Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method for articulating an articulated vehicle from a rest position, the vehicle being composed of a forward unit and a tracked rearward unit having a pair of powered tracks. The forward and rearward units are connected by a joint and an articulation cylinder. The method powers up only one track while simultaneously actuating the articulation cylinder.

Abstract: A system and method are described for synchronizing store-and-forward networks and for scheduling and transmitting continuous, periodic, predictable, time-sensitive, or urgent information such as real-time and high-priority messages over those networks. This enables packet-, cell-, and/or frame-based networks to thereby efficiently switch voice, video, streaming, and other real-time or high-priority data at the layer one or physical level, thus ensuring that the delivery of selected information can be made fast, on-time, immediate, non-blocked, non-congested, loss-less, jitter-free, and have guaranteed delivery, and guaranteed quality of service.

Abstract: The present invention is a grain unloading assembly for unloading clean grain from a combine grain bin, wherein a combine harvests grain and cleans it to provide the clean grain. Such grain unloading assembly includes a vertical flighted conveyor adapted to operate in either direction which is disposed within a housing that is fitted at its top with a bin spout, a discharge spout, and a moveable door that permits communication of the flighted conveyor either with the bin spout or with the discharge spout. Another aspect of the invention is an unload assembly including a distal frame nested within a proximal frame. The distal frame is extensible from and retractable into the proximal frame. This unload assembly includes a conveyor system that permits the conveyor to extend as the distal conveyor extends and retract as the distal conveyor retracts.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a straw and chaff spreader for mounting in association with a grain cleaner of a combine. The chaff and straw spreader includes a pair of horizontally-disposed, outwardly rotating, cleated conveyors that receive straw and chaff discharged from the grain separator and cleaner of the combine. The conveyors may be configured to be independently reversibly rotatable.

Abstract: The present invention is addressed to a joint which includes an upper frame member carried by the forward unit and having a recess on its lower side and a lower frame member carried by the forward unit, having a recess on its upper side, and being spaced-apart vertically below the upper frame member so that the recesses are in vertical registration. The joint further includes a shaft carried by the rearward unit and a bearing retainer assembly carried by the end of the shaft and disposed between the recesses. The bearing assembly includes an annulus surmounting a hub connected to the shaft. Thrust bearings between the annulus and hub permit the hub to co-rotate with the shaft with respect to the annulus, while nibs carried by the annulus are associated with tapered roller bearings so that the outer annulus co-twists with the shaft respect to the forward unit.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to an airbag suspension system for a vehicle. The airbag suspension system includes a vehicle frame having an axle to which is affixed a longitudinal beam carrying at least one wheel. The airbag assembly of the suspension system includes an upper plate extending from the vehicle frame and a lower plate affixed to the longitudinal beam. Disposed between the upper and lower plates is an airbag. The lower plate carries a pair of vertical blocks having vertical slots, a pair of cams being carried by the upper plate and riding in the vertical slots. The airbag suspension system may be used with a vehicle such as an articulated combine, that rides on a pair of wheeled tires or on a pair of endless tracks.

Abstract: Methods and compositions for modulating the FGF effect on the sensitivity of malignant and normal cells to anticancer agents are provided. In particular, methods and compositions for inhibiting FGF-induced resistance to a broad spectrum of anticancer agents in solid and soft-tissue tumors, metastatic lesions, leukemia and lymphoma are provided. Preferably, the compositions include at least one FGF inhibitor in combination with a cytotoxic agents, e.g., antimicrotubule agents, topoisomerase I inhibitors, topoisomerase II inhibitors, antimetabolites, mitotic inhibitors, alkylating agents, intercalating agents, agents capable of interfering with a signal transduction pathway (e.g., g., a protein kinase C inhibitor, e.g., an anti-hormone, e.g., an antibody against growth factor receptors), an agent that promotes apoptosis and/or necrosis, and interferon, an interleukin, a tumor necrosis factor, and radiation.

Abstract: Pressure sensitive adhesive (PSA) polymers, especially low Tg, high tack, nonpolar and polar polymers useful in formulating PSA can be solubilized or dispersed in a supercritical fluid (SCF), such as liquid CO2 or supercritical CO2, using an organic cosolvent such as toluene. PSA polymers can be polymerized in SCF fluids to make unique adhesive products. Inclusion of a fluorinated reactant in the SCF polymerization process yields a PSA with improved resistance to mineral oil.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to an adhesive composition, which comprises an epoxy resin, a coupling agent, filler, and an effective amount of an amine-curing agent or curative for said epoxy resin. Advantageously, tri-functional and/or tetrafunctional epoxy resins and/or acrylate monomers will be incorporated into the adhesive composition in order to reduce open time and enhance substrate adhesion. Advantageously, a mixture of amines will be used in the curative including aliphatic amines, which have low viscosities and efficiently wet the substrate for enhancing adhesion; polyamines, which can be used to manipulate open time and allow for improved ratio tolerance of the adhesive system; and amine-terminated rubbers (ATBN), which can improve impact resistance and the toughness of the cured adhesive. Preferred coupling agents are silanes.

Abstract: Disclosed is a curved surface element (e.g., light bulb, ornament, light pipe, etc.) which has at least a portion thereof (inner or outer surface) covered with a holographic diffraction grating which was constructed to be essentially distortion free on said curved surface, whereby such diffraction grating diffracts light to emit color to the observer. The diffraction grating can take for form of a holographic optical element (HOE) attached to the curved surface or a diffractive holographic optical pattern (HOP) embossed into the curved surface.

Abstract: The axial or grip force between at least one wheel of a vehicle and a ground surface, wherein the wheel is mounted on an upright and carried by an axle, is directly measured. The axle is radially supported in the upright by roller bearings. The lateral load is supported by the use of thrust bearings. Disposed between the axle lateral thrust bearing assembly and the upright is a force sensor. The force sensor directly registers axial force on the axle with respect to the upright. Lateral (or axial) output force signals from the force sensor can be sent directly to a readout device or can be sent to a processor, for example, for treatment. Such a design results in isolating the axial or lateral force vector placed on the axle, which carries the wheel and tire assembly, and, thus, the directly measuring the grip force of the tire.

Abstract: An support rack system, which may be electrically conductive, has one or more generally horizontal crossbars. Each crossbar has a front face and a spaced-apart rear face. Each of the crossbar faces is interconnected at one or more spaced-apart locations to reveal at least one pocket. The crossbar faces are matingly connected adjacent at least one of the pockets. The mating connection of the crossbars has at least one aperture penetrating therethrough. The rack system also has one or more generally parallel, vertically oriented support bars. At least one of the support bars bears a mechanism adapted to attach said crossbars to said support bar with one or more of the crossbar aperture or the crossbar pocket.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for operating a condenser of the type having a housing inside of which is disposed a bundle of water tubes, a steam inlet for steam to flow inside the housing for contacting the tube bundle for cooling, and having a stagnant air zone during operation wherein any air in-leakage preferentially collects and condensate in the air zone becomes subcooled. A trough is placed beneath the stagnant air zone for collecting subcooled condensate from the stagnant air zone. Collected subcooled condensate is transported in the trough in a pipe to said steam inlet. The transported condensate is injected with an injector for contacting with steam entering the condenser, whereby the injected condensate is heated by the steam for expelling dissolved oxygen in the injected condensate. Advantageously, the condenser is fitted with an array of temperature sensors at the stagnant air zone for determination of its presence and/or size.

Abstract: Method for identifying an object having a surface of a given color associates a colored zone with the surface of the object. The zone is machine readably contrasting in color compared to the surface color. The colored zone is ablatively imaging to produce one or more of machine readable images, human readable images, or graphics. The contrast in color between the colored zone and the surface is machine readable. Advantageously, at least two colored zones are associated with the object to be identified. One or more of these colored zones can be ablatively marked. One or more of these colored zones also can be used to sort and/or identify the object by color.

Abstract: A method for imaging a product with a pattern commences by forming a film of a wet or tacking marking material on a cliché. A negative of the pattern is ablatively imaged into the film on the cliché. The negative image then is pressure transferred from the cliché onto a marking pad. Finally, the negative image is pressure transferred from the marking pad onto the product. Preferably, the cliché where the film is formed contains recesses. The apparatus, which images the product, has a moveable cliché having a recessed pocket. An ink reservoir transfers ink into the recessed pocket. A laser imaging system images a pattern into ink contained in the recessed pocket. A stamp pad is moveable from a home position to contact the imaged pattern for pressure transferring the pattern onto the stamp pad, and moveable to a printing station to pressure transfer the pattern onto a product.

Abstract: Method, system and apparatus for carrying out accurate electrosurgical cutting. A thin resilient electrode is utilized at the forward end region of an instrument which is deployable from a longitudinally disposed slot positioned rearwardly of the tip of the instrument. Lateral sides of the slot extend between a forward location adjacent the tip and a rearward location. The electrode is deployed by urging it forwardly in compression to form an arch profile supported by the abutting slot sides adjacent the forward and rearward locations. Electrosurgically excitable with a cutting output, the electrode may carry out a cutting action both during its deployment and retraction into the noted slot. This permits a pivoting maneuver effective for circumscribing a volume of targeted tissue.

Abstract: Electrobiological stimulation is carried out transcranially by applying high frequency squarewave bursts exhibiting no d.c. term across the cranial region. Such stimulation is commenced employing ramp generators and positive and negative voltage converters which evolve the requisite baseform and burst frequencies having a voltage waveform which is square in nature. Both voltage and current are sensed and subjected to comparator logic in conjunction with predetermined thresholds and windows. Overcurrent detection and overvoltage detection is provided in hard wired fashion to assure rapid shutdown response. D.C offset detection is provided along with waveform balance tests to further assure the safety of the system. Diagnostic procedures as well as therapeutic procedures may be carried out with a system version which provides for the application of a stimulus in conjunction with safety monitoring and controller based development of stimulating waveforms, all of which exhibits no d.c. term.

Abstract: A self-adhering protective overlay employing a flexible sheet having a front surface, a back surface, and a periphery, with a pressure sensitive adhesive applied substantially to the periphery on the back surface. In one embodiment, a release sheet is removably adhered to the pressure sensitive adhesive prior to use After the release sheet is removed, the flexible sheet may be used and re-adhered to the release sheet for subsequent use. In an alternate embodiment, a plurality of protective overlays, without the addition of the release sheet, are arranged in a stack wherein individual flexible sheets may be separated from the stack, used, and then disposed or re-adhered to the stack for subsequent use.

Abstract: Broadly, one aspect of the present invention is an articulated combine having increased on-board grain storage capacity (e.g., 1,200 bushels) and which is composed of a forward unit having an operator's cab, an engine, a grain harvesting assembly, a grain transfer assembly, and being devoid of an on-board grain bin; and a rearward unit jointedly attached to the forward section and having, steerable and powered wheels, an on-board grain bin for receiving grain from the forward section grain transfer assembly, and a grain off-loading assembly. The grain transfer assembly, joint, and grain off-loading assembly and controls, form other aspects of the present invention.