Abstract: A non-permeable bladder is used for transporting oil within a steel compartment onboard an oil tanker. The bladder is contained within a meso-skeleton suspended within the individual metal tank which causes any force which would otherwise puncture the bladder, to be spread evenly over the exterior of the bladder and causes the fluid within the bladder to be expelled through a check valve into one or more smaller containers which can either be maintained onboard the oil tanker or forced into the water through which the tanker had been moving.

Abstract: A non-permeable bladder is used for transporting oil within a steel compartment onboard an oil tanker. The bladder is contained within a meso-skeleton suspended within the individual metal tank which causes any force which would otherwise puncture the bladder, to be spread evenly over the exterior of the bladder and causes the fluid within the bladder to be expelled through a check valve into one or more smaller containers which can either be maintained onboard the oil tanker or forced into the water through which the tanker had been moving. To provide resistance against terrorism or other acts of war, the upper deck of the tanker has a laminated structure, starting with the upper surface of the tanker down to the bladder, of a layer of steel, a layer of Kevlar, a layer of sodium bicarbonate powder, a second layer of Kevlar, a second layer of steel and then the bladder.

Abstract: A load board adapter which is removably attachable to a load board and provides removable and replaceable sockets for individual integrated circuit packages to provide an electrical connection between the integrated circuits and the circuit tester to facilitate testing of relatively small quantities of electronic devices on high volume testers. The chip sockets can be configured to hold a variety of devices such as a DIP, an SOJ, a TSOP, a ZIF, a PLCC, etc. A first set of contacts are clamped to a main adapter base which is removably securable to a load board or similar test fixture. Each contact within the first set of contacts includes a load board engagement portion which is configured to frictionally engage pad sites on the test fixture. A second portion of each contact within the first set of contacts is configured to engage an individual contact within a second set of contacts. The second contacts are electrically connected to pin receptacles on a substrate such as a printed circuit board.

Abstract: A non-permeable bladder is used for transporting oil within a steel compartment onboard an oil tanker. The bladder is contained within a meso-skeleton suspended within the individual metal tank which causes any force which would otherwise puncture the bladder, to be spread evenly over the exterior of the bladder and causes the fluid within the bladder to be expelled through a check valve into one or more smaller containers which can either be maintained onboard the oil tanker or forced into the water through which the tanker had been moving.

Abstract: A non-permeable bladder is used for transporting oil within a steel compartment onboard an oil tanker. The bladder is contained within a meso-skeleton suspended within the individual metal tank which causes any force which would otherwise puncture the bladder, to be spread evenly over the exterior of the bladder and causes the fluid within the bladder to be expelled through a check valve into one or more smaller containers which can either be maintained onboard the oil tanker or forced into the water through which the tanker had been moving.

Abstract: A load board adapter which is removably attachable to a load board and provides removable and replaceable sockets for individual integrated circuit packages to provide an electrical connection between the integrated circuits and the circuit tester to facilitate testing of relatively small quantities of electronic devices on high volume testers. The chip sockets can be configured to hold a variety of devices such as a DIP, an SOJ, a TSOP, a ZIF, a PLCC, etc. A first set of contacts are clamped to a main adapter base which is removably securable to a load board or similar test fixture. Each contact within the first set of contacts includes a load board engagement portion which is configured to frictionally engage pad sites on the test fixture. A second portion of each contact within the first set of contacts is configured to engage an individual contact within a second set of contacts. The second contacts are electrically connected to pin receptacles on a substrate such as a printed circuit board.

Abstract: An apparatus for opening the locks of a cassette, wherein the cassette is comprised of a plurality of structural elements, and wherein the locks have an actuation area, comprising a base, an actuation element and a plurality of positioning elements wherein at least one of the positioning elements is disposed upon the base such that when at least one structural element of the cassette abuts the positioning element, the actuation element may contact the actuation area of the locks.

Abstract: An adjustable nut for mounting a movable working assembly to a lead screw having a longitudinal axis and a thread, and methods for adjusting lead screw nuts. In one embodiment, the adjustable nut has a first member, a second member and an adjustment assembly. The first and second members of this embodiment are configured to threadably engage the thread on the lead screw. The second member can be coupled to the first member to prevent relative rotation between the first and second members, and to allow axial displacement between the first and second members along the longitudinal axis of the lead screw. The adjustment assembly of this embodiment includes a biasing element coupled to the first and second members to exert an axial drive force with respect to the longitudinal axis of the lead screw that drives the first and second members apart from one another.

Abstract: An apparatus for removing parts from socketed tape sealed with sealing tape. The apparatus comprises a head assembly having a channel extending therein for receiving the socketed tape for movement toward an exit of the channel, an orifice extending between the channel and a lower surface of the head assembly, the orifice positioned so that advancement of the sealing tape through the orifice causes the socketed tape to advance through the channel toward the exit of the channel and gravity causes the parts to fall from the socketed tape, and a part receiving station between the orifice and the exit of the channel for receiving the parts that fall from the socketed tape.

Abstract: A method for removing parts from socketed tape sealed with sealing tape. The method comprises placing the socketed tape sealed with sealing tape in a channel with the socket openings facing the lower surface of the channel, stripping the sealing tape from the socketed tape through an orifice in the lower surface of the channel, and collecting the parts as the parts fall free from the socketed tape.

Abstract: A wafer stand for facilitating the inspection, testing, and handling of large-diameter silicon wafers, such as those having a diameter of 8 inches (200 mm), during semiconductor processing and assembly. The stand consists of a lower plate or pedestal, a plurality of adjustable legs mounted thereon, and an upper plate mounted on the upper end of the legs. The top plate has an access aperture of a diameter coinciding approximately with that of the wafer, and can be adjusted such that the attitude and/or height of the upper plate in relation to the pedestal can be varied. In one embodiment, the front leg of the stand may be removed to provide better access to the bottom of the wafer. The upper plate is also provided with a pair of parallel tracks into which a wafer mounting frame can be slid to position the wafer over the access aperture. The wafer stand is constructed so as to permit its temporary mounting to a workbench or table, yet is fully transportable by one person.

Abstract: This invention relates to a fuel supply system for an engine having a main fuel flow scheduling device, an auxiliary fuel flow scheduling device, a power demand adjuster operative to adjust both scheduling device, and a failure detector capable of detecting failure of the main scheduling device and of making the auxiliary scheduling device operative to control fuel flow to the engine following such failure. In the past, fuel systems of this kind have given an abrupt change of fuel flow on changeover to the auxiliary scheduling device giving the possibility of damage to the engine and danger to human life.In the present invention a metering valve 201 forms part of the auxiliary scheduling device 201, 246, 209, 221, 222, 231, 232, 233, 234 for continuous adjustment of the flow to the engine permitted by the main scheduling device 184.

Abstract: A sewage relief valve includes a cylindrical housing mounted on the upper end of an upper end of a riser connected to a sewer line, the housing includes a cylindrical through-bore with the upper end of the bore sealed by means of a dome cover held in place by a resilient O-ring, and a float supported beneath the housing on a lift linkage is responsive to rise with the level of liquid in the riser for forcing the cover from the end of the housing thereby relieving the sewage line. The lift linkage means is supported within the housing by support means which permits the linkage to be lifted and carried upward out of the housing by the float means when liquid flows therethrough.

Abstract: An improved filter mask having a laterally pleated filter medium and a stiffening member parallel to and in the vicinity of the pleats. Lateral opening of the pleats causes the stiffening members to bow outwardly and support the filter medium away from the nose and mouth of the wearer thereby providing greater filtering efficiency and wearer comfort.