Abstract: A portable linear fastener driving tool is provided that drive staples, nails, or other linearly driven fasteners. The tool uses a gas spring principle, in which a cylinder filled with compressed gas is used to quickly force a piston through a driving stroke movement, while a driver also drives a fastener into a workpiece. The piston/driver is then moved back to its starting position by use of a rotary-to-linear lifter, and the piston again compresses the gas above the piston, thereby preparing the tool for another driving stroke. The driver has protrusions along its edges that contact the lifter, which lifts the driver during a return stroke. A pivotable latch is controlled to move into either an interfering position or a non-interfering position with respect to the driver protrusions, and acts as a safety device, by preventing the driver from making a full driving stroke at an improper time.

Abstract: In some embodiments, apparatuses and methods are provided herein useful for predicting the time and geographic area of one or more weather events. More specifically, systems, apparatuses and methods are provided herein useful to providing accurate temporal prediction of the volume and location of expected insurance claims resulting from one or more weather events. In some embodiments, these teachings may be employed to predict outcomes such as a number of insurance claims or a monetary value of claim losses associated with a weather event. By one approach, in response to such prediction, these teachings may assist with the generation of responses in preparation for or in response to predicted weather events and insurance claims. For example, in some embodiments, the systems, apparatuses, and methods provided herein may be employed to mobilize resources, send notifications, and generate responses in preparation for or in response to one or more predicted insurance claims.

Abstract: A computer implemented method, data processing system, and computer usable code are provided for testing multi-core microprocessors. A test process initiates testing on communication bus interfaces associated with a set of processor cores on the multiprocessor in which the communication bus interfaces are disabled and wherein the testing uses a set of isolation test sequences to obtain results. The process identifies a set of functional processor cores in the set of processor cores based upon the results. The process also initiates a ramp logic built-in self-test to test a ramp associated with a functional processor core in the set of functional processor cores, wherein the ramp logic built-in self-test determines if the communication bus interface associated with functional processor core in the set of functional processor cores is functional.