Abstract: A convertible car seat that can take on a variety of configurations. These include seat, shelf, document case and flat configurations. The convertible seat is made up of two surfaces, one of a seat and one of a backrest. These are supported by two frames which are symmetrical with respect to a horizontal frame. The frames are made of rigid elements. The elements are connected by joints at each end to create a unit of four axles which permit folding the rigid elements to various configurations.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus for the recovery of salt from a glycerine process, allowing the salt to be used in a brine solution. A salt settling tank is positioned inline between the foots from a crude still bottom and a foot still. Salt settles to the bottom of the settling tank and into a salt receiver positioned below, while clarified liquid overflows to the foot still. Salt from the salt receiver is then semi-continuously transferred into a salt extractor where the salt is removed from the mother liquor. A condensate is then circulated into the salt extractor and the salt slurry is then stored in a brine storage tank.

Abstract: A shell and tube heat exchanger has at least one baffle to support the tubes within the casing of the heat exchanger, wherein the baffle intersects the inner casing wall along a substantial portion of the arc. The baffle has a bypass through which flows at least a portion of the fluid flowing into the casing and around the baffle. At least a portion of the bypass is outside of the casing. This flow of fluid through the bypass reduces pressure drop through the heat exchanger and also reduces to some extent, points adjacent to the baffles where fluid flow may stagnate.

Abstract: The invention concerns an off-road vehicle, in particular of the amphibious type, having a left wheel-train (6, 7, 8) and a right wheel-train, arranged to propel the vehicle on both land and water, propulsion resources (10) to drive the said wheel trains, and mobile control resources (15) capable of supplying at least one control signal as a function of their position. The said propulsion resources include a first electric motor capable of driving the left wheel-train, a second electric motor capable of driving the right wheel-train, and synchronisation resources (16) to synchronise the two electric motors as a function of the control signal.

Abstract: An actuator for pressing a plurality of circuit contacts carried on a microcircuit package against a plurality of test contacts has a frame having a top surface and a bottom surface facing away from the top surface. The frame has first and second end slots each intersecting the top surface at opposite ends thereof. A loader foot is carried by the frame's bottom surface for applying force to a microcircuit. First and second latch elements, each respectively mounted within the frame's first and second end slots are each shiftable between a latched position and an unlatched position within the frame's first and second slots, each said latch element when in the latched position for gripping an edge of an alignment plate and when in the unlatched position for releasing the alignment plate. An actuator element mounted on the frame's top surface receives manual force and converts the received manual force to force applied to the latch elements to shift the latch elements between the latched and unlatched positions.

Abstract: An apparatus for and method of utilizing an internet terminal coupled to the world wide web to request analysis of data from an existing proprietary data base management system having a dialog-based request format. The user has an assigned security profile specifying the data base management system access privileges permitted. This security profile may be readily changed by a system administrator. The administrator selects the user for whom the security profile is to be changed from a menu. The security profile change is specified on an HTML page and forwarded to the data wizard security service. This service generates script for accomplishing the specified change.

Abstract: A flowmeter has a variable area, vertically-oriented duct through which flows fluid whose flow rate is to be determined. A float in the duct assumes a position in the duct that depends on the flow rate of fluid in the duct. A window is located at an end of the duct in alignment with a longitudinal axis of the duct. A transducer unit projects a light beam through the window and along the axis toward the float. The transducer includes a light sensor that detects light returned by the float by reflection or some other mechanism to the transducer unit. The intensity or other characteristic of the returned light indicates the position of the float in the duct, from which the fluid flow rate may be determined.

Abstract: An apparatus for and method of temporarily, or permanently, saving the current computational data as a table within a legacy data base management system for later use within the current computational service or for use in a following computational service. In particular, the apparatus enables the generation of XML output documents with computational data from more than one source. The DTD, IDT, and other key conversion components may be stored within a repository of the legacy data base management system.

Abstract: The invention concerns a retractable roof for a motor vehicle, comprising at least one front roof element and one rear roof element (4), rigid and able to be moved between a closed position in which they cover the vehicle cabin (2) and a storage position in which they are stored in the rear boot (3) of the vehicle, the rear element being arranged so as to be moved by means of pivoting arms and guided by runners (19) extending in the boot. This roof comprises a first arm (7) articulated transversely to the plane of symmetry of the vehicle, at a first (8) of its ends on the vehicle chassis and at its second end (12) on a first end of a second arm (13) articulated at its second end (14) on the said rear element, also transversely to the plane of symmetry of the vehicle.

Abstract: A method of and apparatus for efficiently managing video programming services by a provider of video on demand services in response to requests from cable television subscribers. The system is controlled by a multimedia application server. Upon receipt of a request, the multimedia application server searches for the most appropriate means of satisfying the request. If the requested program is already being provided, the streaming occurs from the same video server, if capacity is available. If the program already exists in streamable form, it is streamed from that location. If the requested program must be transferred to video server memory, the available space is found to accommodate the transfer or existing programming is swapped out.

Abstract: An apparatus for and method of processing a digital certificate by a legacy data base management system within its legacy security facility. The digital certificate is defined by accepted international standards and is presented to the legacy data base management system after being unpacked and stored within a temporary file. This permits the legacy data base management system to fully utilize and benefit from the digital certificate technology, even though it possesses an incompatible security facility.

Abstract: An apparatus for and method of enhancing throughput within a cluster lock processing system having a relatively large number of commodity cluster instruction processors which are arranged in redundant fashion to improve reliability. Because the commodity processors have virtually no system viability features such as memory protection, failure recovery, etc., the cluster/lock processors assume the responsibility for providing these functions. The low cost of the commodity cluster instruction processors makes the system almost linearly scalable. The cluster/locking, caching, and mass storage accessing functions are fully integrated into a single hardware platform which performs the role of the cluster/lock master. Upon failure of this hardware platform, a second redundant hardware platform converts from slave to master role. The logic for the failure detection and role swapping is placed within software, which can run as an application under a commonly available operating system.

Abstract: An apparatus for and method of providing failure recovery from redundancy, notwithstanding that the failed subsystem and its replacement have differing capacities. This is especially useful when implementing a cluster lock processing system having a relatively large number of commodity instruction processors which are managed by a highly scalable, cluster lock manager. Reliability is built into the managing communication processor by dividing the system into master and slave subsystems. The master has primary responsibility for system management and coordination, whereas the slave has primary responsibility to backup the master and be prepared to assume management responsibility. Upon the need to transfer responsibility from the master to the slave, whether it be manual (e.g., maintenance) or automatic (e.g., failure), the only concern is that the slave has sufficient capacity to accept the current level of processing, even though it does not have the same level of capacity as the master.

Abstract: An expandable and collapsible table for use with a miter saw or for recreational use. A support structure includes a truss that is expandable and collapsible in the horizontal direction. A pair of expansion leaves are pivotally connected to opposing sides of the support structure. A support arm and extension arm work in combination with a locking mechanism to maintain the expansion leaves in the horizontal position or alternatively to allow the expansion leaves to collapse to a vertical position.

Abstract: Apparatus for improving the rigidity of a vehicle structure, and particularly a vehicle having a retractable roof. The apparatus includes an electromagnet carried by either an edge of a door of the vehicle that swings outwardly when the door is open, or by an opposing edge of bodywork of the vehicle which faces the edge of the door when the door is closed. The electromagnet serves as a first element which, when the door is closed, is positioned opposite a second element made of a magnetic material. One of the elements is able to move toward the other element when the electromagnet is provided with an electric current. One of the elements is provided with a protuberance formed in the shape of a truncated cone, and the other element is provided with an axially-aligned recess which has a size and shape to receive the protuberance therein.

Abstract: An apparatus for and method of processing a service request via a legacy data base management system to produce a response. The response is converted from the internal format of the legacy data base management system into an XML document which is transferred via the Internet to a user.

Abstract: An apparatus for and method of enhancing reliability within a cluster lock processing system having a relatively large number of commodity cluster instruction processors which are managed by a cluster lock manager. Because the commodity processors have virtually no system viability features such as memory protection, failure recovery, etc., the cluster/lock processors assume the responsibility for providing these functions. The low cost of the commodity cluster instruction processors makes the system almost linearly scalable. The cluster/locking, caching, and mass storage accessing functions are fully integrated into a single hardware platform which performs the role of the master. Upon failure of this hardware platform, a second redundant hardware platform converts from slave to master role. The logic for the failure detection and role swapping is placed within software, which can run as an application under a commonly available operating system.

Abstract: A tool for scribing a longitudinal groove on an elongate cylindrical rod suitable for implanting as a prosthetic in a living being supports the rod in a linear groove on a bed of a frame of the tool. A track is mounted on the frame and runs parallel to the groove. A carrier mounted on the track can slide on the track in constant spaced relation to and along the groove. A scribe mounted on the carrier extends toward the groove to contact a rod in the predetermined position. A preferred version of the tool has a clamp mounted on the bed for clamping the rod in the predetermined position. Additional features allow for precise angular positioning of the rod and for scribing a dashed line on the rod. In use, the tool operator places the rod in the predetermined position in the groove. The scribe is then pressed into contact with the rod. While the scribe is in pressed contact with the rod, the operator slides the carrier along the track.

Abstract: An apparatus for and method of enhancing reliability within a cluster lock processing system having a relatively large number of commodity cluster instruction processors which are managed by a cluster lock manager. Because the commodity processors have virtually no system viability features such as memory protection, failure recovery, etc., the communication processor assumes the responsibility for providing these functions. The low cost of the commodity cluster instruction processors makes the system almost linearly scalable. The cluster/locking, caching, and mass storage accessing functions are fully integrated into a single hardware platform which performs the role of the cluster/lock master. Upon failure of this hardware platform, a second redundant hardware platform converts from slave to master role. The logic for the failure detection and role swapping is placed within software, which can run as an application under a commonly available operating system.

Abstract: The present invention is a combination flexible planar item and character. The item comprises a flexible planar item, that when manipulated, takes on the appearance of a character. The character is formed by a character body that becomes defined from the manipulation of the planar item. The planar item has an exterior surface and at least one character feature that is present on the exterior surface of the item. When correctly manipulated, the combination of at least one character feature and the character body provide the appearance of a character.