Abstract: Visual inspection of an interior surface of a borehole. A housing adapted to be lowered in the borehole supports a portable camera for generating images of a portion of the interior surface of the borehole and a light source for illuminating an area adjacent the camera. A monitor receives signals from the camera and, in response thereto, displays the images generated by the camera. A viewing envelope positioned adjacent the camera defines a viewing area adjacent the camera, particularly for use in visually inspecting slurry-filled boreholes.

Abstract: Disclosed herein in a preferred embodiment is an automated financial instrument brokerage system wherein a front end layer interacts with customers to generate activity requests for an intermediate layer. The intermediate layer preferably processes the activity requests and places financial instrument orders on a financial market if appropriate. A backend layer preferably provides data to the intermediate layer for processing activity requests. Multiple heterogeneous front end customer applications may be supported by the same intermediate layer. Further, multiple backend layer applications may interact with the intermediate layer in a manner transparent to the front end layer. Further, scalability can be achieved be partitioning various tasks of the intermediate layer onto separate servers, and more preferably on separate redundant servers. Load balancers may then be used in the intermediate layer to provide distributed access to these servers.

Abstract: A multi-focal contact lens wherein the lens is manufactured at least partially from a responsive polymer gel.

Abstract: A user interface for building a componentized workflow model. Each step of the workflow is modeled as an activity that has metadata to describe design time aspects, compile time aspects, and runtime aspects of the workflow step. A user selects and arranges the activities to create the workflow via the user interface. The metadata associated with each of the activities in the workflow is collected to create a persistent representation of the workflow. Users extend the workflow model by authoring custom activities.

Abstract: A ring binder mechanism includes an elongate housing and a ring support supported by the housing for movement relative to the housing. The ring support has an upper surface and a lower surface. A plurality of rings is provided for holding loose-leaf pages. Each ring includes a first ring member and a second ring member. The first ring member is mounted on the ring support for movement with the ring support relative to the housing between a closed position and an opened position. An actuator is mounted on the housing for pivotal movement relative to the housing for moving the rings from their closed position to their opened position. The actuator has a snap-lock connection with the housing.

Abstract: An electronic mail message (EMM) addressed to a distribution list of an enterprise is received at a server of the enterprise from a sending address outside of the enterprise. If the distribution list has no external addresses, then the EMM is blocked from being delivered to the distribution list. In an embodiment, if the distribution list has an external address and the sending address is identified in a safe sender list corresponding to the distribution list, then the EMM is delivered to the distribution list. In an embodiment, if the distribution list has an external address, the sending address is not in a safe sender list corresponding to the distribution list, and the content of the message is approved, then the EMM is delivered to the distribution list.

Abstract: An improved follower packing unit for a grease gun is disclosed. The unit includes a hollow annular body of elastomeric material having a front wall, an annular side wall and a rear wall defining a cavity in the body. Rigid front and back structural supports rigidly support the front and rear walls of the elastomeric seal. The elastomeric seal and the front and back structural supports are fastened together to prevent separation and to form a unitary follower structure movable as a unit on a follower rod. The annular side wall of the elastomeric seal is resiliently deformable under pressure in a radial direction for sealing tightly against an interior surface of the barrel of the grease gun or against the interior surface of a tubular cartridge loaded in the barrel of the gun.

Abstract: Catching gear to be worn by a catcher receiving a ball from a pitcher is disclosed. The gear comprises a leg guard adapted to be worn on one leg of the catcher, and a light-emitting device on the leg guard. The light-emitting device is positioned for generating light to be directed toward the catcher's fingers to increase the visibility of hand signals given by the catcher.

Abstract: A high-strength anchor system for anchoring a support to mine strata is disclosed. The system includes an anchor plate and a connecting member on the anchor plate for connection of the support to the anchor plate. Anchor bolts extend through bolt holes in the anchor plate into bore holes in the mine strata. Load-spreading devices extend from respective bolt holes in the anchor plate into the bore holes. The load-spreading devices have outside diameters larger than outside diameters of the anchor bolts for spreading shear loads exerted on the anchor bolts over larger areas of the mine strata. A method of installing such a system and a safe room bulkhead using such a system are also disclosed.

Abstract: A heater including a heat dump opening and a heat dump cover moveable between an open and a closed position to selectively block flow of fluid through the heat dump opening. The heat dump opening is formed in the top of the housing, and the heat dump cover is biased toward the open position. The cover moves to an open position in response to a sensed preselected limit temperature to vent excessively heated air to ambient to prevent damage to the heater and a duct system and a building to which the heater may be connected. Air escaping the heater via the heat dump opening may cause replacement air to be drawn into the heater to cool the heater, including electrical components of the heater located near an inlet and an outlet of the heater.

Abstract: A workflow manager application transfers message data received from an originating device via a communication network to a target application for processing. A graphical user interface displays the received message data and allows the user to view and designate one or more target applications for processing the message data. The workflow manger application is responsive to user input to transfer message data to the designated one or more target applications for processing the message data. Alternatively, the workflow manager application analyzes received message data to identify one or more target applications, and transfers the message data to the identified one or more target applications for processing.

Abstract: An electric motor having a housing, a stator mounted in the housing, and a rotor mounted in the housing for rotation relative to the stator about a central axis. A plurality of fluid flow passages extend through the rotor between opposite ends. An electro-magnetic drive system is adapted for driving rotation of the rotor relative to the stator. A fluid circulation system is in fluid communication with the fluid flow passages for providing fluid flow from the first end of the rotor to the second end of the rotor through at least one of the fluid flow passages and fluid flow from the second end of the rotor to the first end of the rotor through at least one other of the fluid flow passages. The rotor and components of the fluid circulation can be assembled to make a rotor assembly.

Abstract: An endless elastomeric belt includes a carcass that includes an elastomeric matrix extending in an endless loop around a circumference of the belt. The matrix has opposite lateral edges defining a width of the matrix, and a carcass cord within the matrix extending in multiple turns around the circumference of the belt. An elongate binder extends around the lateral edges of the matrix generally transverse to the centerline of the body.

Abstract: Recreating an electronic data interchange (EDI) schema from a file. The file is received from a source and the file includes a plurality of data values. The plurality of data values is identified. The plurality of data values is analyzed to determine the structure of the EDI schema. A set of decoding rules is analyzed to the analyzed plurality of data values. The EDI schema is recreated as a function of the applied set of decoding rules and the analyzed plurality of data values.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for continuously forming a one-piece expanded metal gutter cover having at least one solid edge. The method involves feeding a continuous web of solid metal along a continuous path, expanding the continuous web as it is fed along the continuous path, profiling a solid edge margin of the web as it is fed along the continuous path, and cutting the continuous web transversely of the web at intervals along the web to form separate gutter covers.

Abstract: A ring binder mechanism includes a housing and a ring support supported by the housing for movement relative thereto. Each ring of a plurality of rings includes first and second ring members. The first ring member is mounted on the ring support for movement with the ring support relative to the housing between a closed position and an opened position. An actuator is mounted for pivotal movement relative to the housing for moving the rings from their closed position to their opened position. The actuator includes a lower arm having a contact surface engageable with a lower surface of the ring support when the rings are in their opened position and out of engagement with the ring support when the rings are in their closed position. The contact surface defines an angle between its outer surface and a horizontal plane between about 16 degrees and about 55 degrees.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods and compositions for the treatment of ion imbalances. In particular, the invention provides compositions comprising sodium-binding polymers and pharmaceutical compositions thereof. Methods of use of the polymeric and pharmaceutical compositions for therapeutic and/or prophylactic benefits are disclosed herein. Examples of these methods include the treatment of hypertension, chronic heart failure, end stage renal disease, liver cirrhosis, chronic renal insufficiency, fluid overload, or sodium overload.

Abstract: A building framework includes plural column assemblies supporting plural beams supporting floors of the building, with the union of the column assemblies and beams forming beam-to-column (or beam-to-column-to-beam) joint connection assemblies according to this invention. The joint connection assemblies inventively include novel features which remarkably and surprisingly improve the distribution of strain and plastic deformation in the joint connection structure when subjected to extreme load challenges to the building structure (as may occur during earthquake, explosion, progressive collapse load conditions, or massive impact.