1. A superconducting structure, comprising:
a plurality of linked band-segments, said plurality of linked band-segments having a total length extending in an x-direction, each linked band-segment having a substrate and a first superconducting layer deposited onto said substrate, wherein linked band-segments which are adjacent to each other in said x-direction are each separated from another by a linked band-segment gap having a linked band-segment gap size in said x-direction; and
a plurality of additional band-segments extending in said x-direction, wherein additional band-segments which are adjacent to each other in said x-direction are each separated from another by an additional band-segment gap having an additional band-segment gap size in said x-direction which is substantially equal to said linked band-segment gap size, each additional band segment having a second superconducting layer, wherein each of said linked band-segments is joined to two said additional band-segments in such a way that said second superconducting layers of said two additional band-segments and said first superconducting layer of said linked band-segment face each other, wherein said plurality of additional band-segments substantially overlap said total length of said plurality of linked band-segments but are displaced in said x-direction relative to said linked band-segments such that each linked band-segment gap is disposed proximate to a central region of an adjacent additional band-segment and each additional band-segment gap is disposed proximate to a central region of an adjacent linked band-segment, said linked band-segments and said additional band-segments thereby being disposed, structured and dimensioned such that electrical current which is initially transported in said x-direction within a first additional band-segment is subjected to a transverse current flow in a z-direction, perpendicular to said x-direction, and into a first linked band-segment, said transverse current flow having a first maximum proximate to and downstream of a first linked band-segment gap that neighbors and is upstream of said first linked band-segment and a second maximum proximate to and upstream of a first additional band-segment gap that neighbors and is downstream of said first additional band-segment, said transverse current flow having a first minimum proximate to and downstream of said first additional band-segment gap and a second minimum proximate to and upstream of a second linked band-segment gap that neighbors and is downstream of said first linked band-segment.
2. The superconducting structure of claim 1, wherein the superconducting structure comprises at least N sequential, linked band-segments, where N\u22675, wherein at least one of said additional band-segments is joined to two said linked band-segments.
3. The superconducting structure of claim 2, wherein the superconducting structure is constituted periodically along said sequential, linked band-segments in a longitudinal direction of said linked band-segments.
4. The superconducting structure of claim 1, wherein band-segments of the superconducting structure are provided on an outside with a shunt structure or are partially or completely enveloped in a shunt layer.
5. The superconducting structure of claim 4, wherein two band-segments which are joined by mutually facing superconducting layers, do not overlap, in one or more overlap sections, transversely with respect to a longitudinal direction of the band-segments and that said shunt structure contacts an associated band-segment, in at least one said overlap section.
6. The superconducting structure of claim 1, wherein the superconducting structure further comprises two peripheral band-segments, wherein each peripheral band-segment has a third superconducting layer, wherein each said peripheral band-segment is joined to said linked band-segment in such a way that said third superconducting layer of said peripheral band-segment faces said first superconducting layers of said linked band-segment, wherein said linked band-segment substantially overlaps a total length of said peripheral band-segment.
7. The superconducting structure of claim 6, wherein said two additional band-segments overlap at least 95% of said total length of said linked band-segments.
8. The superconducting structure of claim 1, wherein said linked band-segments each have a length of at least 100 m.
9. The superconducting structure of claim 1, wherein the superconducting structure has a total length of at least 1000 m.
10. The superconducting structure of claim 1, wherein a gap between two said additional band-segments, which are joined to a same said linked band-segment, has a gap width in a longitudinal direction of said additional band-segments of 5 mm or less.
11. The superconducting structure of claim 1, wherein a gap between two said additional band-segments, which are joined to a same said linked band-segment is disposed approximately centrally with respect to a length of that linked band-segment.
12. The superconducting structure of claim 1, wherein mutually facing ends of two said additional band segments, which are joined to a same said linked band-segment, taper toward each other or taper to form a gap such that those two additional band segments extend at an angle of between 5\xb0 and 30\xb0 with respect to a longitudinal direction.
13. The superconducting structure of claim 1, wherein mutually facing superconducting layers of joined band-segments are contiguous or are joined to one another by one or more layers of noble metal or by layers containing silver andor one or more layers containing copper or layers consisting of copper.
14. The superconducting structure of claim 1, wherein at least one of said first and said second superconducting layers contains a high-temperature superconducting material, YBCO or BSCCO.
15. The superconducting structure of claim 1, further comprising a buffer layer or a buffer layer containing CeO2, disposed between said substrate and at least one of said first and said second superconducting layers.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. An automated stockinette remover for removing a stockinette from meat, the meat having an end, sides, and a length, comprising:
a) a conveyor having a conveying member configured and arranged to support and transport the meat in a first direction;
b) a first knife proximate the conveying member, the first knife being positioned for making a first cut in the stockinette proximate the end of the meat parallel to the first direction as the meat is transported in the first direction, the first cut extending perpendicular to the sides and the length of the meat;
c) a passageway proximate the conveying member, the passageway extending outward from the conveying member in a second direction approximately perpendicular to the first direction;
d) a transfer member to transport the meat from the conveying member in the second direction into and through the passageway;
e) a second knife and a third knife positioned proximate the passageway, the second knife and the third knife positioned for concurrently making a second cut and a third cut in the stockinette proximate the sides of the meat as the meat is transported through the passageway, the second cut and the third cut intersecting the first cut and extending along the length of the meat; and
f) an engaging member proximate the passageway configured and arranged to engage the stockinette between the cuts in the stockinette to remove the stockinette from the meat.
2. The automated stockinette remover of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of carriages operatively connected to the conveying member of the conveyor configured and arranged to support the meat.
3. The automated stockinette remover of claim 1, further comprising an indexing member parallel to the first direction proximate the conveying member, the first cut being a predetermined distance from the indexing member.
4. The automated stockinette remover of claim 1, wherein the first knife, the second knife, and the third knife are spring loaded.
5. The automated stockinette remover of claim 1, wherein the transfer member is a piston rod actuated by an air cylinder.
6. The automated stockinette remover of claim 1, further comprising an engaging surface on the engaging member, the engaging surface contacting the stockinette and the meat during removal of the stockinette from the meat.
7. The automated stockinette remover of claim 6, wherein the engaging member is a rotatable shaft and the engaging surface is a row of pins on the rotatable shaft, the row of pins snagging the stockinette and the stockinette winding about the shaft to peel the stockinette away from the meat as the shaft is rotated thereby removing the stockinette from the meat.
8. The automated stockinette remover of claim 7, further comprising a vacuum source to remove the stockinette from the rotatable shaft.
9. The automated stockinette remover of claim 1, wherein the engaging member is rotatable in a first direction to wind a portion of the stockinette about the engaging member to remove the stockinette from the meat, and wherein the engaging member is rotatable in a second direction to unwind the portion of the stockinette from the engaging member to remove the stockinette from the engaging member.
10. The automated stockinette remover of claim 9, wherein the engaging member contacts the meat to prevent the stockinette from pulling about the meat and damaging the meat during removal of the stockinette.
11. An automated stockinette remover for removing a stockinette from meat, the meat having an end, sides, and a length, comprising:
a) a conveyor configured and arranged to transport the meat in a first direction;
b) a first knife proximate the conveyor positioned for making a first cut in the stockinette proximate the end of the meat, the first cut being parallel to the first direction and perpendicular to the sides and the length of the meat;
c) a transfer member to transport the meat in a second direction into and through a passageway, the second direction being approximately perpendicular to the first direction;
d) a second knife and a third knife positioned proximate the passageway, the second knife and the third knife positioned for concurrently making a second cut and a third cut in the stockinette proximate the sides of the meat as the meat is transported through the passageway, the second cut and the third cut intersecting the first cut and extending along the length of the meat; and
e) an engaging member proximate the passageway configured and arranged to engage the stockinette between the cuts in the stockinette and to remove the stockinette from the meat.
12. The automated stockinette remover of claim 11, further comprising an indexing member parallel to the first direction proximate the conveyor, the indexing member ensuring the first cut is made a predetermined distance from the end of the meat.
13. The automated stockinette remover of claim 11, further comprising a vacuum source to remove the stockinette from the engaging member.
14. The automated stockinette remover of claim 11, further comprising an engaging surface on the engaging member, the engaging surface snagging the stockinette and contacting the meat during removal of the stockinette from the meat.
15. The automated stockinette remover of claim 14, wherein the engaging member is a rotatable shaft and the engaging surface is a row of pins on the rotatable shaft, the row of pins snagging the stockinette and the stockinette winding about the shaft to peel the stockinette away from the meat as the shaft is rotated thereby removing the stockinette from the meat.
16. The automated stockinette remover of claim 11, wherein the first knife, the second knife, and the third knife are spring loaded.
17. The automated stockinette remover of claim 11, wherein the transfer member is a piston rod actuated by an air cylinder.
18. The automated stockinette remover of claim 11, wherein the engaging member is rotatable in a first direction to wind a portion of the stockinette about the engaging member to remove the stockinette from the meat, and wherein the engaging member is rotatable in a second direction to unwind the portion of the stockinette from the engaging member to remove the stockinette from the engaging member.
19. The automated stockinette remover of claim 18, wherein the engaging member contacts the meat to prevent the stockinette from pulling about the meat and damaging the meat during removal of the stockinette.