Abstract: A fish catching system includes a decapod-shaped fishing lure with a body and a tail having an aperture therethrough. The fish catching system further includes a hook securable to a fishing line. The hook passes through the aperture and engages the body of the lure such that the fishing line resides through the aperture. Alternatively, the fishing line passes through the aperture and secures to the hook, which then engages the body of the lure.

Abstract: A network topology for communication within and between food service equipment items generally comprises one or more food service equipment items, each having a controller and at least one functional subsystem configured as a slave to the controller, and a master interface and a bus slave interface associated with each controller. Each master interface is adapted for electrical communication over an intra-equipment communication channel with a slave interface associated with the functional subsystem. Each bus slave interface is adapted for communication, external to the food service equipment item, over an inter-equipment communication channel. Each bus slave interface is substantially electrically identical to each slave interface.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for manufacturing unitary concrete blocks includes a form that defines the desired shape of the unitary concrete block. A form loading station delivers a lightweight concrete composite into the form. A station conveyor conveys the form from the form loading station through a curing oven. In the curing oven, the composite-filled form is cured into a unitary concrete block. The station conveyor conveys the form to a block removal station that removes the unitary concrete block from the form. The station conveyor returns the form to the form loading station to manufacture more unitary concrete blocks. For increased production, multiple forms can be conveyed between stations simultaneously. Additionally, a metering ingredient assembly may be used to deliver appropriate amounts of desired ingredients to a mixer for producing the lightweight concrete composite.

Abstract: Liquid water soluble polymer suspensions in non-aqueous solvents are extremely stable over long periods of time with minimum separation of the solvent and no hard packing of the dispersed water soluble polymer. The suspensions enable a user to rapidly add the suspension to water, being mixed at low speeds, without the formation of lumps or fisheyes and without generating fugitive dust in the process. The suspensions are environmentally safe and biodegradable. Unlike many other liquid polymer suspensions, the suspensions exhibit minimal oil or grease upon dilution. They contain no surfactants that can add to the oil and grease determination. The suspensions and the fluids produced by diluting the fluids to a working concentration of the water soluble polymer exhibit low toxicity to marine organisms and to humans. The suspensions can be manufactured from ingredients suitable for use in personal care applications such as cosmetics, shampoos and the like.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for treating fluids includes a vortex nozzle assembly having improved vortex nozzles. The overall system and system layout, which includes an elbow design, are improved as well as vortex system methods. The vortex nozzle assembly includes an access port and methods for measuring physical properties at the fluid flows. A frame assembly provides support for the vortex system.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for treating fluids includes a vortex nozzle assembly having improved vortex nozzles. The overall system and system layout, which includes an elbow design, are improved as well as vortex system methods. The vortex nozzle assembly includes an access port and methods for measuring physical properties at the fluid flows. A frame assembly provides support for the vortex system.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for treating fluids includes a vortex nozzle assembly having improved vortex nozzles. The overall system and system layout, which includes an elbow design, are improved as well as vortex system methods. The vortex nozzle assembly includes an access port and methods for measuring physical properties at the fluid flows. A frame assembly provides support for the vortex system.

Abstract: A baton suitable for use in self-defense includes a body adapted to receive a canister of spray therein, a nozzle securable to the body and adapted to receive spray therethrough, and a trigger mounted on the body. The trigger mounts on the body in a location that permits grasping of the body underhanded with the thumb positioned over the trigger to permit movement of the trigger from an unfired position to a fired position that facilitates ejection of spray from the canister through the nozzle. The trigger includes an actuator and a lock coupled therewith. One motion performed with the thumb releases the lock and moves the actuator from the unfired position of the trigger to the fired position of the trigger.

Abstract: A method for monitoring a remotely located industrial process from a central service location generally comprises transmitting, through existing two-way digital paging networks, a monitoring instruction to the remote location, executing an operational command contained in the monitoring instruction on the industrial process, logging the effect of the execution of the command in a history file and transmitting content from the history file back to the central service location. The monitoring instruction may comprise the identification of an operational event for execution by the remotely located industrial process or be adapted for the on demand execution of one or more scripts of operational events.

Abstract: Liquid suspensions of particles in non-aqueous solvents are extremely stable over long periods of time with minimum separation of the solvent and no hard packing of the dispersed particles. The suspensions enable a user to rapidly add the suspension to water and to mix at low speeds without generating fugitive dust in the process. In addition, a liquid dispersion can provide an easy to use liquid containing higher concentrations of the active dispersed phase than can be accomplished by simply preparing an aqueous solution of the dispersed phase. Alternatively, highly water-soluble particles may also be suspended which have poor storage, freeze/thaw, or heat/cool stability. In some cases, liquid dispersions can yield controlled release of the dispersed phase because the dispersed phase is not in aqueous solution. The suspensions are environmentally safe and biodegradable and may be used in environmentally sensitive applications, such as for oil well treating fluids for offshore areas.

Abstract: A high temperture aqueous based zirconium (IV) crosslinked guar fracturing fluid having a pH from about 9 to about 12 includes a polymer solution and a zirconium (IV) crosslinking agent in an amount from about 0.1 PPTG to about 5 PPTG of the polymer solution. The polymer solution includes an aqueous fluid, natural guar gum in an amount from about 10 PPTG to about 100 PPTG of the aqueous fluid, a stabilizer in an amount from about 1 PPTG to about 50 PPTG of the aqueous fluid, a non-delayed alkaline buffer in an amount from about 1 PPTG to about 40 PPTG of the aqueous fluid, and a gelation delaying agent in an amount from about 0.25 PPTG to about 3.75 PPTG of the aqueous fluid, where those agents are combined to produce a fracturing fluid suitable to the purposes of hydraulically fracturing subterranean formations with static bottom-hole temperatures greater than 250° F.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for treating fluids includes a vortex nozzle assembly having improved vortex nozzles. The overall system and system layout, which includes an elbow design, are improved as well as vortex system methods. The vortex nozzle assembly includes an access port and methods for measuring physical properties at the fluid flows. A frame assembly provides support for the vortex system.

Abstract: A locking apparatus for securing at least one component to an anchoring component piece includes an abutment plate for contact with the anchoring component piece and a plate contactor notch disposed on the abutment plate for contact with at least one component. In particular, the plate contactor notch includes a clutching surface for contact with at least one component. The locking apparatus further includes a slide aperture disposed on said abutment plate for facilitating attachment of the abutment plate to the anchoring component piece. The slide aperture, in turn, includes a slide aperture correction slot for facilitating resilient displacement of the abutment plate as well as includes a slide aperture mounting slot for receiving a mounting screw that attaches the abutment plate to the anchoring component piece.

Abstract: A beverage dispensing system includes a cooling chamber filled with a bath of cooling fluid for cooling beverage fluids. A cooling unit, including an evaporator coil extending from the cooling unit into the cooling chamber, freezes the cooling fluid into a frozen cooling bank about the evaporator coil. Sensor units positioned at desired locations about the evaporator coil provide output corresponding to the size and shape of the frozen cooling bank. Also, a control unit reads the output from the sensor units and operates the cooling unit to regulate the growth of the frozen cooling bank. In addition, the control unit may read output from temperature sensors attached to dispensing valves or monitoring ambient temperature conditions.

Abstract: A unitary one-piece, disposable package includes a canister for storing a product. A pump housing formed integrally with the canister contains a progressive cavity pump that pumps product from the canister to an outlet chamber of the pump housing and out an outlet from the chamber. A product dispenser for use with the unitary one-piece, disposable package includes a housing, a chamber in the housing for receiving the package, and a motor within the housing for driving the progressive cavity pump of the package. An alternative product dispenser includes a housing having a chamber for receiving a product canister wherein the chamber facilitates communication of product from the canister to a pump chamber. A progressive cavity pump mounts within the pump chamber for pumping product from the canister out an outlet from the pump chamber. A motor within the housing drives the progressive cavity pump.

Abstract: In a method and apparatus for treating fluids, a pump delivers a fluid flow from a fluid source to a manifold. The manifold divides the fluid flow into first and second fluid flows, which are delivered from the manifold to a housing. The housing includes therein a first vortex nozzle positioned in opposed relationship to a second vortex nozzle. The first fluid flow enters the first vortex nozzle to create a first rotating fluid flow, and the second fluid flow enters the second vortex nozzle to create a second rotating fluid flow. The first and second vortex nozzles impinge the first and second rotating fluid flows in a collision chamber, thereby treating the fluid.

Abstract: A beverage dispenser includes an electronic control system for controlling beverage dispenser components. The beverage dispenser components include at least a user interface, a dispensing valve, and a valve interface for regulating the delivery of a beverage from the dispensing valve. The electronic control system includes a microcontroller for monitoring the user interface and for activating the valve interface responsive to user input, thereby regulating the delivery of a beverage from the dispensing valve. The electronic control system further includes a program memory with firmware configured in a state machine system architecture for controlling the microcontroller. The state machine system architecture supports either a non-preemptive or a preemptive multitasking real time operating system. The firmware includes supervisory control firmware, dispenser tasks firmware, and low level drivers firmware.

Abstract: A dispenser system includes a product source, a cooling unit, an agitator, a dispensing station coupled with the product source, a sensor, and a controller. The cooling unit cools product delivered to the dispensing station from the product source. The agitator is disposed in the cooling unit and circulates cooling fluid contained in the cooling unit. The sensor measures an operating parameter of the dispenser system and outputs a signal representative thereof. The controller, responsive to the signal output by the sensor, operates the agitator at a lower speed when the signal output by the sensor indicates the dispenser system is operating in a desired stable state. Alternatively, the controller, responsive to the signal output by the sensor, operates the agitator at a higher speed when the signal output by the sensor indicates the dispenser system is not operating in the desired stable state.

Abstract: An electric powered vehicle includes a chassis defining a battery module compartment and a battery module insertable into the battery module compartment of the chassis. A method of replacing a battery module of an electric powered vehicle provides a service facility including a plurality of battery modules and a system for charging the battery modules. Upon the entry into the service facility of a driver in an electric powered vehicle with a depleted battery module, the depleted battery module is removed from the electric powered vehicle and replaced with a battery module including a fully charged battery. The driver is then charged for the battery module including the fully charged battery.