Abstract: A piston engine includes a feed channel for conducting combustion air to the engine, a collecting container for receiving combustion air from the feed channel, and a feed pipe for conducting combustion air from the collecting container to a cylinder of the engine. Moistening fluid is introduced into the combustion air at a location upstream of the feed pipe and a droplet separator removes droplets of moistening fluid from air flowing through the feed pipe.

Abstract: Apparatus suitable for venting and dispensing gas from an area of ground. The apparatus comprising a passage arrangement locatable in the ground extending generally horizontally and formed from a plurality of self-supporting open units. One or more columns extends downwardly from the passage, the columns being formed of a core material having an open permeable structure. The or each column has a fluid permeable exterior, and is in communication with the passage.

Abstract: A supercharged multi-cylinder piston engine includes an elongate air inlet manifold and multiple heat transfer elements located in the interior space of the air inlet manifold. The heat transfer elements extend individually over different respective length segments of the interior space of the manifold and extend collectively over substantially the entire length of the interior space of the manifold.

Abstract: A method of preparing a coated optical fiber for coupling to a face of an optical device includes placing the coated fiber so that it extends through a stripping station, a cleaning station and a cleaving station. A stripper at the stripping station is brought into engagement with the fiber and relative motion between the fiber and the stripping station, the cleaning station and the cleaving station is effected lengthwise of the fiber, whereby the coating is stripped from a medial length segment of the fiber as the cleaning device at the cleaning station is activated for cleaning fragments of coating material from the medial length segment of the fiber as the medial length segment passes through the cleaning station and the cleaning device is deactivated and stripping is discontinued.

Abstract: A sliding closure system comprising a frame and at least one slidable leaf member. The frame has a frame upper member and a frame lower member each being formed with at least one longitudinal groove. A groove filling device comprising an elastic member and an elongate filling member is disposed in the longitudinal groove of the frame lower member. A lower member of the slidable leaf member includes a height control roller having a projection that is received in the longitudinal groove of the frame lower member for guiding the slidable leaf member longitudinally of the frame lower member.

Abstract: A display device is described for use as a checkout counter divider. The device comprises a flat blank 10 and an elongate weight 40. The blank has fold lines to permit it to be folded onto itself to form an elongate hollow bar having a base and at least two further sides 12 and 14. The elongate weight is secured in use to the base of the hollow bar, to add stability to the hollow bar when resting on its base.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a tube made of a non-ferrous material, particularly a tube made of mainly copper, in which method, in the first working step the tube billet is worked so that mainly owing to the deformation resistance, the temperature of the tube billet under operation rises up to the recrystallization range, at least on the spot that is being worked. Essentially immediately after the first working step, the tube billet is subjected to at least a second working step and the tube billet is maintained, at least during the first and second working step in non-oxidizing conditions. the invention also relates to an apparatus.

Abstract: An apparatus for cutting into a cylindrical munition, comprising a cutting head and a mechanism for moving the cutting head relative to the surface of the munition. The mechanism for moving the cutting head constrains the cutting head to follow a linear path in one direction, to be positioned in use parallel to the axis of the munition, and an arcuate path in the plane normal to the first direction to follow the contour of the munition.

Abstract: A heat exchanger includes at least two ducts for separating a first heat exchange fluid, inside the ducts, from a second heat exchange fluid, outside the ducts, the ducts having longitudinal axes that are substantially parallel to one another. A substantially planar cooling element is formed with apertures through which the ducts extend. The cooling element is inclined at a first predetermined acute angle to the longitudinal axes of the ducts. The cooling element is provided with louvers that are inclined at a second predetermined acute angle to the general plane of the cooling element. The first and second predetermined acute angles are substantially equal in magnitude.

Abstract: Method of utilizing waste heat in a turbocharger unit of an internal combustion engine unit having means for recovering heat from the combustion process, the engine unit comprising a turbocharger unit adapted to feed pressurized combustion air to the engine and to receive exhaust gases from the engine, wherein the means for recovering heat is producing steam, which is generated using waste heat from the engine and wherein the steam is injected to the turbocharger unit and the energy of steam is at least partially recovered in the turbocharger. The invention relates also to an internal combustion engine arrangement which comprises means for recovering heat from the combustion process and a turbocharger unit adapted to feed pressurized combustion air to the engine and to receive exhaust gases from the engine. The turbocharger unit is provided with a steam injection arrangement connected with the means for recovering heat.

Abstract: An apparatus for the directional drilling of bore hole through a solid substrate includes a main bore head mounted for rotation on a flexible drive shaft and a pilot bore head for weakening a region of substrate in advance of the main bore head, the weakened region being eccentrically located relative to the main bore head. The apparatus further includes structure for enabling the drilling access of the main bore head, during subsequent drilling of the bore hole, to become substantially aligned with the weakened region of substrate.

Abstract: A multiple integrated circuit (IC) die assembly includes a base IC die and secondary IC dice mounted on a surface of the base IC die. A set of protruding contacts formed on the surface of the base IC die and extending beyond the secondary IC dice link the surface of the base IC die to a printed circuit board (PCB) substrate with the secondary IC die residing between the base IC die and the PCB substrate.

Abstract: An apparatus for the directional drilling of a bore hole through a solid substrate includes a main bore head mounted for rotation on a flexible drive shaft and a pilot bore head for weakening a region of substrate in advance of the main bore head, the weakened region being eccentrically located relative to the main bore head. The apparatus further includes structure for enabling the drilling access of the main bore head, during subsequent drilling of the bore hole, to become substantially aligned with the weakened region of substrate.

Abstract: A door closing arrangement includes a first door closer for closing a first door leaf, the first door closer being positioned on the opposite side of the first door leaf from the its hinge, and a second door closer for closing a second door leaf. The distal end of the pull arm of the first door closer moves along a guide member in a direction towards the second edge of the door frame during movement of the first door leaf from a fully open position to a partially closed position and moves along the guide member in a direction towards the first edge of the door frame during movement of the first door leaf from the partially closed position to a fully closed position. The distal end of the second pull arm move along the guide member during closing of the second door leaf at least initially in a direction towards the first edge of the door frame.

Abstract: A method of verifying test data for testing an integrated circuit device having multiple device time domains includes selecting a virtual tester time domain and, if the cycle duration of the virtual tester time domain is equal to the cycle duration of one of the multiple device time domains, translating the test data for each device time domain other than that one time domain to the virtual tester time domain and otherwise translating the test data for each device time domain to the virtual tester time domain. The translated test data is then applied to a device logic simulator that simulates integrated circuit device.

Abstract: An IC design indicating positions of cells within an IC is processed to determine whether conductors residing above the cells block via access to an input/output (I/O) terminal on an upper surface of any of the cells. Each cell spans several contiguous via spaces in a horizontal direction with each via space being sufficiently wide in that direction to contain a via extending upward from any I/O terminal occupying that via space. For each cell having an I/O terminal requiring via access, a separate first data word corresponding to each I/O terminal of that cell is generated. Each bit of the first data word corresponds to a separate one of the via spaces spanned by the cell and indicates whether the I/O terminal corresponding to that first data word occupies that via space.

Abstract: A method of dynamically, and automatically, varying the sensitivity of a receiver coupled to receive signals on a carrier medium, such as for example POTS wiring, includes the step of detecting whether more than a predetermined number of noise events, such as for example traversals of a noise threshold level, occur within a predetermined time. If the predetermined number of noise events occur, the sensitivity of the receiver is automatically varied by a predetermined increment. For example, the noise threshold level may be raised by a predetermined voltage to vary the sensitivity of the receiver.

Abstract: A method of automatically determining a peak level of a signal propagated on a carrier medium, such as for example POTS wiring, includes detecting a traversal of a noise threshold level by a data signal. The noise threshold level is determined relative to a noise floor. A determination is then made as to whether the data signal traverses a peak level within a predetermined time interval after the detection of the traversal of the noise threshold level. The peak level is then varied in accordance with the determination of whether the data signal traversed the peak level within the predetermined time interval. For example, should the data signal not traversed the peak level within the predetermined time interval, the peak level may be lowered. Alternatively, should the data signal traversed the peak level within the predetermined time interval, the peak level may be raised.

Abstract: Apparatus for testing semiconductor integrated circuit devices in wafer form includes a test head, a probe card support mechanism attached to the test head for supporting a probe card beneath the test head, a wafer prober for presenting successive wafers to be tested to the test head from beneath the test head, and a lifting mechanism attached to the wafer prober for lifting the test head above the wafer prober. Upon lifting the test head above the wafer prober, the probe card support mechanism can move horizontally relative to the test head between an inserted position in which the probe card support mechanism is positioned to enable the probe card to engage contact elements of the test head and an extended position in which the probe card can be removed from the probe card support mechanism.