A compressor includes a housing; a compressor liner positioned within the housing and at least partially defining a first cylinder with an inlet and an outlet; a piston positioned within the first cylinder and configured to compress air flowing into the first cylinder through the inlet; a cylinder head at least partially defining the first cylinder; and a sealing assembly for sealing an interface between the compressor liner and the cylinder head. The sealing assembly includes a ring seal at an interface between the cylinder head and the compressor liner; a vent port on an opposite side of the ring seal from the first cylinder; and a vent tube extending between the vent port and the inlet such that air leaking through the ring seal from the first cylinder flows through the vent port, through the vent tube, and into the inlet.

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

The present invention provides a variable displacement swash plate type compressor that reduces wear of cylinder bores and the amount of blow-by gas. Each piston of the compressor has a piston main body, which has a distal portion located at an end corresponding to the compression chamber. A tapering portion and an arcuate portion are formed in the distal portion. The arcuate portion is continuous with an end of the tapering portion that is closer to the compression chamber. The tapering portion and the arcuate portion each have a diameter that increases toward the skirt. The tapering portion has a tapering angle that is in a range from 0.45 degrees to 1.5 degrees. The distance between the distal end of the piston main body and a starting point of the tapering portion on an end closer to the skirt is set in a range from 1.5 mm to 5.0 mm.

Disclosed is a wobble plate type variable displacement compressor that uses a constant velocity universal joint mechanism, which comprises an inner ring and an outer ring, balls that are held between guide grooves of the inner ring and the outer ring to transmit power, wherein a wobble plate is connected and fixed to the outer ring. In the compressor, the wobble plate is provided with a cylindrical part which extends in the axial direction of a swash plate, and in the relative rotation structure between the swash plate, and the wobble plate and the outer ring, the swash plate is supported to be able to relatively rotate only in relation to the wobble plate via a bearing interposed at least between the cylindrical part and the inner diameter portion of the swash plate, without being supported to be able to rotate relative to the outer ring. With this wobble plate type variable displacement compressor using the specified constant velocity universal joint mechanism, the relative rotation structure between the wobble plate and the outer ring, and the swash plate, can be improved, workability and productivity can be improved, and the cost and weight can be reduced.

To improve productivity and increase seizing resistance and abrasion resistance of a sliding surface of a tilt adjustment cylinder, a plurality of pistons are arranged cirumferentially in a cylinder block configured to rotate with a rotating shaft. Tip end portions of the pistons slide along the swash plate, and the pistons reciprocate. The swash plate is supported to tilt with respect to the rotating shaft. Further, a tilt adjustment driving portion is included. The tilt adjustment driving portion includes tilt adjustment large- and small-diameter cylinder chambers and tilt adjustment large- and small-diameter pistons configured to slide in the cylinder chambers to change the tilt angle of the swash plate. A sliding surface of the inner peripheral surface of each of the cylinder chambers includes a quenched portion formed by quenching using laser light, the sliding surface being a surface on which the tilt adjustment piston slides.

High pressure pump systems with reduced pressure ripple for use with waterjet systems and other systems are described herein. A pump system configured in accordance with a particular embodiment includes four reciprocating members operably coupled to a crankshaft at 90 degree phase angles. The reciprocating members can include plungers operably disposed in corresponding cylinders and configured to compress fluid (e.g., water) in the cylinders to pressures suitable for waterjet processing, such as pressures exceeding 30,000 psi.

An actuator includes a cylinder and a piston disposed in the cylinder. The piston has a head and a rod. The actuator further includes a collapsible locking member disposed in the head of the piston, and a gas-filled capsule disposed in the cylinder. The gas-filled capsule is in an expanded position when fluid in the cylinder is below a threshold pressure, and the gas-filled capsule is in a collapsed position when fluid in the cylinder is above the threshold pressure. The actuator also includes a lock piston operably connected to the gas-filled capsule. The lock piston engages the collapsible locking member and biases the collapsible locking member radially outward to a locked position when the gas-filled capsule is in the expanded position.

Provided is a reciprocating compressor having a structure in which friction losses between a shaft and a bearing can be reduced without impairing the ability of the bearing to support the shaft. A reciprocating compressor (100) includes a cylinder (5), a piston (4), a connecting rod (6), a shaft (1), and a bearing (2). The shaft (1) has a journal portion (28) as a portion covered by the bearing (2). The journal portion (28) has a first journal portion (7) located closer to the connecting rod (6) with respect to a midpoint M of the journal portion (28) in a direction parallel to a rotational axis and a second journal portion (8) located farther from the connecting rod (6) with respect to the midpoint M. The bearing (2) has a first sliding portion (10) for supporting the first journal portion (7) and a second sliding portion (11) for supporting the second journal portion (8). The first sliding portion (10) has a first recessed portion (29) in at least one range selected from a range of 0° to 180° and a range of 270° to 360° in a rotational direction of the shaft (1) from a reference position.

A disc for use in a pneumatic valve includes a stiffening insert encased in a flexible body. The stiffening insert acts to protect a central actuation region of the disc against radial compression, which may arise if the disc is used to seal against a bore hole, and against material flow towards the actuation region away from a clamped periphery. The behavior of the disc in a valve assembly is therefore more predictable and reproducible. The flexible body may further be tensioned across the stiffening insert.

A rodless power cylinder includes a cylinder body, a piston assembly adapted to reciprocate in the cylinder body, a magnet mounted at each of the two ends of the piston assembly, a valve mounted at each of the two ends of the cylinder body for guiding a flow of air or fluid in and out of the cylinder body to cause the piston assembly to reciprocate, a magnetic sensor mounted in a sensor mounting groove at each of the two valves for sensing the position of the respective magnet, a movable member mounted around the cylinder body and coupled to the piston assembly by a magnetic force for synchronous reciprocating motion.

A pedestrian-friendly forward structure of a motor vehicle includes a grill opening reinforcement (GOR), a front fascia located forward of and spaced from the GOR, and a support bracket extending transversely to the vehicle forward of the GOR and rearward of the front fascia. The support bracket has a transverse cross-bar and left and right legs extending rearward from a cross-bar adjacent opposite ends thereof. The legs are attached to respective outboard positions on the GOR, and the cross-bar has an upper flange underlying an upper rear panel of the front fascia. If a pedestrian strikes the forward structure, the fascia and support bracket yield rearward in an injury-reducing manner.

A deployable pedestrian protection lower leg stiffen apparatus includes a left and a right linear actuator mountable adjacent to respective left and right forward frame members of a vehicle and a lower leg stiffener attached to and movable by the actuators. The actuators are extendable along respective deployment axes extending forward and downward relative to the vehicle to move the stiffener between a retracted position rearward of a forward surface of a front bumper beam and above a ground clearance plane and a deployed position forward of the retracted position and below the ground clearance plane. The actuators have rotational joints defining a horizontal pivot axis about which at least the forward portions of the piston may rotate upward along with the stiffener to prevent damage to the system if it strikes a road obstacle.

A vehicular crash sensing system includes a bumper cap for contacting a bumper. A chamber fits into a side rail attached to the bumper, the chamber being sealed by the bumper cap. A stop element limits movement of the chamber into the side rail. A pressure sensor detects an increased chamber air pressure during crushing of the chamber resulting from movement of the bumper with respect to the stop element.

A motor vehicle includes a first side member having first lower and upper darts. The motor vehicle also includes a second side member parallel with and spaced apart from the first side member, the second side member having second lower and upper darts. The upper darts are positioned between the lower darts and end portions of the respective first or second side members. The motor vehicle further includes first and second bumper brackets coupled to the end portion of the respective first or second side members, a bumper reinforcement member coupled to the first and second bumper brackets, and a counter rotation bracket coupled to the bumper reinforcement member and extending upwards from the bumper reinforcement member. The lower darts and the upper darts form a preferential buckling zone of the first and the second side members.

A fascia support structure and aerodynamic shutter assembly for a vehicle includes a fascia support structure, comprising: a top portion comprising a substantially U-shaped body comprising a top fascia support member, a first side fascia support member and a second side fascia support member, the first side fascia support member having a first side baffle, the second side fascia support member having a second side baffle; and a bottom portion comprising a bottom baffle, the bottom portion attached to the first and second side fascia support members, the top portion and the bottom portion comprising a fascia support structure opening, at least one of the first side baffle, second side baffle or bottom baffle having a seal member disposed on a leading edge. The assembly also includes an aerodynamic shutter system comprising a shutter frame having a shutter frame opening and a plurality of rotatable shutters disposed therein.

A vehicle bumper system comprises a bumper reinforcement beam and an energy absorber with top and bottom rows of similarly-shaped spaced-apart crush lobes in alternating relation for uniform impact resistance across the bumper system. The illustrated top row of crush lobes provides a high first force-deflection curve for high impact forces, and the bottom row of crush lobes provides a lower second force-deflection curve, for pedestrian reduced injury. An elongated sensor is positioned under shear walls of the top and bottom crush lobes, and is retained by tabs on the energy absorber. This positively retains the sensor in position on the bumper system, with few (or zero) separate fasteners, while facilitating quick assembly and reliable operation of the sensor tube.

A material handling vehicle includes a laminated bumper that provides both durability and reduced energy transmissibility. The laminated bumper includes at least a first bumper layer and a second bumper layer, such that at least one of the first bumper layer and second bumper layer of the laminate bumper are allowed to translate upon bumper contact with an object.

A bumper (10) created using a resistive implant welding process. The bumper includes a mounting plate portion (12) and a composite bumper portion (14). The mounting plate portion (12) is connected to the composite bumper portion (14) using a resistive implant welding process. In one embodiment, the present invention includes a bumper for a vehicle having a mounting plate (12) and a bumper portion (14). The bumper portion (14) includes at least one flange (24) formed as part of the bumper portion (14), a first contact area (28) formed as part of the mounting plate (12), and a second contact area (30) formed as part of the flange (24). A connection point is used to bond the first contact area (28) and the second contact area (30) such that the mounting plate (12) is connected to the bumper portion (14).

A system for protecting a pedestrian during impact with a vehicle, the system having a bumper adapted for attachment to an end of the vehicle, wherein the bumper is comprised of a plurality of air sacs, wherein the bumper has a horizontal thickness extends from the end of the vehicle, wherein at least some of the plurality of air sacs stretch and then burst during impact between the bumper and a pedestrian causing deceleration along the horizontal width of the bumper during the impact, wherein the bumper undergoes plastic deformation during impact with the pedestrian as the at least some of the air sacs burst during impact, and wherein the bursting of some of the plurality of air sacs reduces spring back of the bumper on the pedestrian.

A safety guard for a vehicle, such as a school or transit bus, tractor trailer or the like-type vehicle, includes a front guard positioned at an angle in front of a wheel of the vehicle that will function to push individuals and other animate objects lying in the path of the vehicle out of the path of the wheels for safety purposes, while being mounted for telescoping movement to protect the safety guard from damage upon abutting an inanimate object during operation of the vehicle.

A sensor assembly for a motor vehicle adapted for sensing impacts including pedestrian impacts. The sensor assembly includes first and second energy absorbing elements formed of differing materials which couple an applied force to the vehicle to a compressive force acting on a compressive sensor element. The first and second energy absorbers are combined in a manner to tune the response between the applied force and forces acting on the compressive sensor to provide desired response characteristics. The first and second energy absorbers can be configured to produce force flow paths which further aid in response tuning. Another embodiment utilizes an energy absorber having a shaped cross section which focuses and balances impact force is applied to the compressive sensor.

A thermoplastic energy absorber having a horizontal axis and a vertical axis, and comprise: an array of energy absorbing lobes protruding from a base, the lobes arranged in two or more rows. The energy absorbing lobes can have a vertical length (L) and a horizontal width (D), and wherein a ratio of L:D is greater than 1. The energy absorbing lobes in each row can be disposed in a staggered manner with respect to energy absorbing lobes in an adjacent row. The energy absorber can be configured to be installed on a vehicle for absorption of impact energy. An energy absorbing system can comprise the thermoplastic energy absorber disposed between a bumper beam and a fascia. The fascia can optionally be configured to envelope the thermoplastic energy absorber and the bumper beam. This system passes EuroNCAP lower-leg impact requirements, version 5.1, June 2011, for lower leg impact requirement.

A fascia support structure and aerodynamic shutter assembly for a vehicle includes a fascia support structure, comprising: a top portion comprising a substantially U-shaped body comprising a top fascia support member, a first side fascia support member and a second side fascia support member, the first side fascia support member having a first side baffle, the second side fascia support member having a second side baffle; and a bottom portion comprising a bottom baffle, the bottom portion attached to the first and second side fascia support members, the top portion and the bottom portion comprising a fascia support structure opening, at least one of the first side baffle, second side baffle or bottom baffle having a seal member disposed on a leading edge. The assembly also includes an aerodynamic shutter system comprising a shutter frame having a shutter frame opening and a plurality of rotatable shutters disposed therein.

What is described is a middle buffer coupling for rail-bound vehicles, comprising two coupling halves (2, 2') to be coupled together attached to vehicle parts (A, B), each of said coupling halves (2, 2') comprising a coupling rod (8, 8') with a coupling head (12, 12'), and comprising a connecting element (16) for manually connecting the two coupling heads (12, 12'). Disposed at each coupling head (12, 12') is an electrical contact element (32, 34) for contacting with the contact element of the other respective coupling head (12, 12') when the two coupling halves (2, 2') are coupled. Routed within each coupling rod (8, 8') are electrical lines (18, 18') that lead from the contact elements (32, 34) of the associated coupling head (12, 12') to the vehicle part (A, B) to which the coupling halves (2, 2') comprising said coupling rods (8, 8') are attached, respectively.

A coupler body for a railcar coupler, said coupler body comprising at least one central datum feature that does not wear during coupler use.

An adapter coupler (1) for adapting couplings of different design, wherein the adapter coupler (1) comprises a first connecting mechanism for releasably connecting the adapter coupler (1) to a first coupling, a second connecting mechanism for releasably connecting the adapter coupler (1) to the drawhook (50) of a second coupling, and a coupler housing (2) for connecting the first connecting mechanism to the second connecting mechanism, and wherein the second connecting mechanism comprises a tension yoke (8) with which to engage with the drawhook (50) of the second coupling. The adapter coupler (1) having a mechanism for height centering, comprising a drawbar eye (14) connected to the coupler housing (2), wherein the drawbar eye (14) is arranged and configured relative the tension yoke (8) such that upon the adapter coupler (1) being inserted into the jaw of the drawhook (50) of the second coupling, the drawhook (50) can engage in one joint process with both the accommodation formed by the tension yoke (8) as well as with the drawbar eye (14).

A finger core for forming the front part of a knuckle for a railcar, said finger core comprising a single opening to form a single rib at the horizontal center line of the resulting knuckle.

A method for casting a thrower for a railcar coupler includes creating a mold box that is vertically parted in halves, each half defining a side of a thrower cavity and that includes at least a portion of a sprue at a location above the thrower cavity, the thrower cavity also being oriented vertically; pouring molten metal into the mold box through the sprue and into the thrower cavity while the mold is oriented vertically; and shaking out the mold box to release the thrower after the thrower has cooled. Creating the mold box may be executed through a cold shell process. The halves of the mold box may include reflective images of the sides of two thrower cavities and an ingate connected between the sprue and one of the two thrower cavities.

A core assembly for forming the interior spaces of a railcar coupler knuckle has a first transition section between the C-10 portion of the core and the finger portion of the core. The first transition section has a first side, a second side, a third side and a fourth side and the first and second sides form the vertical axis of the first transition section and the third and fourth sides form the horizontal axis of said first transition section. The vertical axis of the first transition section has a height along a horizontal plane of the vertical axis of at least 2.5″ and the horizontal axis of said first transition section has a width along a vertical plane of the horizontal axis of at least 0.925″.

A method of making a compressible elastomeric spring including at least one compressible elastomeric pad enclosed by a pair of metal plates includes the steps of forming plates with a center aperture and a plurality of prongs positioned about a peripheral edge thereof, forming each end of the pad with an axial projection and abutting groove, aligning the plurality of prongs with each respective projection and respective groove and applying axial force to one end of the spring to frictionally interlock the plurality of prongs with such projection and groove. The method also provides for making a multi-tiered stack of pads separated by plates in the above described manner and pre-shortening the spring prior to installation into the conventional yoke. The above described method additionally improves axial straightness and lateral stability of the multi-tiered spring assembly.

A core assembly for creating interior spaces in a railcar coupler knuckle is designed to be set in a cavity with cope and drag sections. The cavity is shaped to form a railcar coupler knuckle and includes a first wall that forms the substantially vertical outside wall of the tail of the knuckle. The core includes a kidney section with a rear core support section that extends at least 0.5″ outside the first wall of the cavity when the core is set in the drag.

A railroad coupler assembly having at least a body and a knuckle both formed in a no-bake manufacturing process, the body and the knuckle having dimensional tolerances of distances between features that wear during operation that are about half those obtained from a body and a knuckle manufactured by a green sand process, resulting in increased fatigue life compared to the body and the knuckle manufactured by a green sand process. The body and the knuckle resulting from the no-bake manufacturing process have no observable laps, scabs, chaplets or welding in critical areas of the body and knuckle, which are reflected in surface conditions matching SCRATA (Steel Castings Research and Trade Association) values of: D1 (laps); E1 (scabs); F1 (chaplets); and J1 (welds).

The invention relates to an articulated coupling between a first car (3) and a second car of a vehicle, especially a railway vehicle, having at least two cars, said articulated coupling including a first element (33) capable of being connected to said first car (3) and a second element (35) capable of being connected to said second car, a device for moving said second element (35) in translation relative to said first element (33) in the event of an impact, and an energy absorber capable of being arranged between said first (3) and second (19) cars. The energy absorber is arranged between said first (33) and second (35) elements, and in the first element (33) is designed to allow persons to pass between said first car (3) and said second car.

A method of forming an electrode is disclosed. A carbon nanotube is deposited on a substrate. A section of the carbon nanotube is removed to form at least one exposed end defining a first gap. A metal is deposited at the at least one exposed end to form the electrode that defines a second gap.

This is a vehicle transfer system to connect a roadway vehicle such as a bus to and from a train either when stopped or moving. It mounts the bus end or ends each on the swivel end of a railway car. The bus end which couples a railway car has wheels that retract to clear from the track. All wheels of the bus are lifted if the bus is supported on a railway car at each end. Automatic couplers are provided to couple to a moving train. If the bus is only supported at the front on a swivel coupling car it can have hi-rail retractable swivel truck wheels lowered to the rails to guide the rear of the bus around sharp tram curves.

Disclosed is a method of producing a chemically pure and stably dispersed organic nanoparticle colloidal suspension using an ultrafast pulsed laser ablation process. The method comprises irradiating a target of an organic compound material in contact with a poor solvent with ultrashort laser pulses at a high repetition rate and collecting the nanoparticles of the organic compound produced. The method may be implemented with a high repetition rate ultrafast pulsed laser source, an optical system for focusing and moving the pulsed laser beam, an organic compound target in contact with a poor solvent, and a solvent circulating system to cool the laser focal volume and collect the produced nanoparticle products. By controlling various laser parameters, and with optional poor solvent flow movement, the method provides stable colloids of dispersed organic nanoparticles in the poor solvent in the absence of any stabilizing agents.

Methods of reclaiming plastic from plastic medical waste containers containing medical waste and manufacturing recycled medical devices are described. Recycled medical devices made from plastic medical waste containers containing medical waste are also described.

A paper shredder with an allowable thickness warning function is provided. The paper shredder includes a casing and an upper cover. An input tray is disposed on the casing for placing plural papers thereon. A pressing member and a thickness detecting device are installed on the upper cover. When the pressing member is contacted with the plural papers on the input tray and pushed by the plural papers, the pressing member is moved. The thickness detecting device is located near the pressing member. Moreover, in response to the movement of the pressing member, the thickness detecting device may be triggered. If an overall thickness of the plural papers exceeds an allowable thickness, the pressing member is pushed by the plural papers. Consequently, the thickness detecting device is triggered by the pressing member to generate a warning signal.

A method of producing a semifinished confectionary product, such as chocolate or similar, using at least one centrifugal unit for simultaneously grinding and mixing at least some of the ingredients of the semifinished product, and which includes an elongated processing chamber with a substantially horizontal axis, at least one inlet for the ingredients to be processed and one outlet for the processed ingredients, and a powered shaft fitted inside the processing chamber, coaxially with the axis, and fitted with a succession of radial appendixes arranged between the inlet and the outlet; the method including the steps of loading at least a first ingredient of the semifinished product through the inlet; grinding the first ingredient inside the grinding and mixing unit by rotating the shaft at a first speed; loading at least a second ingredient through the inlet, after grinding; rotating the shaft at a second speed to grind and mix the ingredients to form a mixture of the same grain size as the semifinished product; loading at least a third ingredient through the inlet; mixing the third ingredient with the previously ground mixture to form a further mixture; bringing the further mixture to a given temperature to obtain the semifinished product; and transferring the semifinished product to a storage or packaging station.

A process of comminution of corn stover having a grain direction to produce a mixture of corn stover, by feeding the corn stover in a direction of travel substantially randomly to the grain direction one or more times through a counter rotating pair of intermeshing arrays of cutting discs (D) arrayed axially perpendicular to the direction of corn stover travel.

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

A method and system is used to process slag material to yield by-products including a finished iron rich product and a finished low iron fines product. The by-products may include a finished high iron product and a finished medium iron product. The method and system include size classifying the material into a plurality of sized groups prior to using magnetic separation to separate at least one of the sized groups into two portions having differing magnetic susceptibilities. The method and system may include more than one phase of size classifying the material into a plurality of sized groups and using magnetic separation to separate at least one of the sized groups into portions, where the average size of the material remaining after one phase is reduced prior to the subsequent phase.

A facility for grinding inorganic material include a roller press, a first static separator having an intake supplied with raw material, a dynamic separator having an intake connected to a first output of the first static separator, a ventilation circuit provided through the first static separator and the dynamic separator, and a second static separator having an intake that is connected to an output of the roller press. The first static separator includes two outputs, one for low-granulatory matter and one for larger granulatory matter, whereby the second output is connected to the roller press. The dynamic separator further includes a first output for particles having the desired granulometry and a second output for matter with larger granulometry connected to an intake of the roller press. The ventilation circuit participates in the separation, drying, and transport of low-granulometry particles.

The invention relates to a paper processing product and, in particular, to a shredder that crinkles paper stripes. The shredder has a shaft set driven by a motor. The shaft set includes at least two shafts rotating in opposite directions. Cutting blade sets are mounted on the shafts. Paper enters the entry of a paper passage formed by the shafts, and gets shredded into chips by the cutting blades. Since the exit of the paper passage is provided with a movable stopper, paper stripes are pushed by the rotating cutting blades to pass the stopper and become crinkled. The stopper is triggered to open by a certain force, letting the paper stripes fall. In addition to the functions of a usual shredder, the paper stripes thus made can be recycled.

The present invention provides a method of separating nickel bearing sulphides from mined ores or concentrates of mined ores that contain talc particles is disclosed. The method comprises adjusting the Eh of a slurry of mined ores or concentrates of mined ores and making particles of nickel bearing sulphides less hydrophobic than talc particles and floating the nickel bearing sulphide particles from the slurry.

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

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

The invention relates to a process for the milling-drying of a raw mixture containing aluminum trihydroxide having an average particle size D50 in the range from 50 to 130 μm and a specific BET surface area in the range from 0.01 to 0.5 m2/g and containing from 0.1 to 20% by weight of water, based on the raw mixture, which including the steps i) introduction of the raw mixture into a milling-drying apparatus,ii) introduction of a hot air stream having a temperature in the range from 20 to 100° C. into the milling-drying apparatus so as to flow through the milling-drying apparatus andiii) comminution of the aluminum trihydroxide present in the raw mixture in the milling-drying apparatus.

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

A system and method of operating the same includes an absorption tank having a compressor communicating gas thereto, a suspended solid filtration tank having a primary inlet, a secondary inlet, a primary outlet and a secondary outlet and a pump comprising a pump inlet coupled to the secondary outlet and a pump outlet communicating fluid to the absorption tank. The absorption tank forms a solution from the fluid and gas. A turbine mechanically couples the pump with a common shaft extending to the pump. The turbine has a turbine inlet coupled to the absorption tank and a turbine outlet coupled to the secondary inlet. The turbine depressurizes the solution. The system may also use a centrifugal pump in place of a turbine and absorption tank.