A coulter assembly for collecting soil samples from an agricultural field in one embodiment comprises an annular collection blade configured for penetrating soil to capture a sample, an annular cam ring configured for stationary mounting to a frame of an agricultural vehicle and comprising a cam track, a blade hub coupled to the blade for rotatably supporting the annular collection blade from the annular cam ring, and a movable sample collector mounted to the annular collection blade. The moveable sample collector is configured and operable for extracting a soil sample as the annular collection blade is rotated through the soil. The moveable sample collector in one embodiment comprises a piston mechanism including a cylinder and rod movably disposed therein which actuated by the annular cam ring to alternatingly open and close a collection end of the cylinder as the annular collection blade rotates through the soil.

An automatic variable speed eductor recirculation system for metal recycling furnaces having a delacquering chamber and a separate heating chamber. The system includes a recirculation duct between the two chambers, an eductor in the duct, a variable speed blower forcing motive gases into the eductor creating a Venturi that draws VOC's from the delacquering chamber through the eductor, and an infrared opacity sensor proximate the eductor that measures the transparency level of the gases in the eductor. An electronic controller automatically adjusts the blower speed to control the eductor Venturi based upon the transparency level measurements of the opacity sensor.

In one configuration, a system for enriching a liquid with gas-bubbles is disclosed. The system may include at least one reservoir configured to temporarily store the gas-bubble enriched liquid. Each of the at least one reservoir may include an associated inlet port and an associated outlet port fluidically coupled with each other via a liquid-flow line. The system includes one or more pumps configured to cause movement of the liquid along the liquid-flow line, a gas supply feeding a gas (in one configuration, oxygen from a gas concentrator), and a gas-bubble generator provided on the liquid-flow line. The gas-bubble generator may be fluidically coupled to the gas supply to receive gas from the gas supply. The gas-bubble generator may be configured to generate a plurality of individual gas-bubbles of the gas received from the gas supply and mix with the liquid stream flowing via the gas-bubble generator.

An adhesive dispensing system for applying liquid adhesive to a substrate using different nozzles with the same manifold is disclosed. The adhesive dispensing system includes a manifold having a body, a first clamp configured to engage the body of the manifold, a second clamp configured to engage the body of the manifold, and a nozzle. The first and second clamps secure the nozzle to the body of the manifold. The body of the manifold has a first contact surface that engages the first clamp and a second contact surface that engages the second clamp and the nozzle, where the second contact surface is angularly offset from the first contact surface.

An adhesive dispensing system for applying liquid adhesive to a substrate using different nozzles with the same manifold is disclosed. The adhesive dispensing system includes a manifold having a body, a first clamp configured to engage the body of the manifold, a second clamp configured to engage the body of the manifold, and a nozzle. The first and second clamps secure the nozzle to the body of the manifold. The body of the manifold has a first contact surface that engages the first clamp and a second contact surface that engages the second clamp and the nozzle, where the second contact surface is angularly offset from the first contact surface.

A fluid handling apparatus for ejecting fluid into a tank and draining fluid from the tank comprises: a fluid duct for draining/supplying fluid from/to the tank, the fluid duct configured for fluid communication with a tank opening at a tank bottom; a fluid inlet pipe for supplying fluid to the tank, the fluid inlet pipe extending at least partly through the fluid duct and configured to extend through the tank opening into the tank; a rotary fluid ejection device in fluid communication with the fluid inlet pipe; and a rotary drive shaft extending at least partly inside the fluid inlet pipe, the rotary drive shaft being rotatably connected to the rotary fluid ejection device. Also disclosed is a fluid tank system comprising a tank and a fluid handling apparatus, and a method for mixing beer or wort with solid hops material in a tank by a fluid handling apparatus.

An automated computer-controlled sampling system and related methods for collecting, processing, and analyzing agricultural samples for various chemical properties such as plant available nutrients. The sampling system allows multiple samples to be processed and analyzed for different analytes or chemical properties in a simultaneous concurrent or semi-concurrent manner. Advantageously, the system can process soil samples in the “as collected” condition without drying or grinding. The system generally includes a sample preparation sub-system which receives soil samples collected by a probe collection sub-system and produces a slurry (i.e. mixture of soil, vegetation, and/or manure and water), and a chemical analysis sub-system which processes the prepared slurry samples for quantifying multiple analytes and/or chemical properties of the sample. The sample preparation and chemical analysis subsystems can be used to analyze soil, vegetation, and/or manure samples.

A hand-actuated container used for mixing liquids contains a compression platform with release holes and walls with convolution areas. The convolution areas are convoluted when the container is in a state of compression. These features form a compressible cavity body that, when filled with liquid and compressed, push liquid at high pressure through a nozzle into a liquid reservoir. Vacuum backflow occurs through the release holes and the nozzle as the compressible cavity body returns to its original shape. In some embodiments, a double level platform allows a user to dial in the amount of backflow through the release holes.

An automated computer-controlled sampling system and related methods for collecting, processing, and analyzing agricultural samples for various chemical properties such as plant available nutrients. The sampling system allows multiple samples to be processed and analyzed for different analytes or chemical properties in a simultaneous concurrent or semi-concurrent manner. Advantageously, the system can process soil samples in the “as collected” condition without drying or grinding. The system generally includes a sample preparation sub-system which receives soil samples collected by a probe collection sub-system and produces a slurry (e.g., mixture of soil, vegetation, and/or manure and water), and a chemical analysis sub-system which processes the prepared slurry samples for quantifying multiple analytes and/or chemical properties of the sample. The preparation sub-system may comprise a slurry recirculation flow loop configured with devices to stir, measure, and adjust a water to solids ratio of the slurry.

Non-clogging airlift pumps and associated systems and methods employing said pumps. The airlift pumps generally include an enclosed air tank within which is located a hollow cylinder having an open top and a closed bottom wall. A gas (e.g., air) line passes into the air tank for supplying gas thereto. A suction port is located in the bottom wall of the cylinder, and a substantially vertically-oriented discharge pipe passes through a top wall of the air tank such that an intake end of the discharge pipe resides within the cylinder. Multiple airlift pumps may be used in conjunction in a given application.