Illinois Tool Works Inc.

Other

Magnetronics, Inc.

Calice Gerard Courneya

Chad M Orthaus

Lonny David Collins

Apparatus for dispensing and applying a nested collated array of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs), wherein portions of a release sheet are folded between successive ones of the permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs), and successive permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs) are disposed atop one another with an undersurface portion of one of the permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs) being disposed in contact with a successive one of the permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs), is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a stripper plate, an indexable roller, a drive motor, and a program logic controller (PLC).

Collated road marker assembly, and system and method for automatically applying collated road markers to roadway surfaces

Apparatus and method are disclosed in connection with the separating, dispensing, and application of a plurality of temporary raised pavement markers (TRPMs), having substantially L-shaped configurations, which are arranged within a collated nested array upon a single release liner. Portions of the release liner are folded between successive ones of the pavement markers such that when the folded portions of the release sheet are unfolded in conjunction with the dispensing of a leading one of the pavement markers, the release liner is routed around a stripper plate and the temporary raised pavement markers (TRPMs) are effectively stripped from the release liner, deposited upon the pavement surface, and an application wheel affixes the temporary raised pavement markers (TRPMs) to the pavement surface.

A method for dispensing and applying a nested collated array of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs), wherein portions of a release sheet are folded between successive ones of the permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs), and successive permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs) are disposed atop one another with an undersurface portion of one of the permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs) being disposed in contact with a successive one of the permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs), is disclosed. The method further comprises the use of a stripper plate, an indexable roller, a drive motor, and a program logic controller (PLC) for achieving the separating and dispensing steps.

A collated array of temporary raised pavement markers (TRPMs), or permanent half-track and full-track raised pavement markers (RPM), has the pavement markers disposed in a nested arrangement with portions of a release sheet folded between successive ones of the pavement markers such that when the folded portions of the release sheet are unfolded in conjunction with the dispensing of a leading one of the pavement markers, feather-edge boundary structure defined between the release sheet and the block of adhesive material upon the associated one of the pavement markers is effectively recombined with the primary mass of adhesive material upon the pavement marker such that the feather-edge structure is assimilated into the primary mass of adhesive material in order to readily permit the separation, peeling, and stripping of the release sheet from the pavement marker.

A collated array of temporary raised pavement markers (TRPMs), having substantially L-shaped configurations, has the pavement markers disposed in a nested arrangement with portions of a release sheet folded between successive ones of the pavement markers such that when the folded portions of the release sheet are unfolded in conjunction with the dispensing of a leading one of the pavement markers, feather-edge boundary structure defined between the release sheet and the block of adhesive material upon the associated one of the pavement markers is effectively recombined with the primary mass of adhesive material upon the pavement marker such that the feather-edge structure is assimilated into the primary mass of adhesive material in order to readily permit the separation, peeling, and stripping of the release sheet from the pavement marker.

Apparatus for directing and feeding wire (W) such as for a welder includes first and second, generally planar, guide plates ( ) which are slid in a direction parallel to the movement path of the wire (W) into a slit ( ) of a mount ( ) and a slot ( ) of an adapter element ( ). A driven roll ( ) penetrates an opening ( ) in the first guide plate ( ). A pressure roll ( ) is pivotably mounted to mount ( ) between a drive position where it penetrates an opening ( ) in the second guide plate ( ) and sandwiches wire (W) against the driven roll ( ) and a disengaged position. The pressure roll ( ) is removably held in the drive position by abutment of a washer ( ) with the bracket ( ) to which pressure roll ( ) is rotatably mounted. The washer ( ) is slideable upon a shaft ( ) and biased toward the bracket ( ) by a spring ( ), with the shaft ( ) being pivotably mounted to a connecting block ( ) between a latched and unlatched position. The adapter element ( ) is slideably received in the connector block ( ).

Apparatus and methods for directing and feeding wire

In the most preferred form, a microwave/steam sterilizer and its method of operation are disclosed including a waveguide having a waveguide conduit including a terminal aperture located one quarter wavelength from the bottom of a water reservoir and including a series of subapertures spaced in the range of one quarter wavelength from each other. The waveguide further includes a mitered corner moveable to shift the microwave standing waves to communicate with the terminal aperture and/or the series of subapertures in response to conditions sensed in the working cavity. The waveguide and the walls of the working cavity are angled with respect to each other to avoid reflection of microwave energy back to the microwave energy generator. The sterilizer hydrates potential pathogens and subjects them to relatively uniform electromagnetic energy without arcing and without self-destruction of the microwave source by reflected microwave energy.

Microwave/steam sterilizer

Apparatus and method for extracting potable water are disclosed in preferred form as extracting drinking water from moisture-laden air at atmospheric temperature through the use of a heat exchanger at or near subsurface temperature which is in air communication with the atmosphere for allowing atmospheric moisture-laden air to enter, pass through, cool, arrive at its dew point, allow the moisture in the air to precipitate out, and allow the air to pass outward to the atmosphere again. Suitable apparatus may be provided to restrict air flow and allow sufficient residence time of the air in the heat exchanger to allow sufficient precipitation. Further, filtration may be provided on the air input and a means for creating a movement pressure, in the preferred form of a turbine, may be provided on the output. The water from the system of the present invention may then be collected and provided for human consumption in conventional manner.

Apparatus for extracting potable water

Apparatus for high-efficiency drying of material includes a vacuum drying chamber (40) maintained at a low pressure by a vacuum pump (56). Material to be dried is introduced to the drying chamber through an air lock valve (36) and is transported through the drying chamber by an auger (45). In the preferred embodiment a second interconnected drying chamber (50) includes a further auger (52), and material that has been dried is removed from the drying chamber by another air lock valve (55). Microwave energy sources (30) apply energy to vaporize liquid from the material, and air inlets (72, 73) are provided at the processed ends to introduce air for sweeping generally across the material to the outlet (55) to the vacuum pump. The sweep of cool air causes an aerosol mixture to form, which is removed by the vacuum pump. Heat is reclaimed by separating liquid and vapor, with the liquid being passed through hollow shafts (60, 51) of the augers to heat the material in the drying chamber, and the vapor being sent through a heat exchanger (15) in thermal contact with a preheat zone (13) so that heat from the vapor removed from the drying chamber, including latent heat of vaporization, is transferred to the material prior to introduction to the drying chamber.

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Alexandria, MN, United States of America

Calice Gerard Courneya