Abstract: A lifting and movement system for lifting a complete run of shelving having a plurality of shelf units and for moving the shelving along a floor surface to a desired location. First and second frame structures are defined by interconnected modular frame assemblies so as to have sufficient length to extend along the entire length of a run of shelving. Wheels such as casters are mounted to the first frame to provide for movement of the lifting system and the run of shelving along the floor surface to a desired location. A second, movable frame is in vertically movable assembly with the first frame and has shelving engaging components for lifting engagement with the run of shelving. A plurality of lift elements are supported by the first frame and provide support for the second frame and the shelving engaged thereby.

Abstract: An arrangement for providing fluid communication between an offshore hydrocarbon production and/or storage facility and an offshore loading system such as a CALM buoy is disclosed. A pipeline from a FPSO or production platform runs to a submerged flowline termination buoy which is positioned beneath and separated a short distance from a CALM buoy. The flowline termination buoy is separately anchored to the sea bed from the CALM buoy, and is at a depth below the turbulent zone of the sea. The end of the pipeline is suspended from the flowline termination buoy, and a marine hose fluidly connects the end of the pipeline to a stationary part of a fluid swivel on the CALM buoy. The arrangement isolates the end of the pipeline from fatigue inducing motions of the CALM buoy.

Abstract: By accessing a hot button available from an internet site, a user can make a request for a switched broadband connection from a control system associated with a broadband network. The control system allocates resources for the broadband connection and coordinates a request with the web host. Accordingly, the web host is capable of providing bandwidth-differentiated services to users making such requests.

Abstract: A machine has a support (3) which receives and supports a button shank (6) at a support station (4); a winding device (12) rotates thread (21) through an outlet (25) to wind it around the shank supported in the support under the control of tensioner (17); hooks (56, 57) catch the thread at both ends after bonding the winded thread, the hooks moving as a unit (77) snap the thread to release the shank from the support.

Abstract: An air-conditioning condensate drainage system for mounting to the roof membrane of the roof structure of buildings or for constructing directly onto the roof membrane of a building structure. The air-conditioning condensate drainage system has an isolation membrane having a bottom surface for assembly to a roof membrane. A pair of ridge structures are disposed in fixed relation with the isolation membrane and are disposed in spaced relation with one another and cooperate with the isolation membrane to define an air-conditioning condensate drainage channel between the spaced ridge structures. Each of the ridge structures has one or more ridge defining elements which is fixed to the isolation membrane and projects above the isolation membrane sufficiently to define a condensate drain channel therebetween.

Abstract: A wire socket connector having an open throated basket type body that incorporates a load supporting connection at the upper portion thereof for connection with a lifting device in the form of a chain, wire line, lifting hook or the like. The body defines a tapered internal socket receptacle for receiving a tapered wire socket that is affixed to a wire line to which force, such as a lifting force, is to be applied. The body also defines a laterally opening slot through which the socket bearing wire line moves to gain registering access with the socket receptacle and is structured to permit relatively linear movement of the wire socket into the socket receptacle as a wire line connection is being made or when the wire line is being released from the wire socket connector.

Abstract: The widely used JPEG standard algorithm for two-dimensional image compression may be adapted for compression of arrays of any dimension and data type, specifically for arrays of seismic data. Because the JPEG algorithm processes, more or less independently, small subsets (8.times.8 blocks) of larger images or arrays of data, such adaptations are particularly useful in applications that cannot maintain a large, uncompressed, multi-dimensional array in computer memory. JPEG-like methods enable compression and decompression of large arrays by iteration over sub-arrays that are small enough to reside in memory. These algorithms lead to the concept of a compressed virtual memory. Special care must be taken in JPEG-like algorithms to avoid blocking artifacts, which are discontinuities between blocks of data that are compressed and decompressed independently. Fortunately, computationally efficient methods for suppressing these artifacts are well known.

Abstract: A caisson gate valve (10) fitting within an outer casing (12) extending downwardly from a subsea wellhead below the sea floor is disclosed. The gate valve (10) includes a valve body or block (14) having an axial bore or flow passage (16) therethrough and a transverse cavity (18) in body (14) which extends through the body (14) to provide open ends (19) for cavity (18). Covers (60, 66) are mounted over the open ends (19) of cavity (18). A gate carrier (24) has an oval opening (26) which receives a gate member (28) having a gate opening (30) therein for movement between open and closed positions relative to the flow passage (16). A pair of opposed stems or pistons (32, 34) extend from gate carrier (28) for actuation of gate carrier (24) and valve member (28) between open and closed positions relative to flow passage (16). Fluid chambers (36, 38) adjacent pistons (32, 34) provide pressurized fluid for actuation of gate carrier (24) and gate member (28) therein.

Abstract: A hydrodynamically lubricated interference type rotary shaft seal suitable for environmental exclusion and high pressure lubricant retention which incorporates composite multiple modulus construction and a non-planar flexible environmental edge heel geometry which cooperate to resist high pressure extrusion damage while minimizing interfacial contact pressure and accommodating radial shaft motion.

Abstract: A continuous flow type proportional flow control valve having a very wide controllable flow range and having a valve seat port design permitting a continuous, stable closed loop control to be achieved. The flow port design cooperates with a simple cylindrical flow passage of a movable valve element and provides the valve with a very wide flow control range and the ability to smoothly control the opening, modulation, and closing of the valve to eliminate undesirable hydraulic shock which is an undesirable characteristic of pulse operated flow control systems. The flow controlling seat has a flow controlling port therein that cooperates with the flow port of the closure to define an effective valve opening that is proportionally variable over a wide range of closure movement. The seat port is provided with an extremely narrow elongate slot section less than 1/50th of the maximum width of the aperture.

Abstract: A resilient, ring shaped interference-type hydrodynamic rotary seal having waves on the lubricant side which provide increased film thickness and flushing action by creating contact pressure induced angulated restrictions formed by abrupt restrictive diverters. The angulated restrictions are defined by projecting ridges, corners at the trailing edge of the waves, or simply by use of a converging shape at the trailing edge of the waves which is more abrupt than the gently converging hydrodynamic inlet shape at the leading edge of the waves. The abrupt restrictive diverter performs two functions; a restricting function and a diverting function.The angulated restrictions cause a local film thickness restriction which produces a damming effect preventing a portion of the lubricant from leaking out of the dynamic sealing interface at the trailing edge of the wave, and results in a much thicker lubricant film thickness under the waves.

Abstract: In certain offshore locations, for example off the West Coast of Africa, FPSO facilities provide an offloading facility to receive and load produced crude oil onto shuttle tankers. In such arrangements FPSO facilities use spread moored tankers with flowlines suspended in the water column to an offloading buoy or buoys which are located 1,000 to 1,500 meters away from the FPSO. Typically steel pipe flowlines as used with intermediate floatation to provide a suitable configuration that will avoid detrimental loads being imposed resulting from relative motions of the FPSO and the offloading buoy. According to the invention, a Suspended Pipe Line End Manifold (SPLEM) is connected to the end of the flowline assembly for support during towout. The SPLEM is positioned near the buoy and then connected at the sea surface to the bottom of the buoy by flexible leads such as anchor chains. The SPLEM is then flooded by selectively flooding compartments to cause it to sink to an operational position below the buoy.

Abstract: A hay bale trailer (10) for transporting and unloading cylindrical hay bales (B) having a plurality of cradle assemblies (16) supported on the trailer (10) with each cradle assembly (16) including a cradle (22) mounted for tilting movement about a horizontal axis (34) between opposed sides of the trailer (10) to permit selective unloading of cylindrical hay bales (B) from a desired side of the trailer (10). Each cradle assembly (16) includes a turntable (35) on which a cradle (22) is mounted for pivotal movement about a vertical axis (46). Upon unlocking of cradles (22) by removal of locking pins (54) from openings (36), the cradle can be manually pivoted for dumping. Springs (76) return cradle (22) to a hauling position. Cradle assemblies (16) as shown in FIG. 10 can be simultaneously unlocked for individual dumping. Actuating rod (100) unlocks levers (66).

Abstract: A high performance method and apparatus for testing a closed loop transducer is disclosed. A test bitstream signal is combined with a .SIGMA..DELTA. feedback bitstream of the transducer to produce a combined bitstream which is converted to a physical feedback to the sensor of the transducer. The .SIGMA..DELTA. bitstream output of the transducer is recorded for later analysis so as to test characteristics of the transducer. The test bitstream signal is preferably an oversampled, pulse density modulated signal. A testing arrangement is provided which is based upon the storage of short-length test patterns which are repetitively accessed to form a continuous test pattern. The test bitstream provided by the method of the invention produces very low noise and low distortion test signals where a repetitive test pattern is equivalent in length to one period of the test signal.

Abstract: A casing hanger assembly is disclosed which includes a bottom member which centralizes a casing string within a casing head and a top member of a conventional slip-type casing hanger design. The bottom member functions to rigidly centralize the casing string inside the casing head while absorbing any side bending load induced by movements of the casing string. The top member, set on top of the bottom centralizer member, supports and transfers the weight of the casing string to the casing head.

Abstract: The timing gear device or structure (26) has a pair of timing gears (28, 30) mounted on parallel rotating shafts (22, 24). Each timing gear (28, 30) has an outer gear portion (32) and a concentric interfitting inner gear portion (34). Outer gear portions (34) have teeth (48) which intermesh to transmit torque from drive shaft (22) to driven shaft (24). Each concentric inner gear portion (34) has longitudinally extending splines (44) in meshing relation with splines (46) on the inner periphery of outer gear portion (32). As shown in particular in FIGS. 5-8, the timing gears can be replaced by timing structure (26) by angular alignment or indexing of driven shaft (24) with inner gear portion (34) secured thereto while outer concentric gear portion (32) is removed. For indexing, drive shaft (22) is fixed and timing gear (28) is mounted thereon by key (40).

Abstract: A clinical scrub brush device having an elongate tubular having an inner peripheral wall surface and having a finger opening at one end which may be flared. Internal bristles project radially from the inner peripheral wall surface for scrubbing of a finger or other object inserted into the internal chamber. A perforate structural member is located at an end of the elongate tubular body and has at least one puncture element. A scrub solution chamber having a quantity of liquid scrub solution is supported at one end of the elongate tubular body and has a movable wall to permit manual pressurization of the scrub solution and has a membrane wall preventing movement of the scrub solution into the internal chamber. The membrane is punctured when forced against the puncture element by scrub solution pressure for releasing scrub solution into the internal chamber.

Abstract: A disposable cushioned aspirator which forms part of a dental or medical aspirating system. The disposable cushioned aspirator appliance described herein is intended principally to be used in dental procedures where bodily fluids and rinse water is evacuated from a patient's mouth, but the invention has application in medical procedures and various other applications as well. An elongate tubular element having a patient end and a connection end is exteriorly lined with a layer of soft cushioning material such as a porous foam material to protect the soft tissues in and around the mouth of a patient. The elongate tubular aspirator is capable of being manually bent from an initially straight configuration to a curved or other desired configuration and is provided with a structural member extending along its length and being pliable to permit bending and yet of sufficient structural integrity to maintain the aspirator in the desired configuration during use.

Abstract: An improved arrangement for connection of a disconnectable spider buoy to an internal turret of a floating production storage and off loading vessel is disclosed. Risers from subsea wells are connected by quick disconnect/connection devices to pipes which run through the turret and then via a product swivel to lines leading to storage tanks on the vessel. A structure is provided to create an enclosed space to enclose the connection devices at the top of the spider buoy. A ventilation shaft runs from the enclosed volume to atmosphere via the top of the turret. A forced air line is provided into the enclosed space for ventilating the space via the ventilation shaft during normal operations. If a gas leak is sensed in the enclosed space, the forced air line is closed. The small volume which surrounds the connection devices quickly fills with hydrocarbon gas to produce a high gas/air ratio in the enclosed space which greatly reduces danger of explosion.

Abstract: A fail-safe closure system for one or a plurality of springless process valve actuators is disclosed. An accumulator is provided with an urging means, such as a spring for pressurizing fluid stored therein. A source of pressurized fluid is also provided. Supply pressurized fluid is applied to an opening chamber of one or a plurality of process valve actuators while a flow path is opened to a vent from the closing chamber of the one or more actuators. For closing the actuator or actuators, a flow path is established by which pressurized fluid from the accumulator is applied to the closing chamber of the actuator or actuators while the opening chamber is vented. Control valves are arranged so that if or when they fail, they fail in a position which allows the process valve actuators to close as described.