Abstract: Iterative validation for efficiently determining error-tolerant frequent itemsets is disclosed. A description of the application of error-tolerant frequent itemsets to efficiently determining clusters as well as initializing clustering algorithms are also given. In one embodiment, a method determines a sample set of error-tolerant frequent itemsets (ETF's) within a uniform random sample of data within a database. This sample set of ETF's is independently validated, so that, for example, spurious ETF's and spurious dimensions within the ETF's can be removed. The validated sample set of ETF's, is added to the set of ETF's for the database. This process is repeated with additional uniform samples that are mutually exclusive from prior uniform samples, to continue building the database's set of ETF's, until no new sample sets can be found.

Abstract: A wax composition for use in investment casting having improved properties includes polyethylene terephthalate as a filler material. The amount of polyethylene terephthalate used in the wax composition ranges from about 5 to about 50 parts by weight of the total wax composition. The use of polyethylene terephthalate as the filler material is effective for controlling the expansion and contraction properties of the wax composition providing a high degree of dimensional accuracy. Polyethylene terephthalate is relatively inexpensive compared to other inert filler materials, does not react with the mold, allows the wax pattern to be readily removed from the mold with reduced tendencies for shell cracking and results in little or no appreciable ash residue upon firing.

Abstract: A method for selectively separating and recovering palladium from an aqueous palladium/tin catalyst solution. The method includes the steps of adjusting the pH of the aqueous solution to a specified pH range thereby precipitating the tin, and producing a soluble form a palladium. The solution can be either pre-filtered or settled and subsequently processed through ion exchange resin in a conventional manner, or processed in an upflow direction through an at least partially fluidized bed of ion exchange resin to remove and concentrate the palladium for recovery.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to three pole plunger switch assembly. The assembly includes a three pole plunger switch and a mating connector. The plunger switch includes a switch housing for supporting components of the plunger switch and a plunger extending into an interior region of the switch housing and being actuatable from outside the switch housing wherein the plunger adapted to move between a normal position and an actuated position. The plunger switch further includes first, second and third electrically conductive wiper contacts mounted to the plunger for movement with the plunger and first, second and third sets of terminals extending into the switch housing interior region. Respective terminals of the first and second terminal sets are substantially aligned. The terminals of the third terminal set are perpendicular to the terminals of the first and second terminal sets.

Abstract: An oil maintenance indicator for recording one or more parameters indicative of when an engine oil filter has been changed. The maintenance indicator includes a sensor that measures oil pressure of an engine at start up. A comparator compares an output provided by the sensor to known parameters to determine whether the oil filter has been changed. A recorder coupled to the comparator records one or several parameters indicative of when the oil filter has been changed.

Abstract: A burner nozzle includes a burner tube that extends along a central axis and has an inlet end portion for receiving combustible gas and air. The burner tube extends along the central axis from the inlet end portion to an outlet end portion for releasing a mixture of gas and air. A curved head with a plurality of openings and an imperforate portion is connected to the outlet end portion. The openings and imperforate portion of the curved head create a transverse flow of gas and air out of the curved head to produce a shaped flame. A burner assembly may include a combustion tube in which the burner nozzle is disposed and connected. The burner nozzle is used in a method of widening and shaping a flame.

Abstract: An over the highway heavy duty vehicle in the form of a selected one of a truck and a tractor is disclosed. The vehicle has a frame rail having a through aperture. A conductive solder ring is bonded to the rail and surrounds the aperture. A fastener extends through the aperture to secure an electrical connector in electrically conductive engagement with the ring. A ground cable is connected to the connector. A process for forming the ring is also disclosed.

Abstract: A sharpening attachment for sharpening cutting implements with a rotating bit of a tool. The sharpening attachment includes a guide, a mount and a clamp. The guide is adapted for attachment to a rotary tool. The mount is connected to the guide, such that the mount is laterally movable along the guide. The clamp clamps the cutting implement to the mount. Movement of the mount along the guide brings the cutting implement into contact with the rotating bit.

Abstract: Filtration media having germicidal properties for use in filtering particles and deactivating, removing and/or destroying microorganisms from a feed liquid passing therethrough. The filtration media includes an effective amount of a germicidal chemically grafted and covalently bonded to a surface of the media. The germicidal grafted filter media is prepared by contacting the media with a grafting solution comprising an anionic monomer, a catalyst, a graft initiator and a germicide and subsequently curing tile media at an elevated temperature to chemically graft a polymerized salt of the polymerizable anionic monomer and the cationic germicide onto a surface of the media. Filter media suitable for use in the present invention include ceramic spheroids, hollow glass spheres, polymeric type media and thermoset coated glass spheres.

Abstract: A method for use with a plasma immersion ion implantations systems wherein a substrate W having a patterned photoresist P thereon is implanted. The method includes ionizing a first gas in a chamber 12 to produce electrically inactive ions and reacting the electrically active ions with the photoresist P to produce outgassing 64. The outgassed material 64 is continuously evacuated until outgassing is substantially completed. The method further includes ionizing a second gas to produce electrically active ions and implanting a positively charged species of the electrically active ions into the substrate. Also disclosed is a method for curing the photoresist prior to ion implantation. A gas is ionized in the chamber 12 to produce positively and electrons. The electrons are first attracted to a substrate in the chamber having patterned photoresist P thereon for hardening the photoresist. The positively charged ions are then implanted into substrate W wherein photoresist outgassing is substantially prevented.

Abstract: Building histograms by using feedback information about the execution of query workload rather than by examining the data helps reduce the cost of building and maintaining histograms. A method of maintaining self-tuning histograms updates histograms based on feedback about the execution of a user query. A histogram may be initialized using an assumption of uniform distribution of data or by combining existing histograms. A histogram tuner accesses and estimated result in response to a user query generated by using the histogram. The histogram tuner calculates an estimation error based on the result of the user query and the estimated result. The frequencies of histogram buckets are refined based on the estimation error. The bucket bounds of the histogram are restructured based on the refined frequencies. The method may be performed on-line after a user query or off-line by accessing a workload log.

Abstract: A Hall effect safety switch assembly for de-activating a motor vehicle if a user is not positioned on a vehicle seat. The assembly includes a switch frame for mounting the assembly, a magnet and a hall effect sensor mounted to the switch frame in a spaced apart relationship, and a vane that moves in response to the presence of a vehicle operator on the seat that causes the Hall effect sensor to provide an inhibit signal that prevents an engine from running.

Abstract: A keyboard supporting member has a generally planar keyboard support surface whose orientation is adjustable. A keyboard engaging member defines aligned incline defining slots on opposite sides of a center section. A second, workstation engaging member allows the user to move the keyboard back and forth with respect to a workstation. This allows the user to move the keyboard between a storage position and an in use position. A linkage interconnects the two members for adjusting a relative position of the keyboard engaging member with respect to the workstation engaging member thereby allowing the keyboard position and orientation to be controlled by the user. The linkage includes a first elongated member having one end rotatably mounted to the workstation engaging member which has an arcuate slot at one end spaced from the end that is connected to the workstation engaging member.

Abstract: In one exemplary embodiment the invention provides a data mining system for use in finding cluster of data items in a database or any other data storage medium. A portion of the data in the database is read from a storage medium and brought into a rapid access memory buffer whose size is determined by the user or operating system depending on available memory resources. Data contained in the data buffer is used to update the original model data distributions in each of the K clusters in a clustering model. Some of the data belonging to a cluster is summarized or compressed and stored as a reduced form of the data representing sufficient statistics of the data. More data is accessed from the database and the models are updated. An updated set of parameters for the clusters is determined from the summarized data (sufficient statistics) and the newly acquired data. Stopping criteria are evaluated to determine if further data should be accessed from the database.

Abstract: A pig for evacuating pipelines is disclosed. The pig includes a body of a deformable material having an outer surface configured to contour to a pipeline to be evacuated. At least a portion of the deformable material is impregnated with a quantity of magnetic or magnetizable metallic particals.

Abstract: An over the highway vehicle having an occupant restraint system is disclosed. An improved harness for retaining an occupant in a bunk is also disclosed. The harness is connected to a bunk by a buckle and hinge arrangement. A frangible connection between an upstanding leaf of the hinge is provided which fails due to forces applied to the harness as a result of a collision. The system includes an occupant restraining strap and a buckle having a component attached to the strap and a mating component attached to the vehicle for releasably connecting the strap to the vehicle at a buckle location. An anchor securer the strap to the vehicle at a location spaced from the buckle location.