Abstract: Systems and methods for removing carbonaceous clinker material from a coke oven are described. A coke oven can be provided including an oven floor, coke, and clinker material deposited on the oven floor. After a temperature of the coke oven has reached a first temperature (e.g., after heating coal in the oven to produce coke), the method includes increasing the temperature of the coke oven to a second temperature that is higher than the first temperature for a predetermined amount of time. After the predetermined amount of time, the temperature is reduced to a third temperature that is lower than the first temperature.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for producing ultrashort optical pulses are described. A high-power, solid-state, passively mode-locked laser can be manufactured in a compact module that can be incorporated into a portable instrument. The mode-locked laser can produce sub-50-ps optical pulses at a repetition rates between 200 MHz and 50 MHz, rates suitable for massively parallel data-acquisition. The optical pulses can be used to generate a reference clock signal for synchronizing data-acquisition and signal-processing electronics of the portable instrument.

Abstract: A portable welding unit comprising a housing. The housing contains a first battery and a second battery connected in series. Each of the batteries is a sealed, non-spillable battery. Each battery has a positive terminal and a negative terminal. The welding unit has a first clamp electrically connected to the positive terminal of the first sealed, non-spillable battery. The first clamp extends outside the housing and is adapted to be connected to a ground of an object to be welded. A welding gun is electrically connected to the negative terminal of the second sealed, non-spillable battery. The welding gun extends outside the housing. A wire feed mechanism is located in the housing and is connected to the battery for extending wire through the welding gun. A spool of consumable electrode wire is rotatably connected to the housing. This wire is supplied to the welding gun via the wire feed mechanism. In operation, the user connects the first clamp to ground.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method for generating seismic waves utilizes a heavy flywheel positioned for rotation in a vertical plane to generate and store energy which is then transferred to the ground. The device includes two balanced hammers mounted on the flywheel as impact members. In operation, the flywheel is spun to a predetermined speed and then, on command, the hammers are extended outward from the flywheel so that one hammer strikes either a vertical or a horizontal strike member, thus providing a rapid transfer of a large amount of kinetic energy to the ground resulting in the generation of a set of seismic waves.

Abstract: The invention concerns a power supply for an arc welder. A main transformer drives a plurality of secondaries. The invention provides a switching and control system that derives fully rectified power from the secondaries, at an adjustable duty cycle, and applies the power to a welding electrode. One advantage to using a plurality of secondaries is that each supplies part of the total electrode current. Thus, the rectification and duty-cycle control can be accomplished by individual devices (such as SCRs) which are distributed over the secondaries. The total cost of the individual devices can be less than the cost of a single device, of equivalent current capacity, used in a single secondary.

Abstract: A metal cutting nozzle attachment for an inert gas welder converting the welder into a metal cutting apparatus having the welding flux core wire energized to become the cutting element and the nozzle being arranged to cause a sufficient increase in the velocity of an air stream passing therethrough to clear away the molten or cut metal.

Abstract: This invention relates to an electric battery charger for a storage battery such as an automotive battery in which the improvement consists of the visual display of such indicia that it informs the operator of the condition of charging present between the battery charger and the battery to be charged as to whether the battery is being properly charged, whether it can be charged and that it is fully charged.

Abstract: In the sight opening of the face shield of a welding helmet, a protective lens overlying a filter lens and having a light impervious coating about its edge portion blocking the passage of light rays through its edge portion and through the clearance about the lenses within the sight opening and thus eliminating the use of a gasket or other sealant about the lens first mentioned or within or about the sight opening.