Abstract: Three bodies interact to drive a transmission having a pair of one-way clutches coupling a single length of drive chain or other elongate flexible member to an intermeshed pair of counter rotatable gears so as to drive a primary shaft in a single rotational direction. The three bodies are a fixed body, a floating body, and a suspended and usually submerged weighted body. The three bodies are interconnected by the single length of the elongate flexible member and are spaced apart there along. The weighted body is mounted at one end of the elongate flexible member. The primary shaft is mounted above the surface of a moving fluid mass to either the fixed or floating body. The end of the flexible member opposite to the weight is mounted to the other of the fixed or floating body.

Abstract: A flexible support for holding endotracheal and nasotracheal tubes in place on the face of a patient includes a pair of oppositely disposed adhesively mountable flanges for releasable mounting to the face of the patient, wherein the flanges are interconnected by a single narrow adhesive-backed elongate bridge-piece spanning between the opposite flanges, and wherein the bridge-piece is shaped so as to be mountable on either the filtrum or mandible of a patient, and wherein a pair of adhesive-backed wings are pivotally mounted by a flexible hinge to the bridge-piece for releasable adhesive mounting of the wings to a portion of the tracheal tube once intubated.

Abstract: A boom mountable robotic arm for temporarily supporting an elongate conductor includes a rigid member such as a beam or beam assembly adapted for mounting onto the upper end of a boom for example using a boom adaptor, at least one electrically insulated support post mounted to the rigid member, where each post temporarily supports an elongate electrical conductor, and at least two rotation devices for selectively controllable rotation of the rigid member and the electrically insulated support posts about at least two corresponding axes of rotation.

Abstract: An apparatus for producing wood lagging blankets includes a board singulator, a board spacer, a wire strand feeder, and a fastener applicator. The board singulator includes an infeed and infeed queue, and a selectively actuable stop. The board spacer includes a spacing conveyor and may be selectively actuable according to instructions from a programmable controller, wherein the fastener applicator mounted aligned vertically over said at least one strand of wire to fasten by fasteners at least one strand of wire down onto the boards on said spacing conveyor to thereby form a lagging blanket of spaced apart boards spaced with substantially constant gapping between the boards, wherein said lagging blanket is tethered together as a stable matrix of laterally aligned, constantly spaced boards, and wherein the lagging blanket is sized to wrap completely around a desired circumference.

Abstract: A roll coupling assembly includes a roll torque transfer structure and an alignment mechanism. The torque transfer structure includes a first load bearing structure mountable to the rear of the tow vehicle, and a second load bearing structure mountable to the front of the trailer drawbar. Corresponding first and second load bearing surfaces cooperate so as to releasably mate with one another for towing of the trailer behind the tow vehicle. The bearing surfaces are distributed across a substantially planar interface between the rear of the tow vehicle and the front of the trailer drawbar so as to distribute to the tow vehicle torque imparted to the drawbar by relative rolling motion between the trailer and tow vehicle. The coupling alignment mechanism adjusts the relative orientation of the first and second load bearing surfaces so as to align them for mating to one another.

Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus and method for communicating over an electrically conductive line having a plurality of power line phases between a first device having a single receiver and plurality of distal devices. The power line phases are adapted to deliver an alternating electrical current. Each of the distal devices are adapted to communicate with the first device over a single phase through a modulated carrier signal at a communication frequency. The apparatus comprises a plurality of unique coupling phases for coupling to a corresponding power line phase adapted to receive a frequency band having the modulated carrier signal from each of the plurality of power line phases and a selective coupling circuit between each of the plurality of coupling phases. The method comprises receiving the modulated carrier signal from each of the plurality of power line phases, attenuating the frequency band from being received by another of said unique coupling phases.

Abstract: A thermopile, utilizing the Seebeck effect, is placed into a blackbody cavity or other ambient heat source, where the hot junctions are inside the heat source, and the cold junctions are outside the heat source, and thereby produces a voltage.

Abstract: An interface protocol for the functional manipulation of complex devices such as consumer electronic devices without the necessity of the visual feedback via textual or graphic data, wherein the sensor functions change with time rather than placement, so that a user action biases a binary state switch, which is correlated to a timed audible audio data stream, the correlation indicating the desired action selected by the user.

Abstract: A method for resolving RFID-based object traffic transactions to a single object in the presence of a plurality of objects, where the method includes the steps of: monitoring RFID object traffic transactions to a single object amongst a plurality of objects wherein the traffic transactions are between at least one RFID reader and a plurality of detected RFID tags detected by the at least one RFID reader; calculating a cumulative and weighted data set for each detected RFID tag of the RFID tags; and, comparing the data set for each detected RFID tag with the data set for other of the detected RFID tags and identifying one RFID tag of the detected RFID tags having a greatest cumulative weight calculated for its corresponding data set so as to resolve multiple detections and identifications of the detected RFID tags in the object traffic transactions to the single object.

Abstract: A disposable wooden utensil includes a handle having a distal end and an opposite neck end. A load-engaging member extends cantilevered from the neck end in generally coplanar alignment with the handle so as to form a neck between the handle and the load-engaging member. A raised dorsal ridge is formed substantially medially along the handle and extends substantially along the load-engaging member.

Abstract: An assembly including a frame is attached to the fork carrier of a forklift. The assembly picks up a tarp to cover the cargo on a flatbed trailer or picks up a plurality of straps to position the straps over the cargo. The tarp or straps are secured under the frame on the assembly and the forklift elevates the frame and tarp or straps above the cargo and drapes the tarp or straps over the cargo by firstly driving along side the trailer and secondly lowering the frame.

Abstract: A water treatment process whereby heat is used and recaptured to pasteurize water and or sewage effluent. Contaminated waters are partially treatable utilizing bacterial and chemical processes; however some bacteria (e.g. Cryptosporidium and Giardia) are resistant to chemicals. The present process raises the temperature of the water to a desired pasteurization temperature and for a corresponding required length of time to destroy pathogens and viruses. A heat exchanger is employed to use the waste heat from the pasteurization tank to pre-heat the fluid entering the tank. After the initial heating of the tank, the pre-heating reduces the required heat to maintain the temperature of the tank. Make-up heat increases the temperature within a small temperature range. The make-up heat may be waste heat from a separate process.

Abstract: A horizontal offline stand building system includes a substantially horizontal, elongate catwalk having a frame and a stand lifting arm. The catwalk has a top surface adapted to receive at least two tubulars aligned coaxially along a linear path in a make-up channel on said top surface. The tubulars are threaded together to form preferably at least a triple pipe stand in the make-up channel. The completed stand is then transferred laterally to a delivery channel containing the stand lifting arm. The stand lifting arm is selectively actuable lifting arm for selectively elevating a rig end of a pipe stand from said top surface of the catwalk to the deck of a drilling rig, and then for supporting the mid and rear sections as the stand is hoisted from the delivery channel up the derrick of the drilling rig.

Abstract: A sequential power transmission between a portable user-carried battery and first and second independent accessories. At least one primary inductive coupling coil is mounted on an article of apparel worn by the user, so as to place a primary coil adjacent a first intermediary inductive coupling coil on the first independent accessory. The energizing of the first intermediary coil energizes a second intermediary coil on the first independent accessory. The second intermediary coil, when energized, energizes a secondary coil on the second independent accessory for powering the use, including the charging of the batteries of that accessory.

Abstract: A conductor supporting assembly includes a pair of yokes having a pair of cables extending therebetween in spaced parallel array. Actuators tension the cables so as to selectively draw the yokes toward each other along the cables. Grips cooperate with yokes for mounting the yokes in spaced apart array to and along a conductor segment of a conductor to be serviced so as to extend the conductor segment along and substantially medially between the yokes. The drawing of the yokes toward each other thereby de-tensions the conductor segment to allow for repair or service.

Abstract: An apparatus for handling pipes in a derrick and racking the pipes on a pipe racking assembly mounted on the derrick is provided to improve the stability of transferring pipes during a round trip operation.

Abstract: A roll coupling assembly includes a roll torque transfer structure and an alignment mechanism. The torque transfer structure includes a first load bearing structure mountable to the rear of the tow vehicle, and a second load bearing structure mountable to the front of the trailer drawbar. Corresponding first and second load bearing surfaces cooperate so as to releasably mate with one another for towing of the trailer behind the tow vehicle. The bearing surfaces are distributed across a substantially planar interface between the rear of the tow vehicle and the front of the trailer drawbar so as to distribute to the tow vehicle torque imparted to the drawbar by relative rolling motion between the trailer and tow vehicle. The coupling alignment mechanism adjusts the relative orientation of the first and second load bearing surfaces so as to align them for mating to one another.

Abstract: A vertical off-line stand building system includes a mast having a basal portion and an upper portion. An upper pipe elevator is mounted in the upper portion of the mast and is selectively translatable by a selecting actuable first hoist between upper raised and lowered positions. A lower pipe elevator is mounted in the basal portion of the mast and is selectively translatable by a selecting actuable second hoist between basal raised and lowered positions. A horizontal pipe support table is positioned adjacent the base of the mast. A horizontal pipe translator is mounted in the table for translating a pipe single longitudinally along the table so as to engage a first end of the pipe single with the lower pipe elevator when in its basal lowered position. The lower pipe elevator draws the first pipe into the mast through a front opening in the mast. The upper pipe elevator takes the first pipe and elevates it to the top of the mast.

Abstract: The user of a handheld wireless communicator, for example a cell phone or so-called smartphone completes a call or email or other communication event. The event is timed by the device or the duration is calculated, or otherwise the event is quantified and the information is stored in for example a log within the device. At the end of the communication event, the telecommunication expense management system provides a pop up user interface asking the user to decide whether to capture the communication event so as to assist in billing the event, to delay capturing the communication event to a future time, to dismiss the communication event as if it had not occurred, or to add the communication event to a list which is of personal interest to the user but which is not in the user's opinion billable or the costs not recoverable or otherwise of a business nature that requires capturing.