Abstract: A method of reducing the formation of burrs during machining of turbine bucket covers of a turbine assembly includes the steps of inserting a filler material in a gap formed between adjacent bucket covers of a turbine assembly, machining the bucket covers to produce a desired profile for the bucket covers, and removing the filler material.

Abstract: A magnetoresistive device includes an insulating barrier formed of carbon. In particular, the carbon can be diamond-like carbon, and more particularly, the carbon can be tetrahedral amorphous carbon (t-aC). The insulating barrier can be disposed between the free layer and pinned layer of a spin valve read sensor or otherwise incorporated with other various read sensor configurations. The insulating barrier is configured to increase a resistance of the read sensor with which it is incorporated, and thereby to increase the read signal. Such a barrier can be formed by cathodic arc deposition techniques, with substantially defect-free thicknesses from about 5 Å and above, and band gap values in the range of about 1 eV to about 5.4 eV.

Abstract: A horizontal axis clothes washing machine. A rotatable clothes basket has a generally longitudinally extending and generally horizontally oriented axis of rotation and has two longitudinally spaced-apart ends. The clothes basket is rotatably attached to a generally surrounding tub which is suspended from a generally surrounding cabinet. Each of a pair of balance rings has a circumferential interior cavity, is attached to the clothes basket near a corresponding one of the ends, and has a generally longitudinally extending axis generally coaxially aligned with the axis of rotation. Tubes connect the cavity of one of the balance rings with the cavity of the other of the balance rings.

Abstract: Discloses novel biodegradable high performance hydrocarbon base oils useful as lubricants in engine oil and industrial compositions, and process for their manufacture. A waxy, or paraffinic feed, particularly a Fischer-Tropsch wax, is reacted over a dual function catalyst to produce hydroisomerization and hydrocracking reactions, at 700.degree. F.+ conversion levels ranging from about 20 to 50 wt. %, preferably about 25-40 wt. %, sufficient to produce a crude fraction, e.g., a C.sub.5 -1050.degree. F.+ crude fraction, containing 700.degree. F.+ isoparaffins having from about 6.0 to about 7.5 methyl branches per 100 carbon atoms in the molecule. The methyl paraffins containing crude fraction is topped via atmospheric distillation to produce a bottoms fraction having an initial boiling point between about 650.degree. F. and 750.degree. F. which is then solvent dewaxed, and the dewaxed oil is then fractionated under high vacuum to produce biodegradable high performance hydrocarbon base oils.

Abstract: Discloses environmentally friendly, low temperature base oils and drilling fluids, or drilling mud compositions useful in the production of oil and gas. The drilling fluid is constituted of one or more of weighting agents, emulsifiers, wetting agents, viscosifiers, fluid loss control agents, proppants, and other particulates such as used in a gravel pack, emulsified with a paraffinic solvent composition which forms a continuous oil phase, or water-in-oil invert phase. The solvent composition is constituted of a mixture of C.sub.10- C.sub.24 n-paraffins and isoparaffins having an isoparaffin:n-paraffin molar ratio ranging from about 0.

Abstract: Discloses high purity solvent compositions constituted of n-paraffins and isoparaffins, with the isoparaffins containing predominantly methyl branches, and having an isoparaffin:n-paraffin ratio sufficient to provide superior low temperature properties and low viscosities. The solvent compositions are made by a process wherein a waxy, or long chain paraffinic feed, especially a Fischer-Tropsch wax, is reacted over a dual function catalyst to produce hydroisomerization and hydrocracking reactions at 700.degree. F.+ conversion levels ranging from about 20 to 90 wt.% to provide a C.sub.5 -1050.degree. F. crude fraction. The C.sub.5 -1050.degree. F. crude fraction is then topped via atmospheric distillation to produce a low boiling fraction with an upper end point boiling between about 650.degree. F. and 750.degree. F. The low boiling fraction is fractionated and a narrow boiling range solvent obtained therefrom; one which can be further divided into solvent grades of various boiling ranges.

Abstract: A process for the hydroisomerization of a predominantly C.sub.8 -C.sub.20 n-paraffinic feed to produce a high purity C.sub.8 -C.sub.20 paraffinic solvent composition having superior low temperature properties, and low viscosities. The feed is contacted, with hydrogen, over a dual functional catalyst to hydroisomerize and convert the feed to a product comprising a mixture of n-paraffins and isoparaffins, the isoparaffins component of which contains greater than 50 percent of mono-methyl species, with the molar ratio of isoparaffins:n-paraffins ranging from about 0.5:1 to 9:1.

Abstract: Discloses high purity solvent compositions constituted of n-paraffins and isoparaffins, with the isoparaffins containing predominantly methyl branches, and having an isoparaffin:n-paraffin ratio sufficient to provide superior low temperature properties and low viscosities. The solvent compositions are made by a process wherein a waxy, or long chain paraffinic feed, especially a Fischer-Tropsch wax, is reacted over a dual function catalyst to produce hydroisomerization and hydrocracking reactions at 700.degree. F.+ conversion levels ranging from about 20 to 90 wt. % to provide a C.sub.5 -1050.degree. F. crude fraction. The C.sub.5 -1050.degree. F. crude fraction is then topped via atmospheric distillation to produce a low boiling fraction with an upper end point boiling between about 650.degree. F. and 750.degree. F. The low boiling fraction is fractionated and a narrow boiling range solvent obtained therefrom; one which can be further divided into solvent grades of various boiling ranges.

Abstract: A diesel engine fuel is produced from Fischer-Tropsch wax by separating a light density fraction, e.g., C.sub.5 -C.sub.15, preferably C.sub.7 -C.sub.14 cut having at least 80+ wt % n-paraffins, no more than 5000 ppm alcohols as oxygen, less than 10 wt % olefins, twice aromatics and very low sulfur and nitrogen.

Abstract: A vanity storing step utilizes an L shaped plate, one leg of which is secured to the interior floor portion of a vanity carrying a sink, the other leg of which extends upwardly towards the base of the sink. A pair of plates are secured extending transverse to the upwardly extending leg having the uppermost edge adjacent to the floor of the sink, carrying a pair of pivot rods therein. The pivot rods are secured to a pair of beams to which are attached a pair of legs and a stair tread straddling the beams. When not in use, the stair tread is pivoted upwardly and inwardly below the sink floor to a stored position within the vanity carrying the sink. In a use position, the legs have their lowermost portions reside on the floor in front of the cabinet such that the stair tread is disposed in a horizontal position above the floor and adjacent the front of the vanity, thereby providing convenient elevation for children utilizing the sink.

Abstract: A thermally insulating screen is provided for glass-houses, large expanses of window, and the like. The screen has one fixed margin and one free margin and can be deployed and retracted substantially in its own plane. It is fabricated from plastics film and comprises a close array of parallel tubular air chambers arranged perpendicular to the direction of deployment and retraction, each chamber folding flat into a plane perpendicular to the screen plane when the latter is retracted. The open ends of the chambers are guarded by flaps which permit the entry and release of air during expansion and contraction of the chambers but discourage convection. When mounted for use in a horizontal attitude the screen depends from gliders or pulleys on a fixed track.

Abstract: Pressurized motive fluid flow passes through a single fluidic vortex orifice to opposite chambers of a differential area, double acting, linear servo-cylinder. While shifting in one direction the vortex orifice severely restricts the flow to the fluid chamber of the motor which is contracting in size so as to permit rapid movement of the piston in that direction, and whenever the piston is moving in an opposite direction the vortex orifice allows substantially unrestricted fluid flow to the same chamber which is now expanding in size, so that the piston can shift rapidly in this opposite direction.