Abstract: A crankshaft assembly for a scroll compressor. The scroll compressor includes intermeshed and nested stationary and orbiting scroll elements which define at least one spiraling compression pocket therebetween and an orbital drive mechanism for driving the central axis of the orbiting scroll element about the central axis of the stationary scroll element while maintaining the orbiting scroll element substantially non-rotational with respect to the stationary scroll element. The crankshaft assembly of the orbital drive mechanism includes a crankshaft member having an elongated shaft portion for rotation about a central axis of rotation and an orbiting rotational bearing affixed to a first distal end of the crankshaft member. The center of rotation of the orbiting rotational bearing is radially offset with respect to the central axis of rotation of the crankshaft member and is adapted to accept and rotationally engage a hub portion projecting from the orbiting scroll element.

Abstract: A process for methylating an alpha carbon adjacent to an electron withdrawing group includes reacting dimethyl ether with a molecule containing the alpha carbon and the electron withdrawing group to substitute a methyl group on the alpha carbon. The process can be conducted in a vapor phase and can be represented by Equation I: R(CH2)nCH2-EWG+CH3OCH3→R(CH2)nCH(CH3)-EWG+CH3OH  (I) where EWG is the electron withdrawing group, and R is H when n is 0, 1 or 2, and R is alkyl, EWG or aryl when n>2. For example, the molecule reacted with dimethyl ether can be acetic acid, propionic acid, methyl acetate, methyl propionate, acetonitrile, propionitrile and acetone. The process is catalyzed by an acid catalyst containing a Lewis acid functionality. When the electron withdrawing group is an acid, a methyl ester can be formed by esterifying the electron withdrawing group with methanol liberated from dimethyl ether.

Abstract: The present invention provides a friction management brake shoe adapted to engage the tread and the flange of a wheel of a railway vehicle via which the railway vehicle is guidably supported on a railed track. The friction management brake shoe comprises a brake lining affixed which has a braking surface engageable with the wheel tread of a wheel of a railway vehicle. The brake lining includes a first friction composition material formed with at least one of a solid high positive friction modifier and a solid very high positive friction modifier which establish a required friction level between the wheel tread and the railed track.

Abstract: A process for producing carbon monoxide (CO) by reforming methane and steam in the presence of a reforming catalyst to produce a reformate product enriched in CO, carbon dioxide (CO2) and hydrogen. CO2 in the enriched reformate is shifted to CO in an integrated sorption enhanced reaction (SER) cycle which employs a series of cyclic steps to facilitate reaction of CO2 and hydrogen at high conversion and to produce a CO-enriched product obtained at reactor feed pressure and at essentially constant flow rate. A series of adsorbent regeneration step including depressurization, purging and product pressurization are used to desorb water which is selectively adsorbed by the adsorbent during the shift reaction and to prepare the reactor for a subsequent process cycle.

Abstract: Hybrid welding process and unit for welding metal workpieces, such as tailored blanks, by using a laser beam and an electric arc, preferably a plasma arc, in which process, after a welded joint has been produced, the laser beam is sent and/or deflected into radiation absorption means, such as an absorption cavity, allowing the radiation of the said beam to be absorbed. The beam continues to be deflected during the welding stop phase after producing one welded joint and before starting to weld a second welded joint. The process and the unit of the invention are particularly suitable for the mass production of workpieces for the motor-vehicle industry, such as tailored blanks that can be used to manufacture, for example, motor-vehicle body components, or for the mass production of pipes.

Abstract: A quick release mechanism for a railcar hand brake comprises a release shaft having a first end and a second end. The first end includes a cavity of a predetermined size and shape. A release lever has a hub journaled on the first end of the release shaft. A stop of a predetermined size and shape is disposed on the circumference of the hub of the release lever and engageable with the cavity of the release shaft to rotate such release shaft to cause free release of the brakes. A projection of a predetermined size and shape is disposed on the second end of the release shaft. An attachment of a predetermined size and shape is mounted to an inside wall of a housing of such hand brake. A tension member has a first end and a second end. The first end is secured to the projection, and the second end is secured to the attachment whereby the tension member will return the release shaft to the brake application position.

Abstract: An oxidation-corrosion additive for enhancing the stability of PFPAEs which has the formula: wherein Q is —Rf or —S—Rf, Rf is a perfluoroalkyl or perfluoroalkylether group having 1 to 30 carbon atoms, x and y are integers, each having a value of 0-5, wherein the sum of x and y is in the range of 1 to 10. In the formula above, Rf may be linear or branched. The additive can be a single component or a mixture of components varying in the number and relative positions of x and y. The additive can be used alone or with other suitable additives in PFPAE base fluids.

Abstract: A semiconductor material avalanche photodiode photodetector having ultraviolet response, solar radiation immunity and response speed in excess of that available from conventional ultraviolet photodetectors is described. The detector is an avalanche photodiode comprised of periodic table group III-Nitride semiconductor material, such as aluminum gallium nitride, serving as a photon to charge carrier transducer, and an avalanche charge carrier multiplication region comprised of different semiconductor materials such as silicon. The photodetector is capable of selective ultraviolet signal transducing while exposed to a mixture of ultraviolet and solar energy “noise” radiation. The included avalanche multiplication region is optically shielded from solar and other energy components to enable this selective capability. A multiplied ultraviolet photoresponsive electric signal is collected from output electrodes disposed adjacent the avalanche multiplication structure.

Abstract: An ectropneumatic brake control valve unit capable of operating at the interface of the emergency brake portion or the service brake portion of a standard brake control valve as a retrofit unit or operating as a stand alone electropneumatic unit. The unit includes electric valves responsive to electrical signals and sensed brake pipe pressures to operate pneumatic valves to control the brake cylinder. The pneumatic valves are also operable independent of the electric control valves so as to allow braking with the electrical controls off or disabled. The unit can operate in combination with a complete brake control valve or with either or none of its emergency and service portions.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for high-speed analog-to-digital conversion employs photonic circuits with variable light-absorption. A coherent light source is clocked to produce a stream of coherent light pulses onto which is modulated an analog signal to be converted to digital form. An optical splitter divides the stream of pulses into a number of streams that is proportional to the resolution sought. A passive photonic quantizer absorbs, to a predetermined degree, the light energy of the incident pulse streams. The output of a fully absorbed pulse does not trigger a comparator. Pulse streams of sufficient intensity pass through the light absorbers, and their output does trigger the comparator. The output state of the comparators may be read into a digital memory to form a digital word that represents the analog signal during any discrete clock interval. Most of the elements of the apparatus can be fabricated on a substrate of photonic semiconducting material.

Abstract: The cell line HeLa is transformed with the chromosomal insertion of the plasmid pSV2neoNR101, ATCC No. 69617. The transformed cells, HeLaNR1, produce diazoluminomelanin (DALM) intra cellularly when provided with nitrate, luminol and 3-amino-L-tyrosine•HC1 (3AT). The modified cells can be used to study mechanisms for radiofrequency and light radiation interactions with carcinoma of the cervix. The effects of drugs, hormones, and cytokines that affect the expression of nitric oxide synthase and its activity can also be studied to understand the effects of these materials on cervix cells.

Abstract: A door support and drive mechanism for a door can be mounted either over or in a door opening in a transit vehicle or other structure. The mechanism includes a tube which has a longitudinal slot. The mechanism also has mounts attached to the tube for mounting the mechanism to the structure over the door opening, so that the tube is substantially horizontal and the slot is along a lower portion of the tube. The mechanism includes at least one door hanger which has an upper portion movably disposed within the tube and a depending portion passing through the slot, the depending portion being for attachment to the door. The mechanism has a drive nut attached to the door hanger. A drive screw is positioned in the tube, engaging a threaded inner portion of the drive nut. The drive screw is connectable to a rotary power device to be rotated thereby. Rotation of the drive screw causes longitudinal movement of the drive nut and the hanger to which the drive nut is attached, so that the door is moved longitudinally.

Abstract: A handle mechanism to be mounted to a stem of a valve element. The mechanism includes a socket to be fixed to the stem of the valve element, a handle portion including a clevis having a pair of legs and a base joining the legs and pivotally connected to the socket at a lug of the socket and a generally C-shaped spring. The spring has a first end and a second end. The spring engages the lug surface and the top surface of the base over a substantial portion of the spring. A method of installing the spring, including hooking a lip at a first end of the spring over a back surface of the base of the clevis, pivoting a second end of the spring down onto the lug surface and snapping the second end of the spring on a bottom portion of the lug surface.

Abstract: An apparatus for collecting and separating material from a fluid stream. The material is forced in an air stream into a single chamber having a plurality of outlets each with a seperate poppit gate. The interior boundry of the chamber is formed by a plurality of straight sides arranged to direct the incoming fluid stream and material in a swirling fashion resulting in the conveyed material being forced outwardly toward the open outlet.

Abstract: A micro-zero insertion force socket is fabricated capable of connecting pins with diameters of 25 to 200 microns and minimum pitches of from 3:1 to 10:1 using micro-fabrication techniques, MEMS components, and high-density interconnections.

Abstract: A shock-resistant coupler for a vehicle includes a substantially hollow draft gear tube and a coupler head. The draft gear tube has an inside surface, and the coupler head has a flexible, substantially hollow shank portion. The shank portion has a distal end that extends into one end, or mouth, of the draft gear tube. A collar on the distal end features a predetermined number of longitudinally extending relief grooves. Formed in the shank portion adjacent the distal end thereof are at least two slots that extend longitudinally from the collar. These slots enable the distal end of the shank portion to be compressed inwardly so that the shank portion may be inserted into the draft gear tube. A plurality of shear bolts, directed radially through openings in the draft gear tube and corresponding threaded holes in the collar, enable the shank portion to be secured against the inside surface of the draft gear tube.

Abstract: A pressure or vacuum swing adsorption process and apparatus are used for the separation and recovery of certain gaseous components, such as carbon dioxide from hot gas mixtures containing water vapor. The process comprises introducing the feed gas mixture at an elevated temperature into a feed end of an adsorber column containing an adsorbent. The adsorbent preferentially adsorbs at least one adsorbable component. An adsorber effluent, depleted of the at least one adsorbable component, is withdrawn from a product end of the adsorber column. The adsorber column is depressurized below atmospheric pressure and then purged with steam to withdraw an effluent comprising a mixture of the at least one adsorbable component and H2O. Next, the adsorber column is pressurized by introducing a gas that is depleted of the at least one adsorbable component. The steps are repeated in a cyclic manner.

Abstract: A blowing agent for expanding an extrudable, expandable polyolefin foam product, the blowing agent including a blend of isobutane and n-butane. The isobutane is present in the blend at a weight percentage ranging from 35 to 65 and the n-butane is present in the blend at a weight percentage ranging from 35 to 65.