Abstract: A method and system are provided for enhancing streaming operation in a distributed communication system providing communication links between a plurality of stream servers, a client machine requesting a particular media file, and, a stream server selection unit. First, a list of stream servers is retrieved. Then, the list is evaluated and one of the stream servers is selected as the best-suited stream server.

Abstract: A fuel cell apparatus includes at least two facing, parallel plates, stacked together but spaced apart by resilient sealing beads disposed on at least one of the plates. The resilient sealing beads are adapted to facilitate control of fluid flows, such as electrolytes, between the plates and are thus called fluid sealing beads. Each plate contains at least one bolt aperture for securement of the two plates together in the described facing, yet spaced apart, arrangement. Separate beads disposed about the aperture(s) act as aperture load compensation beads. In one preferred embodiment, the fluid sealing beads have one uniform thickness, while the aperture compensation beads have another thickness less than that of the fluid sealing beads. In the same embodiment, the aperture compensation beads are wider, however, than the fluid sealing beads.

Abstract: A heat shield provides thermal insulation and reduced noise transmission for under-the-hood vehicular engine components, such as exhaust manifolds. The structure is formed in three layers: an outer metal layer to provide structural integrity, a center insulation layer to isolate heat and dampen noise, and an inner metal layer directly adjacent the shielded component for reflecting heat back to the shielded component. As disclosed, the insulation layer is sandwiched between the two metal layers. The heat shield is formed in two integral mating halves to define a unitary structure containing grommets. The grommets incorporate capscrews rotatably secured in respective halves of the structure for attachment to mounting bosses on the component. Finally, the edges of the two metal layers of the heat shield are folded over to prevent injury to installers, and to reinforce the heat shield structure for enhancing its useful life under severe conditions of vibration and heat.

Abstract: A heat shield provides thermal insulation and reduced noise transmission for under-the-hood vehicular engine components, such as exhaust manifolds. The structure is formed in three layers: an outer metal layer to provide structural integrity, a center insulation layer to isolate heat and dampen noise, and an inner metal layer directly adjacent the shielded component for reflecting heat back to the shielded component. As disclosed, the insulation layer is sandwiched between the two metal layers. The heat shield is formed in two integral mating halves to define a unitary structure containing grommets. The grommets incorporate capscrews rotatably secured in respective halves of the structure for attachment to mounting bosses on the component. Finally, the edges of the two metal layers of the heat shield are folded over to prevent injury to installers, and to reinforce the heat shield structure for enhancing its useful life under severe conditions of vibration and heat.

Abstract: A fuel cell apparatus includes at least two facing, parallel plates, stacked together but spaced apart by resilient sealing beads disposed on at least one of the plates. The resilient sealing beads are adapted to facilitate control of fluid flows, such as electrolytes, between the plates and are thus called fluid sealing beads. Each plate contains at least one bolt aperture for securement of the two plates together in the described facing, yet spaced apart, arrangement. Separate beads disposed about the aperture(s) act as aperture load compensation beads. In one preferred embodiment, the fluid sealing beads have one uniform thickness, while the aperture compensation beads have another thickness less than that of the fluid sealing beads. hi the same embodiment, the aperture compensation beads are wider, however, than the fluid sealing beads.

Abstract: A system for employing a 2.5 inch form factor disc drive in computing environments configured for 3.5 inch form factor disc drives includes a 2.5 inch form factor disc drive having a disc drive printed circuit board (PCB). Attached to the PCB is a male connector defining two laterally spaced pin compartments. Located within one of the laterally spaced pin compartments are a plurality of data pins having a pin pitch of approximately 2.54 mm, such that the data pins may mate with the data pins of a conventional ATA connector configured for mating with a 3-in-1 connector of a 3.5 inch form factor disc drive.

Abstract: A tree ladder attachment for attachment to a tree to permit a user to climb up the tree. The tree ladder attachment includes a vertical bar with a horizontal bar coupled to a lower end of the vertical bar. The ends of an elongate flexible member are coupled to an upper end of the vertical bar. The flexible member forms a loop for wrapping around a tree trunk to hold the vertical bar to the tree trunk. A cross bar is connected to the horizontal bar by a pair of extension bars. A ladder comprising a spaced apart pair of elongate flexible rails and a plurality of spaced apart rungs is depended from the cross bar.

Abstract: The invention herein is directed to a process for the preparation of ethyl 3S-amino-4-pentynoate which involves treating 3-(trimethylsilyl)-2-propynal with L-phenylglycinol in toluene to produce .alpha.S-??3-(trimethylsilyl)-2-propynylidene amino!benzenethanol; reacting .alpha.S-??3-(trimethylsilyl)-2-propynylidene!amino!benzenethanol with BrZnCH.sub.2 CO.sub.2 t-Bu in THF/NMP to produce 1,1-dimethylethyl 3S-?(2-hydroxy-1S-phenylethyl)amino!-5-(trimethylsilyl)-4-pentynoate; reacting the 1,1-dimethylethyl 3S-?(2-hydroxy-1S-phenylethyl)amino!-5-(trimethylsilyl)-4-pentynoate with sodium periodate to form 1,1-dimethylethyl 3S-?(phenylmethylene)amino!-5-(trimethylsilyl)-4-pentynoate; hydrolyzing 1,1-dimethylethyl 3S-?(phenylmethylene)amino!-5-(trimethylsilyl)-4-pentynoate to produce 1,1-dimethylethyl 3S-amino-5-(trimethylsilyl)-4-pentynoate; transesterifying 1,1-dimethyl 3S-amino-5-(trimethylsilyl)-4-pentynoate and desilylating to produce ethyl 3S-amino-4-pentynoate.

Abstract: In a gas discharge display panel consisting of a matrix of discharge cells defined by gas filled cavities in a block and having cathodes formed by sets of conductors on an end plate sealing the cavities and in which the matrix includes priming cells which are energized to provide from their discharge UV radiation to prime the other cells of the display, at least some of the conductors, except where they form cathodes of the priming cells, are thickened to space the end plate from the block and permit penetration of the UV radiation to the conductors at the ends of the other cavities.

Abstract: A d.c. gas discharge display panel consists of a rectangular array of discharge cells suitable for displaying alphanumeric characters surrounded by a circular array. The two arrays share one common set of conductors and are addressed sequentially by reducing the potential on the common conductors in turn by a glow transfer device extending around the circular array. The other conductors of the circular array may be commoned to result in a radial pointer whose position around the rectangular array can be changed.

Abstract: A gas discharge display panel has a glow transfer device extending along one or both edges of the panel and consisting of a row, or rows, of cavities extra to the display. One electrode of the, or each, transfer device is common to the conductor associated with the display cavities at that coordinate and the other electrode is grouped with others in threes to a transfer conductor so that three-phase addressing of the transfer conductors causes a transfer glow to move along from cavity to cavity. The transfer glow changes the potential of said common conductor to enable discharges to form in the associated display cavities suitably addressed by potentials applied to selected ones of their other conductors. One transfer device can be used for writing and the other, a short time later, for erasing, thereby providing a variable brightness display.

Abstract: This invention concerns getters for controlled atmosphere and vacuum processes, and in particular, for processes carried out in an atmosphere having a very low oxygen content. The invention has been particularly developed for the vacuum brazing of parts, such as gas turbine components, but has a wide variety of other applications, including argon purged retort brazing and diffusion bonding.

Abstract: A driving circuit arrangement for a gas-discharge display device consisting of an array of discharge lamps applies to the array a discharge retaining voltage composed of a voltage less than is required to maintain a discharge and a voltage equal to the magnitude of a `half-pulse,` the use of two coincident half-pulses being sufficient in addition to the retaining voltage to strike a discharge. To extinguish a discharge in one or more of the lamps the voltage equal to a half-pulse is removed temporarily from one of the conductors associated with the lamp, thereby reducing the voltage across all the lamps connected to that conductor below the level required to retain a discharge, and a compensating voltage of magnitude equal to a half-pulse is temporarily applied to the other conductor of those lamps in which it is desired that the discharge not be extinguished.