Abstract: A hydraulic pump having a pump body formed by stacked plates mounted end-to-end. First and second ports for delivery and return of hydraulic fluid are formed through a port plate that is surmounted by a valve plate through which first and second main valve passages, each aligned with the first and second ports respectively, are formed. The valve plate is surmounted by a manifold plate in which first and second fluid distribution chambers, fluidly communicated with the first and second main valve passages respectively, are formed. A pump plate atop the manifold plate contains a gear assembly in a pumping chamber formed in the ends of the pump and manifold plates that draws fluid from one fluid distribution chamber and discharges it to the other.

Abstract: A specimen gathering device is disclosed which permits a person to position the specimen gathering device for receipt of a specimen without contact with the specimen. Broadly, the specimen gathering device includes a container member and a handle assembly. The handle assembly is provided with a gripping portion which is selectively movable between a first position and a second position. In the first position the gripping portion is disposed substantially adjacent the container member; whereas, in the second position the gripping portion extends outwardly and upwardly form the container member. Thus, when the handle assembly is in the second position, a person grasping the gripping portion of the handle assembly can readily position the container member for receipt of the specimen without contact with the specimen.

Abstract: A wrench apparatus is provided for selectively rotating and removing a control plate located in a skimmer of a swimming pool filter system. The wrench apparatus comprises an ear member engaging assembly for engaging upwardly extending ear members defined on the control plate. The ear member engaging assembly is connected to a wrench support housing member which is, in turn, connected to an extension member. An upper portion of the extension member is connected to a handle member. The wrench apparatus may further comprise a control plate lift assembly for facilitating the removal of the control plate after the control plate has been rotated to a removal position.

Abstract: A pipe wiper assembly is provided which comprises a first housing for supportingly receiving at least one resilient wiper member, and a second housing supported above the well bore for connecting the first housing to the stack assembly of the drilling unit. The first and second housings are interconnected such that the first housing is selectively movable in response to vertical deviations of the drill pipe as the drill pipe is withdrawn from the vertically extending well bore.

Abstract: A tobacco substitute is provided wherein granulated cellulose wetted with a casing solution is sealingly enveloped in a saliva permeable infusion pouch. The filled infusion pouch is sized so that the filled infusion pouch can be placed in a person's mouth in an area adjacent an outer gum to assist in reducing the person's dependency on tobacco. The casing solution, which is present in amount of up to about 30 weight percent, provides the tobacco substitute with taste and aroma properties which satisfy the desires of the user. The casing solution consists essentially of about 63 to 82 weight percent water, from about 1 to 5 weight percent of a flavoring agent, from about 15 to about 25 weight percent sweetener and from about 2 to about 7 weight percent of a humectant. A method for producing the improved tobacco substitute is also disclosed, as is a method for reducing dependency on tobacco using such tobacco substitute.

Abstract: An immproved lid assembly for roll-off sludge containers is provided wher the lid assembly is supported by oppositely disposed lip portions which extend longitudinally along each side of an opening formed in an upper side of the sludge container. The lid assembly comprises a plurality of lid members and a roller assembly connected to each of the lid members so that the lid members can be selectively moved between a first position and a second position relative to the opening of the sludge container. In the first position the lid members are telescopically disposed in adjacent lid members, thus providing access to selected portions of the opening in the sludge container. In the second position, the lid members are extended and close off the opening in the sludge container.

Abstract: A method for effecting a transition from data track following by one data head adjacent one disk of a rotating disk data storage device to data track following by a second data head adjacent a second disk wherein the data tracks are part of a cylinder of tracks including a servo track followed by a servo head with an offset appropriate to each data track. A servo control circuit between the servo head and the coil of an actuator on which the heads are mounted receives a position error signal from the servo head and an offset signal from a microcomputer during following of each track and the transition is effected by adjusting the offset signal in a succession of discrete steps from the offset appropriate for one data head to the offset appropriate to the other data. Steps of the succession can have magnitudes equal to successively selected proportions of the offset signal difference for the two data heads or can vary alternatively between the offset signal difference for the two heads and a zero magnitude.

Abstract: A method of writing servo patterns to the surface of a disc of a hard disc drive without magnetizing the transducer head by means of which the patterns are written. The surface is initially magnetized in one direction through the transducer head while the disc is rotating to move the disc surface by the transducer head. Each servo pattern is subsequently written by passing a current through the transducer in the opposite direction for selected time interval. Following writing of each pattern, a current is passed through the transducer head in the direction used to initially magnetize the disc for a time interval equal to the time interval during which the pattern was written.

Abstract: A prewrite compensation circuit for selectively delaying the writing of non-zero bits of data streams to disks of a hard disk drive. The hard disk drive includes a write circuit for writing the non-zero bits to selected portions of selected disk surfaces and selected write delays are effected by a variable delay circuit that receives the data stream from a shift register through which the data stream is passed. The amount of delay is determined by a delay word entered into a latch connected between the variable delay circuit and a RAM in which delay words are stored at addresses selected for each delay word in relation to the pattern of bits of the data stream surrounding each non-zero bit, the disk surface to which each data stream is to be written and the portion of the surface to receive the data stream.

Abstract: A scaffold, having a main frame including four vertical posts arranged in a rectangular array and connected at the sides of the scaffold by two side trusses that support a scaffold main platform, is further provided with an auxiliary frame that supports a plurality of vertically spaced auxiliary platforms above the main platform and parallel thereto. The auxiliary frame is located at one end of the main frame and has two parallel side members, each side member having a first clamp member formed of angle stock at one end to receive a vertical post and a second clamp member formed of angle stock at the other end to receive a side truss. The vertical post is maintained with the first clamp member by a bent, partially threaded rod that is bolted to the perpendicular webs of the first clamp member and extends about the vertical post.

Abstract: A method for maximizing throughput of a hard disk drive by adaptively seeking to a data track at which data is to be stored and adaptively commencing the reading or writing of data in accordance with the movement of the read/write head in the proximity of the data track. In each seek to a data track, an approach time for movement of the read/write head from the entry into a fine control region about the track to a selected distance from the track is measured and reading or writing is commenced at the end of a delay time selected in relation to the approach time. The tracks on the disk are assigned to a plurality of concentric zones to which profile adjustment bins are assigned to contain an adaptive profile adjustment that is added to terminal portions of a read/write head velocity demand profile in accordance with which seeks to tracks are effected.

Abstract: Apparatus for supporting transducer heads of a hard disk drive wherein the heads are mounted on transducer support arms that are, in turn, mounted on extensive fingers formed on an actuator that moves the heads across surfaces of data storage disks. Two holes are formed through each finger to form two coaxial sets of holes on the actuator body and one hole in each finger receives a tubular boss formed about one of two equally spaced holes formed through one end of each support arm each arm. Bosses inserted into coaxial holes in the fingers extend thereinto from the same direction and are swaged to fix the support arms to the actuator by passing a ball through the bosses from the opposite direction. The support arms are constructed by spot welding swage plates, each having two holes formed therethrough and having a boss about one hole, to leaf members, similarly having two holes formed therethrough, whereon the transducer heads are mounted.

Abstract: An improved process and apparatus for reducing NO.sub.x content of flue gas effluent from a furnace, the improvement comprising a burner assembly having a burner and flue gas recirculating system for collecting and passing internally recirculating flue gas into a combustion zone for reaction with a combustion flame. The burner preferably has a plurality of fuel dispensing nozzles peripherally disposed about the combustion zone to aspirate collected internally recirculating flue gas into the combustion zone, and has a plurality of fluid driven eductors to drive further amounts of collected internally recirculating flue gas into the combustion zone.