Abstract: A trolley for transporting the rider supported by a harness on a cable or rope, the trolley having a mounting plate configured with a connection point to receive the rider's harness, a pulley rotatably mounted to the mounting plate to support the plate on the cable or rope, and a friction shoe mounted on the plate forward of the pulley to contact the upper portion of the cable or rope, wherein the connection point is located beneath the cable or rope between the centers of the pulley and the friction shoe. The apparatus may also provide a manually operated brake handle to allow the rider to selectively apply braking force to reduce the speed of the trolley on the cable as desired.

Abstract: An apparatus for transporting a rider between two points on a cable or rope, having a plurality of supports configured to suspend the cable or rope between two points of unequal elevation and a trolley for transporting the rider supported by a harness on the cable or rope, the trolley having a mounting plate configured with a connection point to receive the rider's harness, a pulley rotatably mounted to the mounting plate to support the plate on the cable or rope, and a friction shoe mounted on the plate forward of the pulley to contact the upper portion of the cable or rope, wherein the connection point is located beneath the cable or rope between the centers of the pulley and the friction shoe.

Abstract: A trolley for transporting the rider supported by a harness on a cable or rope, the trolley having a mounting plate configured with a connection point to receive the rider's harness, a pulley rotatably mounted to the mounting plate to support the plate on the cable or rope, and a friction shoe mounted on the plate forward of the pulley to contact the upper portion of the cable or rope, wherein the connection point is located beneath the cable or rope between the centers of the pulley and the friction shoe. The apparatus may also provide a manually operated brake handle to allow the rider to selectively apply braking force to reduce the speed of the trolley on the cable as desired.

Abstract: A method for improving the efficiency and durability of reversible solid oxide cells during electrical energy storage is disclosed. The method utilizes a specific set of operating conditions that produces a storage chemistry where approximately thermal-neutral operation can be achieved at low cell over-potentials. Also disclosed are reversible solid oxide cell energy storage system configurations, including one that utilizes storage in natural gas and water storage/distribution networks, thereby reducing storage cost.

Abstract: An apparatus for transporting a rider between two points on a cable or rope, having a plurality of supports configured to suspend the cable or rope between two points of unequal elevation and a trolley for transporting the rider supported by a harness on the cable or rope, the trolley having a mounting plate configured with a connection point to receive the rider's harness, a pulley rotatably mounted to the mounting plate to support the plate on the cable or rope, and a friction shoe mounted on the plate forward of the pulley to contact the upper portion of the cable or rope, wherein the connection point is located beneath the cable or rope between the centers of the pulley and the friction shoe.

Abstract: A headlamp assembly that utilizes a modified bulb shield and a lower heat deflection temperature plastic material for the construction of one or more components of the headlamp assembly. The components of the headlamp assembly that may be formed from the lower HDT plastic material include the reflector substrate, the housing, or a combination thereof. The modified bulb shield reduces the maximum temperature requirements of headlamp assemblies thereby enabling lower HDT plastic materials to be used in the headlamp assembly. The bulb shields are modified to reflect and/or transmit infrared (IR) energy that, if absorbed (at the bulb shield surface) would lead to localized heating of the headlamp reflector and the requirement that higher HDT plastic materials be used for the reflector substrate and/or housing of the headlamp assembly. The bulb shields may reflect and/or transmit IR energy using a reflective coating, an additive, and/or surface structures.

Abstract: A reflective article useful, for example, in automotive headlights includes a substrate, a reflective metal layer, and a haze-prevention layer between the substrate and the reflective metal layer. The substrate includes an amorphous thermoplastic resin having a heat distortion temperature of at least about 140° C., a density less than 1.7 grams per milliliter, and an organic volatiles content less than 1,000 parts per million measured according to ASTM D4526. The haze-prevention layer includes a material having a volume resistivity of at least 1×10?4 ohm-centimeters and a tensile modulus of at least about 3×105 pounds per square inch. The article resists hazing of the reflective layer at elevated temperatures.

Abstract: A data storage medium includes a substrate, a reflective metal layer, and a haze-prevention layer between the substrate and the reflective metal layer. The substrate includes an amorphous thermoplastic resin having a heat distortion temperature of at least about 140° C., a density less than 1.7 grams per milliliter, and an organic volatiles content less than 1,000 parts per million measured according to ASTM D4526. The haze-prevention layer includes a material having a volume resistivity of at least 1×10?4 ohm-centimeters and a tensile modulus of at least about 3×105 pounds per square inch. The data storage medium resists hazing of the reflective layer at elevated temperatures.

Abstract: A molded plastic lamp component includes, in an exemplary embodiment, a first portion formed from a first material having a first heat distortion temperature, and a second portion formed from a second material having a second heat distortion temperature. The first heat distortion temperature is higher than the second heat distortion temperature.

Abstract: A data storage medium includes a substrate, a reflective metal layer, and a haze-prevention layer between the substrate and the reflective metal layer. The substrate includes an amorphous thermoplastic resin having a heat distortion temperature of at least about 140° C., a density less than 1.7 grams per milliliter, and an organic volatiles content less than 1,000 parts per million measured according to ASTM D4526. The haze-prevention layer includes a material having a volume resistivity of at least 1×10−4 ohm-centimeters and a tensile modulus of at least about 3×105 pounds per square inch. The data storage medium resists hazing of the reflective layer at elevated temperatures.

Abstract: A reflective article useful, for example, in automotive headlights includes a substrate, a reflective metal layer, and a haze-prevention layer between the substrate and the reflective metal layer. The substrate includes an amorphous thermoplastic resin having a heat distortion temperature of at least about 140° C., a density less than 1.7 grams per milliliter, and an organic volatiles content less than 1,000 parts per million measured according to ASTM D4526. The haze-prevention layer includes a material having a volume resistivity of at least 1×10−4 ohm-centimeters and a tensile modulus of at least about 3×105 pounds per square inch. The article resists hazing of the reflective layer at elevated temperatures.

Abstract: A computer-related system for visually representing a supply chain includes a supply chain physical window (12). The supply chain physical window (12) displays a plurality of supply chain entities (24), at least one supply chain bar (28) adjacent a corresponding supply chain entity (24), and at least one connector (26) between two of the supply chain entities (24). The supply chain bar (28) provides data related to the adjacent supply chain entity(24), and the connector (26) represents product flow between the two supply chain entities (24).

Abstract: A disk for a BLISK rotary stage of a gas turbine engine includes a stub on the tapered circumferential surface of a turbine disk, the stub defining a weld joint surface on the radially outermost face of the stub. The weld joint surface follows the annulus curvature in axial and circumferential directions while remaining flat in a third direction. A blade is applied radially to the stub and linear friction welding of the blade to the stub is effected by oscillating the blade in said third direction while applying a welding force inwardly along the blade.

Abstract: A molded article suitable for direct application of a reflective metal coating includes an amorphous thermoplastic or thermoplastic blend having a glass transition temperature greater than about 170° C. and at least one thermally stable colorant that contributes to the article's dark appearance. The article has excellent dimensional stability, and the surface to which a metal coating can be applied exhibits low gloss. Application of a metal coating to the molded article produces a metalized surface with high total reflectivity, low diffuse reflectivity, and low haze. Compositions and methods for forming the article are described.

Abstract: Test methods are provided for determining the amount of contaminants in a carbon black sample. The test procedures include screening a known amount of carbon black to separate larger particles in the sample from smaller particles. The sample and/or separated larger particles are treated with a separating force to disperse larger agglomerates of carbon black into smaller aggregates of carbon black and to separate contaminants from carbon black aggregates. The treated sample or separated larger particles can then be screened to again separate larger particles from smaller particles. The separating force may be a water wash stream which contacts the sample or separated larger particles at a pressure of from about 15 psi to about 35 psi. The separating force may instead or additionally be generated by a dispersing agent which can be combined with the sample or separated larger particles in an amount or concentration sufficient to disperse larger agglomerates of carbon black into smaller carbon black aggregates.

Abstract: A method of making a BLISK by linear friction welding, comprises providing a stub on the circumferential surface of a turbine disk and defining a weld joint surface on the radially outermost face of the stub. The weld joint surface follows the annulus curvature in axial and circumferential directions while remaining flat in a third direction. A blade is applied radially to the stub and linear friction welding of the blade to the stub is effected by oscillating the blade in said third direction while applying a welding force inwardly along the blade.

Abstract: Jewelry apparatus consists of a body portion having an ornamental outer surface and an ornament portion having an ornamental outer surface. The body portion includes an engagement formation preferably consisting of a cylindrical recess and a bore which extends axially inwardly from the center of the cylindrical recess. The ornament portion includes a complimentary engagement formation preferably consisting of a cylindrical neck which is slidably received in the recess of the body portion, and a post which is slidably received in the bore. When the engagement surfaces of the body and ornament portions are received in engagement, the ornamental surfaces thereof cooperatively merge so that the body portion and the ornament portion appear as an integral unit. The post frictionally secures the ornament portion to the body portion when received into the bore.

Abstract: A wheeled stepladder dolly is disclosed wherein the dolly is engageable with both a step of the ladder and the existing cross braces on the support portion of a conventional stepladder to temporarily hold the stepladder in a fixed relationship with the dolly, thus providing a stepladder dolly assembly to be used for transporting heavy boxes of tools or the like. The engagement means are adjustable and configured to be adaptable for a number of brands and varieties of commercially available stepladders.

Abstract: An apparatus for supporting a large volumetric array of acoustic sensors in water is packaged in a standard configuration sonobuoy envelope and utilizes conventional sonobuoy deployment components. A housing within the envelope contains a plurality of tubular extendable members stored on drums and extendable to form array support booms upon deployment of the apparatus. A plurality of releasable array modules are releasably attached to the housing, each module containing an array cable and a plurality of acoustic sensors secured to and along the cable. As the apparatus enters and descends through the water, the tubular members extend to form array support booms. The array modules are synchronously released to the extension of the tubular members and as the modules descend, the array cables and acoustic sensors deploy, the array cables forming catenaries between points on array support boom pairs or between the housing and points on the various booms.