the adidas _ 1 was a running shoe made by adidas , introduced in early 2005 .

it was the second general consumer sneaker to incorporate a computer ( adidas micropacer in 1984 was the first ) .

the shoe suffered reliability issues with many being sent back for repair , which initiated the introduction of an improved generation shortly after the release of the original shoes , which was called intelligence level 1.1 .

the shoe was later discontinued , and the official site urltoken now redirects users to adidas 's web page .

the shoe was later followed by the adidas _ 1 basketball shoe .

adidas 1

adidas men ' s 1 intelligence level 1 . 1 ( sz . 10 . 5 , black / silver / red )
adidas men ' s 1 intelligence level 1 . 1 ( sz . 13 . 0 , black / silver / red )
urltoken customer reviews : adidas men ' s 1 intelligence level 1 . 1 ( sz . 10 . 5 , black / silver / red )
see all details for adidas men ' s 1 intelligence level 1 . 1 ( sz . 10 . 5 , black / silver / red )
urltoken customer reviews : adidas men ' s 1 intelligence level 1 . 1 ( sz . 13 . 0 , black / silver / red )
see all details for adidas men ' s 1 intelligence level 1 . 1 ( sz . 13 . 0 , black / silver / red )
adidas _ 1 , the world’s first intelligent shoe , is already smarter . beginning november 25 , an upgraded version of the shoe will be available , called adidas _ 1 , intelligence level 1 . 1 urltoken .
adidas _ 1 , the world’s first intelligent shoe , is already smarter . beginning november 25 , an upgraded version of the shoe will be available , called adidas _ 1 , intelligence level 1 . 1 urltoken .
adidas ultra boost 1 . 0 2 . 0 3 . 0 and uncaged comparison
the new adidas _ 1 , intelligence level 1 . 1 will also be available in a range of colors , and the price remains at $ 250 and 250 euros .
2 ) conduct an innovation analysis of adidas 1 using table 7 - 3 as the basis . what insights does the innovation analysis provide into the failure of adidas 1 ?
interview / / inside the making of the adidas harden vol . 1 | nice kicks
the truth about being a top hs player . . . adidas nations training camp day 1 recap
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a first look at adidas originals ' boost - assisted p . o . d . - s3 . 1 sneaker
the revolutionary technology of the adidas _ 1 adapted itself in real time to find the right cushioning level , whatever the runner’s weight , surface or pace . the higher intelligence level 1 . 1 makes the shoe better , stronger and faster .
the adidas originals crazy 1 currently has no launch date , but stick with us for further info regarding its drop .
adidas mens shoe ( heel ) - adidas _ 772790 _ mens _ heel _ hi _ res . jpg
adidas women ' s shoe ( heel ) - adidas _ 467364 _ womens _ heel _ hi _ res . jpg
add to your cart for only $ 1 . 99 for the 1st year !
this project became an exercise in expressing the adidas brand in a refreshing way using simply the physical elements of a folder but also referencing the technology within the adidas 1 shoe . the three stripes on the front are not simply decorative representations of a well - know adidas device . they are magnetic strips that act as the closing device for the folder and reference magnets used as sensors in the adidas 1 shoe .
shoe review of the adidas 1 dlx runner . first shoe of its kind to have a sensor and microprocessor to adjust the cushion while running .
the adidas 1 , intelligence level 1 . 1 , shoe uses a sensor , a microprocessor and a motorized cable system to automatically adjust the shoes’ cushioning . this is how it works : a sensor under the heel measures compression and decides if the shoe is too soft or firm . this info goes to the microprocessor and adjusts the heel cushion while the shoe is in the air . a recent new update even increases the range of cushioning , meaning the shoe can become even softer or firmer . the new adidas 1 , intelligence level 1 . 1 , is available in a range of colors , and sells for $ 250 . ( pocket - lint )
5 ) is the serious runner a repeat purchaser or loyal committed customer ? explain and relate how this may have contributed to the failure of adidas 1 .
' s shoe phone . adidas hopes to resurrect the circuited shoe with the adidas _ 1 , the only shoe on the market that thinks about running more than you do . now updated with better software , the adidas _ 1
intelligence level 1 . 1
have sensors in the heels that measure the compressions when your foot hits the ground . the shoes adjust their stiffness appropriately by tightening or loosening a cables deep in the soles of the shoes . the idea is that a range of settings effectively crams the functionality of various types of sneakers into a single adjustable pair .
6 ) analyze the market for adidas 1 and their sensor technology as you move from the innovators to the early adopters to the mass market . in doing so :
in my ongoing quest for functional footwear , the adidas harden vol . 1 was a little different . the silhouette felt modern but a clean toebox kept everything simple . with the boost midsole offering a comfy invite , i took the harden vol . 1 out for a spin .
for the remaining questions , assume you have been hired by adidas to revive its adidas 1 and its related sensor technology . this time the company wants to avoid the mistakes of the past and move beyond a novelty technology to a mass - marketed item .
hello tomorrow ( adidas version ) by karen o . & squeak e . clean
back in 2006 , a $ 250 basketball shoe was a bit more of a stretch than it is now . adidas expanded their adidas _ 1 offering to the hardwood , where the computerized shoe was worn by tim duncan — to some , this may have seemed redundant .
the adidas _ 1 shoes certainly appeal , but they do have their drawbacks . the major one , apart from the price , is that due to the nature of the product , adidas advise you that the shoe is sensitive to moisture and dirt . the manual even goes on to say “do not use adidas _ 1 in excessively wet and muddy conditions as water and dirt may penetrate the electronic casing causing a system failure” - so no cross - country training there then .
adidas asked jog to develop a folder to support the launch of the adidas 1 shoe . the shoe was the first to use in - built technology to adapt to the runner during the run and adidas wanted something distinctive to hold the launch materials . the folder had to meet two key objectives . first it had to immediately strike the recipient as innovative and unique , building anticipation for product itself . secondly it had to create an instant and lasting connection to the adidas brand .
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men ' s adidas® _ 1 smart ride : : you ' re looking at what is truly the smartest running shoe on the planet : the men ' s adidas® _ 1 smart ride . as you run , your stride changes depending on the terrain and how long you ' re out there . that ' s where the men ' s adidas® _ 1 smart ride comes in . with a built - in central processing unit that monitors heel impact forces up to 4000 times per second , it actually adapts the physical cushioning properties to your running stride to give you the perfect amount of cushioning at any given moment . 13 . 4 oz .
he is banking on the foothold adidas ' s subsidiary reebok has in india to keep production and distribution costs low . he believes in india , the firm can sell its trainers for $ 1 and still make money .
with the introduction of the new adidas _ 1 , adidas is furthering its lead in the field of intelligent sporting goods . the adidas intelligence team has already doubled in size and is using cutting edge equipment to develop technologies that will reinvent the industry . “advances in electronics come very quickly , ” says adidas innovation team leader christian dibenedetto . “by using electronics in sporting goods , we are able to improve products ' capabilities quickly and keep moving forward . there is a lot of untapped potential in this field . ”
the first impression of the adidas _ 1 intelligence level 1 . 1 , to give its full name , is that it’s a bit “bling” . the latest technological advances obviously need a dazzle of white and gold according to the shoemaker and so that’s the colouring of the trainer - white and gold . it’s a bit in your face and even chavey , and to be honest , and unless you’re an extrovert , shy runners may feel the shoes will out - shine you .
if you’re looking to move away from tech - heavy basketball models but still need to euro - step around the haters , the adidas harden vol . 1 will have you doing all that with the finesse of the bearded one himself .
a full - length boost midsole pretty much guarantees that the adidas harden vol . 1 is a comfy shoe . however , don’t pick them up expecting ultraboost level bounce . these are meant for the basketball court and are thus tailored a little differently .
the shoes will sell at an unspecified premium price but adidas plans to lower the cost as the technology develops .
the designers of james harden ' s first signature shoe detail its creation in the new era of adidas basketball .
between the asymmetrical lacing system and the leather toe cap , the adidas harden vol . 1 presents a modern silhouette with some classic sentiment . the low cut also makes it an easy shoe to pair with jeans and an easy go - to in warmer weather .
adidas 1 was the first shoe to use inbuilt technology to constantly adapt to the runner and to running conditions . the shoe senses the level of compression in the heel during a run and adapts the strength of heel cushioning . adidas commissioned jog to design a series of materials for the press launch of the shoe , including an innovative brochure that communicates the shoe’s story in an appropriate and refreshing way .
it wasn’t the shot , but the contract heard around the world when adidas announced that they’d be signing james harden to an unprecedented 13 - year , $ 200 million deal to bring the dynamic houston rockets guard to the three stripes . a statement was made . clearly , “the bearded one” was a player that adidas wanted on their team , and one that they were poised to position as the new face of their entire basketball program . a year and two months later from that august 2015 announcement , adidas and harden are ready to prove just how serious their relationship is with the unveiling of his first signature shoe , the adidas harden vol . 1 .
relates to felt need above . it is not at all clear that alternative technologies involving non - electronic gear could yield the same advantages with a much lower price tag . also , weight is a key aspect for serious runners and adidas 1 was heavier enough to make them question the benefits .
the german sports giant believes the rise of india ' s 1 . 1 billion population , which is expected to surpass china as the world ' s largest in the next decade , is an opportunity to persuade aspirational indian villagers to trade their plastic chappals or flip - flops for one of the world ' s most iconic brands .
adidas sought to eliminate the compromise and deliver optimum shock damping - - and therefore comfort - - under all conditions . it took three years and a whole new technology to do it . what the company came up with is the
1 ,
the world ' s most technologically advanced shoe .
you can ' t really compare this to any other running shoe . this is the equivalent of a concept car for running shoes . a bit of history in the making . i ' ve ran them and they are surprisingly smooth , much better than the original adidas 1 disco shoe . . . !
when building the harden vol . 1 , adidas worked classic styling into the modern tech . the majority of the upper is built of a woven mesh , backed by a layer of nylon . these materials hug the midfoot and back to the heel , while an independent leather toe cap wraps the forefoot .
the $ 1 trainers will be the latest in a growing trend which increasingly sees the world ' s poor as a potentially lucrative market rather than a begging bowl for aid .
overall , i’m most impressed by how well - rounded this sneaker is . no particular feature is outstanding , but rather everything just works together well . between the functionality and a design that is sure to be a canvas for some hot colorways , i’m excited to see more from the adidas harden vol . 1 .
this video dates back to 2004 advertising the ' worlds first intelligent shoe
and uses the famous adidas slogan
intelligence is nothing
check out all adidas - urltoken link to urltoken below : http : / / www . urltoken ? cm _ mmc = yout . . .
kobe bryant is well known for his innovation with nike , but early fans of “the black mamba” will never forget his humble beginnings with adidas . the three stripes have recently revealed a lifestyle take on bryant’s nostalgic adidas kobe 1 . its makeover hosts premium materials throughout such as nubuck , leather and neoprene . its construction is something you may expect from adidas’s tubular line thanks to its thick midsole and minimal aesthetic . the model will make its debut in a choice of two colorways in black or grey . each iteration will be supported by contrasting colors of white as the aforementioned neoprene will serve as its inner lining .
adidas last month experimented with a pop - up store where customers could design a custom - fitted sweater and have it knitted in the store .
according to adidas , the microprocessor works by analysing your running style and terrain , then using the microprocessor changes the tension of the sole accordingly .
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the sports shoe firm adidas is to sell its trainers for less than a pound a pair throughout rural india to capitalise on the country ' s soaring population .
adidas , the 83 - year - old german sporting - goods maker , is about to turn that fantasy into biomechanical reality in the form of a running shoe for men and women . sleek and lightweight despite its battery - powered sensor , microprocessor and electric motor , the shoe , named 1 , is expected to be in stores by december and will cost $ 250 .
vip membership terms : normally $ 24 . 99 per year , but your web exclusive deal means you enjoy 3 months of vip family benefits for $ 1 . 99 . check out your savings and benefits below .
late last night , adidas unveiled their game - changing version of digitally fabricated shoes in partnership with tech company , carbon . the futurecraft 4d running shoes combine carbon ' s digital light synthesis manufacturing process with footwear design knowledge from adidas ' futurecraft team . the result ? a sleek sneaker that ' s way more complicated than it appears :
a closeup shows adidas ' s 3d - printed plastic sole on display at a news conference in the northern bavarian town of herzogenaurach , near nuremberg march 3 , 2016 .
the cold , wet mess that has been nyc lately made a formidable field test for the adidas harden vol . 1 . i was a little afraid of how the traction would hold up against slick surfaces as the grooves are not so deeply sculpted into the outsole . surprisingly , the grip was fairly efficient but after subjecting them to the outdoor elements ( and some impromptu pickup games ) for several days , the rubber did show some wear .
late last year adidas sold a few hundred pairs of running shoes with soles made by regular 3d printing for $ 333 us but they were relatively rigid and heavy and took 10 hours to print .
it took a bit of wrangling , but we managed to score a pair of adidas 1 , those new running shoes that come with the 20mhz microprocessor built - in . we knew that reviewing these shoes would require some very serious sacrifices—namely , that we remove ourselves from our chair and actually do some exercise—but we couldn ' t resist finding out first - hand whether having a little computational power would make any difference in our , uh , daily workout .
adidas executive board global brands member eric liedtke holds the new futurecraft shoe , featuring a 3d - printed sole , at an unveiling event in new york city on april 6 . ( joe penney / reuters )
the latest creation , and the first to incorporate digital technology , is the 1 running shoe . outside the shoe ' s development group , which seldom grew beyond seven designers , engineers , researchers and testers , few people ever saw the shoes as they took shape .
launched by well - regarded researchers and funded with venture capital backed by chinese and u . s . pharmaceutical companies , it will sequence anyone’s genome for just $ 1 , 000 and interpret it , too . in 2017 , it started offering to sequence newborns in china .
adidas already lets people customize the colour and pattern of shoes ordered online , but new 3d printing methods will make small production runs , limited edition shoes and even soles designed to fit an individual ' s weight and gait economical .
adidas initially plans batches of shoes tailored to specific sports or cities but hopes consumers will eventually be measured and tested in store to design perfectly - fitting shoes tweaked for an individual ' s gait , weight and type of sport .
adidas launched a new sneaker on friday with a 3d - printed sole that it plans to mass - produce next year , part of a broader push by the german sportswear firm to react faster to changing fashions and create more customised products .
adidas launched a new sneaker on friday with a 3d - printed sole that it plans to mass - produce next year , part of a broader push by the german sportswear firm to react faster to changing fashions and create more customized products .
transitioning to the indoor hoops , the harden vol . 1 still held me down just fine . my outdoor escapades ushered no separation from the sole or across the different materials of the upper . every cut and stop was supported as i hit the defense with my best crossover - hesitation - stepback - fadeaway jumpers .
adidas had originally planned to launch its venture in bangladesh but switched to india after a pilot project lost money . the company ' s boss herbert hainer blamed high import taxes and the firm ' s lack of presence in the country for the failure .
however , adidas says its new partnership with silicon valley start - up carbon allows it to overcome many of those difficulties to produce a sole that can rival one made by an injection mould , and at a speed and price that allow for mass production .
adidas hopes to sell 5 , 000 pairs of its futurecraft 4d this year , and 100 , 000 next year as carbon cuts the time it takes to print a sole from the current hour and a half to as low as 20 minutes per sole .
3d printing will also help cut the time it takes to get new designs to stores from the 12 to 18 months it usually takes for sneakers . to that end , adidas is also opening factories mainly operated by robots in germany and the united states .
images are available of the shoe upon request . video clips to see a breakdown of the shoe and what it is all about are available at urltoken . to learn more about the world ' s first intelligent shoe , visit the adidas website at urltoken .
on all the latest shoes or anything else you need from 7 / 1 - 7 / 31 . just follow the return / exchange instructions on your invoice . don ' t worry about the return fee . you ' re covered . experience the exhilaration of your vip warp speed promise when you order monday - friday 7am to 7pm .
the aim of the adidas techfit products is to coordinate the joints , balance the muscles and improve the posture for greater performance . the result will be better rapidity in situations where force or speed plays a crucial role like running , sideways movement ( tennis ) , sudden starts and stops ( football ) or at lifting great weights ( bodybuilding ) . the adidas techfit clothes are skintight manufactured and because of their compression materials they reduce muscle vibration and improve blood streaming thereby help the athlete to reach optimal and effective power effort and consumption .
this is a milestone not only for us as a company but also for the industry ,
said gerd manz , adidas head of technology innovation , announcing the launch of its new futurecraft 4d shoe .
we ' ve cracked some of the boundaries .
over a year in the making , james harden’s very first adidas signature shoe is finally a finished product . the brand is currently throwing a grand unveil party for him in houston , complete with a full fashion show and music performance from the likes of travis scott .
1 . cushion : for people with “normal foot alignment” whose soles naturally tilt outwards . 2 . control : for people whose soles tilt inwards and thereby need a support which tilts the sole into the right direction . pro - modorator was designed for this purpose : an extremely lightweight midsole support system made out of thermoplastic urethane ( tpu ) .
if your personal comfort zone is a little firmer or softer than the factory ' s programmed setting , two buttons let you adjust compression resistance up or down . the adidas system is powered by a replaceable battery that lasts for 100 hours of running time . the 1 is the only shoe that comes with an owner ' s manual on a cd . it ' s expected to hit the stores in december and sell for around $ 250 . forget about those shoes that light up or play tunes or boast dancing laces . the coolest shoe , by far , is the one that thinks . your knees will agree .
adidas engineers designed a closed - loop system that senses the amount of shock input to the foot , and continuously adjusts the amount of damping to keep the cushioning level within an optimal preset zone . the system adjusts on the fly to any combination of running speed and terrain .
mr . dibenedetto said he was surprised to learn that no one had ever precisely measured cushioning compression while a shoe was in use . to do that , he and mr . oleson inserted a sensor about the size of a sparrow ' s eye into the top of the heel of a standard adidas running shoe , and a magnet smaller than a dime in the bottom of the heel , creating a magnetic field that the sensor could measure . as the heel was compressed , the sensor , known as a hall sensor , measured the corresponding changes in the magnetic field strength to a tenth of a millimeter , 1 , 000 times a second .
take advantage of your offer on everything except previous purchases , gift cards , monitors , electronics , strollers , and select styles of adidas , altra , asics , brooks , hoka one one , mizuno , nike , reebok , saucony , garmin , fitbit , apple , polar and soleus .
adidas hopes to sell 5 , 000 pairs of its futurecraft 4d this year , and 100 , 000 next year as carbon cuts the time it takes to print a sole from the current hour and a half to as low as 20 minutes per sole . ( joe penney / reuters )
take advantage of your offer on everything except previous purchases , gift cards , monitors , electronics , strollers , and select styles of adidas , altra , asics , brooks , hoka one one , mizuno , nike , reebok , saucony , apple , polar , soleus , garmin , and fitbit .
carbon ' s technology will allow adidas to make small batches of shoes far more quickly . small production runs were not economical before as the metal moulds for most soles need to be used 10 , 000 times to pay for themselves , and they take four to six weeks to cast and grind .
' ' the whole concept of an intelligent shoe would be great , ' ' said christian dibenedetto , a scientist here at the north american headquarters of adidas . ' ' something that would change to your different needs during a marathon , or whatever you were doing , was always the fantasy . ' '
as far as the contract goes , we know we have a long time with him , and that’s great because right now we’re on volume 1 , and we named it that way because you can start to think about chapters and how you can evolve the storytelling . we’re just in the beginning phases of scratching the surface of what james’ story means for him and what he wants to bring to life .
to hear about every last detail of the process ( seriously , all of them ) , nice kicks caught up with brian foresta , adidas vp of basketball design and corey allen , adidas basketball product manager at the brand’s portland , oregon - based village headquarters . read ahead for the in - depth interview , and let us know your thoughts in the comments section below on james harden’s debut signature sneaker . they’ll first release on december 3rd in the “pioneer” colorway — the black / white / red version seen above — which honors his high school mascot and the two state championships that first put him on the map as an emerging star .
the brochure needed to show the shoe working on several levels since much of the mechanism is not visible on the surface . it also needed to show how it responds in a variety of running conditions . this is a complex requirement for a brochure that must also push the brand strongly to ensure people associate these innovations with adidas .
it does this by using the microprocessor to monitor the heel ' s impact on the ground 1 , 000 times per second while you run . it analyses that data and then sends calculated instructions to the motor which makes a physical change to the cushioning properties of the shoe as you run on the fly , making sure that you have the correct level of cushioning for your needs at any given time , be it on tarmac or gravel .
the shoe features both full - length boost and a primeknit upper , showcasing two of adidas’ best - in - class current technologies . from there , the proportions and flows of the shoe get bendy , quirky and yes — “different . ” it’s asymmetrical in parts , slanted in others and still retains a familiar and wearable look at first glance .
nick depaula : when you guys signed james , it was such a big headline in terms of the number of years and the money involved . it was different than when you sign a rookie , because they have to earn their signature shoe . with james , signature was the expectation from day 1 . what were some of those early conversations like , and what were some of the things he mentioned he was looking for in his first collection ?
with that massive contract , harden’s well - known distinct styles on and off the court , and other in - house factors to live up to like the current successes of the style - driven adidas yeezy and nmd lines , you can imagine the pressure looming over the heads of the designers tasked to create harden vol . 1 . but as you can see by the finished shoe , they had no problem dealing with the hype and high expectations . we recently sat down with vice president of basketball design brian foresta and basketball product manager corey allen—the leaders of the project who are both sporting very harden - esque beards of their own—to discuss how they created the high - performance and high - style sneaker , and what it was like working with james from the first meeting to the impressive final product .
i tried these back when they cost $ 250 . they were so bad i had assumed adidas pulled it from the shelves , but i guess they ' re back . not only did the
smart
cushioning not work ; they actually cut into my heel . i ' m not a fan of coming in from a run to find blood stains on my socks .
serious runners may have used weight as a non - compensatory attribute . that is , weight could be used in a two - phased process – first , all shoes over a certain weight are eliminated . then , a more compensatory rule is used . any non - compensatory rule that involved weight as an important attribute would put adidas at risk of elimination by serious runners .
now is the fun part . the non - stop journey to get here and create a signature collection of both footwear and apparel has been in the works for over a year , ever since james harden inked his unprecedented 13 - year endorsement deal with adidas on last october 1st . the deal was reported as being worth $ 200 million , but that’s with all incentives met , like meeting lofty sales thresholds and him winning finals mvp in every single year of the contract . “hey , we’d love to pay him the full two hundred , ” joked one adidas executive after the deal was announced . if harden is able to meet all the incentives , of course , that’d mean he was one of the greatest players to ever play the game .
ca : bringing james in and starting the signature process and getting to know him was a thing in its own right . he told the team a variety of colorways and things that he would like to see , and being that this is the first signature and we have a ways to go , you’ll see more and more stories come to life . even with the naming of the shoe being volume 1 , it lends itself to being able to tell stories and different chapters .
bf : about two years ago , we decided that it was time to really shake up what it meant for adidas to participate in the game of basketball . it felt like we had gotten to a point where we might’ve become a little formulaic . i came over from originals , and we kind of switched the team up , and started to look at it a little bit differently . how do we be super expressive , and move forward , but also always progress the athlete forward ? i think the product you’re seeing come to market now—the crazy explosive , the new d rose , dame’s next shoe—is really just the tip of the iceberg . we started to look at adidas basketball completely differently . it’s been great to bring all our guys along , and get more of a family atmosphere .
jacques perrault : the foot itself is a heterogeneous , multi - functional object . for the adidas future team , modern approaches to design are about getting closer to people and their sport . creating varying functional stiffness and response are the best levers to turn to make footwear more intimate and personalized . the core concept here is that by making product closer to the desired function , we can improve performance .
in the hypercompetitive sporting - goods industry , of which the $ 15 billion sneaker market is only a part , innovation is seen more and more as a great differentiator . and while other companies , like nike in nearby beaverton , ore . , have made a name for themselves with new products , mr . vincent acknowledged that adidas had not established a firm reputation as an innovator in the american market .
at the beginning of the month , adidas unveiled their newest materials experiment , forgefiber . the difference between this new manufacturing method and what we ' ve been seeing in the industry lately is simple—no 3d printers . i know , crazy . instead of 3d printed material , forgefiber focuses on knit technology , varying densities with a tpu coated yarn that ' s then stitched and forged onto the sneaker ' s upper .
mr . enderle , the analyst , predicted that even at $ 250 a pair , shoes that use digital technology effectively are likely to find a market . fortunately for adidas , he said , ' ' a lot of people who run - - business executives and the rest - - do have the money and love having the latest cutting - edge shoe that apply technology to make the running experience better . ' '
it seems as though adidas is focusing on designing personalized footwear in parts—midsoles and heel caps with the 3d runners and futurecraft 4ds and uppers with the futurecraft leather superstars and forgefiber . this may be a stretch , but i ' m left wondering if all these new shoes are just prototypes and there will be a mega sneaker that combines a little bit of everything in the works sometime soon . i guess we ' ll have to wait and see .
jm : it ' s an amazing time to be in footwear innovation . the market is demanding innovation on an increasingly faster timeline , and that is allowing us as designers and engineers here at adidas the resources to tackle big ideas like speedfactory , futurecraft 4d and forgefiber . it just proves that being an agile company and having a team capable of building new solutions internally and collaborating with industry leaders in manufacturing and material development is where future success lies .
bf : well , we had to grow beards . [ laughs ] brian foresta , adidas vp of basketball design ca : we’re still working on getting it to his level . [ laughs ] i don’t know the exact amount of times that we met , but the access that he provided was unbelievable . we’d be at his house or on facetime and there were no limits . he understood how much we needed to talk in order to hit timelines .
adidas executives say the shoe is no gadget - dependent gimmick . instead , its designers say it represents a leap forward in wearable technology . each second , a sensor in the heel can take up to 20 , 000 readings and the embedded electronic brain can make 10 , 000 calculations , directing a tiny electric motor to change the shoe . the goal is to make the shoe adjust to changing conditions and the runner ' s particular style while in use .
i love this shoe and i have the previous model . . i want to buy it but i don ' t know if there are any problems with the micro - chip cuz it ' s not on my country ' s market anymore ( greece ) . . also , i visited an adidas store and the salesman told me that it will be developed and a new one will come out in 2 years . . do u have any information ? ? ? : )
a classic example is the adidas copa mundial —the stitching through the forefoot is there to control the natural stretch in areas of a kangaroo leather hide . by getting hands on with the process and building a deep understanding of these new materials , we are able to formulate new approaches that achieve higher levels of control of that stretch and reinforcement , while significantly reducing the amount of material needed to achieve those results . it also allows us to target fit , breathability , and flexibility .
jm : the adidas future team in pdx is very lucky in that it has its own specific
makerlab
r & d area . it ' s a space where we ' re encouraged to experiment , build machines , try new things , and are given the freedom to fail fast in order to get to new solutions . it ' s also a space where we bring in new industrial prototyping machines that can be used for multiple purposes . that ' s where this concept came from .
from the start of development in early 2001 , the shoe was viewed as an opportunity for adidas to innovate , said steve vincent , who leads the company ' s worldwide innovation team of about 50 people . mr . dibenedetto ' s group is one of seven in germany , italy and the united states that work in such secrecy that the units ' names are not mentioned to outsiders . to do otherwise , mr . vincent said from his corner office overlooking the willamette river , ' ' would just give away the farm . ' '
ca : it was great to also get his buy - in and his team’s buy - in from day 1 in knowing how long the creation process takes . obviously , we were seeing social media comments and any product that we came out with that was a pe , people wanted to know , “well , where is his signature product at ? ” it’s important to consider that not only with james , but for all of our marketing and brand communications teams , it was really important to have that full timeline so that we could create that holistic storytelling around project harden and trying to explain the whole process . we wanted to let people in earlier than we have before into the creation process , to answer those questions and educate people on how long the process is .
for the first mile or so , the 1 . 1s run like normal new shoes , albeit bulky , heavy shoes . but once they break in , the sneakers ' electronic adjustments are very noticeable—and take some getting used to . i found the lowest setting preferable when running longer distances at a relatively slower pace . on the highest setting , the shoe stiffens noticeably in the heel and gives a forward push to the heel - to - toe transition , which is best for sprinting . but the shoes really hit their stride when running on varied terrain . when i the ground changed from pavement to wood across the brooklyn bridge and from asphalt to grass in prospect park , brooklyn , the shoes ' quick adjustments put a genuine spring in my step . it ' s great to be able to change surfaces without a hesitation in stride .
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hidden code for a ' visual search ' feature hints at snap ' s next move .
law enforcement may have a tough time cracking your phone with a usb device .
tapping into the same creative well as ' minecraft ' could be the key to long - term success .
kenzo ss18
yo ! my saint
, a film by ana lily amirpour and music by karen o feat . michael kiwanuka
trippy commercial , beautifully done , and you have karen o with the vocals . commercial is from the year 2005 .
listen . your knees are talking to you . when you run , your knees bear the brunt of the shock of your feet striking the ground . and they let you know about it . cushioning , or damping , this shock has long been the holy grail of running shoe manufacturers . shoe engineers are forever looking at ways to cushion shock by smoothly and evenly decelerating the runner ' s foot at heel impact . if the cushioning is too firm , like stiff shock absorbers in a car , the deceleration is too rapid and you experience shock . if the cushioning is too soft , your foot bottoms out in the shoe , like your car ' s suspension hitting the bump stops because of too soft or worn - out shocks . either way , you get it in the knees .
shoe designers have come up with all kinds of progressive shock - damping strategies to try to optimize cushioning under varying conditions . gel pods , air chambers , progressive - rate polymer columns , variable - density - foam mid - sole platforms , even metal springs buried inside the heel - - they all seek to match cushioning to conditions . the problem is that not all runners weigh the same , so they don ' t compress the heel and midsole to the same degree . damping requirements become even more complicated when the same runner changes his pace or the running surface - - factors that affect cushioning requirements . so , all the existing damping systems are , at best , a compromise .
impact is measured by a magnetic sensing system . a sensor is placed just below the runner ' s heel and a magnet is located at the bottom of the midsole . on impact , the sensor measures the distance from top to bottom of the midsole to determine the degree of compression and the amount of cushioning being used . the sensor does this about 1000 times a second and relays the information to the system ' s brain - - a 20 - mhz microprocessor located underneath the shoe ' s arch . this mini computer can make up to 5 million calculations per second , which is probably more than you can .
the brain compares the cushioning level information from the sensor to its programmed optimum cushioning zone . the zone was determined by feedback from runners . the brain then activates a tiny motor , housed in the midfoot , which turns a screw . this in turn lengthens or shortens a cable that is connected to the walls of the plastic cushioning element . shortening the cable stiffens the element and limits the amount of compression . lengthening the cable increases compression travel for a
softer ride .
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2018 hypebeast limited . all rights reserved . hypebeast® is a registered trademark of 101 media lab , ltd .
2018 hypebeast limited . all rights reserved . hypebeast® is a registered trademark of 101 media lab , ltd .
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best price guarantee you ' re 100 % guaranteed the best price on top running shoes . if you find an identical shoe for less than your vip family price , we ' ll match it ! no ifs , ands or buts .
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* special note : altra , asics , new balance , dunham , merrell , thorlo , mizuno , nuun , olukai , cw - x , hoka one one , timberland , salomon , saucony , apple , balega , body glide , gu , trigger point , yaktrax , spenco , nathan and brooks products are not available to be shipped internationally .
good but not $ 200 dollars good . if you ' re looking for cushion then just stay with asics . it ' s much cheaper and more versatile .
i agree that the price is high . . . but i loved this shoes . . is very beautiful . . .
mark rated this product 5 stars sat , april 25 , 2009 : if u had these in black with white stripes . i might bye these shoes . . . the price is a little high
the idea was inspired by mohammad yunus , the nobel prize - winning founder of the grameen microfinance bank in bangladesh , but the company now believes his plan to sell the world ' s cheapest trainers has more chance of success in india .
in the past few years mobile phone companies like vodafone and india ' s reliance have had great success selling cheap mobile phones to rickshaw - pullers and roadside hawkers throughout india , while tata , which owns jaguar land rover , launched the world ' s cheapest car .
the tata nano was launched as the world ' s cheapest car for ' one lakh ' rupees or around £1200 , and aimed to persuade families travelling five to a motorbike to trade up .
the company followed the model with india ' s cheapest water purifier and the country ' s lowest cost apartments .
the shoe will be sold in villages through a distribution network . we want the product to be self - funding ,
he said .
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smart enough , that is , to sense their environment electronically , calculate how best to perform in it , and then instantly alter their physical properties to adapt to that environment . in short , the designers say , shoes that can do whatever is needed to deliver improved athletic performance or just a better experience in the ancient poetry of feet striking the earth .
' ' what we have , basically , is the first footwear product that can change its characteristics in real time , ' ' said mr . dibenedetto , who led the group that created the shoe , of its ability to adapt its cushioning as the wearer runs .
the shoes will have push - button controls , light - emitting diodes to display settings and an instruction manual on a cd - rom that will advise wearers on , among other things , how to change the battery after every 100 hours of use .
of all items of clothing , said rob enderle , a principal analyst for the enderle group in san jose , calif . , the shoe is a logical one to be a focus of wearable technology . unlike articles of clothing that must be washed or cleaned , shoes present a more stable place to add useful electronics , he said .


hainaut-sambre was a belgian group of steel companies based in the charleroi region , it was founded in 1955 by the merger of usine métallurgiques du hainaut ( based in couillet , charleroi ) , and the metal making division of sambre et moselle ( based in montignies-sur-sambre , charleroi ) .

the company absorbed another charleroi based steel group thy-marcinelle et providence in 1980 before being merged with the liege based steel group cockerill in 1981 to form cockerill-sambre .

a predecessor company sa marchinelle & couillet built locomotives at the usines métallurgiques du hainaut which were used on industrial railways , and exported around the world .

the locomotive builder was commonly known as couillet .

hainaut - sambre

the other main grouping of firms in the surrounding area became the hainaut - sambre company in 1955 , hainaut being the name of the province in which charleroi is situated . the two companies involved in the first merger were the usines métallurgiques de hainaut , founded in 1829 , and sambre - et - moselle , founded in 1835 . the merger between hainaut - sambre and thy - marcinelle et providence took place in 1979 , not long after the transfer of providence to tmm by cockerill .
hainaut - sambre has merged entirely with cockerill . in belgian steel , this equity infusion was determined to be countervailable because the gob paid more per share than the market price of the stock at that time and , hence , its investment was inconsistent with commercial considerations . lacking any information on the nature of the merger between hainaut - sambre and cockerill , we presume that the benefits to hainaut - sambre are now conferred on cockerill as well .
b . snsn capital for cockerill sambre ' s liege cold - rolling mill .
the cockerill sambre group of the late 20th century resulted from the 1981 merger of the two major iron and steel groupings of the walloon region of belgium . from its beginnings , the cockerill group had been based at seraing on the river meuse a few miles upstream from liège , while the company hainaut - sambre was based at the town of charleroi , some 65 miles east of liège on the banks of the river sambre . the sambre flows into the meuse and provides a geographical link between these two regions , formerly rich in coal . in both areas , iron and steel production dates back before the 18th century , based on the coal mines of the areas , but the majority of the companies that have been absorbed gradually into the group were originally founded between 1800 and 1838 .
cockerill sambre entered 1998 as a majority state - owned company , 79 percent - owned by the regional government of wallonia ( the french - speaking southern half of belgium ) - - the remainder was publicly traded . in october 1998 french steelmaking giant usinor s . a . reached an agreement with the government to acquire a 75 percent stake in cockerill sambre , with the government retaining 25 percent .
the number of blast furnaces operating in wallonia declined from their peak of 30 during the postwar period up to 1963 : only a third of these were in use by the late 1970s , and by 1988 only four remained at cockerill sambre .
1 . cash grants and interest subsidies under the economic expansion law of 1970 2 . government funding of early retirement pensions 3 . ecological incentives 4 . assumption of debt a . assumption of debt related to closing of valfil plant b . assumption of financing costs c . forgiveness of societe nationale de credite a l ' industrie (
snci
) loans 5 . debt conversions a . 1984 conversion of sidmar debt ( not countervailable ) b . conversion of clabecq debt into ordinary and non - voting shares c . conversion of clabecq debt into parts and beneficiaries d . conversion of cockerill sambre debt to equity under the claes plan e . conversion of cockerill sambre debt held by the fund pour la restructuration des secteurs nationaux en region walloon (
fsnw
) into equity f . conversion of cockerill debt to equity under the gandois plan 6 . equity infusions a . equity infusions for hainaut - sambre b . the societe nationale pour des reconstruction des secteurs nationaux (
snsn
) capital for cockerill sambre ' s liege cold - rolling mill c . 1981 equity infusion into cockerill sambre d . clabecq infusion from sococlabecq 7 . snci loans 8 . belgian industrial finance company (
belfin
) loans 9 . the
invests
a . sidinvest b . boelinvest c . clabecqlease 10 . snsn loans 11 . fsnw loans 12 . government guaranteed loans 13 . exemption of corporate taxes for grants received under the 1970 law 14 . accelerated depreciation 15 . exemption from real estate taxes 16 . exemption from the capital registration tax 17 . european coal and steel community (
ecsc
) article 54 loans and loan guarantees 18 . ecsc redeployment aid 19 . european social fund 20 . water purification subsidies
a chronological perspective provides a clearer overview of the complexities of all these mergers and regroupings . beginning with the rise of the 19th - century companies , there were , to start with , four principal companies in each of the two regions of liège and charleroi . the first significant mergers did not take place until 1955 , following reorganization plans initiated after the formation of the european commission for coal and steel in 1952 . these resulted in the formation of hainaut - sambre in the charleroi region , and cockerill - ougrée at liège . another ten years passed before the mid - 1960s witnessed two further rationalizations : the incorporation of providence to form cockerill - ougrée - providence at liège , and the coming together of some of the earliest charleroi - based companies to form thy - marcinelle et monceau .
in 1997 , while still seeking out potential partners , cockerill sambre reached the decision to focus its operations on three core areas : integrated steelmaking , steel distribution , and the manufacture of steel - based construction products . the company subsequently exited from the manufacture of automotive components with the 1997 disposal of ymos . by the beginning of 1998 cockerill had largely divested its environmental management services sector .
cockerill sambre posted losses of bfr 1 . 39 billion in 1992 and bfr 6 . 5 billion in 1993 before recovering somewhat in 1994 , when it recorded net income of bfr 807 million . in early 1995 cockerill paid dm 150 million ( us $ 100 million ) for a 60 percent stake in gmbh eko stahl , which had run the largest steel plant in east germany prior to german reunification .
one of the largest industrial groups in belgium , the cockerill sambre group is a medium - sized integrated steelmaking concern . the group has three core activities : integrated steel manufacturing , particularly coated steel sheets ; steel distribution , operating primarily in france and the netherlands in addition to belgium ; and manufacturing of steel - based products for the construction industry . the group is also involved in several noncore areas , with these activities stemming from the historical development of the group and from a program of diversification embarked upon in the early 1990s . these include mechanical engineering and various services operations .
beat the crowds and enjoy a visit to emerald lake park either before or after the puffing billy journey . this park offers bbq facilities and picnic tables , playground facilities , a wading pool and paddle boats for hire .
share the grandeur and charm of a three hour steam train journey whilst savouring a delicious lunch in our fully enclosed , heritage dining carriages .
any occasion is special enough to receive a puffing billing gift voucher . family vouchers are available and can been redeemed any time in 12 months .
enjoy an intriguing night of murder , mystery and suspense aboard puffing billy’s evening dining train .
this three - hour experience allows plenty of time to savour your meal , take in the scenic vista of dandenong ranges and explore the delights of emerald lake park .
jazz on puffing billy will be trumpeting along with live jazz music with off the cuff , great local wines and a dinner in the historic nobelius packing shed .
here is your opportunity to drive a 130 - year old steam locomotive along a winding , steeply graded narrow - gauge railway , through a variety of inspiring scenery between emerald and cockatoo .
passengers starting their journey at belgrave station will experience puffing billy’s most famous landmark – the iconic monbulk creek trestle bridge .
our live performer will have you up and dancing or , simply sit back and relax with your family and friends .
the evening will be filled with the nostalgia and charm of steam , whilst enjoying our roving musician , providing an unforgettable experience .
join us for a night of fine wine , food and live entertainment by local band ‘black and blue’ .
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the other key company from the liège area was esperance - longdoz . its origins can be traced back to the dothée family , which was already trading in ironmongery , copper ware , zinc objects and utensils , sheet metal , and hardware during the early 18th century . esperance - longdoz was formed in 1836 , based on coal mines at esperance , near seraing , and with the involvement of john cockerill . the first blast furnace opened there in 1838 , followed in 1846 by a tin - plate works in the longdoz district of liège . the company was involved in joint ventures with cockerill to exploit mineral rights , and became a major coke producer of this period . esperance - longdoz proved to be one of the most dynamic companies in the history of the group , surviving as a separate entity for 135 years until one of the penultimate mergers in 1970 ; as late as 1963 a brand new steelworks was built by esperance - longdoz on a greenfield site at chertal , to the north of liège .
within a few years of the implementation of the gandois plan , the success of the measures had become evident , with the company being given a new lease of life , and diversification into other steel - based products taking place . the mid - 1980s were a relatively stable period , culminating in further internal rationalizations , such as the decision to specialize in thin flat products on the steel production side ; the development of new products such as coated steel roof tiles by the french - based construction products division ; and concentration on heavy engineering in the mechanical engineering division . in 1990 came the acquisition of a majority holding in ymos a . g . , a major german manufacturer of metal and plastic parts for automobiles . other diversification moves included ventures into financial and data processing services as well as environmental management services .
in the early 1990s , the entire european steel industry , largely state - owned at the time , was in crisis . international competition , most notably from japanese and korean steelmakers , kept prices chronically depressed . only a us $ 8 . 5 billion 1993 bailout from the european union saved the industry . privatization , restructuring , and consolidation were the watchwords of the decade , and mergers created three dominating european steel giants : arbed of luxembourg , usinor of france , and thyssen - krupp stahl ag of germany .
in september 1996 the still struggling cockerill said that it would seek an alliance with another european steelmaker . the company also announced the launch of the
horizon 2000
plan , a restructuring aimed at significantly reducing costs at one of europe ' s most inefficient steelmakers by the turn of the century . to implement the plan , the company expected to cut more than 2 , 200 jobs from its 10 , 000 - person workforce in belgium . in late 1996 merger discussions with privately owned belgian steelmaker usines gustave boël led nowhere . for fiscal 1996 , cockerill posted a net loss of bfr 8 . 97 billion , including exceptional costs of bfr 7 . 7 billion related to
horizon 2000 .
principal divisions : integrated steel division ; distribution division ; construction division ; mechanical engineering division ; services division .
alleur - liège , belgium : editions du perron , 1992 , p . 207 . smith , michael ,
usinor to acquire majority stake in cockerill ,
450 ans d ' espérance : la s . a . métallurgique d ' esperance - longdoz de 1519 a 1969 ,
alleur - liège , belgium : editions du perron , 1990 . zwick , steve ,
steelmakers swarm to cockerill ,
legal status ( the legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion . google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed . )
current assignee ( the listed assignees may be inaccurate . google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list . )
priority date ( the priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion . google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed . )
casting melt - holding vessels , e . g . ladles , tundishes , cups or the like
closures sliding - gate type , i . e . having a fixed plate and a movable plate in sliding contact with each other for selective registry of their openings
a l sl ' iding gate for metal - holding vessel - filed dec . 22 , 1967 i l se es 22 ' 25 26 25 22 / n ven toi ? . john a . @ rosko harney united states patent o 3 , 480 , 186 sliding gate for metal - holding vessel john a . grosko , whitaker township , allegheny county ,
pa . , assgnor to united states steel corporation , a corporation of delaware filed dec . 22 , 1967 , ser . no . 692 , 767 int . cl . b67d 3 / 00 ; b65d 47 / 26 ; f16k 3 / 02 u . s . cl . 222 - 512 2 claims abstract of the disclosure a metal - holding vessel with a bottom outlet has spaced beams secured therebelow , one on each side of the outlet and a closure panel slidably supported on the beams is adapted , in one position , to close said outlet . expansiblechamber motors are carried by the beams on each side of the panel and constantly urge it toward the bottom of the vessel . graphite blocks between the motors and the panel facilitate movement of the latter and protect the motors from the heat of the metal . another motor mounted on the beams actuates the panel to open or close the vessel outlet .
background of the invention this invention relates to means mounting a closure panel for sliding movement on the bottom of a metalholding vessel having a bottom outlet and , in particular , to the means for urging the panel yfirmly against the vessel bottom so it will effect a tight closure of th ' e outlet .
more specifically , my invention is an improvement on the apparatus . of shapland patent no . 3 , 352 , 465 . that patent shows a sliding closure panel urged against the vessel bottom by compression springs working through levers of the first class . these springs are located relatively close to the stream of hot metal flowing from the vessel when the panel is in . open position and may be adversely affected by the heat therefrom .
summary of the invention according to my invention , i provide a plurality of expansible chamber motors on each side of the path of the closure panel , disposed and arranged to exert a direct upward force thereon tending to seat the panel firmly against the bottom outlet of the vessel . i further provide graphite bearing blocks between the motors and the panel to facilitate movement of the latter and protect the former from excessive heat .
brief description of the drawings a complete understanding of the invention may be obtained from the following detailed description and explanation which refer to the accompanying drawings illustrating the present preferred embodiment . in the drawings :
3 , 480 , 186 patented nov . 25 , 1969 figure 3 is a partial cross section taken along the plane of line iii - iii . of figure 1 .
detailed description of the
preferred embodiment referring now in detail to the drawings , a refractorylined vessel 10 adapted to hold molten metal , such as a ladle or the like , has a bottom outlet defined by a nozzle block 11 , controlled by a conventional stopper rod ( not shown ) . a plate 12 is secured by bolts 13 to the bottom of the vessel with a layer of thermal insulating board 14 therebetween . this plate has a central hole therein to accommodate the projecting lower end of nozzle block 11 . angle beams 15 are secured to plate 12 , one on ecah side of the nozzle block , by screws 16 . a nozzle - block support plate 17 having a central hole adapted to register with that through block 11 is secured to plate 12 by screws 18 . beams 15 are connected by upper cross plates 19 and 20 welded thereto .
a cylinder and piston 21 mounted on plate 19 effect sliding movement of a closure panel 22 along ways 23 on the inner faces of beams 15 , from the chain - line tothe solid - line position shown in figure 2 . when the panel is in registry with plate 17 , it blocks iiow of metal through nozzle block 11 . the panel has lateral flanges 24 riding on ways 23 .
lower cross plates 25 extending between beams 15 ` support motor - housing blocks 26 , one on each side of the path of panel 22 . as shown in figure 3 the panel has shoulders or flanges 27 overhanging blocks 26 . while made principally of refractory material , the panel is metal clad on its lower surfaces . blocks 26 are bored to receive a plurality of expansible - chambcr motors 28 , such as bellows , and connections 29 extend therefrom to manifolds 30 connected to a suitable source of uid under pressure through a control valve ( not shown ) . graphite blocks 31 are disposed between motors 28 and shoulders 27 , the upper surfaces of blocks 26 being recessed to accommodate them . blocks 31 have their edges beveled , as shown in figure 2 , ` so that shoulders 27 will not be obstructed as panel 22 is pushed into place .
it will be evident that motors 28 , acting through iblocks 31 , exert a constant upward pressure on panel 22 , tending to hold it closely against the plate 17 . this pressure - may be increased , if necessary , by opening the control valve and relieved , if excessive , by a conventional safety valve .
when it is desired to permit metal iiow through block 11 , a panel 22 having a hole therethrough is placed on loading shelf 32 and motor 21 is operated ' to push it into registering position , such action , of course , also effecting removal lof closed panel 22 previously in position . to terminate iiow , panel 22 is replaced in the position shown .
although i have disclosed herein the preferred embodiment of my invention , i intend to cover as well any change or modification therein which may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention .
1 . the combination , with a metal - holding vessel having a bottom outlet and a flow - control panel slidable thereover , of support means for said panel comprising a pair lof spaced parallel beams secured to the bottom of said vessel , ways on the adjacent faces of said beams , said panel having laterally extending anges along its sides slidable on said ways , a block carried by each of said beams extending along oneside of said panel , and a plurality of expansible - charnber motors spaced along each block adapted to exert pressure urging said panel toward the vessel bottom .
2 . an apparatus as defined in claim 1 , characterized by individual graphite blocks between said motors and said panel .
references cited united states patents 2 , 654 , 924 10 / 1953 wood et al . 222 - 512 x 2 , 998 , 220 8 / 1961 grieselhuber 251 - 175 x 5 3 , 352 , 465 11 / 1967 shapland 222 - - 512 stanley h . tollberg , | primary examiner u . s . c1e x . r .
soldering or unsoldering ; welding ; cladding or plating by soldering or welding ; cutting by applying heat locally , e . g . flame cutting ; working by laser beam
a machine for forming at least a metal mesh comprising longitudinal wires and transverse wires , comprising at least a welding unit provided with a plurality of welders by means of which the longitudinal wires are welded to corresponding transverse wires , each of the welders comprising at least two electrodes , respectively upper and lower , selectively movable between a first feed position , in which at least a first electrode is distant from the transverse and longitudinal wires , and a second welding position , in which both the electrodes contact and weld the wires by means of a passage of current . the welding unit is electrically fed by a three - phase type system .
the present invention concerns a machine for forming one or more metal meshes , by means of welding . in particular , the invention is applied , preferably but not exclusively , to making electro - welded metal meshes used as reinforcements in reinforced concrete structures . for this reason , in the following description , specific reference will be made to this application , even though the invention can also be used for forming meshes of other types .
machines for producing electro - welded metal meshes are known , which meshes are made from a plurality of longitudinal metal wires or round pieces , distanced with respect to each other . corresponding metal transverse wires or round pieces are welded perpendicularly to the longitudinal wires , according to a predefined interaxis .
such machines generally comprise a welding unit provided with a plurality of welders , at least one for every longitudinal wire , and a unit to feed the transverse wires .
in particular , each welder comprises two electrodes , an upper and a lower one , able to be brought selectively nearer to each other so as to be moved between a first position for feeding the wires to be welded , in which at least one of the two electrodes is moved away from the two wires so as to allow them to be positioned , and a second welding position in which the electrodes are brought into contact with and grip the two wires in correspondence with one of their join sections . in the second position the two electrodes close the electric circuit , thus welding the two wires .
the functioning of such machines provides that a transverse wire , in some cases several transverse wires at the same time , is fed and disposed in an attachment position in which it is welded to the longitudinal wires by means of a relative welding unit .
subsequently , the longitudinal wires are simultaneously made to move forward by a pitch equivalent to the interaxis according to specifications between the transverse wires , so that a new transverse wire can be fed and disposed in the attachment position .
there is an ever - growing need to make production lots of metal meshes having different pitches , and therefore it may be required , even during the course of the same day , to re - equip the machine in order to modify the pitch between the longitudinal wires .
to vary the pitch , so as to obtain a greater diversification of the types of mesh that can be made , the welders having a distance equal to the pitch required are electrically connected in pairs to each other by means of electric bridges . in this way , when the electrodes of each of said pairs are in the welding position , a closed electric circuit which allows the passage of the current needed for welding is formed for each of them . the pitch is therefore made either by means of a single welder , that is , a pair of an upper and a lower electrode , or by means of a plurality of welded pairs connected to each other for the passage of the current .
one disadvantage of the known machine is that this variation in pitch between the longitudinal wires entails complex and laborious operations to equip and calibrate the machines , which are typically carried out manually and mainly derive from the need to disconnect the pre - existing electric bridges and make new electric bridges , depending on the new pitch required for the longitudinal wires . this inevitably increases the times required for setting the machine , proportionally to the frequency with which this operation to modify the pitch has to be performed .
document u . s . pat . no . 3 , 053 , 972 describes a feeding system for electrodes of the three - phase type , in which two upper electrodes are connected to two distinct phases of the three - phase system , while the third phase feeds a copper bar which acts as a lower electrode . document gb - a - 1 . 056 . 005 also shows a three - phase feeding system in which pairs of electrodes are fed in distinct phases of the three - phase system , but no indication is provided for the possibility of modifying the pitch of the mesh , that is , of varying the activation of at least some of the electrodes , thus guaranteeing that a balanced electric feed is maintained in any case .
purpose of the present invention is to make a machine for forming a metal mesh which does not need complex and laborious operations of equipping and calibrating the machine , and allows to make meshes substantially of any shape and size quickly , easily and substantially automatically , considerably reducing the setting times .
in particular , purpose of the invention is to reduce drastically the re - equipping times of the machine in the steps of modifying the pitch between the longitudinal wires , thus eliminating in practice the need to intervene with operations to assemble / disassemble mechanical parts in order to make the electric connection between specific welding units activated , and in any case keeping the electric feed perfectly balanced .
the applicant has devised , tested and embodied the present invention to overcome the shortcomings of the state of the art and to obtain these and other purposes and advantages .
the present invention is set forth and characterized in the independent claims , while the dependent claims describe other characteristics of the invention or variants to the main inventive idea .
in accordance with said purposes , a machine according to the present invention is used , advantageously but not exclusively , to make a metal mesh of the electro - welded type comprising longitudinal and transverse wires .
the machine comprises a plurality of welding units , each consisting of a pair of electrodes , by means of which the longitudinal wires are attached by welding , with a pre - defined or pre - definable pitch , to corresponding transverse wires of the metal mesh .
the two electrodes , respectively upper and lower , of each pair are selectively and reciprocally movable between a first distanced position in order to feed the wires to be welded , in which at least one of the electrodes is distant from the two wires to be welded , and a second welding position in which both the electrodes contact and weld the two wires by means of the passage of current .
in the following description , for the sake of simplicity , reference will be made to the case in which the lower electrodes are fixed in a welding position in contact with the wires to be welded , while the upper electrodes are selectively movable from said distanced position , not in contact with the wires to be welded , to the welding position .
it obviously comes within the scope of the present invention that the upper electrodes are fixed and the lower electrodes are movable , or also that both electrodes are movable to be reciprocally closer / distanced with respect to each other .
the upper and lower electrodes are disposed in pairs respectively facing each other , and longitudinally distanced according to a regular interaxis equal to the minimum pitch of the mesh to be obtained .
according to a characteristic feature of the present invention , the welding unit is electrically fed by a three - phase system , in which at least the lower electrodes of the welders are each individually connected to a specific phase of the three - phase system .
according to the invention , the feed configuration of the lower electrodes is such that , as the required pitch of the mesh varies , and therefore that of the upper electrodes activated and brought into contact with the wires to be welded , the electric circuit between the upper electrode , the wires to be welded and the lower electrode of a triad of lower electrodes longitudinally adjacent is closed in such a manner that all three phases of the three - phase system to which the lower electrodes are connected are present , so as to guarantee a balanced electric feed .
in other words , the upper electrode involved in the welding , even as the pitch varies , always forms with another two adjacent upper electrodes and with the relative and corresponding lower electrodes , sequential triads in which all three phases of the three - phase system of electric feed are present .
in this way , as the pitch required by the mesh varies , it is not necessary to carry out any operation to mechanically re - configure the welding elements , but it is enough to selectively activate the upper electrodes involved , that is , to lower them onto the wires to be welded , thus always maintaining a balanced electric feed condition , and therefore optimal welding conditions .
according to one formulation of the present invention , the connection of the lower and upper electrodes follows a configuration of the star type of the three - phase system .
according to another variant , the upper electrodes of the welders are all connected to the centre of said star , and the star is in any case formed by triads that vary as the electrodes involved vary , depending on the desired pitch of the mesh to be made .
fig . 3 is a front view of the machine in fig . 1 in a second operating condition ; and
fig . 4 is a front view of the machine in fig . 1 in a third operating condition ;
figs . 5 a , 5 b , 5 c and 5 d schematically show different configurations of use of the machine according to the invention , respectively with the upper electrodes raised to feed the wires to be welded , with all the upper electrodes lowered to obtain the mesh with minimum pitch , and with some of the upper electrodes lowered to obtain , respectively , a double pitch ( fig . 5 c ) and triple pitch ( fig . 5 d ) of the minimum pitch .
with reference to the attached drawings , number 10 indicates in its entirety a machine for forming electro - welded meshes according to the present invention .
in this case , the electro - welded meshes formed with the machine 10 comprise a plurality of longitudinal metal wires 12 distanced from each other and welded to corresponding transverse metal wires 13 , also distanced by a pre - defined interaxis .
the machine 10 substantially comprises a frame 11 and at least a welding unit 17 , mounted on the frame 11 . in this case a welding unit 17 is shown comprising a plurality of welders 14 , one adjacent to the other . the welders 14 can also be moved in a direction substantially parallel to the direction of feed of the transverse wires 13 . the machine 10 also comprises a longitudinal feed unit and a transverse feed unit , not shown , respectively able to feed the longitudinal wires 12 and the transverse wires 13 , to dispose them in cooperation with the welders 14 .
each welder 14 is disposed in correspondence with the join zone between the respective longitudinal wire 12 and the relative transverse wire 13 , and comprises a first upper electrode 15 and a second lower electrode 16 . the electrodes 15 , 16 , electrically fed , allow to close , as will be described more fully hereafter , an electric circuit and therefore the passage of a current in correspondence with the wires 12 and 13 , thus determining the welding thereof .
each upper electrode 15 is selectively movable vertically in the direction of the second electrode 16 , which is fixed , and the transverse wire 13 and the longitudinal wire 12 are able to be positioned on the latter in their join position .
as we said before , the invention is also applied in the case where the upper electrode 15 is fixed and the lower electrode 16 is selectively movable .
in particular , the first electrode 15 is selectively movable between a first feed position ( see for example the position of the upper electrodes in fig . 5 a ) , in which it is raised and distanced from the second electrode 16 and allows the free feed both of the transverse wire 13 and also of the longitudinal wire 12 , and a second welding position , in which it is near to the second electrode 16 and with the latter contacts the two wires 12 and 13 ( see figs . 5 b , 5 c and 5 d discussed in detail hereafter ) .
the welding unit 17 is fed electrically by means of a three - phase system in the known star type configuration , in which all the upper electrodes 15 of the welders 14 are connected to the star ' s centre and the lower electrodes 16 of the welders 14 are connected to different phases , indicated in the drawings with the letters r , s , t of the three - phase system .
as can be seen better in figs . 5 a - d , each lower electrode 16 is connected to a respective phase r , s , t of the three - phase feed system .
the welders 14 of each triad 18 are distanced longitudinally with respect to each other by a quantity equal to the minimum pitch desired between the longitudinal wires 12 .
in particular , as can be seen for example in fig . 5 b , when all the upper electrodes 15 are activated , that is lowered on the wires 12 , 13 to be welded , the minimum pitch of the metal mesh is obtained , which can correspond , for example , to 50 mm .
the machine 10 can however assume different operating conditions , each corresponding to the production of meshes having different pitches between the longitudinal wires 12 and the transverse wires 13 . as can be seen from the drawings , in each of said operating conditions , corresponding in the case of fig . 5 c to the double pitch with respect to that of fig . 5 b , and in the case of fig . 5 d to a triple pitch , the lower electrodes 16 of the welders 14 continue to form triads of adjacent electrodes , in relation to the respective upper electrodes 15 activated , which comprise all the three phases r , s , t ( even if not in the same order ) , thus ensuring the closure of the circuit in balanced feed conditions .
as can be seen starting from fig . 5 b , in which all the upper electrodes 15 are activated in closing the respective electric circuits , the first three lower electrodes 16 form in sequence a triad r , s , t , the second three electrodes form a triad t , s , r , the third three electrodes 16 form a triad s , r , t , and so on , that is , adjacent triads of lower electrodes 16 always and in every case comprise all the phases of a triad .
looking at the situation in fig . 5 c , in which the upper electrodes 15 are activated alternately in order to double the pitch , the first three lower electrodes 16 form the triad r , t , s , the second three lower electrodes 16 form the triad s , t , r , the third form the triad t , r , s , and so on .
finally , in fig . 5 d , in which an upper electrode 15 of every three is activated in order to triple the pitch , the triads r , t , s ; s , t , r and so on are formed .
in this way , as the chosen pitch varies , each triad 18 of adjacent lower electrodes 16 , associated with the upper electrodes 15 activated , always comprises all the three phases r , s , and t .
in particular the machine 10 according to the present invention as described heretofore functions as follows .
once the desired pitch between the longitudinal wires 12 has been selected , starting from the end 19 of the mesh to be made , the upper electrodes 15 are moved into a welding position having a reciprocal distance equal to said pitch .
thus the triads 18 of welders 14 are formed , contiguous ( fig . 4 ) or not contiguous ( figs . 1 , 3 ) in which each lower electrode 16 of each welder 14 of said triads 18 is connected to a different phase r , s , t of the three - phase system .
in this welding position , the upper electrodes 15 of the triads 18 are electrically connected to the respective lower electrodes 16 . therefore the upper electrodes 15 of said triads 18 are in short circuit with the respective lower electrodes 16 . this corresponds to short circuit each phase of the three phase system with the star centre . the three - phase system of each triad 18 is therefore short circuited . consequently , for each of said triads 18 , a closed circuit is formed through which the current needed to weld the wires 12 , 13 flows .
it is clear that modifications and / or additions of parts may be made to the machine for forming a metal mesh as described heretofore , without departing from the field and scope of the present invention .
for example , it comes within the scope of the present invention to provide to use two welding units 17 for each machine 10 , disposed in a specular manner with respect to each other in order to make at least two metal meshes in parallel . this solution therefore provides to use two star type configurations of the three - phase system disposed parallel with respect to each other .
it is also clear that , although in the course of the description specific reference was made to a three - phase system , the present invention also refers to systems having phases with a different number , other than three .
the feed configuration of the lower or upper electrodes is such that , as the upper or lower electrodes activated and brought into contact with the wires to be welded vary , according to the welding pitch to be obtained , the electric circuit between the lower electrode , the wires to be welded and the upper electrode of a triad of longitudinally adjacent electrodes is closed in such a way that all three phases of the three - phase system to which the lower and the upper electrodes are connected are always present .
2 . the machine as in claim 1 , wherein the connection of the lower and upper electrodes is performed according to a star type configuration of said three - phase system .
3 . the machine as in claim 2 , wherein , in the case where the lower electrodes are respectively connected to the phases of the three - phase system , the upper electrodes are connected to the center of said star .
4 . the machine as in claim 1 , wherein the lower electrodes are fixed and the upper electrodes are selectively movable .
5 . the machine as in claim 1 , wherein the upper electrodes are fixed and the lower electrodes are selectively movable .
to selectively move all , or only some of the upper or lower electrodes , according to the welding pitch to be obtained , so that the electric circuit between the lower electrode , the wires to be welded and upper electrode of a triad of longitudinally adjacent electrodes is closed in such a manner that all three phases of the three - phase system are always present .
casting melt - holding vessels , e . g . ladles , tundishes , cups or the like for bottom pouring
a mounting chassis , fixed by locking pivots to the base plate of a tundish in a continuous casting plant , supports an upper nozzle seated in a refractory brick . a replaceable lower nozzle coaxial with the upper nozzle is held in contact with the upper nozzle by a quick - release ring .
the present invention relates to molten steel pouring methods and apparatus , in particular ( but not solely ) for supplying continuous casting moulds .
pouring apparatus constituted by refractory nozzles fixed to the base plate of the liquid steel distribution tundishes provided in continuous casting plants is known . the utility of the nozzles , whose number corresponds to that of the casting lines , lies in the determination of the casting speed which is fixed by their diameter ; this speed may nevertheless be slightly adjusted by modifying the steel level in the distribution tundishes .
it is known that the use of the continuous casting method contributes to decreasing the final cost price of iron and steel plants . for this purpose , the design of the majority of plants enables sequential casting in which the steel ladles are changed using a rotating turret and the distribution tundishes may possibly be changed
on line
without having to reset the machine according to the
dummy billet
method .
sequential casting is a major objective and is carried out in order to achieve both a saving in costs and an increase in the rate of use of the plants . however , the service life of the nozzles of distribution tundishes is a limiting factor with respect to the required performance , and the failure of a nozzle during the sequence is detrimental to production outputs . in order to remedy this drawback
on line
replacement of the steel distribution tundishes is one solution ; however , this operation is difficult in the case of plants having more than four casting lines and is accompanied by a deterioration of production outputs of the metal .
the present invention aims to remedy this difficulty by providing a particularly advantageous solution consisting in positioning , below and against the base plate of distribution tundishes , a static liquid - steel pouring device . the problem can thus be solved by the replacement , during the sequence , of a defective detachable nozzle by a new detachable nozzle .
a detachable nozzle of this type has , in respect of existing nozzles , the advantage of a considerable increase in production and an increased efficiency , enabling the achievement of performances which are normally obtained in sequential casting , whilst ensuring that the cast product has an improved quality , as this nozzle may be changed at any time when its jet becomes prematurely defective .
the discontinued casting line may then be restarted in accordance with the
dummy billet
method .
the present invention accordingly provides a static liquid steel casting method and an apparatus for carrying out the method comprising a mounting chassis positioned below and against the base plate of a distribution tundish for liquid steel , by one or a plurality of connection points , and acting as a component for retaining a liquid steel collector nozzle , inserted in a refractory seating brick of the distribution tundish , and directly below this collector nozzle and in contact with this nozzle there is coaxially disposed a regulator nozzle which is detachable with respect to the collector nozzle and is maintained against the latter by suitable means .
at least one of the nozzles mentioned above may be of monobloc or one - piece design or may be of a compound design with an insert for example of stabilised zirconium oxide or electro - fused alumina .
preferably , at least one of the nozzles has a frusto - conical external surface . however , various shapes and conicities , and different designs of the junction surfaces of the nozzles , may my envisaged . the junction surfaces are preferably constituted by an assembly of plane and curved surface elements in such a way as to advantageously enable the centering of the lower nozzle and to obtain a high degree of leak - tightness between the nozzles during the passage of the molten steel .
the two nozzles preferably have respective frusto - conical external surfaces which are orientated in opposite directions to one another . the use of a mounting having inverted conicity for the seating brick and the upper nozzle may be envisaged in the case of a cold distribution tundish enabling the upper nozzle to be mounted from the top . the lower nozzle may be of the immersed type .
the upper nozzle may be maintained against the seating brick by means of a rapid - locking fastening ring , the ring resting on the chassis . the lower nozzle may be releasably fixed against the upper nozzle by means of a rapid locking ring . the connection between the fastening ring for the upper nozzle and the lower nozzle may be provided by means of a mounting which is fixed with respect to the lower nozzle . this design enables rotation of the lower nozzle to be prevented during locking . rapid locking means include , for example , bayonet , threaded , wedge , or guide block locking means . a refractory joint , for example of ceramic fibre , may be interposed between the holding ring of the upper nozzle and the mounting supporting the lower nozzle .