Abstract: A method and an apparatus for optimizing the combustion air system in a power boiler or chemical recovery boiler by improving fluid flow and gas mixing are disclosed, whereby one can increase boiler capacity and combustion uniformity and reduce particulate and gaseous emissions. The method involves interlacing of the secondary and, where applicable, the tertiary air supply through opposing air ports on all four walls of the boiler, and is implemented by alternately opening wide or partially closing a port damper on one side, while partially closing or opening wide a port damper on the opposite side, such that a 70-100% open damper on one side opposes a partially closed (10-40% open) damper on the other and vice versa in an alternating fashion, along opposing walls.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for timing recovery in modem receivers. The timing recovery circuit includes a voltage controlled oscillator for controlling the voltage controlled sampling frequency of an analog-to-digital converter. The oscillator generates a timing clock that is dependent on an average phase error signal calculated from Nyquist signals of the input signal. A phase detector circuit is used for generating an instantaneous phase error signal of the in-phase and quadrature-phase signals. A digital loop filter receives the instantaneous phase error signal over time to generate the average phase error signal. The average phase error signal is conditioned further (after conversion to analog) by an analog loop filter such that the average phase error signal adjusts the timing clock generated by the oscillator. The low pass filter provides control of the acquisition and steady state operations by changing the gain and pole parameters of the filter.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for pre-establishing and managing Switched Virtual Circuits (SVCs) and Switch Cross-Connects (XCs) to support rapid setup of real-time services in Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) networks are described. SVCs and XCs are pre-established and cached in accordance with communications application-specific rules and maintenance algorithms for each destination and service characteristics in the backbone network. The intelligent management of cached SVCs and XCs permits the backbone network to meet the tight delay budget of delay-sensitive communication applications. With proper management of cached resources, connection setup can be rapidly effected even during periods of high demand. The advantage is a connection setup mechanism having adequate granularity to ensure both efficient network usage and rapid response to service requests.

Abstract: A blending device for mixing the contents of a plastic bag comprises a casing defining a mixing chamber in which are disposed paddles or the like for acting on the bag and mix the contents thereof, and having a pivotable door for providing access to the chamber and positioning a bag and its contents in this chamber. The door includes a lower container which extends inwardly towards the casing such as to be located in the casing's mixing chamber when the door is a closed position such that spillage resulting from a rupture of the bag in the blending machine is collected in the door's bottom container. Preferably, the door can be easily and completely disconnected from the casing the facilitating the cleaning thereof, for instance following a collection by the container thereof of a spillage.

Abstract: A hot water tank is comprised of a cylindrical disc-shaped support base on which is supported a cylindrical inner tank concentrically therewith. A circumferential ridge projects upwardly adjacent an outer peripheral edge of the support base and spaced from a lower edge portion of a circumferential side wall of the inner tank to form a circumferential containment channel between the ridge and the lower edge portion. The channel has a volume sufficient to receive a lower portion of a plastic film pouch wrapper disposed at least about a lower section of the inner casing as well as a pre-determined quantity of hot expandable liquid urethane placed therein in sufficient quantity to fill a space between the inner casing and an outer shell secured spaced about the inner casing when the urethane is expanded. The channel prevents the liquid urethane from flowing out of the lower portion of the wrapper located therein due to deterioration of the wrapper when exposed to the hot liquid urethane.

Abstract: A method of timing recovery convergence monitoring in modems using an average phase error signal. The method involves continuously tracking the peak of the average phase error. The average phase error is compared to a dynamic threshold (i.e. a threshold that can change over time based on changes to the detected peak at a given time). Convergence is declared when the average phase error remains less than the threshold over a given length of time (i.e. after processing a prescribed number of consecutive samples).

Abstract: A method and apparatus for single-ended qualification of subscriber loops for xDSL services is described. The method involves first screening a subscriber loop database record for disqualifying devices or services on the subscriber loop. If none are found, a set of predetermined electrical characteristics of the subscriber loop are derived from information in the database, or directly measured using test equipment at a central office end of the subscriber loop. The electrical characteristics are used to compute an available bandwidth on the subscriber loop for xDSL services. The advantage is the rapid and inexpensive qualification of subscriber loops which reduces response time to potential customer queries and facilitates deployment of xDSL services.

Abstract: A door system for a railway car which provides for both high and low level access. The door system comprises a sliding door, a platform displaceable between raised and lowered positions for respectively clearing and covering the stairwell of the railway car, and a threshold extending laterally outwardly of the sliding door to provide a continuation of the platform when displaced to its lowered position. The threshold is releasably connected to the sliding door for co-linear movement with the sliding door when the platform is raised, while remaining stationary in a functional position when the platform is lowered for enabling high level boarding.

Abstract: A direct drive exercising apparatus is comprised of three main linkages adapted to displace a predetermined weight stack upon a user person performing an exercise. The linkages are comprised of weight stack connecting members pivotally connected at a first end to a carrier member on which the weight stacks are disposed, and pivotally connected at an opposed end to an attachment frame. Force transmitting members are pivotally connected to the attachment frame. A user engaging member is secured to the force transmitting members to impart pivotal movement thereto. Link members are pivotally connected at one end to the stack connecting members intermediate the first and second opposed ends. The link members are also connected at an opposed end thereof to the force transmitting members.

Abstract: A pivot connection for a grapple having a link member with a journal-bore at one end, a yoke member with spaced-apart parallel arms receiving the one end of the link member therebetween bores in the arms, and a pivot pin mounted through the bores in the arms in the yoke member and the journal-bore in the link member to pivotally connect the two members together. Tapered, counter-bored brake surfaces are provided in each side of the link member concentric with the journal-bore. Tapered brake cores are slidably mounted on the pivot pin and located in the counter-bores facing each other, each core located between an arm of the yoke and the link member, in such a way that the break cores are not load bearing structures in the pivot connection. A mechanical connection applies pressure to one of the cores to force both cores against the brake surfaces to brake the link member relative to the yoke member.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for vacuum arc deposition of carbon on a substrate inhibits or eliminates emission of contaminating carbon particles in the ion plasma by maintaining an elevated local plasma pressure at the cathode or target surface, thereby minimizing the role of heat conduction in the creation of the particles and strongly increasing the electron emission cooling effects.

Abstract: The shroud is made of a radiant-heat reflecting and thermo-insulating fabric material and is shaped to cover the shoulders, upper chest and back of a firefighter, and to be worn with a firefighting proximity garment. The shroud has a lower edge reaching the upper chest and back of the firefighter, and a continuous upper edge extending to the helmet outer cover. A face opening is provided in the shroud opposite the face piece when the shroud is worn over the firefighting protective garment. The face opening can be adjusted to the dimension of the face piece and is arranged to prevent the formation of gaps in protection between the face piece and the periphery of the face opening. The shroud can be fixed to the helmet outer cover at the continuous upper edge so as to prevent heat from penetrating into the firefighting protective garment between the helmet and the helmet outer cover.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for adjusting the amplitude of a received discrete multi-tone analog signal contaminated by radio frequency interference from radio stations in the AM band are described. The amplitude is adjusted by controlling an analog gain controller in order to utilize substantially all of a dynamic input range of an analog-to-digital converter to reduce the quantization noise of the output digital signal. Data discrimination is truly improved and the capacity of usable discrete multi-tone channels is increased.

Abstract: A closure for securement to an article of apparel and for use by a person having handicapped hands is described. The closure comprises a first fastener support member which has one or more fastener elements secured thereto. A second fastener support member is provided and has one or more fastener elements for interconnection with the fasteners of the first support member. The first and second fastener support members are adapted for securement to articles of apparel. The fasteners are removably interconnectable together with the support members overlapping. A first fabric loop is provided in a front face of one of the fastener support members and a second fabric loop is secured to a lower portion of the other fastener support member, and may depend therefrom or be concealed therebehind. The loops are of predetermined size and are disposed for engagement by a handicapped person for attaching and detaching the fasteners with one another with the support members overlapped with one another.

Abstract: The present invention relates to novel STR markers for DNA fingerprinting. More specifically, the invention relates to seven different STR markers for DNA fingerprinting of a DNA sample, whereby each marker comprises a sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOS:1 to 7 as set forth in FIGS. 1A-1B.

Abstract: A louver assembly is comprised of two or more louvers, each of the louvers having pivot connections at opposed ends thereof, with the pivot connections pivotally securing the louvers between opposed stiles of a shutter frame for pivoting motion of the louvers in the frame. Each louver has a connector secured to a common longitudinal side edge thereof. Each connector has a cavity with a connector rod extending thereacross and extending co-extensively to the longitudinal axis of its associated louver. Each connector rod has at least one engageable rib on an outer surface thereof. A control rod is provided with two or more transverse connecting arms each having a connecting end recess. Each end recess has a plurality of indentations formed at a predetermined location in a curved clamping inner face thereof for receiving the rib of a respective connector rod captive therein by clamping pressure of the connecting arms about the connector rod to angulate the louvers at a desired angle.

Abstract: Novel hydrides are produced by mechanically alloying at least two different hydrides, preferably at least one simple alkali metal hydride and at least one complex alkali metal hydride such as an alkali metal aluminum hydride; the method of production is simple and can be carried out at room temperature; the novel hydrides are useful as a source of hydrogen and have the particular advantage that after liberation of the hydrogen, the hydride is readily regenerated from the dehydrogenated hydride.

Abstract: A manually powered recreational watercraft comprises a hull and a pair of paddle wheels independently mounted on opposed sides of the hull. Each paddle wheel comprises a plurality of vanes circumferentially distributed on a semi-spherical hub having an inboard flange. Each paddle wheel has a buoyant structure to provide additional lateral floatation stability to the watercraft. The vanes, the hub and the inboard flange of each paddle wheel are configured so that, upon rotation of the paddle wheel, water bubbles trapped between submerged adjacent vanes are channeled upwardly to the water surface whereat the bubbles burst and provide audible sounds. Safety hand grips are provided in the underside of the hull to help a user to pull himself on the hull in the event that the watercraft capsized. A floating windshield is mounted to the hull so as to be automatically separated therefrom upon capsizing of the watercraft.