Abstract: A device for a steel tube designed to be secured on a portion of the tube used in a tubular hydrocarbon column includes a substantially cylindrical envelope extending along a longitudinal axis and designed to surround the box portion of the first steel tube and the envelope forming an opened ring so that a circumferential gap subsists between two free ends of the envelope; and a locking mechanism fixed to the envelope in the vicinity of the circumferential gap and configured to bring the free ends of the envelope closer to each other in a locked position.

Abstract: Securing system intended to secure a cable to a tube for a tubular column for oil & gas, energy, or storage applications, said securing system comprising: a bearing surface and an outside surface, the bearing surface being turned inwardly, said bearing surface defining an inside housing for the tube, the outside surface being turned outward relative to the bearing surface, a tube fixing mechanism having an open state and a closed state, the tube fixing mechanism being configured to fix the securing system on the tube in the closed state of the tube fixing mechanism, the tube being housed in the inside housing in said closed state of the tube fixing mechanism, said tube fixing mechanism being mobile relative to the tube in an open state of the tube fixing mechanism; said tube fixing mechanism comprises a band, the band extending along a longitudinal axis, the band extending radially, the band extending around the tube, said band forming the bearing surface.

Abstract: A securing system intended to secure a cable to a tube for a tubular column for oil & gas, energy, or storage applications, the securing system includes a first ring configured to bear against the tube, a second ring configured to bear against the tube, and a central body arranged and blocked in relative displacement along a longitudinal axis between the first ring and the second ring. The securing system includes a cable securing mechanism having an outside housing for securing the cable, said outside housing having an opening for receiving through said opening the cable in the outside housing, said opening of the outside housing being arranged on an outside surface of the securing system, said outside surface being turned outwardly relative to an inside housing of the securing system, said inside housing being configured to house the tube.

Abstract: A bitumen cutback composition is described substantially comprising Compound A with a formula: R1-X—R2??[COMPOUND A] where R1 is alkyl or phenyl hydrocarbon group; X is an O—C?O group; and R2 is a C1-C13 hydrocarbon chain branched or non-branched, with none, one, or more than one, oxygen interruption(s). The bitumen cutback composition may comprise: alkyl esters of fatty acids, esters of trihydroxy alcohols, mono ester, or di, or tri, hydroxy alcohols, phenyl alkyl esters, phenoxy alcohols and their esters, ether alcohols and their esters, and combinations thereof. Cutback bitumen mixtures are described comprising bitumen; and bitumen cutback composition. The cutback bitumen mixtures may be configured as a hot mix composition; a cold mix composition; or an emulsion, the emulsion further comprising an aqueous compound. Methods of temporarily reducing a viscosity of bitumen and methods of applying bitumen to a substrate are also described.

Abstract: A bitumen cutback composition is described substantially comprising Compound A with a formula: R1-X—R2??[COMPOUND A] where R1 is alkyl or phenyl hydrocarbon group; X is an O—C?O group; and R2 is a C1-C13 hydrocarbon chain branched or non-branched, with none, one, or more than one, oxygen interruption(s). The bitumen cutback composition may comprise: alkyl esters of fatty acids, esters of trihydroxy alcohols, mono ester, or di, or tri, hydroxy alcohols, phenyl alkyl esters, phenoxy alcohols and their esters, ether alcohols and their esters, and combinations thereof. Cutback bitumen mixtures are described comprising bitumen; and bitumen cutback composition. The cutback bitumen mixtures may be configured as a hot mix composition; a cold mix composition; or an emulsion, the emulsion further comprising an aqueous compound. Methods of temporarily reducing a viscosity of bitumen and methods of applying bitumen to a substrate are also described.

Abstract: A device for a steel tube designed to be secured on a portion of the tube used in a tubular hydrocarbon column includes a substantially cylindrical envelope extending along a longitudinal axis and designed to surround the box portion of the first steel tube and the envelope forming an opened ring so that a circumferential gap subsists between two free ends of the envelope; and a locking mechanism fixed to the envelope in the vicinity of the circumferential gap and configured to bring the free ends of the envelope closer to each other in a locked position.

Abstract: A bitumen cutback composition is described substantially comprising Compound A with a formula: R1-X—R2??[COMPOUND A] where R1 is alkyl or phenyl hydrocarbon group; X is an O—C?O group; and R2 is a C1-C13 hydrocarbon chain branched or non-branched, with none, one, or more than one, oxygen interruption(s). The bitumen cutback composition may comprise: alkyl esters of fatty acids, esters of trihydroxy alcohols, mono ester, or di, or tri, hydroxy alcohols, phenyl alkyl esters, phenoxy alcohols and their esters, ether alcohols and their esters, and combinations thereof. Cutback bitumen mixtures are described comprising bitumen; and bitumen cutback composition. The cutback bitumen mixtures may be configured as a hot mix composition; a cold mix composition; or an emulsion, the emulsion further comprising an aqueous compound. Methods of temporarily reducing a viscosity of bitumen and methods of applying bitumen to a substrate are also described.

Abstract: Protective device for a male end portion of a steel tube for use in a tubular hydrocarbon working string, the device including a cylindrical sleeve body having a main axis and defining an inner cavity intended to receive the male end portion, an engagement portion having the cylindrical sleeve body is split axially in at least two shells being held together by a junction, and the engagement portion is so configured to separate the at least two shells under exertion of a predefined axial force on a first or second engagement surface.

Abstract: Protective device for a male end portion of a steel tube for use in a tubular hydrocarbon working string, the device including a cylindrical sleeve body having a main axis and defining an inner cavity intended to receive the male end portion, an engagement portion having the cylindrical sleeve body is split axially in at least two shells being held together by a junction, and the engagement portion is so configured to separate the at least two shells under exertion of a predefined axial force on a first or second engagement surface.

Abstract: This device (2) for a coupling box portion (20) of a steel tube (4) intended for use in a tubular hydrocarbon working string includes a cylindrical sleeve portion (28) defining an inner cavity (60) intended to receive the coupling box portion (20). The protective device (2) is so configured to surround the coupling box portion (20).

Abstract: System and methods are disclosed that facilitate the rapid and automated delivery of feedback concerning a potential real estate transaction involving a selected real estate asset. A server is employed to process real estate data and investment criteria to precompute, for each real estate asset of a set of real estate assets, one or more investment assessment measures. Having precomputed the investment assessment measures for the set of real estate assets, investment feedback pertaining to a specific real estate asset may be rapidly transmitted in response to a query from a user of a remote computing device. In some example embodiments, the server is configured to adaptively generate and store one or more investment assessment measures in the event that the query received from the user pertains to a real estate asset that is not a member of the set of real estate assets having associated precomputed investment assessment measures.

Abstract: A device to assist with untying rope knots comprises an elongate body having a first end and a second end. There is an enlarged tip portion extending from the first end of the elongate body. The enlarged tip portion increases in diameter from a proximal end thereof to an intermediate portion and decreases in diameter from the intermediate portion to a distal end thereof. The enlarged tip portion is configured to be inserted into a loose knot in a rope so that the enlarged tip portion inhibits the device from slipping out of the knot after the knot is tightened. When removing the device from the knot, the enlarged tip portion further expands the knot relative to the elongate body so as to facilitate untying the knot.

Abstract: Systems and methods related to passive variable pitch propellers are described. For example, an aerial vehicle may include one or more passive variable pitch propellers, and such propellers may include one or more passively movable propeller blades having respective hinges, flexible joints, or torsionally flexible joints. Based at least in part on current flight configurations, required thrust, and/or desired advance ratios, the passively movable propeller blades may modify their coning angles and/or pitches, such that the passive variable pitch propellers may operate with improved efficiency in two or more flight configurations. For example, in a VTOL flight configuration, the passive variable pitch propellers may have increased coning angles and decreased pitches, whereas in a horizontal flight configuration, the passive variable pitch propellers may have decreased coning angles and increased pitches.

Abstract: Bitumen cutback agents include esters, preferably methyl esters in the range C6 to C14, preferably C8 to C12. The methyl esters may be sourced from organic oils, such as coconut or palm kernel oil. The cutback agent shows improved performance over prior cutback agents such as kerosene.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a flat bread dough composition, comprising: A) flour; B) shortening; C) water; and D) a leavening system having a leavening base and a leavening acid having a combination selected from the group consisting of a) sodium aluminum phosphate and dicalcium phosphate dihydrate; b) sodium aluminum phosphate and sodium acid pyrophosphate; c) sodium acid pyrophosphate and dicalcium phosphate dihydrate; d) sodium acid pyrophosphate, monocalcium phosphate, and calcium acid pyrophosphate; e) dicalcium phosphate dehydrate, monocalcium phosphate, and calcium acid pyrophosphate; f) sodium aluminum phosphate, sodium acid pyrophosphate, and dicalcium phosphate dihydrate; g) sodium aluminum sulfate and dicalcium phosphate dihydrate; and h) sodium aluminum sulfate and sodium acid pyrophosphate, the sodium acid pyrophosphate exhibiting an evolved percentage of carbon dioxide of about 30 or less at room temperature prior to baking, and the slower reacting of the leavening acids in the combination

Abstract: There is disclosed a road crack repair system for mounting on a vehicle. The system includes a sealant applicator that is positionable in front of the vehicle, the sealant applicator having a sealant outlet for discharging a molten sealant product above a crack in a road surface, and a trowel that is adjacent the sealant outlet and is arranged to contact the road surface and spread sealant product into and over the crack; a vessel within which to store a molten sealant product, and a conduit for delivering sealant product from the vessel to the sealant outlet; a support that is arranged to support the applicator in front of the vehicle with the trowel in contact with the road surface; and a control system that is operable by an operator to displace the applicator along road surface to follow a crack with advancement of the vehicle in a forward direction.

Abstract: Apparatus for modifying bitumen. The apparatus includes a multi-section loop tube reactor A circulation pump (11) circulates bitumen in the reactor (10) and air is introduced at air injection point (13). Bitumen is introduced into the reactor (10) at inlet (14) by variable speed pump P1. A plurality of mixers (15) are located between the air injection point (13) and a head section (24) beyond which is an outlet (27) where modified bitumen is drawn off by variable speed pump P2.

Abstract: A self-rising dough-containing food product, particularly pizza, in which a non-yeast containing leavening system is combined with an uncooked dough in the presence of a moisture retention agent and dough conditioners to provide a frozen raw food product that may be cooked directly from the freezer in a microwave oven. The dough in the self-rising dough containing food product reaches full development in shorter mixing times at lower mixing speeds than conventional dough-containing products.

Abstract: A speaker assembly aimable relative to a remote target. The speaker assembly comprising a sound generating device configured to project sound in a sound pattern about a sound axis. A speaker aiming device is coupled to the sound generating device for use in visually aiming the sound generating device relative to the remote target. The speaker aiming device having first and second aiming portions spaced apart from each other and positioned along an aiming axis in a fixed orientation relative to the sound axis. The first and second aiming portions being positioned to allow a user to visually see along the aiming axis past the first and second portions aiming device to the remote target.

Abstract: A robust process for the continuous preparation of solutions of high molecular weight UHMW PO that is capable of producing strong materials at high production capacity, is conservative of capital and energy requirements, and the articles made therefrom.