Abstract: A surface cleaning head includes a housing having a front side and back side, a brush roll rotatably mounted to the housing within a suction conduit and having at least a portion proximate the opening of the suction conduit, a leading roller mounted to the housing in front of the brush roll, and a drive mechanism operatively coupled to the brush roll and the leading roller for driving the brush roll and the leading roller at same time. The brush roll includes an agitator body and a first bristle/flap arrangement comprising a first deformable flap extending from the agitator body and a first bristle strip and/or row of tufts extending from the agitator body and disposed adjacent to the first deformable flap. The first deformable flap is disposed at an aggressive angle and the first bristle strip and/or row of tufts is arranged at a passive angle.

Abstract: Generating a recipe for controlling a polishing system includes receiving a target removal profile that includes a target thickness to remove for a plurality of locations on a substrate that are angularly distributed around the substrate, and storing a first function defining a polishing rate for a zone from a plurality of pressurizable zones of a carrier head that are angularly distributed around a the carrier head. The first function defines polishing rates as a function of pressures. For each particular zone of the plurality of zones a recipe defining a pressure for the particular zone over time is calculated by calculating an expected thickness profile after polishing using the first function, and minimizing a cost function that incorporates a first term representing a difference between the expected thickness profile and a target thickness profile.

Abstract: A tapered buffer for a cable joint comprising a threaded collar adapted to be screwed onto a complementary threaded end portion of a rigid housing, a helical spring attached at one end to the collar and a conical resilient body moulded over and extending beyond the free end of the spring, the buffer having a bore adapted to be a close sliding fit over the cable, wherein the pitch of the spring coils is varied along the axis of the spring to provide a controlled degree of flex for the cable entering the joint.

Abstract: A split block cable stopper comprises several split blocks (FIG. 1) each defining a bore (3, 3A) whose diameter normal to the split is slightly less than the diameter of the cable being handled. The split blocks are pivotally mounted so that they can be moved away from the cable axis to enable a repeater or joint housing to pass freely through the cable stopper.

Abstract: A stranded wire strength member (2, 3) has a cable locking element (4) lying in the interstice between adjacent wires of the strength member. The locking element is of mild steel and has a surface coating (4a) of carbide grit which locks the adjacent wires of the strength member together in the region of a welded joint, to improve the load sharing capacity of the wires of the strength member.

Abstract: A joint assembly for an underwater optical fibre cable provides a limited-movement sliding clamp arrangement for the kingwire ends (9, 11). The sea casing provides the main tensile strength member of the joint and a split liner provides the main compressive strength of the joint. Tapered clamps (22, 12, 27) are incorporated into bulkheads of the joint assembly and coupled with ring nuts which screw into the sea casing and cause the bulkhead to abut the split liner. First and second parallel storage plates (1,5) store excess fibre and fibre splices.

Abstract: A cable anchorage for anchoring a submarine cable wire strength member comprises conically tapered parts (2,4,5), at least one of which has a surface (2C, 4B), roughened by tungsten carbine grit evenly distributed over and firmly bonded to the surface, prior to assembly of the parts of the anchorage. The grit size is chosen so that a sufficient locking mechanism is achieved but the grit indentations in the wire strength member are not deep enough to weaken the wires (3B, 3C).

Abstract: An aeration/mixing apparatus for a water body has a centrally located circular manifold and a plurality of evenly spaced, peripherally located air output connectors is positioned over a base plate. The manifold is supported a fixed distance above the plate and a plurality of microporous diffuser tubes inserted in the output connectors. The plate is at least coextensive with the tubes. The apparatus is placed in the bottom sediment of a water body and air supplied to the manifold. Air escaping from the diffuser tubes creates an upwelling convection current which mixes oxygen in the water by direct contact with the air. The base plate isolates the turbulent water at the diffuser assembly from the loose bottom sediment thereby preventing stirring of such sediments and concomitent resuspension of oxygen depleting nutrients into the water.

Abstract: Process for the treatment of Reverse Osmosis membranes to extend their storage life when immersed in water by the addition of magnesium calcium or sodium ions to the water.