Abstract: A flow control and pressure reducing valve having a polygonic valve body with an inlet chamber and an outlet chamber partitioned by a partition plate. A plurality of passages are formed through receptacles around the partition plate, with the inlet portion opening into the inlet chamber and the outlet portion opening into the outlet chamber. Elastomeric flow control means having the shape of flat hat are positioned inside the receptacles to block the passage of fluid when charged with pressurized fluid, and to unblock the passage of fluid when the pressurized fluid is discharged from said flow control means.

Abstract: A coupling to connect pipe, including lengths of pipe, valves, hoses, and pipe and hose fittings, includes a body to closely receive the end portion of the pipe to be coupled. A set of first class lever jaw members each having a power arm and a weight arm are mounted to the coupling body to establish a fulcrum for rotation of each lever jaw member about the fulcrum between an engaged position and a disengaged position with respect to the pipe end portion when received in the coupling body. The weight arms may include a gripping surface such as a rubber or plastic material or gripping teeth to grip a smooth end portion of a pipe, or the end portion of the pipe may include a shoulder, such as formed by a groove in the end portion, so the weight arms engage the shoulder to secure the pipe in the coupling.

Abstract: Reverse Flow Modifiable Combination Valve is a valve which has a common cage in which different types of fluid control means can be installed in a fix location to produce more than one type of valves having different flow characteristics, and inner flow control means of the valve can be inspected and replaced without removing cage of the valve.

Abstract: A free floating diaphragm flow control valve includes concentric inner and outer bodies, where a partition plate divides the inner body into two equal inlet and outlet chambers. A cylindrical cavity, concentric with the inner and outer cylindrical bodies, provides space for a sheet diaphragm looping around a seat provided by the inner cylindrical body. The doubled up ends of the sheet diaphragm are held together by a tie assembly which has an integral bolt stem held that is shared with an actuator, which actuator, working in tandem with the pipe line's pressurized fluid around the diaphragm, can actuate the diaphragm's tied up ends, to open or close the diaphragm around its seat to control the fluid flow through the valve.

Abstract: A coupling for joining two pipes in end-to-end relationship includes flanges which are sealably secured to end sections of pipes to be connected. The flanges form front inclined faces and adjacent front flanges that are slidably received within opposite end openings of a cylindrical coupling. A groove or shoulder is formed at the rear end of the front flanges that cooperate with jaws extending from the ends of the cylindrical coupling to secure the received pipe end portions in the cylindrical coupling to thereby join the pipes together. One or more gaskets fit in the cylindrical coupling between the ends thereof with gasket arms that abut against the inclined surface so that fluid pressure in the pipes force the gasket arms against the inclined faces to provide a seal between the joined pipes. A stop may be provided to limit the sliding travel of the cylindrical coupling with respect to the flanges.

Abstract: A system and method for caching data and verifying cached data using a client-server model and meta-data. In particular, a client proxy and a server proxy are in communication with each other and with the client and the server, respectively; client proxy meta-data and server proxy meta-data related to the data cached by the client proxy and server proxy, respectively, are calculated and communicated between the client proxy and the server proxy; and the client proxy meta-data and the server proxy meta-data are compared to determine a cache hit or miss.

Abstract: An integrated multipurpose valve is a valve in which more than one type of valves are integrated in a cage held permanently in the pipeline, and the valve as a while can perform multiple functions which allow it to be a shut off valve, a pressure reducing valve, a pressure relief valve and a check valve, and a multi-diversion valve which can divert fluid flow in several directions. The inner components of the valve can be inspected and replaced without removing the valve as a whole from the line.

Abstract: A coupling for joining two pipes in end-to-end relationship includes flanges which are sealably secured to end sections of pipes to be connected. The flanges form front inclined faces and adjacent front flanges that are slidably received within opposite end openings of a cylindrical coupling. A groove or shoulder is formed at the rear end of the front flanges that cooperate with jaws extending from the ends of the cylindrical coupling to secure the received pipe end portions in the cylindrical coupling to thereby join the pipes together. One or more gaskets fit in the cylindrical coupling between the ends thereof with gasket arms that abut against the inclined surface so that fluid pressure in the pipes force the gasket arms against the inclined faces to provide a seal between the joined pipes. A stop may be provided to limit the sliding travel of the cylindrical coupling with respect to the flanges.

Abstract: A processing and user interface system supports Internet application and web page navigation for sequential task oriented processes, workflow management and user specific, customizable, interactive and other organizable processes. A network (Internet, Intranet or other network) compatible user interface system supports a process including a sequence of subtasks. The system initiates display of a composite window representing a plurality of overlaid tabbed web page (or application) windows each including a visible tab incorporating an identifier identifying a function provided by a web page or application window associated with a particular subtask of the sequence of subtasks. The visible tabs and corresponding overlaid tabbed windows are sequentially ordered in accordance with the sequence of subtasks.

Abstract: A multi-diaphragm flow control valve includes a valve body separable into two parts. Each part includes an interior chamber having a closed end which separates the chambers when the parts are joined and an open end for connection to a pipe. An outer chamber surrounds a portion of the interior chamber and is separated therefrom by an interior wall. Slots connect the interior and outer chambers. The outer chambers connect to form a diaphgram chamber when the parts are joined. A cylindrical bell type elastomeric diaphragm having a central outwardly extending hump and with legs extending axially from opposite sides of the hump is positioned in the diaphragm chamber with the respective legs of the diaphragm over the slots through the interior walls of respective parts. The diaphragm is pressurized to block or allow flow through respective slots and each leg of the diaphragm acts as an independent diaphragm.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a data collator useful in a scenario where multiple entities/applications, which are unaware of the data processing of each other, want to collate their data before passing it to the external entity. Each entity informs the data collator about its dependency for a given common reference value on other entities in the system while storing the data generated with the data collator. The data generated and the dependency data form an input stream into the data collator which then stores the data generated while verifying the dependencies. The data collator then delivers the complete generated data values as a bunch to the internal/external receiving/requesting entity when the required dependencies are satisfied. Thus, a complete match is attained before the data generated is transmitted to the receiving/requesting addressee by the data collator.

Abstract: A multi-diaphragm flow control valve includes a valve body separable into two parts. Each part includes an interior chamber having a closed end which separates the chambers when the parts are joined and an open end for connection to a pipe. An outer chamber surrounds a portion of the interior chamber and is separated therefrom by an interior wall. Slots connect the interior and outer chambers. The outer chambers connect to form a diaphgram chamber when the parts are joined. A cylindrical bell type elastomeric diaphragm having a central outwardly extending hump and with legs extending axially from opposite sides of the hump is positioned in the diaphragm chamber with the respective legs of the diaphragm over the slots through the interior walls of respective parts. The diaphragm is pressurized to block or allow flow through respective slots and each leg of the diaphragm acts as an independent diaphragm.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to the use of a messaging component for sharing a common network communication channel by a plurality of threads of execution. The messaging component receiving a message and forwarding the message to one or more of the threads using information in a payload portion of the message, which is compared with supplied registration information. In addition, according to the present invention, messaging and job components may be used by each of a plurality of execution threads to negotiate a manner of transferring data between two network computers, wherein the job component proposes a manner of transfer, which is communicated using the messaging component to a receiving a computer. The proposed manner of transfer may be accepted or rejected by the receiving computer. An alternative manner of transfer may be proposed, where another manner of transfer is found to be unacceptable.

Abstract: A processing and user interface system supports Internet application and web page navigation for sequential task oriented processes, workflow management and user specific, customizable, interactive and other organizable processes. A network (Internet, Intranet or other network) compatible user interface system supports a process including a sequence of subtasks. The system initiates display of a composite window representing a plurality of overlaid tabbed web page (or application) windows each including a visible tab incorporating an identifier identifying a function provided by a web page or application window associated with a particular subtask of the sequence of subtasks. The visible tabs and corresponding overlaid tabbed windows are sequentially ordered in accordance with the sequence of subtasks.

Abstract: An axial actuator for actuating a valve by rotating the shaft of the valve includes an outer enclosure forming an interior space having an inner enclosure therein. A piston is linearly moveable within the interior space of the outer housing to divide such interior space into two chambers, one of which includes the inner enclosure. A rotation device is positioned at least partially within the inner enclosure and is interconnected with the piston for rotating the valve shaft in response to linear movement of the piston. The rotation device preferably includes a rotation bevel gear having a hub adapted to receive the valve shaft to be rotated and compound pinion gears each with a bevel pinion gear which mates with the rotation bevel gear and a spur pinion gear which mates with racks which extend from the piston. Movement of the piston causes movement of the racks which rotate the compound pinion gears. This, in turn, rotates the rotation pinion gear and the valve shaft.

Abstract: A process for catalytic conversion of methane or natural gas to syngas using a supported catalyst containing oxides of nickel and cobalt with of without noble metals. Efficiency of the catalytic process is increased by simultaneously carrying out an exothermic oxidation reaction and an endothermic steam and carbon dioxide reforming reaction over the supported catalyst. The catalyst is prepared by depositing oxides of nickel and cobalt, with or without noble metals, on a sintered low surface area porous inert support. Surface of the support is precoated with an oxide of Be, Mg, Ca or a mixture thereof so that a protective layer of alkaline earth oxide is formed between the oxides of nickel and cobalt and the support, and hence, direct chemical interactions between the oxides of nickel and cobalt and reactive components of the support, which leads to formation of catalytically inactive binary oxide phases, are avoided.

Abstract: A single bolt coupling for the attachment to the end portion of a pipe having a circumferential groove or shoulder in such end portion includes a coupling which receives the end portion of the pipe therein and a circumferential open ended resilient ring associated with the coupling body which expands to allow passage of the groove into or out of the coupling and contracts to hold the groove in the coupling. The coupling is provided with a screw vise mechanism to expand the ring so that a pipe end can easily be inserted into the coupling. After insertion, the ring is allowed to contract to hold the pipe in the coupling. The coupling with its ring can also couple plain ended pipes, the ring contracting tightly around the pipe to hold it in place by friction between the pipe and ring.

Abstract: The present invention is an catalog database system and method in which there are a plurality of catalog objects. Each catalog object contains at least one attribute and at least some of the catalog objects have at least one search path leading to at least one other object. A first object and the attributes of other objects in the electronic catalog are displayed. Those attributes which are defined in the first object and inherited to all descendant objects which are in any search path leading from the first object are displayed as strongly relevant attributes. Those attributes which are defined in at least one object which is in any search path leading from the first object are displayed as weakly relevant attributes. Those attributes which are contained in no objects which are in any search path leading from the first object are displayed as irrelevant attributes. To access a catalog object, a selection of an attribute or attribute value from among those displayed is accepted from a user.

Abstract: A coupling for attachment to the end portion of a pipe (1) having circumferentially directed shoulder (3a) in such end portion includes a coupling body (6) which receives the end portion of the pipe (1) therein and a set of jaw members (24E-27E) which, after the end portion of the pipe (1) is received in the coupling body (6), move to a closed position to engage the shoulder (3a) so that the coupling is locked onto the end of the pipe (1) and the pipe cannot be pulled from the coupling because the jaw members (24E-27E) acting against the shoulder (3a) prevent such movement. The coupling can be provided with sets of jaw members (24E-27E) at each end to couple together two pipes (1, 2) each with end portion shoulders (3a, 4a) or have jaw members at one end and conventional connectors such as threads (64, FIG. 6), ridged inserts (121, FIG. 12), flanges, or other types of connectors at the other end. Valves (FIG. 5) or other fittings may be incorporated into the coupling.

Abstract: A coupling for attachment to the end portion of a pipe having a circumferential groove includes a coupling body which receives the end portion of the pipe therein and a circumferential open ended resilient ring held by the coupling body. The ring is expanded by the larger outer diameter of the pipe as the end portion of the pipe is pushed into the coupling body but contracts back to its original diameter into the groove. With the ring in the groove, the coupling is locked to the end of the pipe and the pipe cannot be pulled from the coupling. The coupling is also provided with means to expand the ring mechanically so that the pipe can be released from the coupling or so that, while the pipe is being received by the coupling, the pipe does not encounter the ring until the ring is mounted into the groove of the pipe.