Abstract: Autonomous underwater vehicles are described that are stackable with other like autonomous underwater vehicles on a suitable launch platform, such as within a vertical missile launch tube of a submarine, waiting to be deployed into the water. The underwater vehicles can be deployed or launched individually, in groups, or all together into the water. While stacked together, the stacked autonomous underwater vehicles can connect to one another or to external structure of the launch platform. In addition, the underwater vehicles can be positively buoyant or can be made to have controllable buoyancy to allow the underwater vehicles to float up and out of the launch platform during deployment without an external deployment force.

Abstract: Autonomous underwater vehicles are described that are stackable with other like autonomous underwater vehicles on a suitable launch platform, such as within a vertical missile launch tube of a submarine, waiting to be deployed into the water. The underwater vehicles can be deployed or launched individually, in groups, or all together into the water. While stacked together, the stacked autonomous underwater vehicles can connect to one another or to external structure of the launch platform. In addition, the underwater vehicles can be positively buoyant or can be made to have controllable buoyancy to allow the underwater vehicles to float up and out of the launch platform during deployment without an external deployment force.

Abstract: A method of forming a rope material from a loose feed scrap includes a number of operations to mechanically bind the loose feed scrap. The feed scrap is collected. The feed scrap is twisted and compressed, operations that may be performed simultaneously. This twisted and compressed feed scrap, now in the form of a rope material, is then fed into a melter system.

Abstract: Autonomous underwater vehicles are described that are stackable with other like autonomous underwater vehicles on a suitable launch platform, such as within a vertical missile launch tube of a submarine, waiting to be deployed into the water. The underwater vehicles can be deployed or launched individually, in groups, or all together into the water. While stacked together, the stacked autonomous underwater vehicles can connect to one another or to external structure of the launch platform. In addition, the underwater vehicles can be positively buoyant or can be made to have controllable buoyancy to allow the underwater vehicles to float up and out of the launch platform during deployment without an external deployment force.

Abstract: Liquid is delivered into a void between a burner and a melt vessel, which causes a skull of a material to form within an interior of the melt vessel. The void is in fluidic communication with the interior of the melt vessel. The burner is moved from a first position internal to the void to a second position external from the void. Thereafter, the burner is isolated from the void.

Abstract: Combustion burner panels, submerged combustion melters including one or more of the panels, and methods of using the same are disclosed. In certain embodiments, the burner panel includes a panel body having a first major surface defined by a lower fluid-cooled portion of the panel body, and a second major surface defined by an upper non-fluid cooled portion of the panel body. The panel body has at least one through passage extending from the first to the second major surface, the through passages accommodating a set of substantially concentric inner and outer conduits. The inner conduit forms a primary passage for fuel or oxidant, and the outer conduit forms a secondary passage between the outer conduit and the inner conduit for fuel or oxidant. A protective member is associated with each set. The burner panels promote burner life and melter campaign length.

Abstract: Combustion burner panels, submerged combustion melters including one or more of the panels, and methods of making the same are disclosed. In certain embodiments, the burner panel includes a panel body having first and second major surfaces, at least one oxidant through-passage extending from the first to the second major surface, and at least one fuel through-passage extending from the first to the second major surface. Oxidant and fuel delivery conduits are positioned in the respective passages. The oxidant and fuel delivery conduits include proximal and distal ends, at least some of the distal ends positioned away from the first major surface of the panel body. In other embodiments the burner panels include a frame enclosing a porous material having through passages for fuel and oxidant. The burner panels may enable delaying combustion in a submerged combustion melter, and therefore promote burner life and melter campaign length.

Abstract: A portion of a submerged combustion burner is disposed into a pressure vessel. The portion of the submerged combustion burner has a welded area that has a first microstructure defined by a first number of voids. The vessel is filled with an inert gas, pressurized, and heated. Pressurizing and heating operations are performed for a time and at a temperature and a pressure sufficient to produce a second microstructure in the welded area of the burner. The second microstructure is defined by a second number of voids less than the first number of voids.

Abstract: Submerged combustion glass manufacturing systems and methods include a melter having a floor, a roof, a wall structure connecting the floor and roof, and one or more submerged combustion burners mounted in the floor, roof, and/or wall structure discharging combustion products including water vapor under a level of material being melted in the melter and create turbulent conditions in the material. The floor, roof, or wall structure may include fluid-cooled refractory material and an optional metallic external shell, or the metallic shell may include coolant passages. One or more conduits drain water condensed from the water vapor from regions of refractory material substantially saturated with the water, and/or from burner supports.

Abstract: Submerged combustion burners having improved fuel and oxidant mixing characteristics. Submerged combustion melters including the burners. Methods of using submerged combustion melters to melt glass-forming materials and produce molten glass.

Abstract: Methods and systems for facilitating detecting features in sensor data are described. One example method implemented by a computing device includes receiving a first set of sensor data about a geographical region, and generating a second set of sensor data. The first set of sensor data includes data in a plurality of bands. The second set of sensor data is generated by receiving a first input designating a first sub-region of the geographical region, and determining a single band representation of at least a portion of the first set of sensor data associated with the first sub-region.

Abstract: Submerged combustion burners having a burner body and a burner tip body connected thereto. The burner body has an external conduit and a first internal conduit substantially concentric therewith. The external conduit and first internal conduit form an annulus for passing a cooling fluid there between. A second internal conduit substantially concentric with the external conduit forms a second annulus between the first and second internal conduits. A burner tip body is connected to the burner body at ends of the external and first internal conduits. The burner tip body includes a generally central flow passage for a combustible mixture, the flow passage defined by an inner wall of the burner tip body. The burner tip body further has an outer wall and a crown connecting the inner and outer walls. The crown includes at least one physical convolution sufficient to increase surface area and fatigue resistance of the crown.

Abstract: An item stabilizer configured to prevent lateral movement of an item (such as a product-supporting pallet) in a transport container. The item stabilizer includes a first item side engager, a second item side engager, and a connector attached to each of the item side engagers such that an item can be positioned on the connector between the item side engagers. The item stabilizer is configured to prevent movement of the item by engaging opposite sides of the item while the weight of the item and any products thereon or therein rest on the connector, thereby preventing the connector and the item side engagers themselves from moving laterally. Each item side engager respectively extends between one side of the item and one of the side walls of the transport container to limit the lateral movement of the item. Multiple item stabilizers can work together to hold an item in place.

Abstract: A shipping container load securer including a pallet and a box connected to the pallet and filled with a filler, wherein the pallet and the box are substantially the same size and shape as a standardized crate used to package goods for transport in shipping containers. The load securer fills voids in partially filled shipping containers, enabling the shipping container to be tightly packed and preventing the movement of goods-filled crates during transport to minimize damage to the goods in the crates in the shipping container, while not substantially increasing the weight of the container.

Abstract: The present invention provides a means for mounting a distance magnification device such as binoculars and a visual recording device such as a camera, simultaneously on a single recording device mount. The embodiment provides a means of configuring the distance magnification device and the visual recording device such that both may be trained on a common focal point. An example embodiment comprises a primary mounting means having a base and a substantially vertical, longitudinal member. A secondary vertical member is engaged with the primary mounting means and includes an interference means to engage the members along a longitudinal range of motion. The secondary vertical member includes a horizontal shaft including a knob at the proximal end and an engagement means at the distal end, providing engagement with a common fitting found on many binoculars. The secondary vertical member further comprises an engagement means for engaging with the visual recording device.

Abstract: A shock absorption and restraint apparatus including a plurality of co-acting cushioned pads which create a protective shock absorbing barrier for a load in a railroad car (or other shipping container) and a set of straps which are employed to restrain the cushioned pads and the load. In certain embodiments, the cushioned pads include one or more central or connector cushioned pads and one or more side or cooperating cushioned pads. In certain embodiments, the cushioned pads include strap engaging mechanisms which are configured to be engaged by the straps. The cushioned pads are preferably lightweight, easy to handle and install, recyclable, and readily reusable. In certain embodiments, the cushioned pads are configured, sized, and constructed in such a way to protect the specific load in the railroad car.

Abstract: A shipping container load securer including a pallet and a box connected to the pallet and filled with a filler, wherein the pallet and the box are substantially the same size and shape as a standardized crate used to package goods for transport in shipping containers. The load securer fills voids in partially filled shipping containers, enabling the shipping container to be tightly packed and preventing the movement of goods-filled crates during transport to minimize damage to the goods in the crates in the shipping container, while not substantially increasing the weight of the container.

Abstract: The present invention provides a means for mounting a distance magnification device such as binoculars and a recording device such as cameras, perpendicular to the recording device mount base; simultaneously, on a single recording device mount. The embodiment provides a means of configuring distance magnification devices such as binoculars and a visual recording device such that both may be trained on a common focal point. An example embodiment comprises a primary mounting means having a base and a substantially vertical, longitudinal member. A secondary vertical member is laterally engaged with the primary mounting means and includes an interference means to engage the members along a lateral range of motion. The secondary vertical member includes a horizontal shaft including a knob at the proximal end and an engagement means at the distal end, providing engagement with a common fitting found for example on many binoculars.

Abstract: An item stabilizer configured to prevent lateral movement of an item (such as a product-supporting pallet) in a transport container. The item stabilizer includes a first item side engager, a second item side engager, and a connector attached to each of the item side engagers such that an item can be positioned on the connector between the item side engagers. The item stabilizer is configured to prevent movement of the item by engaging opposite sides of the item while the weight of the item and any products thereon or therein rest on the connector, thereby preventing the connector and the item side engagers themselves from moving laterally. Each item side engager respectively extends between one side of the item and one of the side walls of the transport container to limit the lateral movement of the item. Multiple item stabilizers can work together to hold an item in place.

Abstract: A shock absorption and restraint apparatus including a plurality of co-acting cushioned pads which create a protective shock absorbing barrier for a load in a railroad car (or other shipping container) and a set of straps which are employed to restrain the cushioned pads and the load. In certain embodiments, the cushioned pads include one or more central or connector cushioned pads and one or more side or cooperating cushioned pads. In certain embodiments, the cushioned pads include strap engaging mechanisms which are configured to be engaged by the straps. The cushioned pads are preferably lightweight, easy to handle and install, recyclable, and readily reusable. In certain embodiments, the cushioned pads are configured, sized, and constructed in such a way to protect the specific load in the railroad car.