Abstract: A composition comprising a nanoparticle and at least one adsorbate associated with the nanoparticle, wherein the adsorbate displays at least one chemically responsive optical property. A method comprising associating an adsorbate with a nanoparticle, wherein the nanoparticle comprises a shell surrounding a core material with a lower conductivity than the shell material and the adsorbate displays at least one chemically responsive optical property, and engineering the nanoparticle to enhance the optical property of the adsorbate. A method comprising determining an optical response of an adsorbate associated with a nanoparticle as a function of a chemical parameter, and parameterizing the optical response to produce a one-dimensional representation of at least a portion of a spectral window of the optical response in a high dimensional vector space.

Abstract: A support arm for components such as flat screen monitors. In one embodiment, the support arm includes rigid arm segment and a flexible arm segment. The flexible arm segment may be mounted adjacent to the supported component. The flexible arm segment includes a plurality of flexible tubes, each having a core surrounding by a filling material and a flexible coiled tube. Preferably, at least one of the flexible tubes is fixed at both ends while at least one of the flexible tubes includes a free floating end that is permitted to move longitudinally with respect to the fixed tube as the flexible arm is moved.

Abstract: This disclosure describes wastewater treatment systems and methods of treating wastewater. In one exemplary method, a wastewater is split into first and second wastewater fractions. The first fraction is delivered to a membrane bioreactor, which may produce an effluent with a low pollutant concentration, and the second fraction is delivered to a biological wastewater treatment system, which may yield a higher pollution concentration yet have a shorter solids retention time. Some implementations of the invention can routinely meet or even exceed pollution discharge standards quite economically during normal operation, yet retain significant flexibility for handling seasonal or sudden variations in the flow rate of wastewater into the system. In select adaptations, waste activated sludge containing heterotrophs, autotrophs, and (optionally) polyphosphate accumulating organisms is delivered from the membrane bioreactor to the biological wastewater treatment system.

Abstract: A composition comprising a nanoparticle and at least one adsorbate associated with the nanoparticle, wherein the adsorbate displays at least one chemically responsive optical property. A method comprising associating an adsorbate with a nanoparticle, wherein the nanoparticle comprises a shell surrounding a core material with a lower conductivity than the shell material and the adsorbate displays at least one chemically responsive optical property, and engineering the nanoparticle to enhance the optical property of the adsorbate. A method comprising determining an optical response of an adsorbate associated with a nanoparticle as a function of a chemical parameter, and parameterizing the optical response to produce a one-dimensional representation of at least a portion of a spectral window of the optical response in a high dimensional vector space.

Abstract: This disclosure describes wastewater treatment systems and methods of treating wastewater. In one exemplary method, a wastewater is split into first and second wastewater fractions. The first fraction is delivered to a membrane bioreactor, which may produce an effluent with a low pollutant concentration, and the second fraction is delivered to a biological wastewater treatment system, which may yield a higher pollution concentration yet have a shorter solids retention time. Some implementations of the invention can routinely meet or even exceed pollution discharge standards quite economically during normal operation, yet retain significant flexibility for handling seasonal or sudden variations in the flow rate of wastewater into the system. In select adaptations, waste activated sludge containing heterotrophs, autotrophs, and (optionally) polyphosphate accumulating organisms is delivered from the membrane bioreactor to the biological wastewater treatment system.

Abstract: A method of treating wastewater to increase effluent volatile fatty acid content consisting of providing wastewater to a primary treatment vessel and adding a select quantity of a chemical, typically an aluminum or iron salt, to the wastewater, enhancing the separation of organic matter. Separated organic matter is then removed from the chemically treated wastewater forming a primary sludge and a primary effluent. A portion of the primary sludge is fermented to form a volatile fatty acid rich liquor. The volatile fatty acid rich liquor may then be used with the primary effluent, directed to a bioreactor, thereby forming a volatile fatty acid enriched bioreactor feed. The volatile fatty acid enriched influent may be further treated through known biological phosphorous and nitrogen removal methods.

Abstract: A bubble board stock material for use in the packaging industry and other energy absorbing and impact protection applications. The bubble board stock material includes a generally planar surface with two or more surface sheets integrally connected with a plurality of geometrical shapes within a substrate to form the stock material. The plurality of geometrical shapes define protrusions extending out of the first sheet and complementary depressions in the second sheet uniformly spaced from one another in a repetitive pattern throughout the board stock material. The bubble board stock material also includes means for snapping and attaching a first board to a second board, and means for providing a flexible hinge allowing angular orientation and movement of one portion of the board stock material with another portion.

Abstract: A waterfall fixture for expelling water in sheet form comprises a housing having a cavity divided into chambers by apertured plates extending across the cavity. The plates are apertured and spaced from each other and from the inlet and outlet of the fixture to define multiple chambers within the cavity separated from one another by the plates. A first plate is opposed to the inlet and acts as a screen to block debris and as a barrier to incoming water to distribute the water into a laminar flow through the chamber defined between the first plate and the inlet. A second plate is opposed to the first screen and helps to further distribute the water into laminar flow and may be valved to assure a perfect laminar sheet style water flow pattern.

Abstract: A bandolier (20) of serially connected premium items (18) are fed by a vacuum conveyor (26) to a rotary cutter (14), with the bandolier (20) being sandwiched against the vacuum conveyor (26) by an overhead conveyor (32). The shaft (40) of the rotary cutter (14) is rotated by a servo-motor (42) such that its blade (46) engages the bandolier (20) with a linear speed which cuts the initial item (18) from the bandolier (20) and pushes and accelerates the cut item (18) into a carton (52) moving in a carton path (53). The linear speed of the bandolier (20) in the feed path (27) is tied to the linear speed of the cartons (52) in the carton path (53) while rotation of the shaft (40) is controlled by an optical sensor (38) which senses movement of the bandolier (20) by the vacuum conveyor (26).

Abstract: A welding gun that prevents rotation of the electrode, including a cylinder and a reciprocating piston assembly having a pair of pistons. In addition to the conventional connecting rod, the pistons are interconnected by an anti-rotation rod radially offset from the connecting rod. The anti-rotation rod extends through a partition fixed within the cylinder, thereby preventing the piston assembly from rotating within the cylinder. The welding gun also includes an internal proximity switch for detecting when the piston assembly is fully retracted.

Abstract: A vacuum pool cleaning device of the interrupted flow type having a valve in the form of a pair of lips biased to an open position by the inherent elasticity of the plastic material forming a portion or all of the valve in which an auxiliary biasing structure with low creep properties is applied to the lips of the valve and function to compensate for the memory loss during a cycle of operation of the valve in the plastic, due to its relatively high creep properties, by returning the lips substantially to their open position when the operation of the unit is stopped, so that during the at-rest period prior to the next cycle the plastic material can reestablish its memory.

Abstract: The brake shoe rivet press is for removing in a single operation rivets which are arranged in rows to hold a fibrous liner to the base of a brake shoe to thereby permit removal and later replacement of the liner. The press has a frame and a punch holder fixedly carried by the frame. The punch holder has a plurality of movable punches also arranged in rows and corresponding in number to the number of rivets in the brake shoe. The press includes upper and lower rams movably carried by the frame on opposite sides of the punch holder. The lower ram is provided with a support surface for positioning and supporting the brake shoe and also includes a plurality of openings arranged in rows for receiving the spent rivets. The upper ram has an operating surface, which, when the upper ram is actuated, engages the punches so as to urge them against the rivets to remove them from the brake shoe in a single operation. A hydraulic circuit is provided for controlling the movements of the upper and lower rams.

Abstract: A vent valve for controlling the flow of vapor to or from the head space of a storage tank for fuel or other liquids includes a valve housing scalingly mounted in an opening through the top of the tank. A vertical vapor flow passage through the housing opens at its upper end at the exterior of the tank and at its lower end into the headspace of the tank. A spring biased valve head normally closes the lower end of the vapor flow passage to seal the headspace of the tank. A detachable and disposable pneumatic motor is mounted in a downwardly convergent frusto conical seat defined within the flow passage by webs integrally formed on the housing. The motor has a motor cylinder whose exterior surface is of a frusto conical configuration complementary to the seat and is wedged downwardly into the seat by mounting screws which pass through tabs formed on the cylinder into threaded bores in the top surfaces of the webs accessible from the upper end of the passage.

Abstract: A two stage float actuated shutoff valve for preventing overfilling of an underground storage tank has a first float actuated valve flapper movable to a closed position to block a major portion of the fuel inlet passage of the underground tank when the level of fuel in the tank rises to a first predetermined level. Closure of the first valve blocks a first portion of the flow passage while maintaining a second portion of the flow passage open to permit a reduced flow of fuel through the flow passage, thereby generating an observable water hammer effect signalling that the filling operation should be terminated. If the incoming flow is not terminated, the continued rise of the level of fuel in the tank will in time actuate a second float controlled valve to completely close the fuel inlet passage. The incoming fuel is supplied from a delivery truck tank, fuel flowing gravitationally from the truck tank through an operable shutoff valve on the tank, a delivery hose and a drop tube into the underground tank.

Abstract: A pressure relief or rollover valve is utilized on the tank of a fuel delivery truck to vent or relieve an abnormal internal pressure within the tank, such as that generated by an accidental deformation of the tank wall, while preventing spillage of fuel during the venting. A tubular valve housing is mounted in the top of the tank with a cover at the exterior of the tank releasably locked in sealed engagement with the upper end of a passage through the housing which opens at its lower end into the tank interior. A valve plate within the housing is biased downwardly to a valve closed position against an upwardly facing valve seat in the passage by springs engaged between the closed cover and the valve plate. A flexible bladder is sealed to the bottom of the cover to define an air chamber sealed from the passage, and openings through the cover vent this air chamber to atmosphere. A shield plate rests on the top of the cover to overlie the vent openings.

Abstract: Method for forming a tubular metal member of a shape and length having an opened end and a closed end into an element which is formed of a different shape and length by forcing and thereby flowing the metal of the tubular member from one mold cavity to another. The method utilizes a form mold having an entrance cavity of a shape and length generally corresponding to the tubular member and in which the entire tubular member is initially located and an exit cavity of a different shape and length in which the flowing metal of the tubular metal member is forced to form the element having the shape and length of the exit cavity. The form mold has an entrance opening in a side wall thereof which is connected to the entrance cavity. The tubular metal is initially located entirely within the entrance cavity of the form mold, with the closed end thereof located adjacent the exit cavity and the opened end of the tubular metal member being located at the entrance opening to the entrance cavity.

Abstract: A filtering system includes a filter vessel containing a movable granular media bed, a feed stream inlet port for flowing a liquid-solid stream through the bed for filtration, a dirtied media outlet and a cleaned effluent outlet. A vertical cleaning section in either a separate stand-alone washing section vessel or in a washing section within the filter vessle, includes a wash path in which a washing liquid typically a portion of the cleaned effluent washes contaminants from the dirtied media resultant from filtration of the feed stream. The resultant contaminants-containing wash water is pumped to waste but a sidestream thereof is recycled at least in part to the filter vessle to a location in the vessel between the feed stream inlet port and the dirtied media outlet so that the liquid ordinarily transported with the dirty media at the bottom of the filter is replaced, at least in part with the recycle liquid.

Abstract: A two stage float actuated shutoff valve for use in underground fuel storage tanks having a co-axial vapor recovery system utilizes a drop tube co-axially mounted within the storage tank fill pipe. Fuel flowing into the tank is passed through the drop tube which projects downwardly into the interior of the tank to a valve housing located at the lower end of the drop tube. Tubular floats slidably mounted on the drop tube within the tank independently operate pivoted flapper valves to a closed position within the valve housing, a lower float closing one valve flapper to block a major portion of the incoming fuel flow passage when the level of fuel in the storage tank reaches a predetermined first level and a second upper float closing a second flapper to completely close the flow passage when the level of fuel rises to a predetermined level about the first level. A float actuated locking arrangement for preventing inadvertent premature closing of either valve flapper is disclosed.

Abstract: A pneumatically actuated vent valve for venting the headspace of a fuel storage tank such as generally cylindrical a gasoline delivery truck includes a housing, sealingly mounted in the top of the tank and having a central passage opening at its lower end into the headspace of the tank and opening at its upper end, at the anterior of the tank into a hood. A pneumatic motor cylinder defining a piston chamber closed at its upper end is integrally formed with the housing coaxial to the central passage and a piston rod projecting downwardly from the piston chamber carries a valve head at its lower end disposed below the lower end of the housing. The valve head is normally biased upwardly into sealed engagement with a valve seal at the lower end of the central passage by three (or more) springs biased guide rods symmetrically disposed about the central passage wall.