In a connection mechanism that connects a valve shaft to air cylinders, shake prevention mechanisms are disposed at facing portions at which outer side surfaces of side frames face inner side surfaces of housings of the air cylinders and/or facing portions at which inner side surfaces and of the side frames face left-hand and right-hand side surfaces of a center frame. The shake prevention mechanisms include a sliding member that is disposed on a sliding surface that is formed on one of two surfaces that face each other and on the other and a spring mechanism that presses the sliding member in a direction in which the sliding member comes into contact with the sliding surface.

A method of controlling chemical concentration in electrolyte includes measuring a chemical concentration in an electrolyte, wherein the electrolyte is contained in a tank; and increasing a vapor flux through an exhaust pipe connected to the tank when the measured chemical concentration is lower than a control lower limit value.

A machine (1) for preparing a beverage (3) has a beverage processing unit (10,20) formed of a first processing unit member (10) and a second processing unit member (20) that delimit a chamber (21) and that are movable between a distant configuration in which a flavouring ingredient (2) is received in the chamber (21) and a proximate configuration in which the flavouring ingredient (2) is held and mixed with water (4) in the chamber (21) during beverage preparation. The machine includes: a water source for delivering the water (4) towards the beverage processing unit (10,20); a water guide (30) for guiding the water (4) between the water source and the chamber (21); a valve arrangement (50) for controlling a flow of the water (4) along the water guide (30); an actuator for actuating the valve arrangement (50) to control the water flow along the water guide (30); and a support structure (70) having a base (72) that is stationary during beverage preparation and that supports at least the valve arrangement (50). The valve arrangement (50) is rotatably mounted to the support structure (70) and driven in rotation by the actuator to control the water flow.

In accordance with at least one aspect of this disclosure, a flow control device can include, a first plate having one or more windows defining a flow path therethrough, a second plate configured to abut the first plate, and an actuator operatively connected to one or more of the first plate and/or the second plate. The actuator can be configured to drive the first plate and/or the second plate relative to one another to enlarge or reduce the flow path through the one or more windows in the first plate.

A valve device includes a housing, a stationary disk, a drive device, a shaft and a rotor. The stationary disk is fixed at an inside of the housing and has at least one flow passage hole. The shaft is rotated about a central axis by the drive device. The rotor increases or decreases an opening degree of the at least one flow passage hole. The rotor includes: a drive disk that slides relative to the stationary disk; and a lever that is fixed to the drive disk and couples between the drive disk and the shaft. A torsion spring is placed between the shaft and the lever and urges the lever relative to the shaft in a circumferential direction around the central axis of the shaft. The shaft has a plurality of contact portions configured to contact the lever and respectively located at a plurality of locations.

A method and apparatus for selective connection of a first fluid communication region to a further fluid communication region at a subsea location and a flexible pipe are disclosed. The apparatus comprises a valve body that includes a primary passageway extending from a first port of the valve body, and connectable to a first fluid communication region, to a further port of the valve body, connectable to a further fluid communication region, the valve body comprising a channel intersecting the primary passageway and extending between an open channel end and a closed channel end; at least one slidable member comprising a slidable body locatable in the channel and comprising a slidable member fluid passage extending through or around the slidable body; and at least one biasing element locatable proximate to at least one of the open channel end or closed channel end, for biasing the slidable body towards the open channel end; wherein the slidable member is slidable along a longitudinal axis of the channel responsive to a local environmental pressure provided at the open channel end.

A gate valve device includes a cleaning component, a first lifting component, and a second lifting component. The cleaning component is arranged on the second lifting component. The first lifting component is configured to control whether an opening on a side of a vacuum chamber close to a swing gate valve is in a closed state. The second lifting component is configured to, in a case that the opening on the side of the vacuum chamber close to the swing gate valve is in the closed state, control the cleaning component to clean the swing gate valve.

An assembly for actuating a gate valve. The assembly includes an actuator and a bonnet adapter and stem adapter. The assembly includes a bonnet adapter configured to attach to the actuator and configured to attach to a bonnet of the gate valve. An actuator stem is attached to the actuator and extends at least in part into the bonnet adapter. A stem adapter is configured to be positioned within the bonnet adapter and attach to the actuator stem and to a gate valve stem. The bonnet adapter further includes access windows for accessing the stem adapter and the bonnet adapter is configured to permit the actuator stem and stem adapter to move axially therewithin.

An apparatus for vacuumizing and sealing a package includes a plurality of platens and vacuum chambers, each chamber adapted to mate with a dedicated one of the platens; a conveying system for conveying the platens and chambers along a generally angular path having a single axis of rotation; an automated loading assembly having a linear component and configured to load a package onto each of the platens; an automated unloading assembly having a linear portion and configured to unload a vacuumized, sealed package from each loaded platen onto an outfeed conveyor; and a vacuumizing/sealing system configured to cause relative movement of each chamber/platen pair, along a portion of the angular path, to form therebetween an air-tight enclosure accommodating the package and effect vacuumization and sealing of the package.

A switching valve for an air spring arrangement of a motor vehicle, which switching valve has a valve housing arrangement which, in the installed state, is arranged between a first air volume and a second air volume. A valve closing member arrangement is actuatable by an actuator is provided such that the valve closing member arrangement, in a first position, fluidically connects the first air volume to the second air volume and, in a second position, fluidically separates the first air volume from the second air volume. The valve closing member arrangement is designed as a rotary slide arrangement. A rotary slide member with first openings is provided between two valve closing bodies, wherein, in the first position, the first openings correspond with second openings of the valve closing body such that a fluidic connection can be produced between the first and the second air volume.