Abstract: The present invention discloses the fabrication of polymer-coated, coated fiber composites, hybrid composites and a method and apparatus for fabricating the same. The invention provides for the maximum spraying and coating of a roving of coated fibers with molten polymer streams without making physical contact with a solid media, thus simultaneously preventing the fiber surface from getting damaged and stripping off the coating. When metal-coated fiber is used the invention improves the electromagnetic shielding properties of any subsequent product made from the inventive composite. The method and apparatus of the present invention uses sets of nozzle-type sprayers having multiple orifices to enable the thermoplastic or thermoset polymer to penetrate more efficiently into the fiber bundle, thereby providing a more uniform coverage of all fibers. The hybrid composites can consist of two or more types of reinforcements and one or more type of matrix polymer.

Abstract: A delta sigma modulator which employs a plurality of accumulators with non-power-of-2 modulus. The accumulators may consist of a primary non-power-of-2 modulus accumulator and a secondary non-power-of-2 modulus accumulator. The number of bits in the primary accumulators affects the frequency resolution of the resultant delta sigma fractional N frequency synthesizer and can be the minimum number of bits required by the resolution specification. The secondary accumulator integrates the carry outputs of its corresponding primary accumulators. This integration results in attenuating the dc content of the modulator output by a factor equal to the modulus of the secondary accumulators and may require compensation in the recombination block.

Abstract: A panel for use in a plurality for a slat wall comprises a panel body with inner and outer surfaces, and upper and lower edges. A vertical link at the rear of the upper edge has an inner surface coplanar with the body inner surface; a fastener receiving member connected across the vertical link has an upwardly extending tongue and downwardly extending leg, having vertically coplanar outer surfaces and defining a first groove to receive fasteners to secure the panels to the wall. A cover extending from the body outer surface has a free end with an inward projection, the cover and a rear protrusion of the body lower edge together defining a second groove. When installed, the second grooves receive tongues of adjacent panels; the covers extend over the first grooves of adjacent panels; and the inward projections engage with outer surfaces of legs of adjacent panels.

Abstract: A preferred apparatus and method is presented in which a distributed fiber optic sensor is used in order to detect a disturbance along its length. A pulse of polarized light is launched into an optical fiber; as the pulse propagates along the optical fiber, it continuously loses a small portion of its energy due to Rayleigh backscatter. The Rayleigh backscattered light is analyzed using a polarization sensitive element such as a fiber polarizer. The dynamics of the time dependence of the polarization analyzed backscattered light is used to ascertain if there has been a disturbance along the length of the optical fiber. This technique can be used for applications in areas such as fiber optic telecommunications, perimeter security, fire detection, and pipelines.

Abstract: A sensor array that forms part of an intrusion detection system, which is adapted for use on narrow spaced objects that surround a perimeter. The sensor array includes at least two intrusion detection sensor nodes, a plurality of node processors corresponding to each sensor node, and a deformable cable. The plurality of sensor nodes are situated and spaced along the deformable cable. The at least two sensory nodes include one or more discrete volumetric sensors with associated volumetric detection fields extending from each discrete volumetric sensor. Each sensor node has a detection zone extending transversely to the longitudinal direction of the deformable cable at the sensor node and defined by the detection fields of its constituent sensors as constructed and arranged in each sensor node. Each sensor node includes a node processor situated thereat for processing a response generated by the sensors when an intruder enters a nodes detection zone.

Abstract: A forming fabric having a paper side layer and a machine side layer comprises a first set of paper side layer wefts, a second set of machine side layer wefts and a single set of warp yarn triplets. In the fabric weave pattern, each member of each triplet set of warp yarns interweaves with the paper side weft yarns to occupy in sequence segments of an unbroken warp path in the paper side surface, and each triplet in each set of warp yarns interlaces alone with at least one single machine side layer weft yarn. Each segment in the unbroken warp path is separated by at least one paper side layer weft yarn. The machine side layer interlacing points are regularly spaced. After heat setting, the fabrics typically have an air permeability typically from about 7,500 to about 10,500 m3/m2/hr. Paper products made using these fabrics have enhanced printability.

Abstract: A reinforced composite material, having isotropic thermal expansion properties and a low coefficient of thermal expansion over at least the temperature range of from about 0° C. to at least about 150° C., which composite material comprises in combination a first continuous phase comprising a three dimensional preformed bonded powder material reinforcement, including a bonding agent, and in which the bonded powder material is chosen from the group consisting of zirconium tungstate, hafnium tungstate, zirconium hafnium tungstate, and mixtures of zirconium tungstate and hafnium tungstate, and a second continuous phase matrix material chosen from the group consisting of aluminium, aluminium alloys in which aluminium is the major component, magnesium, magnesium alloys in which magnesium is the major component, titanium, titanium alloys in which titanium is the major component, engineering thermoplastics and engineering thermoplastics containing a conventional solid filler.

Abstract: A hot water circulating system to provide instant hot water including a hot water source connected to one or more fixtures and a hot water return line from the fixture to the hot water source including a check valve and a continuous circulation pump in the return line.

Abstract: A method for controlling the extraction of gold from a gold ore by the cyanidation process in which a leaching step including the addition of a lead compound, which is typically lead nitrate or other lead salt, is used. In order to maintain stable conditions in the leaching process, and to use the leaching reagents efficiently, an analysis step is used to monitor the concentration of thiocyanate in the cyanidation step. This value has been found to be directly related to the rate of addition of the lead compound in the pre-leaching or leaching step. Further, the rate of addition of lead compound is also directly related to both the time required for, and the efficiency of, the cyanidation step. By establishing a target value, and a preferred range, for the thiocyanate concentration based on the properties of the ore being processed, optimal extraction conditions can be established in the leaching process and maintained by monitoring the thiocyanate concentration.

Abstract: An outdoor feeder apparatus for wild birds comprises a platform having at least one low point and constructed and arranged to be connected at a discharge opening at each low point to an inlet opening in a hollow support attachable to a base and adapted to provide an unobstructed substantially vertical downward waste discharge path from each discharge opening to a replaceable collection container provided within the base. A cover member is adapted to be maintained in spaced-apart relationship from the platform by a plurality of cover support members provides at selected points on an upper surface of the platform, and to provide vertical coverage over at least all of a horizontal plane connecting all points on a perimeter of the platform. A bird feed supply can be hung from an interior surface of the cover.

Abstract: A jet spouted fluidized bed drier is described in which the bottom half of the drier chamber comprises a first lower conical part, and the top half of the drier chamber comprises a second upper conical part surrounding a conical grid located near to the top end of the second part. The drier chamber thus comprises two conical parts connected together at their wide ends. The result of this arrangement is that the collision zone becomes a toroid with an essentially triangular cross-sectional shape defined essentially by the conical internal surface of the top part and the conical outer surface of the conical grid. This revised structural arrangement has been found to be able to process materials which either cannot be processed, or cannot be processed efficiently, with known jet spouted fluidized bed driers. Additionally, this revised structural arrangement has been found to be able to process materials more efficiently, and to a lower desired final liquid content values.

Abstract: A double layer forming fabric for a paper making machine is woven to an overall repeating pattern, which comprises in combination paper side layer weft yarns, machine side layer weft yarns, and warp yarns. The paper side layer weft yarns interweave with the warp yarns in a first repeating weave pattern, the machine side layer weft yarns interlace with the warp yarns in a second repeating weave pattern, and the fabric is woven in an overall repeating pattern requiring 3N sheds, in which N is an integer and is at least 2. For each warp yarn, the first repeating weave pattern includes interweaving locations comprising a first and a second interweaving point, each of the interweaving points being separated by an internal warp float of at least two paper side layer weft yarns.

Abstract: A process, and an apparatus, for improving sheet properties in a twin fabric paper making machine forming section whereby pressure pulse generation in the stock can be controlled. The pressure pulses are controlled by mounting a vacuum assisted skimmer blade (15) supported by an adjustable resilient support means (18) so that its height can be altered, and so that it can respond to transient changes in the stock layer thickness. The resilient and adjustable support means (18) itself is supported by a vacuum drainage box (10), which serves to capture at least the major proportion of the fluid skimmed of by the skimmer blade (15). This apparatus the position of the skimmer blade (15) to be altered in two ways without stopping the paper making machine. The skimmer blade (15) can be located either so that it is out of contact with the forming fabric (3), or so that it can be in contact with the forming fabric.

Abstract: A support device for displaying individual objects, such as books in a readable position, comprises a backrest having a substantially planar upper portion having an upper edge and a substantially curved lower portion comprising a cradle having a free edge. A support means is adapted to support the upper portion whereby in operation the upper portion of the backrest is rearwardly inclined from the cradle, and object restraining means are affixed substantially perpendicular to the free edge of the cradle.

Abstract: An adjustable resilient blade support for use in the forming section of a papermaking machine. The blade support is adjustable, both to allow the attached blade to be moved from a position where it is out of contact to a position where it is pressed into contact with the adjacent forming fabric, and to permit adjustment of the blade orientation relative to the surface of the forming fabric. The blade support is also resilient, and thus allows the blade to respond to transient localized changes in the path of the forming fabric with which it is in contact. The adjustable resilient blade support of this invention is thus of use in an open surface forming section, and also is of use in forming sections in which two forming fabrics are used.

Abstract: A method of determining a connection between a data emitting device j having address IP(j) and a data receiving device i having address IP(i) via a routing device, wherein the routing device utilizes a management information database MIB, establishing a mask field in the MIB for all devices in a subnet which passes data through the routing device having a property (IP(i) AND MASK)=(IP(j) AND MASK), and indicating connection of a device i to a device j for devices in which the property is true.

Abstract: A permeable industrial fabric is assembled from a plurality of separate tiles into at least two plies, and in which the two plies are held together by jointing structures made integrally with the tiles. In these fabrics, within each tile the jointing structures are incorporated at primary selected locations according a symmetrical pattern, and the apertures in the tiles which provide the required fabric permeability are incorporated at secondary and tertiary selected locations according two more patterns, at least one of which is asymmetrical. This combination of symmetry and asymmetry allows for some control over the permeability of the assembled fabric.

Abstract: A preform for use in a metal matrix composite, particularly for a magnesium metal composite. In the preform the reinforcing material typically is silicon carbide, boron nitride, titanium nitride, carbon or graphite. The binder used in the preform is sintered magnesium fluoride, which avoids the known problems which result from the high reactivity of molten magnesium metal with other binders, such as silica and alumina, which results in the formation of magnesium oxide in the reinforced composite. The presence of magnesium oxide crystals in the metal matrix adversely affects the properties of the composite. The preform generally has a void volume of from about 50% to about 95%.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for measuring lateral displacement of a casing in a vertical bore and includes an inclinometer probe, a cable, and a cable reel with electronics mounted in the reel hub. The probe contains two servo-accelerometers, a microprocessor and an electrical circuit. The servo-accelerometers provide analog signals that indicate the inclination angle of the vertical bore hole. The electrical circuit converts the analog signal from each servo-accelerometers to a digital signal which is read by the microprocessor. The microprocessor analyses the data and transmits the digital encoded data over a twisted-pair cable to a digital display unit connected to the cable reel hub. DC power for the probe is provided by the electronics in the reel hub over the same twisted-pair cable.

Abstract: A multilayer papermaker's press felt fabric comprising in combination a woven first fabric layer, typically a double layer fabric, has a cross machine direction pin seam. A second fabric layer is located on the paper side face of the first fabric layer, and a layer of needled batt is applied to the paper side face of the second layer binding the layers together. A flap comprising a short length of the second fabric layer with attached batt overlays the pin seam area in the first layer. The second layer comprises a plurality of relatively narrow strips, which are located with a lateral edge at a first cant angle of from more than 1° to less than 20° to the machine direction. A third layer, similar to the second layer, can be included on the machine side of the first layer; the strip widths, the cant angles, and the direction of the cant angle relative to the machine direction for each of the two strips need not be the same. The fabric is assembled using a spiral winding technique.