Baker Perkins Inc.

Dresser-rand Company

Russell Kevin Hall

Martyn Thomas Wray

Shahab Natanzi

A shut-off valve for a turbine of an oscillating water column may include a plurality of guide vanes configured to control a fluid flow into a flow passage defined by the turbine. The plurality of guide vanes may be at least partially disposed within the flow passage and may include a plurality of fixed guide vanes and a plurality of movable guide vanes. The plurality of fixed guide vanes and the plurality of movable guide vanes may be sequentially disposed in an alternating pattern in the flow passage.

Shut off valve for oscillating water column turbines

An assembly and method for distributing lollipop sticks () from a common supply () to a plurality of stick holders (), the assembly comprising an elongated conveyor chamber () for containing lollipop sticks as they are conveyed from the common supply to the stick holders, a plurality of stick holding channels, () spaced apart and leading from the base of the chamber, the conveyor chamber containing basal surfaces (), () operative to move in each of two substantially opposite directions, and in use the base supporting a plurality of lollipop sticks, the basal surfaces comprising a first basal surface portion () and a second basal surface portion (), the first basal surface portion () being obstructive to sticks in contact with the first basal surface portion as said first basal surface portion moves in a first direction away from the common supply (), and the second basal surface portion () being relatively less obstructive to sticks in contact with said second basal surface portion () when said second basal surface portion is moved in a second direction towards the common supply, the arrangement of the assembly being such that the basal surface portions are alternately moved in the first and second directions and sticks in contact with the first basal surface portion () are displaced in the first direction. Advantageously, the sticks are displaced predominantly in one direction, the first direction, in a common hopper so as to feed a plurality of lollipop stick holders positioned at spaced positions along the hopper base.

Sorting sticks for lollipops

Apparatus () and process for the manufacture of lollipops in which lollipops () are transferred from a substantially horizontal condition in a hopper (), to a substantially vertical condition in a stick retainer () prior to placement in sugar confectionery. The apparatus comprises a hopper () for holding the sticks () with their longitudinal axes substantially horizontal, means () for ejecting a stick from the hopper in a substantially horizontal direction and feeder means () for feeding the ejected stick downwardly into a stick retainer () prior to placement in the sugar confectionery, the feeder means comprising a flexible tube () operable to conduct the stick from the hopper to the stick retainer whilst simultaneously changing the orientation at the stick to that of a downward direction.

Growing community of inventors

Deeping St. James, United Kingdom

Russell Kevin Hall