one end of the communication path, and wherein one end side and the other end side of the communication path are connected at a position existing at the upside in the vertical direction in relation to one end.

A catalytic tank heater includes a catalytic heating element supported on an LPG tank by a support structure that holds the element in a position facing the tank. Vapor from the tank is provided as fuel to the heating element, and is regulated to increase heat output as tank pressure drops. The heating element is internally separated into a pilot heater and a main heater, with respective separate fuel inlets. The pilot heater remains in continual operation, but the main heater is operated only while tank pressure is below a threshold. Operation of the pilot heater keeps a portion of the catalyst hot, so that, when tank pressure drops below the threshold, and fuel is supplied to the main heater, catalytic combustion quickly expands from the area surrounding the pilot heater to the remainder of the catalyst.

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 waste heat steam generator for a gas and steam turbine power plant is provided. The generator has economizer, evaporator and superheater heating surfaces which form a flow path and through which a flow medium flows. An overflow line branches off from the flow path and leads to injection valves arranged downstream at a flow side of a superheater heating surface in the flow path. The overflow line permits a brief power increase of a downstream steam turbine without resulting in an excessive loss in efficiency of the steam process. The brief power increase is permitted independently of the type of waste heat steam generator. The branch location of the overflow line is arranged upstream of an evaporator heating surface at the flow medium side and downstream of an economizer heating surface.

Disclosed is a masterless control system for controlling a plurality of fluidly and operably connected water heaters to meet a hot water demand such that overall efficiency is maximized and usage disparity between water heaters is minimized. There is further disclosed a method for detecting a small system demand in said network by adjusting the setting of each flow limiting valve of each water heater. There is still further disclosed a method for enabling seamless addition or removal of a heater in service and heating load distribution to water heaters.

An on demand tankless water heater system that is capable of quickly delivering water within a desired temperature range. The tankless water heater provides a hybrid heating method that contains a primary heating system and a secondary heating system disposed in a buffer tank that cooperate to facilitate control of output water temperature during water usage. A pressure differential switch detects low flow demand and allows the secondary heating system to provide immediate heating to the water. This secondary heating system provides a faster temperature response and fine tuning of output water temperature.

A control method for boiler outlet temperatures includes predictive control of SH and RH desuperheater systems. The control method also includes control and optimization of steam generation conditions, for a boiler system, such as burner tilt and intensity, flue-gas recirculation, boiler fouling, and other conditions for the boiler. The control method assures a proportional-valve control action in the desuperheater system, that affects the boiler system.

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 tube disposed in the combustion chamber of a standing pilot type fuel-fired water heater is used to increase the overall efficiency of the water heater by improving the heat transfer from the pilot flame to the tank during standby periods by funneling the standing pilot flame upwardly through the tube in a manner concentrating the pilot flame heat against an underside portion of the bottom head of the water heater tank. To further increase water heater efficiency, the pilot burner is of a dual input type. Various pilot burner operational algorithm modes are disclosed for causing the pilot burner to operate at a high firing rate during main burner operation, and at a low firing rate during standby periods.

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 livestock guide and manipulator panel prod is disclosed by this invention wherein electronic shocking circuitry is provided in combination with a hand-held livestock guiding and directing panel having electronic prods of said circuitry arranged on the surface of the panel.

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.

An animal deterrent device consists essentially of a palm-sized handle of six to eight inches in length for hand gripping and defining a housing within the central portion thereof to house a plurality of generally rigid tubular sections telescoping one within the other within the housing and being adhered thereto by a fusible adhesive adhering an outer sleeve of the telescoping sections. A pocket clip is attached to the handle and the plurality of sections when fully protracted extending to a length of about three feet with the overall apparatus weighing less than six ounces. The apparatus may additionally have a loop attached for hand transporting of the apparatus. The apparatus is utilized by a jogger upon an attacking animal by extending the telescoping sections to form a rigid whip-like structure so as to engage the attacking animal with the extended telescoping sections.

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.

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.

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.

These and other objectives are obtained by a hand-held apparatus for use in harvesting earthworms using a source of electrical energy having a positive terminal and a negative terminal. The apparatus has a body which has a bottom surface. The apparatus has a positive contact connected to the positive terminal and a negative contact connected to the negative terminal. A first electrically conductive wire runs from the positive contact along the bottom surface to a first terminus point and a second electrically conductive wire running from the negative contact along the bottom surface to a second terminus point, wherein the conductive wires are exposed along the bottom surface. The first electrically conductive wire and the second electrically conductive wire are in contact with the earthworm and supply an electrical current sufficient to immobilize the earthworm.

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.

A control device for marine animals comprises an electrical device that applies an electrical voltage directly to a marine animal in order to shock the marine animal, for control thereof. The device preferably comprises a pole or rod having electrical prongs at one end which my be applied to the marine animal, thereby applying and electrical signal having a voltage, amperage and frequency that stuns and/or shocks the animal. The character of the electrical signal is such that the animal is temporarily paralyzed, so that it may be safely handled by humans for bringing it into a watercraft without otherwise damaging the animal.

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.

A device designed to prod livestock is intended to create an audible sound to aid in the controlled movement of animals. The device takes the form of a long pole comprising an upper end provided with a comfortable handle and a wrist strap and a lower end provided with a whistle. To use, the user would hold the device by the handle in one hand and whip it in a fast, circular motion, causing the whistle to make a sound. When done near an animal, the sound will cause the animal to move away, thus allowing the user to control the movement of the animal. The device is suitable for use by farmers, ranchers, auctioneers, herdsmen, or anyone who loads or moves livestock.

The present invention relates to a gum dispenser for automatically dispensing gum by the vertical lifting of a gum case. Particularly, the present invention provides a container that has a self-sealing means, accurately dispenses a piece of gum one by one, prevents the generation of container defects, and provides ease of operation and molding. Currently, in the above operation structure, an inner case receiving gum therein is fitted in a lifting shaft of an outer case to be lifted or lowered so that a piece of gum is pushed up to an upper end of the lifting shaft, and then the gum is exposed to a dispensing hole perforated in a lid, which is coupled with the inner case, one by one for a user to enjoy. The above structure, however, has a disadvantage in that if two pieces of gum are lifted to the upper end of the lifting shaft and the lifting shaft is exposed to the perforated hole of the lid, then the lifting shaft and the dispensing hole correspond to each other 1:1 so that the two pieces of gum pop out, which makes the gum difficult to catch. In addition, if the lifting shaft is molded integrally with the outer case, the lifting shaft is likely to be twisted or bent due to the thickness thereof in the cooling procedure during the molding thereof so that it is difficult to achieve a precisely standing structure. Furthermore, if the inner case is repetitively lifted or lowered in the outer case, an outer force may be applied in the lifting motion according to a vacuum state, so that smooth operation becomes impossible and longer molding time is required in the molding. In addition, in the state that the lid is sealingly coupled with the outer case and the inner case for the sealing of the container during storage or delivery thereof, a perforated lid for implementing the dispensing hole may be pressed by the lifting shaft and the container may burst. If the perforated lid is formed to be thick in order to prevent the bursting, a pulling portion to be pulled for cutting the perforated lid is likely to be cut, and implementation of the dispensing hole may fail. As a result, the present invention is aimed at resolving the above problems.

The present invention provides an apparatus and process for making softgel capsules having incorporated therein other solid dosage forms selected from the group consisting of pellets, smaller capsules, smaller tablets, sustained release solid dosage forms, immediate release solid dosage forms, extended release solid dosage forms and zero order release solid dosage forms, said apparatus comprising: (a) two spreader boxes; (b) two casting drums; (c) a pair of rotary dies having means for suction; (d) a liquid fill system; (e) a wedge for heating gelatine ribbons and feeding said fill; and (f) two lateral dispensing devices said lateral dispensing devices including hoppers having said solid dosage forms, channelguides for transporting said solid dosage forms and a grasping claw for dispensing said solid dosage form into the softgel pocket formed in the rotary dies.

An apparatus for dispensing elongated articles such as straws, including: a container for holding the elongated articles; a hopper to receive some of the elongated articles, where the hopper is reversibly movable between a closed state and an open state; and a manipulator for performing a cycle to release a single elongated article by isolating a single article and then moving the hopper from the closed state to the open state, thereby releasing only the single elongated article.

The present invention provides a system that allows an easy and quick exchange of small batteries of hearing devices as well as a method for exchanging a battery of a hearing device that combines the installation of a new battery into the hearing device with the deinstallation of the battery to be replaced from the hearing device in a single action using a single mechanism. The inventive battery exchange system comprises a carrier module 1, which features a hearing device receiving means shaped to receive a part of a hearing device 4 and a battery passage that traverses the carrier module 1, a battery dispensing module 2 adapted to accommodate at least one battery 7 and a battery ejection means 3 adapted to eject a battery 7 from the battery dispensing module 2 into the battery passage of the carrier module 1.

An electro-mechanical vend-sensing system includes at least one biased member mounted on a side of the vend space having a first potential voltage. A contact strip with a second potential voltage is positioned beneath the biased member. A controller circuit senses when the biased member contacts the contact strip, which indicates that a article has been appropriately vended to the customer.

A method and apparatus for assembling and vending a food or drink product using a machine having a viewing window into the interior thereof. The user selects through a user interface one of a plurality of characters, then selects through the interface the ingredients to include in the product. The ingredients are dispensed into a receptacle that is moved between dispensing locations within the machine by a robotic arm. An animated sequence, soundtrack and lighting pattern is associated with each character. As the robotic arm assembles the product, the animated sequence, soundtrack and lighting for the selected character are run and shown on a display. The user is able to watch the movements of the robotic arm and the animated sequence simultaneously.

A method for processing application forms comprising extracting content from filled first forms of consumers, each of the first forms comprising one or more fields, arranging the extracted content of one or more fields of the plurality of fields of the plurality of filled first forms in a first matrix; encoding the content of each of the rows of the first matrix to define a second matrix; and disposing the encoded content of the second matrix in multiple empty second forms such that content of one column is disposed on only one of the empty second forms, each of the second forms includes the same type and number of fields as that of one of the filled first forms, further wherein the number of the filled second forms is based on the number of the one or more fields in the filled first forms.

A product dispenser including a housing for housing dispensable products in a product reservoir defined by the housing and a cover member defining a dispensing opening through which the products are dispensed. The cover member includes a lid member and a support member and the lid member is openable relative to the support member about a hinge. The cover member is removably mountable to the housing by at least one engagement member of the support member engaging at least one complementary engagement member of the housing. A strength of connection of the hinge to the support member and a strength of connection of at least one engagement member of the support member for removably mounting the support member to the housing is such that when the lid member is opened to a stop position and further opening force is applied to the lid member, at least one engagement member dismounts between the housing and the support member before the force gets so great as to break the hinge.

A station combines a toilet paper dispenser, dispenser for dispensing hand wipes, a dispenser for dispensing surface antibiotic wipes, and a deodorant feature. The station includes a toilet paper dispenser made from a plastic type material and the toilet paper dispenser may be a single or double roll dispenser. The station cover houses a battery-operated fan that pulls air from inside the dispenser. A tray inside the dispenser holds a fragrance cup holding a quantity of deodorant. The base holds one or two rolls of commercial toilet paper, each of which rolls on a hollow plastic axle to hold a bottle containing wipes. A microswitch may be integrated in the cover to disengage the fan when the cover of the unit is open.

Disc dispensing device for dispensing discs impregnated with antibiotics onto a culture dish. The device comprises a stationary support on which a magazine is removably mounted. The magazine holds a plurality of tubular containers each containing a stack of discs to be dispensed. A moving means moves one disc from a bottom end of a tubular container to a pick-up position. From the pick-up position a transfer means picks up said one disc and transfers it to the culture dish where it is dispensed. The removable culture dish is supported by a moveable carriage which is mounted on the stationary support. The carriage is moveable relative to the magazine from a starting position to an operating position and vice versa. Control means control the operation of the device. The plurality of tubular containers is rotatable around a magazine center under control of the control means.

A dispensing mechanism is adapted to eject a test sensor from a cartridge opening formed in a cartridge containing test sensors. The dispensing mechanism comprises a gear rack, a gear, and a wheel. The gear rack includes a first portion and a second portion located generally parallel to one another. The second portion of the gear rack includes a first plurality of teeth. The gear includes a second plurality of teeth that are adapted to be engaged by the first plurality of teeth upon movement of the gear rack. The wheel is operatively engaged by the gear and is adapted to dispense the test sensor from the cartridge opening and to seal the cartridge opening. The movement of the gear rack in a first direction causes the gear to rotate causing the wheel to rotate. The rotation of the wheel dispenses the test sensor through the cartridge opening.

A black powder pellet loader for a revolver. Tip ends of a number of fingers are movable from a closed position to an open position by sliding a thumb bracket toward a main bottom right end tube. One end of a penetrating tube may penetrate through the second end of a sliding raised rib tube, through a reducer adapter and a finger retaining nut until the end of the penetrating tube strikes a downward bend of each of the fingers. The downward bend of the fingers may continue to slide over the penetrating tube, which may force the tip ends of the fingers diverge from the closed position to the open position. Black powder pellets may be inserted between the fingers when in the open position, and upon release of the thumb bracket may be retained in the fingers when in the closed position.

Methods, apparatuses and systems for radio frequency identification (RFID)-enabled information collection are disclosed, including an enclosure, a collector coupled to the enclosure, an interrogator, a processor, and one or more RFID field sensors, each having an individual identification, disposed within the enclosure. In operation, the interrogator transmits an incident signal to the collector, causing the collector to generate an electromagnetic field within the enclosure. The electromagnetic field is affected by one or more influences. RFID sensors respond to the electromagnetic field by transmitting reflected signals containing the individual identifications of the responding RFID sensors to the interrogator. The interrogator receives the reflected signals, measures one or more returned signal strength indications (“RSSI”) of the reflected signals and sends the RSSI measurements and identification of the responding RFID sensors to the processor to determine one or more facts about the influences. Other embodiments are also described.

A board comprised of a wood structure having a first surface, a second surface, a first lateral edge, a second lateral edge and opposing ends. Sound attenuating elements embedded within the wood structure and stiffening elements positioned within the wood structure to coincide with the location of floor joist to which the board will be secured. The boards further forming a ceiling/floor structure by laying a single set of the boards adjacent to each other and securing them to the floor joists.

The present invention relates to a device for the treatment of a workpiece, in particular of a substantially flat substrate, comprising a table (2) for supporting the workpiece (5), a flow generation apparatus (6, 11) producing a gas flow (22) on a top face (17.1, 17.2) of the table (2) in a region between the workpiece (5) and the top face (17.1, 17.2) of the table (2), on which gas flow the workpiece (5) is supported during the treatment.

Method and apparatus for cutting out balsa blanket parts comprising the following steps: providing on a surface of a conveyor (12) a row of balsa blankets (1) abutting each other end edge to end edge in butt areas at the joining stations (14.1-14.5); interjoining the balsa blankets (1) in the butt areas at the joining stations (14.1-14.5) to form a balsa blanket web; feeding the balsa blanket web in a direction of feed (F) to a cutting station (15) where the balsa blanket web is stepwise conveyed and cut through crosswise at positions to form the desired parts; providing a next row of balsa blankets on the surface of the conveyor when the rearmost end edge on the rearmost blanket of the balsa blanket web is at the last joining station (14.5), said blankets of the next row abutting each other end edge (4) to end edge (5) and the leading end edge of the foremost balsa blanket in the next row of balsa blankets abutting the rearmost end edge of the rearmost balsa blanket in the balsa blanket web; at the joining stations (14.1-14.5) interjoining the next row of the balsa blankets and joining it with the balsa blanket web in the butt areas.

A woodworking machine includes a base, an adjusting device, and an adjustable worktable. The adjusting device is engaged with the base and includes a platform, a plurality of adjusters, and a plurality of fastening members. The platform is slidably engaged with the base. The plurality of adjusters are adjustable, and the plurality of fastening members are releasably inserted through the plurality of adjustors respectively. The adjustable worktable is engaged with the adjusting device. Moreover, the platform bears the adjustable worktable and the plurality of adjusters are abutted against the adjustable worktable. Additionally, the adjustable worktable is adjustably moved upon adjusting of the adjustors, and prior to adjusting each adjustor, the fastening member engaged therewith is removed.

Disclosed is a low-temperature heat-generating solid wood laminate floor, which comprises: an exterior finished layer, an upper base material layer, a heat-generating layer, and a lower base material layer, which are stacked in sequence and hot-pressed. The upper base material layer, heat-generating layer and lower base material layer comprise 9 layers in total after hot-pressing, the heat-generating layer being positioned at the 5th to the 7th layer, the upper base material layer being above the heat-generating layer, the lower base material layer being below the heat-generating layer, the upper base material layer consisting of 3 to 5 layers, the lower base material layer consisting of 4 to 6 layers, and the exterior finished layer being provided on the upper base material layer by hot-pressing.

A wheeled mobile work bench which has an adjustable tabletop surface. The tabletop surface removably engages an adjustable rectangular frame which, in turn, is attached atop a pair of upright frame members, each upright frame member being attached to a respective bottom frame component. An electrical box attached to one of the right and left upright frame members is operationally connectable connected to a power cord having a plug. While the mobile work bench is in use, the plug is operationally connectable to a source of standard electrical current to permit use of a power tool plugged into the electrical box.

A device for at least one self-heated and dense ceramic tube for gas separation. The device includes at least one dense ceramic tube in an environment accessible to a mixture of gases, the at least one tube acting as a diffusion membrane for separating at least one gas from the mixture of gases. Two electrical contacts are provided which allow connecting a power supply to the ceramic tube and driving an electric current through the ceramic tube. The contacts can be in the farm of short coils wrapped around the ceramic tube at difference places. When a voltage is applied to the contacts, an electrical current flows from one contact to the other through the ceramic tube. The current in the ceramic tube heats the tube. Thus, the tubes heat themselves. The hot tube allows separating a gas from the mixture of gases. The driving force for the diffusion is achieved by a pressure difference generated by pumping at the side of the separated gas and pressing at the side of the mixture of gases.

A sharpener for sharpening a pencil, in particular a cosmetic pencil, is especially suitable, when used correctly, for producing a particularly uniform outer jacket edge in the region of the pencil tip. The sharpener includes a sharpener body, in which a pencil guide channel is provided. The pencil guide channel has a circular cone-shaped channel section and opens out in a pencil inlet opening on the outer side of the sharpener body. A paring blade is positioned tangentially to the lateral surface of the channel section. The paring blade serves to pare off a pencil tip, which includes a front lead section and a rear outer jacket section. A shaping tool cuts a shoulder into the pencil tip, the shoulder being set back in relation to a circular cone-shaped enveloping surface of the pencil tip. The shaping tool is arranged relative to the pencil guide channel to insert the shoulder into the transition between the lead section and the outer jacket section of the pencil tip.

A simulation apparatus includes a storing unit that stores therein information about a shape of a blank piece to be cut out from raw wood, information about a final shape of a wooden piece obtained by compressing the blank piece, and image data of a surface of the blank piece. The apparatus also includes detecting unit that detects a knot appearing on the surface of the blank piece by image recognition using the image data; a shape estimating unit that estimates a shape of the detected knot using shape information on the blank piece; and a determining unit that determines, in accordance with the shape of the estimated knot, a cutting location and a cutting shape of the blank piece in such a manner that the cutting location and shape include a part and a thickness of the knot is substantially the same as that of the compressed blank piece.