This invention relates to systems for moving vehicles along predetermined paths.
Amusement parks often have "dark rides" in which people are seated in boats that float along a channel that carries them past animated displays. The boats are typically moved along the channel by pumping water along the channel. The cross-sectional area of a boat is typically only a small fraction of the cross-sectional area of the water-filled portion of the channel, so that a large amount of water normally must be pumped through the channel. While this transport system provides a smooth and vibration-free ride, it has several disadvantages. The propulsion system is inefficient, and it is difficult to provide sharp turns along the waterway inasmuch as at such turns the water swirls so that it tends to tip the boat rather than propel it and the water also tends to ride up the outer side of an open channel.


This invention relates to roadways for high performance rapid transit railways for overhung and/or underhung suspension vehicles including a suspension or supporting structure with means for carrying and guiding of the vehicles.
Conventional constructions of such roadways utilize reinforced concrete supporting or suspension structures, and the various rails and lines needed to sustain railway operations are attached to the suspension or supporting structures. In order to maintain the close tolerances needed to ensure the operability of overhung or underhung suspension vehicles, in the relative arrangement of the individual rails as well as in the absolute geometry of the track, these structures necessitate separately operable adjusting devices for the concrete main beams as well as for the rails attached thereto by means of supporting elements. Such structures thus require rather large expenditures and are hence expensive.
Due to the particular load capacity of main beams of reinforced concrete construction, these beams, if reasonably sized, may not exceed approximately 30 m in span. This poses special problems when track sections require a span length in excess of 30 m, as may be the case for bridges and overcrossings.
When the track section involves bends in the roadway or differences in elevation, conventional structures necessarily use traverse or polyonal courses in the section to approximate such bends in the suspension beams.
A further disadvantage of prior art structures utilizing concrete suspension structures, is seen in that these cannot be manufactured by shop production, but must be manufactured at the site. This entails relatively high labor costs. Another disadvantage is seen in that these reinforced concrete structures are hard to disassemble for re-use, for example, when the system is to be relocated. This is important in the case of experimental tracks. A still further disadvantage of conventional structures is due to the fact that the necessary high resonance frequency can be achieved only at high extra costs for respective structural features.


This invention relates to an impact resistant panel composed of a group of at least three sheets of vitreous material bonded together via intervening layers of plastic material.
The term "vitreous material" as here used comprehends glasses and vitrocrystalline materials, the latter being glasses which have been treated in such a way as to cause the formation of one or more crystalline phases therein.
Such panels are resistant to the impact of stones, bullets and other similar projectiles. Such panels are therefore often used to form part of a bulletproof screen in banks and post offices, or to form windows, especially windshields, of aircraft and high speed locomotives. The panels are also resistant to breakage by vandals and may be used in display cases in museums, or to provide transparent barriers in prisons.
Hitherto, such panels have needed to be very thick in order to provide adequate impact resistance.
This has resulted in a very heavy and therefore expensive panel. Heavy panels suffer from the further disadvantage that they require heavy supporting structures or frames, and heavy panels are clearly unsuitable for use in aircraft.


Flat bottomed hulls are considered to have good planing characteristics due to the fact that there is a minimum amount of wetted surface and as a result there is a minimum drag as the speed is increased. However, flat bottomed hulls lack stability on turning and also have a tendency to produce a rough ride in choppy water.
V-bottom hulls are generally formed with a relative deep V at the bow which flattens out toward the stern. The V-hull has the advantage of being able to cut into heavy seas, although as the V cuts down into the water the water is displaced upwardly along the V and has a tendency to slap against the bottom of the hull. Furthermore, the V-bottom hull lacks lateral stability particularly in the forward areas.
More recently the tri-hull has become more popular in smaller boats. The tri-hull consists of a central V along with V's of lesser depth along the side edges of the hull. The tri-hull provides a substantial increase in lateral stability, particularly in the forward areas, but acts to increase the amount of wetted surface so that the planing characteristics of the tri-hull are adversely effected.
Various other types of modified V-hulls or tri-hulls have been used in the past in an attempt to obtain better planing characteristics or to increase the stability of the hull.


1. Field of the Invention
This invention concerns tank-ship construction in general, and more particularly relates to certain elements of the structure employed for supplying an inert gas to a plurality of tanks in a tank ship. Specifically, it concerns the combination of a valve located in a conduit for supplying the inert gas, along with a vent hatch located in the same conduit adjacent to the valve.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In tank ships that are designed for carrying petroleum products, it has been found (particularly in the large-sized tankers now generally being constructed) that the danger of explosive atmospheres developing in empty or partially empty cargo tanks becomes extremely great. In order to overcome this situation, one of the most universally acceptable procedures is that of introducing an inert gas to the empty tank space involved. Such introduction of inert gas involves the use of a main conduit for supplying the inert gas, along with branch conduits to individual tanks. Heretofore, such systems have relied upon the use of so-called pressurevacuum valves for avoiding excess over- or under-pressure in the tanks. However, these pressures involved are quite low, and the use of such breather valves entails expensive mounting. Also, because such low pressure safety-valve instruments are relatively delicate, they are more subject to fouling, and consequently the safety factor might be lost.
Consequently, it is an object of this invention to provide a simple yet effective combination that is particularly applicable to petroleum tank ship structures.


The invention is intended for cross-country vehicles which are to be capable of traversing waters of such depth that the undercarriage provided for use on land can no longer be used. Such a vehicle may also be a movable construction machine, a dredge or the like. In a narrow sense, the basic purpose of the invention is to provide such a vehicle with a drive for traveling on water. Nevertheless, the vehicle is so constructed that during a longer period of operation on land, wherein travel through deep waters does not take place, it is not hindered by a drive for the water travel. On the other hand, the water drive will provide the vehicle with a high maneuverability.
The basic purpose of the invention is attained by providing at least one power-driven steerable propeller which at least in its operating position is pivotable about an approximately vertical pivot axis through approximately 180.degree. or more and is tiltable about an approximately horizontal tilting axis and which is driven by a motor in addition to the drive of the land vehicle. The pivotability provides the vehicle during travel in water with a high maneuverability and by means of the tiltability the steerable propeller can be adjusted during travel on land in such a manner that it is not damaged during cross-country travel, such as during travel over pathless grounds or over slopes.
The invention has particular importance for tracked vehicles, or stated in other words, since tracked vehicles are particularly suitable for cross-country travel, a water drive according to the invention is particularly important for them.
In consideration of the above-described purpose, the water drive forms a unit which is as self-contained as possible. Thus, the steerable propeller consists substantially of a first portion which is nonpivotable about the pivot axis and of a second portion which is pivotable about the pivot axis and carries the propeller and the motor is arranged on the nonpivotable portion. In particular, it is advantageous if the steerable propeller is releasably connected to the vehicle, this being particularly advantageous because the water drive can be removed entirely if it is to be expected that it will not be needed for a long period of time.
Various embodiments can be used to carry out the invention. In one embodiment the tilting axis is arranged transversely to the direction of travel through which the steerable propeller can be tilted outwardly in an astern direction. In a different embodiment, the tilting axis is arranged parallel to the direction of travel, which can be particularly advantageous inasmuch as the upwardly tilted steerable propeller does not project astern and thus possibly interfere during turning or travel over slopes. It is also possible to continue the driving of the steerable propeller during the tilting process so that it can produce a forward movement during the tilting or in partially upwardly tilted condition. In other embodiments, the tilting axis is arranged three-dimensionally between the stated positions so that the steerable propeller can be tilted, for example, both laterally and rearwardly.
The steerable propeller is particularly simple to mount if a pivot pin is provided in the tilting axis, which pin connects the land vehicle and the first portion of the steerable propeller and which can be dismounted or secured in installed condition as desired.
Further, for good maneuverability a desirable construction provides a remotely operable motor for the pivoting movement of the second portion of the steerable propeller.
In order to carry out the tilting movement quickly and safely, a preferred embodiment provides a mechanical, electrical, hydraulic or pneumatic drive mechanism for effecting the tilting movement. The electric drive can consist of an electric motor which cooperates with a suitable screw. The hydraulic or pneumatic drive consists advantageously of at least one cylinder-piston unit. A crank can be provided for the mechanical drive.
A simple and strong drive for the tilting movement is obtained by hinging to the first portion suitable pulling means, for example a chain or cable, and by supporting a drum or the like on the land vehicle, on which drum the pulling means can be wound.
It is advantageous particularly also during land drive if an involuntary backward driving is prevented by a releasable latch. Furthermore it is advantageous if in place of the crank there is provided a lever which acts through a one-way coupling, thus for example through a latch, onto the drum, which lever also acts as a catch for the drum. This type of manual operation is particularly simple and sturdy.
A bracket or the like provides further safety of operation if said bracket connects the steerable propeller additionally to the vehicle in operating position. In order that the steerable propeller can be both secured and released quickly, the new device is advantageously provided with a latch lock on the mounting.
Particularly advantageous in this connection is also a remotely operable motor for the latch lock, which can be driven, for example, hydraulically or pneumatically.
In order to relieve the tilting movement drive from the load while in rest position, and to secure the steerable propeller in upwardly tilted condition, the new device is advantageously provided with a locking device which connects the steerable propeller, when same is tilted from the operating position, releasably to the vehicle.
It is desirable for the best economy to fit the apparatus into the vehicle so that the energy supply for the blower or the blowers of the vehicle is switched over to the drive for the propeller. It is also possible to use this energy for driving the tilting procedure and for pivoting the steerable propeller for the purpose of the steering.
Further advantages and characteristics of the invention can be taken from the following description. The description in general refers only to a single steerable propeller but the invention also includes the use of multiple steerable propellers.


The fastening of the rope portion of a water ski tow rope to the handle of the tow rope presents a particular problem because it is imperative that the rope does not detach from the handle during use or injury may result. Moreover, the fastening to the handle must be accomplished in such a manner so as not to interfere with the hands of the skier as he grips the handle. The area around the handle must be relatively smooth to avoid chafing the hands of the skier. It is also desirable to stiffen the rope directly adjacent to the handle to prevent it from accidentally winding about the fingers of the skier.
For example U.S. Pat. No. 3,092,068 illustrates a hand grip for a ski tow rope in which a knot is tied on the end of the rope and the knot is held within the inner diameter of the tubular handle. This manner of tieing a rope to the handle is not entirely foolproof, particularly if the knot is carelessly tied and the rope becomes slippery when wet. Furthermore no protection is provided for the hands of the skier against chafing from the rope or from winding about the finger of the skier.


1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a tank assembly and more particularly to a slurry tank into which patterns are dipped in the formation of shell molds.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the making of shell molds for investment castings, particularly by processes in which the shell consists of many layers formed by alternately dipping the pattern in a slurry and dusting with a granulate mixture, various characteristics and conditions of the slurry must be monitored to control the quality of the shell. For example, the slurry must be mixed continuously to prevent its heavier elements from settling. The typical dip tank in present foundry service is essentially an open drum mounted on a vertical shaft which is rotatable. A scraper paddle is positioned internal of the drum adjacent to the vertical wall and extends along the bottom of the drum. As the drum is rotated, the paddle provides continual mixing of the contained material and also avoids the buildup of an excessively thick layer along either the wall or bottom of the drum. As a practical matter, the consistency of a slurry maintained in such a device is not always as uniform as desired. Another consideration affecting control of the quality of molds made with such equipment is the buildup of slurry on the inside surfaces of the rotating drum. Slurry material adheres to the drum and forms a coating having a thickness equal to the clearance between the scraper bar and the drum. Any additional buildup is removed from the coating by the scraper paddle by the mixing action producing hardened particles which find their way into the final shell mold thereby weakening the mold and causing imperfections on the surface of the casting.
Another significant consideration in the quality control of shell molds is the viscosity of the slurry. If the viscosity is allowed to deviate from a predetermined range of values, the thickness of the shell mold formed in each dip process can become either too thick or too thin. At present, the viscosity is measured with a manual technique using a Zaun cup in which an operator fills the cup with the slurry mixture to be tested and observes the time required for the Zaun cup to empty. This time is correlated to viscosity. The technique is subject to human judgment and can be inaccurate.
Control of the temperature of the slurry throughout the dipping process is also important. The temperature of the slurry itself is usually not critical, however, the temperature to which the pattern is exposed can be very critical. If the temperature of a wax pattern is allowed to vary to any substantial extent, the dimensional control of the cast item can be compromised. Thus, by maintaining the temperature of the slurry within a prescribed range this source of dimensional error can be eliminated.
Another significant variable in the slurry composition is density. In a slurry dip operation using rotating drum apparatus, the slurry density is typically controlled manually with the Zaun cup apparatus mentioned previously; both viscosity and density can be measured simultaneously. One of the principal shortcomings of this technique is the inaccuracy in the observed readings which require a human operator. In some processes such as the preparation of shell molds for fine investment castings, density control by Zaun cup measurement is not sufficiently accurate. Also since this control is done manually, the tendency is to take sample readings at rather lengthy intervals and adverse changes in the density characteristic can occur during such intervals, resulting in poor quality molds. The effect on a mold made from a slurry having an improper density can be considerable. For example, since the smaller mesh particulate in a slurry tends to be consumed before the large mesh material, the density of the slurry tends to increase with usage. This type of change can be adverse to the surface quality of the cast part. Also, an increase in the average mesh size of the particles forming the slurry has been found to decrease the strength of the mold.


The invention relates to an apparatus for applying a thin liquid film of large width to a continuously moving web of material, comprising a liquid supply chamber which is fed by a pump and a guide surface which is supplied from the liquid supply chamber and from the edge of which a liquid film runs onto the web of material.
For applying a thin liquid film to a continuously moving web of material, it is known to convey a liquid film by means of a roll from a liquor trough and to remove said film from the roll by means of a doctor, the film then passing from said doctor to the web of material. However, this generally requires a thickening agent to obtain satisfactory film formation on the roll. This then requires subsequent washing of the web of material to remove the thickening agent.
It is further known to immerse a roll in a liquid supply container which is fed from a pump with the liquor and comprises an overflow weir, said roll being disposed adjacent the overflow weir and serving primarily to break the waves caused by the liquor supply. In this construction a relatively large volume is required for the liquid supply container so that the conveying impulses originating from the pump have the least possible effect at the guide surface following the overflow weir. A large volume of the liquid supply container involves however considerable practical disadvantages, as should be readily obvious (for example, the losses when changing the colour).


Reusable and stackable containers for poultry shipping and the like are known to the prior art. Typical of such prior art poultry coops are those assembled from upper and lower sections and a door all molded from plastic, polyethylene, for example. With the exception of the door opening, the upper and lower sections are of generally identical construction with the top and bottom walls often being ribbed or corrugated for strength. The side or marginal walls are often constructed to provide ventilation with additional ventilation being provided by holes in the top and bottom walls.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,330,434 there is described a molded plastic shipping container for live foul consisting essentially of upper and lower sections and a door. Each of the upper and lower sections have a generally rectangular wall with a side or marginal wall extending from its periphery. The marginal wall is directed slightly outward and is provided with a rim at its end for the attachment of one section to another. The section intended as the upper section is provided with an opening which may be covered by a door hingedly attached to the wall of the upper section. The side or marginal walls of the upper and lower sections have spaced openings for ventilation and the main walls of the upper and lower sections are also provided with holes to enhance ventilation.
Among the difficulties encountered with prior art poultry coops such as that illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 3,330,434 is the inflexibility of the floor (i.e., the main wall of the lower section). The poultry which are transported in poultry coops with such rigid floors frequently develop breast blisters. Also, the screw connection between the door hinge and the main wall of the upper section often results in the failure of that connection after repeated openings of the door. Further, the outward extention of the marginal or side walls reduces their weight carrying ability which restricts the stackability of the poultry coops.


This invention relates to an internal combustion engine, and more particularly to a vapor injection system for an internal combustion engine.
Water vapor injection of internal combustion engines is old, as evidenced by the applicant's prior U.S. Pat. No. 1,373,603 issued Apr. 5, 1921.
However, in the injection of water vapor into the carburetors of internal combustion engines, water droplets of excessive size too often pass into the carburetor, thereby decreasing the efficiency of the engine. The smaller the droplets, the more readily the water will flash into superheated steam when the water vapor is introduced into the engine cylinders.


Internal combustion engines of the so called jet-ignition or torch-ignition type generally provide a small ignition chamber adjacent the main combustion chamber for each cylinder and connected therewith by a small orifice. The main combustion chambers are supplied with air-fuel mixture chosen for economy, emissions reduction, etc. which may not be easily ignitable. The auxiliary chambers are supplied through separate induction means with a small volume of easily ignitable air-fuel mixture which is then ignited by a spark plug. Burning the mixture in the auxiliary chamber causes expansion through the orifice, resulting in a jet or flame extending into the main chamber which causes ignition and burning of the main charge.
While torch ignition engines have been known in the art for many years, they have not achieved wide commercial usage. In previous designs, the complexities caused by dual induction systems, intake valves, valve actuating mechanisms, and exhaust or other mixture heating devices have resulted in relatively complex engine constructions, adding to the cost of manufacture as well as requiring careful attention to manufacturing details to obtain the desired operating characteristics.


The present invention relates in general to intake manifolds for internal combustion engines. More in particular, it relates to manifolds having means for preventing reverse flow of fuel and air mixture in the runners of the manifold and for increasing the amount of fuel and air mixture delivered to an engine.
A carbureted internal combustion engine employs an intake manifold to distribute a fuel and an air mixture produced by a carburetor to the cylinders of the engine.
An intake manifold typically has a plenum chamber below the carburetor to receive a mixture of fuel and air from the carburetor. From the plenum the mixture is directed to the cylinders through ducts called runners. The runners exit from the manifold at inlet ports to the engine. These ports lead to the cylinders through inlet valves. When each cylinder has an associated runner not shared with another cylinder, the manifold may be called an independent runner manifold.
A fuel and air mixture is drawn into each cylinder of an engine by a vacuum created there by downward piston movement during the intake stroke of the cylinder. Inlet and exhaust valves into each cylinder provide for the admission of the fuel-air mixture into the cylinder and the exhaustion of products of combustion from the cylinder. In modern internal combustion engines, both the inlet and exhaust valves are open at the same time during a portion of a cycle. Some of this overlap occurs while the cylinder's piston is ascending. At this time the inlet valve is just opening and the exhaust valve is finally closing. A reason for the overlap is to give a fuel-air charge in a runner of a manifold the opportunity to see a large inlet valve opening when the piston begins to descend in the cylinder and produce a vacuum. However, during the overlap the pressure within a cylinder is greater than that in the manifold and this differential is compounded by the ascending piston. Consequently, exhaust products pass through the inlet valves from the cylinders they serve and into the runners of the manifold. These exhaust products tend to produce reverse fuel and air mixture flow towards the carburetor by "pushing" the mixture.
An engine acts as a pump when it produces the vacuum that constitutes the driving force acting on a fuel-air charge to force the charge into the cylinders. This pumping requires power and the more power required to get a given mass of charge into the cylinders the lower the engine's efficiency. Power loss attends reverse mixture flow. To the extent that the flow of exhaust gases into a manifold requires the admission from the manifold of these exhaust gases back into the cylinder, work is required and efficiency is lost. The engine simply has to pump more to get both the fuel-air mixture and exhaust charge into its cylinders.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,744,463 to James McFarland, Jr. describes an improved independent runner intake manifold which has a step or sudden enlargement proximate the exit of each runner into an associated inlet port of an engine. The step is located where mixture stream velocity is relatively low in comparison with mixture stream velocity elsewhere in the same velocity profile. Mixture stream velocity profile simply means the curve across a cross section of a runner defined by the total of the velocity magnitude vectors at the large cross section. The patent observes that this sudden enlargement acts as a dam or block in preventing reverse flow of exhause gases up a runner towards a carburetor. The patent states that the sudden enlargement or step can dissipate the energy of a pressure pulse traveling up a runner as well as directing it back towards the inlet port.
Today internal combustion engine design is very sensitive to the amount of exhaust gas emissions of the pollutants of unburned hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide and the oxides of nitrogen. In addition, modern engine design is becoming more sensitive to problems of fuel economy. In recent years, the problem of fuel economy has been aggravated because of emission control standards which have had a tendency to reduce economy.


1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an ignition system which also controls the spark timing of a spark-ignition type internal combustion engine according to temperatures to thereby distribute a high-voltage surge to the spark plug at the correct instant.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the past, two types of ignition devices have been incorporated in the conventional ignition systems: these are a centrifugal spark advance mechanism for controlling the ignition timing of the engine according to the engine speed and a vacuum spark advance mechanism which advances or retards the timing of the spark according to the engine intake manifold vacuum. These mechanisms have primarily had their origin in the conception that the correct ignition timing of an engine could be satisfactorily determined according to two controlling factors, that is, the engine speed and the engine intake manifold vacuum.
In actual operation of an engine, however, a driver frequently experiences such trouble that while there was no difficulty with the hot engine (with the engine temperature in terms of the cooling water temperature higher than about 40.degree.C), there was an inconvenience with the cold engine in that not only the engine ran unsatisfactorily, but also the engine lacked acceleration or other transient performance and this was particularly true in the winter months.
Of course, it has been known in the art that the engine torque efficiency could vary with different engine temperatures. In order to look into the cause of such variations, the inventors have conducted various experiments and much research and discovered that even with the same load and the same number of revolutions the range of the spark timing which would ensure stable operation of the engine differed depending on whether the engine was cold or hot and that the lower the engine temperature the greater the spark advance would be required.