Abstract: A dust container for a vacuum cleaner comprises a vessel, a reed valve, and a filter. The vessel has a longitudinal axis and an annular cross section transverse to the longitudinal axis. The vessel has a first end and a second end, a tangential inlet near the first end, and an axial outlet at the first end. The second end is closed, and the vessel is impervious except for the inlet and the outlet. A vacuum actuated valve biased toward a closed position is positioned to seal the inlet of the vessel, and a filter is positioned in covering relationship with the outlet of the vessel. Dust is trapped within the vessel which can be disposed of as a unit together with the valve and filter and can be replaced with a fresh unit.

Abstract: A modular portable dusty air cleaner comprises a removable bin, a dirty gas distributor, an aperture plate, a plurality of tubular filters, a roof, a clean-gas chamber, a dust collection chamber, and a pulse-jet assembly. The dirty gas distributor is positioned to distribute dirty gas into the dust collection chamber from a periphery of the plurality of filters. The aperture plate forms at least a partial ceiling for the bin. The plurality of tubular filters hangs into the bin from the apertures of the plate, one filter per aperture. The roof is positioned above the aperture plate. The clean-gas chamber is defined between the plate and the roof. The pulse jet assembly is positioned at least partly in the clean-gas chamber. The pulse jet assembly includes a plurality of nozzles for pulsing jets of gas down the plurality of filters, one nozzle per filter to dislodge accumulated dust into the bottom of the dust collection chamber.

Abstract: A method for receiving video information from the internet is carried out on a digital computer having a user interface, memory, a processor, internet access and software necessary for operability. There is displayed on the user interface a menu listing a plurality of categories of videos accessible to the computer using the internet access. Upon selection by a user of a category of videos from the menu, a web search engine is queried for a list of video web page locations within the selected category. The list is received at the digital computer by way of the internet access. The list is formed into a queue for retrieving playing the associated videos. The associated image and audio data for the videos in the queue is received by the computer using the internet access. The videos are played automatically in the sequence in which they are queued up unless the user intervenes or the list is updated.

Abstract: A modular portable dusty air cleaner comprises a removable bin, a dirty gas distributor, an aperture plate, a plurality of tubular filters, a roof, a clean-gas chamber, a dust collection chamber, and a pulse-jet assembly. The dirty gas distributor is positioned to distribute dirty gas into the dust collection chamber from a periphery of the plurality of filters. The aperture plate forms at least a partial ceiling for the bin. The plurality of tubular filters hangs into the bin from the apertures of the plate, one filter per aperture. The roof is positioned above the aperture plate. The clean-gas chamber is defined between the plate and the roof. The pulse-jet assembly is positioned at least partly in the clean-gas chamber. The pulse-jet assembly includes a plurality of nozzles for pulsing jets of gas down the plurality of filters, one nozzle per filter to dislodge accumulated dust into the bottom of the dust collection chamber.

Abstract: A modular portable dusty air cleaner comprises a removable bin, a dirty gas distributor, an aperture plate, a plurality of tubular filters, a roof, a clean-gas chamber, a dust collection chamber, and a pulse-jet assembly. The dirty gas distributor is positioned to distribute dirty gas into the dust collection chamber from a periphery of the plurality of filters. The aperture plate forms at least a partial ceiling for the bin. The plurality of tubular filters hangs into the bin from the apertures of the plate, one filter per aperture. The roof is positioned above the aperture plate. The clean-gas chamber is defined between the plate and the roof. The pulse jet assembly is positioned at least partly in the clean-gas chamber. The pulse jet assembly includes a plurality of nozzles for pulsing jets of gas down the plurality of filters, one nozzle per filter to dislodge accumulated dust into the bottom of the dust collection chamber.

Abstract: A modular portable dusty air cleaner comprises a removable bin, a dirty gas distributor, an aperture plate, a plurality of tubular filters, a roof, a clean-gas chamber, a dust collection chamber, and a pulse-jet assembly. The dirty gas distributor is positioned to distribute dirty gas into the dust collection chamber from a periphery of the plurality of filters. The aperture plate forms at least a partial ceiling for the bin. The plurality of tubular filters hangs into the bin from the apertures of the plate, one filter per aperture. The roof is positioned above the aperture plate. The clean-gas chamber is defined between the plate and the roof. The pulse-jet assembly is positioned at least partly in the clean-gas chamber. The pulse-jet assembly includes a plurality of nozzles for pulsing jets of gas down the plurality of filters, one nozzle per filter to dislodge accumulated dust into the bottom of the dust collection chamber.

Abstract: A modular portable dusty air cleaner comprises a removable bin, a dirty gas distributor, an aperture plate, a plurality of tubular filters, a roof, a clean-gas chamber, a dust collection chamber, and a pulse-jet assembly. The dirty gas distributor is positioned to distribute dirty gas into the dust collection chamber from a periphery of the plurality of filters. The aperture plate forms at least a partial ceiling for the bin. The plurality of tubular filters hangs into the bin from the apertures of the plate, one filter per aperture. The roof is positioned above the aperture plate. The clean-gas chamber is defined between the plate and the roof.

Abstract: The invention provides a method comprising (a) opening an ideas Vault, {b) creating an investment portfolio in the vault, (c) allocating an investment amount to the portfolio, (d) creating a basket in the portfolio, (e) allocating part of the investment amount to the basket, (f) selecting an investible for the basket, (g) repeating step (f) with different investibles to populate the basket, (h) apportioning the basket cash allocation between the investibles on a percentage basis, (i) repeating steps (d)-(h) to form different baskets, (j) reallocating cash between different baskets if desired, (k) moving the portfolio to the Serious Stuff Vault, (I) selecting a broker, (m) executing purchase of the portfolio, (n) broker moving the executed portfolio to user's Action Vault, and (ol user being able to make modifications by repeating steps (k)-(n) with an indication to the broker that the modified portfolio is to be a replacement.

Abstract: A modular portable dusty air cleaner comprises a removable bin, a dirty gas distributor, an aperture plate, a plurality of tubular filters, a roof, a clean-gas chamber, a dust collection chamber, and a pulse-jet assembly. The dirty gas distributor is positioned to distribute dirty gas into the dust collection chamber from a periphery of the plurality of filters. The aperture plate forms at least a partial ceiling for the bin. The plurality of tubular filters hangs into the bin from the apertures of the plate, one filter per aperture. The roof is positioned above the aperture plate. The clean-gas chamber is defined between the plate and the roof.

Abstract: A portable dust collector comprises a rectangular box-shaped housing containing a rectangular box shaped filter chamber having a dust collection volume in a lower portion thereof and providing plenums for operative gas circulation in a compact environment. The filter chamber shares a portion of the floor with the housing and has a pair of internal parallel sidewalls spaced inwardly from the outside sidewalls of the housing. The internal sidewalls define a plurality of filter chamber dirty gas inlets located just under an apertured cell plate from which the filters hang. The system is provided with a pulse jet cleaning system located in the clean air plenum above the cell plate.

Abstract: The erosion-prone sections of the tubes in a circulating fluidized bed boiler are provided with a locally thickened sidewall without forming discontinuities on the outer surface of the tubes. This can be accomplished, for example, by replacing the erosion prone portion of the tube with a section having a smaller inside diameter, but the same outside diameter, or by replacing the erosion prone portion of the tube with a section having a thicker sidewall, but the same inside diameter, and smoothing over the outside discontinuity with an alloy coating. A useful alloy coating is also disclosed which can be used for this and other applications.

Abstract: A portable dust collector comprises a rectangular box-shaped housing containing a rectangular box shaped filter chamber having a dust collection volume in a lower portion thereof and providing plenums for operative gas circulation in a compact environment. The filter chamber shares a portion of the floor with the housing and has a pair of internal parallel sidewalls spaced inwardly from the outside sidewalls of the housing. The internal sidewalls define a plurality of filter chamber dirty gas inlets located just under an apertured cell plate from which the filters hang. The system is provided with a pulse jet cleaning system located in the clean air plenum above the cell plate.

Abstract: A portable dust collector comprises a rectangular box-shaped housing containing a rectangular box shaped filter chamber having a dust collection volume in a lower portion thereof and providing plenums for operative gas circulation in a compact environment. The filter chamber shares a portion of the floor with the housing and has a pair of internal parallel sidewalls spaced inwardly from the outside sidewalls of the housing. The internal sidewalls define a plurality of filter chamber dirty gas inlets located just under an apertured cell plate from which the filters hang. The system is provided with a pulse jet cleaning system located in the clean air plenum above the cell plate.

Abstract: The erosion-prone sections of the tubes in a circulating fluidized bed boiler are provided with a locally thickened sidewall without forming discontinuities on the outer surface of the tubes. This can be accomplished, for example, by replacing the erosion prone portion of the tube with a section having a smaller inside diameter, but the same outside diameter, or by replacing the erosion prone portion of the tube with a section having a thicker sidewall, but the same inside diameter, and smoothing over the outside discontinuity with an alloy coating. A useful alloy coating is also disclosed which can be used for this and other applications.

Abstract: An orthopaedic caliper 40 has an orthopaedic device 42 having a lower portion 48 and an upper portion 50. The portion 48 is attached snugly and not tightly, to a thigh. The upper portion 50 is a moulding of deformable, stretch resistant material. It is of concave or cradle shape to fit an upper portion of the thigh and a lower portion of a buttock. The portion 48 cannot dig into soft tissue and thus cannot become ischial weight bearing. It merely exerts a predominantly horizontal force on the body. This causes the user to assume a substantially normal posture and gait and the leg bones of the user to bear the weight. A bulge 50.3, to accommodate the buttock, collapses when the user is seated to prevent pressure points on bony protuberances and pressure underneath the thigh.