Abstract: Described is a prefabricated hardwood floor apparatus that is installed with substantially more ease and efficiency than conventional hardwood floors. The floor apparatus includes a rigid board to which planks of hardwood are secured in an aesthetic manner. A non-slip pad is also secured to the rigid board, but at the face opposite that of the hardwood planks. The non-slip pad includes a frictional characteristic that prevents the floor apparatus from sliding on a surface, such as a sub-flooring, in response to force components parallel to the sub-flooring. The floor apparatus is installed by simply placing the floor apparatus on a sub-flooring such that the non-slip pad mechanically engages the sub-flooring.

Abstract: The invention relates to flat and/or elongated building components (1, 2), preferably wooden, and a structure connecting these components (1, 2) in accordance with the groove and tongue principle. Two legs (3, 4) forming a groove (5) branch off from a front face of one of the components (1), and a tongue (6) branching off from a front face of the other component (2) can be inserted into the groove (5). Locking elements (7, 8) hold the components (1, 2) in an assembled position. In accordance with the invention, the locking elements are configured as triangular projections (7) and cavities (8) in facing or adjacent surfaces of the groove and/or tongue.

Abstract: The invention relates to a plated grinding tool which is symmetrically configured around an axis of rotation. Said plated grinding tool comprises a plurality of grinding plates arranged on the periphery and/or on the faces, and comprises a support body on which said grinding plates are fixed. The plated grinding tool also comprises a device for connecting the plated grinding tool to a drive device. The support body has at least one rotationally symmetric lateral surface on which the grinding plates are at least partially fixed. According to the invention, the support body comprises at least one central element which is configured as a disc and which extends in an essentially radial manner in relation to the axis of rotation. In addition, the device for connecting the plated grinding tool to a drive device has a locating face, said face being formed by the disc, which is provided for connecting the plated grinding tool to a drive device.

Abstract: A container assembly has a lid which connects to an open ended container. The container has a wall which defines a cavity therein and has an outer surface with a plurality of outwardly directed teeth and at least outwardly directed thread. The teeth are located intermediate the threads and a top of the container wall. The lid has an outer wall with inwardly directed teeth which cooperate with the outwardly directed teeth on the exterior surface of the container. The lid also has a first opening in a ridge which allows at least a portion of a tamper indicator to extend therethrough, the tamper indicator, when installed, is biased toward a center of the lid in a first position so that a leg is brought into contact with the teeth on the container. The lid may not be removed without breaking a portion of the tamper indicator. Additionally, the teeth and leg may be configured to allow for the lid to be tightened relative to the container in the first position, but not loosened.

Abstract: A wrapping machine having a pre-stretching device for pre-stretching a film web drawn from film roll before its being wrapped around an object, said pre-stretching device including a first pre-stretching roller and a second pre-stretching roller, which are tractively coupled via power transmission gears. A first deflecting pinch roller has been fitted to be pressed against the first pre-stretching roller to form a first nip for the film web passed between the first deflecting pinch roller and the first pre-stretching roller. A second deflecting pinch roller has been fitted to be pressed against the second pre-stretching roller to form a second nip for the film web passed between the second deflecting pinch roller and the second pre-stretching roller.

Abstract: The present invention includes delivery of isolated and purified nucleic acids that encode GTPCH proteins in nanoparticles for the treatment of endothelial cells damaged by diabetes, smoking, dyslipidemia, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease. The nanoparticles contain a nucleic acid sequence, polymer and a targeting ligand. The targeting ligand facilitates the selective delivery of the nucleic acid sequence to damaged endothelial cells. Examples involving a nucleic acid sequence encoding GTP-cyclohydrolase I (GTPCH), PEG/PEI polymers, and a monoclonal antibody or other molecule that binds to the lectin-like oxidized low density lipoprotein (LDL) receptor-1 (Lox-1) or associated molecules are presented.

Abstract: A circuit arrangement for detecting the capacitance or capacitance change of a capacitive circuit element or component, in which there is a capacitive noise voltage compensation element, which corresponds to the sensor capacitor, represented as a noise voltage compensation capacitor, and a noise voltage compensation electrode of the noise voltage compensation capacitor, which corresponds to the first electrode of the sensor capacitor, is connected to the second electrode of a storage capacitor. The noise voltage compensation capacitor can be influenced in the same way as the sensor capacitor by the LF noise voltage. In this way, the adulteration of the measurement result by LF noise voltages which otherwise occurs no longer takes place.

Abstract: The closing device consisting of a sleeve that seals onto the neck of a bottle and that comprises an internal channel which opens, via a new orifice in a sliding-contact surface with associated slopes and slideways acting as guide means to a shut-off plate for closing the new orifice which is moved translationally by a knob, which sliding-contact surface may be planar or in the form of a sector of a cylinder of revolution or in the form of a portion of a sphere.

Abstract: Techniques to bond two or more smaller bodies or subunits to produce a unitary SiC composite structure extend the capabilities of reaction-bonded silicon carbide, for example, by making possible the fabrication of complex shapes. In a first aspect of the present invention, two or more preforms are bonded together with a binder material that imparts at least strength sufficient for handling during subsequent thermal processing. In a second aspect of the present invention, instead of providing the subunits to be bonded in the form of preforms, the subunits may be dense, SiC composite bodies, e.g., RBSC bodies. In each of the above embodiments, a preferable means for bonding two or more subunits combines aspects of adhesive and mechanical locking characteristics. One way to accomplish this objective is to incorporate a mechanical locking feature to the joining means, e.g., a “keyway” feature.

Abstract: A method of estimating the pitch of a speech signal comprises the steps of dividing the speech signal into segments, calculating for each segment a conformity function, and detecting peaks in the conformity function. The method further comprises the steps of estimating an average distance between said peaks, and using the estimated average distance as an estimate of the pitch. In this way a method less complex than prior art methods, and thus suitable for small digital signal processors, is provided. The method also avoids the pitch halving situation. When the method is based on the fact that the identified peaks in the conformity function show a periodic behavior and that the true pitch period actually corresponds to the distance between the peaks, a simpler algorithm is achieved which provides the true pitch period independent on the occurrence of pitch halving, pitch doubling, etc. A similar device is also provided.

Abstract: A composite body produced by a reactive infiltration process that possesses high mechanical strength, high hardness and high stiffness has applications in such diverse industries as precision equipment and ballistic armor. Specifically, the composite material features a boron carbide filler or reinforcement phase, and a silicon carbide matrix produced by the reactive infiltration of an infiltrant having a silicon component with a porous mass having a carbonaceous component. Potential deleterious reaction of the boron carbide with silicon during infiltration is suppressed by alloying or dissolving boron into the silicon prior to contact of the silicon infiltrant with the boron carbide. In a preferred embodiment of the invention related specifically to armor, good ballistic performance can be advanced by loading the porous mass or preform to be infiltrated to a high degree with one or more hard fillers such as boron carbide, and by limiting the size of the largest particles making up the mass.

Abstract: A water based drilling fluid for use in drilling a subterranean well through a subterranean formation that swells in the presence of water, the drilling fluid is formulated to include: an aqueous based continuous phase; a weight material; an optional shale hydration inhibition agent and a shale encapsulator. The shale encapsulator has the formula: in which x and y have a value so that the molecular weight of the cation is in the range of about 10,000 to about 200,000 AMU; A is selected from C1-C6 alkyl, C2-C6 ether or C2-C6 amide; R, R? and R? are independently selectable C1-C3 alkyl; and B? is a charge balancing anion to the quarternary amine. The shale hydration inhibition agent and the shale encapsulator may be present in sufficient concentrations to reduce the swelling of the subterranean formation in the presence of water.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for compressing data representing a set of symbols such that each symbol of the set can be separately accessed and decompressed. Each symbol of the set of symbols is encoded in the form of a two-part code wherein a first part of the code is common for all encoded symbols and a second part of the code encodes the data representing a symbol. An identifier is given for each symbol for permitting each encoded symbol to be separately accessed and decompressed. The invention is particularly useful for storing large fonts such as a Chinese or Japanese character set.

Abstract: A drilling fluid an oleaginous fluid that forms the continuous phase; a non-oleaginous fluid, which is the discontinuous phase; a primary emulsifier in sufficient concentration to stabilize the invert emulsion; and a rheology modifier, which serves to moderate the rheology change across a temperature range of 40 to 150 C. The rheology modifier may be a dimer poly-carboxylic C12 to C22 fatty acid, trimer poly-carboxylic C12 to C22 fatty acid, tetramer poly-carboxylic C12 to C22 fatty acid, mixtures of these acids, or a polyamide wherein the polyamide is the condensation reaction product of a C12-C22 fatty acid and a polyamine selected from the group consisting of diethylenetriamine, triethylenetetramine; and pentaethylenetetramine. The drilling fluid preferably includes a weighting agent or bridging agent which may be selected from galena, hematite, magnetite, iron oxides, illmenite, barite, siderite, celestite, dolomite, calcite as well as combinations and mixtures of these and similar compounds.

Abstract: A chip bin for a digester has an upper part through which chips fall freely from an inlet and a lower part within which the chips remain until they are fed to a digester. Steam orifices strike falling chips with steam and disperses the chips over the interior of the chip bin. Further steam heats the chips and drives out non-condensable gas. The lower part of the chip bin is conical. Steam jets aimed down the conical walls propel the chips to an outlet at the bottom and prevent bridging.

Abstract: A portable heated cushion (100) is disclosed having a foam core (102) which may be substantially rectangular, a thermally reflective panel (104) positioned on the foam core, a flexible heating element (106) atop the thermally reflective panel, an elastic panel (108) covering the heating element, and an outer cover (110) covering the assembly. A power supply, such as a rechargeable battery pack (120), is disposed in the outer cover and electrically connected to the heating element. In one embodiment, the outer cover includes an aperture (124) positioned to provide access to leads (116, 118) on the rechargeable battery pack for charging. The portable heated cushion may further include a power supply for recharging the battery pack.

Abstract: A water-base fluid for use in drilling, cementing, workover, fracturing and abandonment of subterranean wells through a formation containing a shale which swells in the presence of water. In one illustrative embodiment, the drilling fluid includes, an aqueous based continuous phase, a weighting agent, and a shale hydration inhibition agent. The shale hydration inhibition agent should have the general formula: in which A is independently selected from H and CH2CH2CH2NH2; and in which B is independently selected from H, CH2CH2OH, CH2CH2OCH2CH2CH2NH2 and CH2CH2CH2NH2. The shale hydration inhibition agent is present in sufficient concentration to substantially reduce the swelling of shale drilling cuttings upon contact with the drilling fluid.

Abstract: A wiper assembly having a wiper frame and a wiper boot is provided. The wiper boot includes an upper wall integrally connected between two side walls. A lower leg is integrally connected to each side wall at an end opposite that of the upper wall. Each lower leg runs transversely and inwardly from the side walls, the lower legs integrally connecting to a u-shaped wall. The upper wall, the side walls, the lower legs, and the u-shaped wall define a cavity that receives the wiper frame. The wiper boot is made from silicone elastomer that preferably includes approximately 30 to 60 weight percent of polyvinylmethylsiloxane, approximately 15 to 40 weight percent of filler, approximately 0.1 to 10 weight percent of pigment, and approximately 0.1 to 10 weight percent of catalyst.

Abstract: A wellbore fluid including a peroxide degradable polymer and an encapsulated peroxide source. The peroxide degradable polymer may be a polysaccharide. The peroxide source may include an inorganic peroxide, including zinc and alkaline earth metal peroxides, such as magnesium peroxide. The encapsulating material may be a polymer, including enteric polymers. The release of peroxide, from peroxide sources generally, can be controlled by means of pH such that peroxide source can be activated, and peroxide released, by a change in pH. In a wellbore, this pH change can be effected by using produced fluids to lower the pH of a more basic wellbore fluid.

Abstract: A method for producing a large-caliber, high-explosive projectile (1, 1?), and a projectile formed according the method, having a projectile casing (2, 2?) that surrounds a chamber (6, 6?) filled with an explosive charge (9, 9?), and that has a mouth (5, 5?) at its tip that can be sealed, and through which the explosive charge (9, 9?) is inserted into the chamber (6, 6?) of the high-explosive projectile (1, 1?). The explosive charge (9, 9?) is disposed in a plastic casing (8), comprised of an elastic material, inside the chamber of the high-explosive projectile (1, 1?). Additional tensioning means (11, 11?, 17, 17?) are provided to compensate for the varying volume of the explosive charge (9, 9?) relative to the projectile casing (2, 2?) if the temperature fluctuates dramatically and maintain the explosive charge (9, 9?) under a pre-stress, particularly when using a plastic bound explosive charge (9, 9?).