Abstract: A modular retaining wall is illustrated and described having open or closed polygonal modules with channels disposed therein. The wall is set at least partially below a surface, the surface either being land-based or aqueous-based, and interfaces therebetween, e.g., shoreline. The modules of the wall are fastened to each other by respective fastening means such that engaging connectivity is provided between the modules, yet retains the ability for fluid to pass through.

Abstract: The invention of this application relates to an infant carrier with carry handle wherein the carry handle is adapted to facilitate easier, more comfortable carrying in the crook of one's elbow and wherein the carry handle is adapted to removably display a printed image or other indicia, such as safety or identification indicia.

Abstract: There are provided methods for creating energy conversion devices based on the giant flexoelectric effect in non-calamitic liquid crystals. By preparing a substance comprising at least one type of non-calamitic liquid crystal molecules and stabilizing the substance to form a mechanically flexible material, flexible conductive electrodes may be applied to the material to create an electro-mechanical energy conversion device which relies on the giant flexoelectric effect to produce electrical and/or mechanical energy that is usable in such applications as, for example, power sources, energy dissipation, sensors/transducers, and actuators.

Abstract: Apparatus for continuously casting metal strip includes a pair of counter-rotatable casting rolls laterally positioned to form a nip therebetween through which thin strip can be cast, a pair of confining side dams adjacent the ends of the casting rolls capable of confining a casting pool of molten metal supported on the casting rolls and formed on the casting surfaces above the nip, a metal delivery system disposed above the nip and capable of discharging molten metal to form the casting pool supported on the casting rolls, side dam actuators each capable of applying cyclical axial force to the side dams without leakage, and a control system capable of actuating at least one side dam actuator to cyclically vary the apply force of the side dam against the ends of the casting rolls during a casting campaign.

Abstract: A process for the encapsulation of liquid particles within nanometer thick polymer shells utilizes an interfacial free radical alternating copolymerization process. Encapsulating a liquid material includes providing a mixture comprising the liquid material to be encapsulated, a hydrophobic monomer in a non-polar solution and a hydrophilic monomer in a polar solution. The liquid material is compatible in either the polar solution or the non-polar solution. The polar solution and the non-polar solution are not miscible in each other. The mixture is homogenized to form an emulsion, and then polymerized by an initiator which initiates an interfacial free radical alternating copolymerization process. The copolymerization process is optimally constrained to proceed only at the hydrophobic and hydrophilic interface thus forming a polymer around the liquid material.

Abstract: Closure clips and a process for the production of closure clips of strip-form or wire-form material for the closure of tubular or bag-like packagings. In the process, a substantially wave-form profile with successive first and second apex points is stamped along the strip-form or wire-form material, the first apex point forming a clip bottom, flanks respectively adjoining the first apex point on each side thereof form clip limbs that are bent over in a U-shape and the second apex point forms limb ends that are bent over outwardly with respect to the U-shape at which two adjacent closure clips are separably connected. The strip-form or wire-form closure clip material is pierced inwardly with respect to the U-shape so that a raised material portion is formed at the limb inside.

Abstract: A bag comprises a sheath which includes a first wall portion and a second wall portion joined longitudinally by gusseted sidewalls portions which define the bag volume. The sheath has gusseted regions having a first sheath thickness and a non-gusseted region between the gusseted regions having a second different sheath thickness. The bag also includes a first handle disposed on the exterior surface of the first wall portion at the first end of the bag and a second handle disposed on the exterior surface of the first wall portion at the second end of the bag. The first handle and second handle have outer regions having a first sheet thickness and an inner region having a second different sheet thickness. The sum of the first sheath thickness and the first sheet thickness is equal to the sum of the second sheath thickness and the second sheet thickness.

Abstract: A railroad freight car may have a body for carrying lading. The body may be a gondola car body. The car body may include a decking or floor structure, and may include longitudinally extending side beams bordering the floor structure. The connection of the side beams to the floor structure may be may without the use of a dedicated side sill. The car body structure may include cross-bearers and side beam stiffeners that are joined together by structural knees. The car body may also include clean out ports to facilitate cleaning of the lading receptacle.

Abstract: A battery of stationary hearth furnaces, and method for using, for producing metallic iron nodules having a furnace having a stationary hearth, an inlet and an outlet; a heating chamber beneath the stationary hearth having heated fluids circulated thereto and heating reducible material on the stationary hearth; passageways circulating fluids, through ports from the furnace housing above the reducible material to the heating chamber beneath; burners and air inlets in the furnace and optionally in at least one passageway and a heating chamber for drying and heating the reducible material, driving off and burning volatile material, and forming metallic iron nodules; a loading device for loading reducible material and optionally hearth material onto the stationary hearth through the inlet; and a discharging device capable of discharging metallic iron nodules and optionally related material from the stationary hearth through the outlet.

Abstract: A rack for drying, storing or organizing sports equipment includes a central post having a vertical axis, a plurality of holes substantially perpendicular to the vertical axis, and a plurality of tier members adapted to be inserted into one or more of the holes. The tier members include first and second members. The second members are adapted to be inserted into an end of and secured at any of a plurality of positions within, the first member. The rack may also have one or more holes that extend through the vertical post, the first member may be inserted through the holes, and a third member may be adapted to be inserted into an end of and secured at any of a plurality of positions within, the first member.

Abstract: A steel slab caster having a mold with movable opposing mold faces, and methods of using the steel slab caster for casting steel slabs. The movable opposing mold faces may be laterally positioned with respect to each other in a predefined configuration. Molten steel may be introduced into the mold of the slab caster. The forces exerted by the molten metal on at least one of the opposing mold faces and/or the lateral positions of the opposing mold faces may be monitored during casting at locations on at least one of the movable mold faces. The position of the monitored mold face may be controlled during casting responsive to the monitored forces and/or monitored position.

Abstract: A method for producing metallic iron nodules by assembling a shielding entry system to introduce coarse carbonaceous material greater than 6 mesh in to the furnace atmosphere at location(s) where the temperature of the furnace atmosphere adjacent at least partially reduced reducible iron bearing material is between about 2200 and 2650° F. (1200 and 1450° C.), the shielding entry system adapted to inhibit emission of infrared radiation from the furnace atmosphere and seal the furnace atmosphere from exterior atmosphere while introducing coarse carbonaceous material greater than 6 mesh into the furnace to be distributed over the at least partially reduced reducible iron bearing material, and heating the covered at least partially reduced reducible iron bearing material in a fusion atmosphere to assist in fusion and inhibit reoxidation of the reduced material during fusion to assist in fusion and inhibit reoxidation of the reduced material in forming metallic iron nodules.

Abstract: A method of producing cast steel strip having low surface roughness and low porosity by casting with molten steel having a total oxygen content of at least about 70 ppm and a free oxygen content between 20 and 60 ppm, and a temperature that allows a majority of any oxide inclusions to be in a liquidus state. The total oxygen content may be at least 100 ppm and the free oxygen content between 30 and 50 ppm. The steel strip produced by the method may have a per unit area density of at least about 120 oxide inclusions per square millimeter to a depth of about 2 microns from the strip surface.

Abstract: A portioning and packaging apparatus and a portioning and packaging method. The portioning and packaging apparatus has a conveyor device for filling material which has a pump for producing a continuous volume flow, a filling tube which is connected to the conveyor device and which provides a supply of a tubular packaging case such that it can be pulled off the filling tube with the filling material which is expelled through the filling tube, a closure device which is arranged downstream of the filling tube and which locally constricts the filled packaging case to provide a tube end plait portion during the filling operation and closes a closure element around the tube end plait portion. The closure device also has a control device which produces a control signal for the constriction and closure operations on the basis of a selected portion size and the continuous volume flow and outputs it to a drive of the closure device.

Abstract: A gas turbine fan blade containment assembly includes a fan case having an inner surface surrounding a jet engine fan and an outer surface. Mounted on the inner surface and across a blade containing region of the fan case is a load spreader layer for initially receiving a point load from a fan blade release (a “blade-out event”). A band layer is mounted to an outer surface of the fan case for carrying at least a portion of a hoop tensile load on the fan case resulting from the blade-out event, and separator film layer is mounted between the outer surface of the fan case and the band layer to retard the formation of stress concentrations in the band layer. In one embodiment, the load spreader layer includes a plurality of circumferentially-arrayed load spreader layer segments.

Abstract: Apparatus, systems, and methods to recognize features on bottom surfaces of containers on a container production line, detect defects in the containers, and correlate the defects to specific production equipment of the container production line, based in part on the recognized features. The system includes imaging apparatus, programmable processing devices, and encoders. The methods include synchronization techniques and correlation techniques.

Abstract: Methods and systems for detecting the presence of a leak in a baghouse bag installed in a baghouse system having at least one compartment. The methods include using a system to acquire electrical signals corresponding to the opacity of gas flow through an outlet of a baghouse system during a start-up of one or more compartments of the baghouse system and comparing the electrical signals corresponding to the opacity of the gas flow with electrical signals characteristic of a leak in at least one of the baghouse bags of the baghouse system.

Abstract: A railroad car truck for a railroad freight car, such as an autorack car, has a bolster mounted cross-wise between two sideframes. The bolster ends are mounted on respective spring groups carried by the sideframes. The bolster can translate laterally relative to the sideframes. The side frames are mounted to swing laterally relative to the wheel sets, and hence relative to the rails. Resistance to lateral deflection is provided by the resistance of the sideframes to the pendulum swinging motion, and by shear in the spring groups. The truck has a doubled damper arrangement of dampers in a four-cornered layout at each end of the bolster, giving a flexing resistance to yaw between the sideframes and the bolster ends. The doubled damper arrangement works against large wear plates mounted on the sideframe columns. The large wear plates are mounted normal to the dampers and square to the sideframes.

Abstract: A method and system to monitor randomly oriented objects on a process line are disclosed. A color camera is used initially to collect a set of reference images of at least one reference object. The reference images represent various spatial orientations of the reference object. The reference object serves as the standard for the process. The reference images are stored in a computer-based platform. The color camera is then used to capture images of monitored objects as the monitored objects pass by the color camera on a process line. The monitored objects may have a random spatial orientation with respect to the color camera as the monitored objects pass through the field-of-view of the color camera. The captured images of the monitored objects are processed by the computer-based platform and compared to the reference images in order to determine if certain characteristic parameters of the monitored objects have deviated from those same characteristic parameters of the reference object.