Abstract: A vehicle locking boot includes a horizontal support arm and a first vertical support arm extending from the horizontal support arm. The first vertical support arm includes a front engagement protrusion extending therefrom. A receiving sleeve extends from the horizontal support arm at a base of the first vertical support arm. A horizontal extension portion is coupled to the horizontal support arm. A second vertical support arm extends from the horizontal extension portion along a direction orthogonal to the upper surface of the horizontal support arm. The second vertical support arm includes a rear engagement protrusion extending therefrom. The front engagement protrusion faces the rear engagement protrusion. A keypad is disposed on the first engagement portion. The keypad is configured to lock and unlock the horizontal extension portion. A lug nut blocking plate is coupled to the first vertical support arm above the first engagement protrusion.

Abstract: A vehicle locking boot includes a horizontal support arm and a first vertical support arm extending from the horizontal support arm. The first vertical support arm includes a front engagement protrusion. A receiving sleeve extends from the horizontal support arm at a base of the first vertical support arm. A horizontal extension portion is coupled to the horizontal support arm. A second vertical support arm extends from the horizontal extension portion. The second vertical support arm includes a rear engagement protrusion extending therefrom. The front engagement protrusion faces the rear engagement protrusion. A keypad is disposed on the first engagement portion to lock and unlock the horizontal extension portion. A lug nut blocking plate is coupled to the first vertical support arm. A spacer is removeably coupled to the horizontal support arm.

Abstract: A vehicle locking boot includes a horizontal support arm and a first vertical support arm extending from the horizontal support arm. The first vertical support arm includes a front engagement protrusion. A receiving sleeve extends from the horizontal support arm at a base of the first vertical support arm. A horizontal extension portion is coupled to the horizontal support arm. A second vertical support arm extends from the horizontal extension portion. The second vertical support arm includes a rear engagement protrusion extending therefrom. The front engagement protrusion faces the rear engagement protrusion. A keypad is disposed on the first engagement portion to lock and unlock the horizontal extension portion. A lug nut blocking plate is coupled to the first vertical support arm. A global positioning system (GPS) housing is positioned at an upper portion of the first vertical support arm.

Abstract: An injection molding apparatus has a mold tool that is positioned around a field joint of a pipeline to define a mold cavity. Two or more pumping chambers communicate with the mold tool. Each chamber is expansible to draw in molten polymer and contractible to drive the polymer into the mold cavity. Expansion of one chamber is synchronized with contraction of another chamber. The operation of supply and injection valves associated with the chambers is also synchronized, both with each other and with expansion and contraction of the chambers. In the embodiment described, two pumping chambers are defined within a common pressurizing cylinder, in which the chambers are separated by a piston. The piston is movable within the cylinder to determine and to synchronize expansion and contraction of the chambers.

Abstract: A thermoplastics injection molding process coats a field joint of a pipeline by positioning a mold tool around the field joint to define a mold cavity. Thermoplastics material injected into the mold cavity forms a field joint coating that will set in the mold cavity. As the thermoplastics material shrinks in the mold cavity while the field joint coating sets, compacting pressure is applied radially inwardly within the mold cavity against a radially outer side of the field joint coating. A compacting fluid introduced into the mold cavity between the mold tool and the field joint coating may be used to apply pressure against the field joint coating. This accelerates and controls cooling of the field joint coating while maximizing quality.

Abstract: A system for coating a field joint of a pipeline places at least one body having a thermoplastics material around the field joint. The body is heated in a mould cavity around the field joint to effect thermal expansion of the thermoplastics material. Thermal expansion of the body in the mould cavity is constrained to apply elevated pressure between the body and pipe sections joined at the field joint. The elevated pressure improves bonding and fusing between the body, which forms a field joint coating, and the parent coatings and the exposed pipe sections of the pipe joints. The body need not be fully molten, which reduces the mould residence time including in-mould heating and cooling phases.

Abstract: A vehicle locking boot includes a horizontal support arm and a first vertical support arm extending from the horizontal support arm. The first vertical support arm includes a front engagement protrusion extending therefrom. A receiving sleeve extends from the horizontal support arm at a base of the first vertical support arm. A horizontal extension portion is coupled to the horizontal support arm. A second vertical support arm extends from the horizontal extension portion along a direction orthogonal to the upper surface of the horizontal support arm. The second vertical support arm includes a rear engagement protrusion extending therefrom. The front engagement protrusion faces the rear engagement protrusion. A keypad is disposed on the first engagement portion. The keypad is configured to lock and unlock the horizontal extension portion. A lug nut blocking plate is coupled to the first vertical support arm above the first engagement protrusion.

Abstract: A method of coating a field joint of a pipeline places at least one body having a thermoplastics material around the field joint. The body is heated in a mold cavity around the field joint to effect thermal expansion of the thermoplastics material. Thermal expansion of the body in the mold cavity is constrained to apply elevated pressure between the body and pipe sections joined at the field joint. The elevated pressure improves bonding and fusing between the body, which forms a field joint coating, and the parent coatings and the exposed pipe sections of the pipe joints. The body need not be fully molten, which reduces the mold residence time including in-mold heating and cooling phases.

Abstract: An insulating insert is positioned around a field joint of a pipeline to insulate the field joint. The insert includes a longitudinal series of annular or part-annular filler segments of insulating material, curved about a longitudinal axis, that are each joined to one or more adjacent segments of the series by at least one link. The links may be webs, rods or articulated links. The links are flexible relative to the segments to facilitate bending of the insert along its length by enabling relative angular displacement between adjacent segments of the series.

Abstract: A vehicle locking boot includes a horizontal support arm and a first vertical support arm extending. from the horizontal support arm. The first vertical support arm includes a front engagement protrusion extending therefrom. A receiving sleeve extends from the horizontal support arm at a base of the first vertical support arm, A horizontal extension portion is coupled to the horizontal support arm A second vertical support arm, extends from the horizontal extension portion along a direction orthogonal to the upper surface of the horizontal support arm. The second vertical support arm includes a rear engagement protrusion extending therefrom. The front engagement protrusion faces the rear engagement protrusion. A keypad is disposed on the first engagement portion. The keypad is configured to lock and unlock the horizontal extension portion. A lug nut blocking plate is coupled to the first vertical support arm above the first engagement protrusion.

Abstract: A method of coating a field joint of a pipeline places at least one body having a thermoplastics material around the field joint. The body is heated in a mould cavity around the field joint to effect thermal expansion of the thermoplastics material. Thermal expansion of the body in the mould cavity is constrained to apply elevated pressure between the body and pipe sections joined at the field joint. The elevated pressure improves bonding and fusing between the body, which forms a field joint coating, and the parent coatings and the exposed pipe sections of the pipe joints. The body need not be fully molten, which reduces the mould residence time including in-mould heating and cooling phases.

Abstract: An injection moulding apparatus has a mould tool that is positioned around a field joint of a pipeline to define a mould cavity. Two or more pumping chambers communicate with the mould tool. Each chamber is expansible to draw in molten polymer and contractible to drive the polymer into the mould cavity. Expansion of one chamber is synchronised with contraction of another chamber. The operation of supply and injection valves associated with the chambers is also synchronised, both with each other and with expansion and contraction of the chambers. In the embodiment described, two pumping chambers are defined within a common pressurising cylinder, in which the chambers are separated by a piston. The piston is movable within the cylinder to determine and to synchronise expansion and contraction of the chambers.

Abstract: A thermoplastics injection moulding process coats a field joint of a pipeline by positioning a mould tool around the field joint to define a mould cavity. Thermoplastics material injected into the mould cavity forms a field joint coating that will set in the mould cavity. As the thermoplastics material shrinks in the mould cavity while the field joint coating sets, compacting pressure is applied radially inwardly within the mould cavity against a radially outer side of the field joint coating. A compacting fluid introduced into the mould cavity between the mould tool and the field joint coating may be used to apply pressure against the field joint coating. This accelerates and controls cooling of the field joint coating while maximising quality.

Abstract: A business process and computer system known as the “Target Pricing System” (TPS) that generates an optimum bid or value for a competitively bid good or service. The system is resident on one or more host processors in connection with one or more data stores, and includes a product model that defines list values for the bid using stored price data and costs the values using stored cost data, a competitor net price model that calculates an equivalent competitor net price for the value, and a market response model that calculates the probability of winning with the value as a function of price. The system further preferably includes an optimization model that computes the target price of an optimal value that maximizes expected contribution for the bid or value. The system alternately further includes a benefits model for calculating the benefits of using target pricing over a pre-existing approach, and strategic objects which each affect the target price.

Abstract: Microcapsules having a carotenoid content of between about 10% and 50% by weight. A crystalline form of one or more carotenoids is processed in a fluidized bed coating machine where a protective coating of a sugar or polyhydric alcohol, a starch, and optionally a protein, is applied. The carotenoid content of the finished microcapsules is in excess of 80% of the carotenoids present in the starting material.

Abstract: Microcapsules having a carotenoid content of between about 10% and 50% by weight. A crystalline form of one or more carotenoids is processed in a fluidized bed coating machine where a protective coating of a sugar or polyhydric alcohol, a starch, and optionally a protein, is applied. The carotenoid content of the finished microcapsules is in excess of 80% of the carotenoids present in the starting material.