Abstract: A wedge pad for fitting between a shortened horseshoe and a horse's foot that has collapsed heels and/or a counter-rotated pedal bone. It provides support across the full width of the heel, raising it relative to the toe, correcting the angle and, being free from the fixation of a full shoe, allows natural expansion of the heel. There is a triangular central frog support sharing the load, reducing the total pressure on the damaged heel, and stimulating blood flow aiding recovery. The heel portion has a plurality of grooves on the ground contact surface, extending from toe to heel, providing greater flexibility. This adds to the cushioning effect provided by the thick heel portion, reducing the impact on the damaged heel. Preferably the pad is made from a resilient thermoplastic material that cushions the heel during impact (movement), thus reducing the stresses on the damaged tissues.

Abstract: A method of measuring the efficiency of an LED (10) includes illuminating the LED with light and measuring a response of the LED (10) to the absorption of light in order to measure the quantum efficiency of the LED (10). The spectrum of the light at least partially overlaps the absorption spectrum of the LED. An LED assembly (40) includes first (42) and second (44) LEDs, and a driver (43). An absorption spectrum of the first LED at least partially overlaps an emission spectrum of the second LED. The driver includes a monitor(45) for monitoring a response of the first LED to the absorption of light emitted by the second LED; a current supply (47) for supplying current to the first LED;and a switch (49) for switching between (a) operating the first LED in an absorbing mode and the second LED in an emitting mode, and (b) operating the first LED in an emitting mode.

Abstract: An LED assembly (50) includes a plurality of LEDs including a first LED (52, 56, 60) of a first colour and a second LED (54, 58, 62) of a second colour. The assembly also includes a driver (53). The driver (53) includes a monitor (55) for monitoring a response of an LED, the absorption spectrum of which at least partially overlaps the emission spectrum of the first LED, and thereby obtaining an indication of the light output of the first LED. The assembly also includes a current supply (57). The driver (53) is configured to control the current supply to supply current to at least one LED of the plurality of LEDs in dependence upon the indication of the light output of the first LED whereby to maintain a desired colour mix of output light from the LED assembly (50).

Abstract: A substrate includes a diffracting structure providing a hologram (20, 6). The diffracting structure encodes a holographic image so that thatholographic image is produced in response to reference light being incident on a major surface of the substrate at an angle of incidence with respect to the said major surface of the substrate, wherein the angle of incidence is no more than 20°.

Abstract: A system for obtaining a propagation factor for determining the performance of a light beam (32) includes a light sensor (10), a lens element (30) operable to focus a beam from a light source to be tested towards the sensor element (10); wherein the lens element is a variable focus lens (30).

Abstract: A substrate includes a diffracting structure providing a hologram which encodes one or more holographic images. Every image of the one or more holographic images has a holographic location at either a finite or substantially infinite effective optical distance. The hologram is to be used as an ophthalmic eye chart or an eye exercise device or to provide a scale for measuring distances.

Abstract: A system for obtaining a propagation factor for determining the performance of a light beam (32) includes a light sensor (10), a lens element (30) operable to focus a beam from a light source to be tested towards the sensor element (10); wherein the lens element is a variable focus lens (30).

Abstract: An arrangement for the raising and lowering of a mast, which includes an upper mast portion and base, which upper mast portion is rotatable about a horizontal pivot axis, located in the base of the mast is described. The arrangement includes (i) docking device for restraining the upper mast portion against rotation; (ii) attachment device for attaching a drive device for driving the docking device between a first engaged configuration wherein the upper mast portion is restrained against rotation and a second disengaged configuration wherein the upper mast portion is free to rotate and (iii) locking device selectable via an intermediate unlocked configuration between a first locked configuration wherein the docking device is engaged and a second unlocked configuration wherein the docking device is disengaged and is characterized in that the locking means is controllable remotely to allow automatic operation of the raising and lowering sequence.

Abstract: A wagering game, preferably a variant of blackjack, is played by at least one player placing at least three separate wagers on a single round of the wagering game. A first of the three wagers is committed to a first hand wagering position, a second of the at least three wagers committed to a second hand wagering position, and the third wager initially is not committed to specifically either the first or second wagering position. From a first set of playing cards, the player receives a separate hand at each of the first hand wagering position and the second hand wagering position. The player commits the third wager to either the first hand wagering position or the second hand wagering position.

Abstract: A hinge mechanism comprises first and second chock plates and an adjustable shaft. Each of the chock plates includes an aperture in the form of a figure of eight, the first and second circular portions of which are similar and are connected by a neck portion of a width less than the diameter of the circular portions. The shaft is longitudinally adjustable between a first retracted position in which the sections of the shaft aligned with each of the chock plates have a cross-section which corresponds to the circular portion of the aperture and a second extended position in which the sections of the shaft aligned with each of the chock plates have a cross-section of a diameter which is less than the width of neck portion.

Abstract: An arrangement for the raising and lowering of a mast, which includes an upper mast portion and base, which upper mast portion is rotatable about a horizontal pivot axis, located in the base of the mast is described. The arrangement includes (i) docking device for restraining the upper mast portion against rotation; (ii) attachment device for attaching a drive device for driving the docking device between a first engaged configuration wherein the upper mast portion is restrained against rotation and a second disengaged configuration wherein the upper mast portion is free to rotate and (iii) locking device selectable via an intermediate unlocked configuration between a first locked configuration wherein the docking device is engaged and a second unlocked configuration wherein the docking device is disengaged and is characterized in that the locking means is controllable remotely to allow automatic operation of the raising and lowering sequence.

Abstract: A hinge mechanism comprises first and second chock plates and an adjustable shaft. Each of the chock plates includes an aperture in the form of a figure of eight, the first and second circular portions of which are similar and are connected by a neck portion of a width less than the diameter of the circular portions. The shaft is longitudinally adjustable between a first retracted position in which the sections of the shaft aligned with each of the chock plates have a cross-section which corresponds to the circular portion of the aperture and a second extended position in which the sections of the shaft aligned with each of the chock plates have a cross-section of a diameter which is less than the width of neck portion.

Abstract: A wagering game, preferably a variant of blackjack, is played by at least one player placing at least three separate wagers on a single round of the wagering game. A first of the three wagers is committed to a first hand wagering position, a second of the at least three wagers committed to a second hand wagering position, and the third wager initially is not committed to specifically either the first or second wagering position. From a first set of playing cards, the player receives a separate hand at each of the first hand wagering position and the second hand wagering position. The player commits the third wager to either the first hand wagering position or the second hand wagering position.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a plastisol ink for textiles and in particular to a screen printable PVC/phthalate-free plastisol textile ink having good storage stability and excellent wet-on-wet printing. characteristics. The plastisol textile ink of the present invention is substantially free of PVC and phthalates and comprises (i) a core-shell acrylic polymer having an acrylic polymer shell with a Tg of 90-125° C. and an acrylic polymer core with a lower Tg than the shell, (ii) an organic phosphate plasticiser having a viscosity of 60-120 mm2/s, and (iii) a pigment. Any particulate components in the ink have a particle size of 1-80 ?m.

Abstract: A modification to the card game blackjack in which bets are pushed, if the total of the cards in the player's and the dealer's hands are of equal value and add up to 21 or less, or if the total of the cards in the dealer's hand equals a predetermined value between 22 and 26 and the total of the cards in the player's hand is 21 or less.

Abstract: The bearing comprises a metal backing, a sintered layer on said metal backing, and a lining layer infiltrated into pores of the sintered layer and standing proud thereof to provide a bearing surface. The lining layer comprises polytetrafluoroethylene including 2 to 10% by volume of fibrillated aramid fibres.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a bearing material, a bearing material and a bearing having the bearing material on a strong backing are described.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a bearing material, a bearing material and a bearing having the bearing material on a strong backing are described.

Abstract: A PLL based clock generation circuit that enables processor execution during phase locking is provided. A PLL (310) generates a PLL clock output to a divider (330), which divides the PLL clock at a system clock output. PLL (310) outputs a frequency lock signal upon acquiring a desired output frequency that initiates a counter (320) and enables execution in a CPU (350) being clocked by the system clock. CPU (350) is thereby enabled to execute during phase locking at a divided frequency without risk of frequency overshoot induced failures. A phase lock signal, indicating PLL (310) has achieved phase lock, output by counter (320) is logically combined (340) with a signal output from CPU (350) requesting maximum frequency operation. The combined signal selects divider (330) to enable a maximum frequency system clock, thereby enabling CPU (350) to execute at maximum frequency when the PLL (310) is safely phase locked.