Abstract: A shoe stud and receptacle, the shoe stud including a ground-engaging part and the two components are adapted to be secured together by a multi-start threaded connection comprising a screw-threaded spigot on one of the two components adapted to be inserted with rotation into a screw-threaded socket on the other component, and a locking means of the components which is arranged to become interengaged to resist unscrewing of the assembly, the locking means comprising a primary locking means and at least one secondary locking member, the primary locking means comprising a ring of posts extending axially from one of the components and a ring of teeth on the other component, the posts engaging between the teeth, and wherein the or each secondary locking member is adapted to engage with a post to maintain the interengagement of the primary locking means.

Abstract: A peer-to-peer broadcast management system is described. A system may include a peer detector to determine one or more peer computer systems associated with a predetermined locality; a peer list generator to generate a peer list of the determined peer computer systems; a communications module to receive a request for content; and a peer selector to process the request for content utilizing the peer list.

Abstract: A product delivery system for a vending machine includes first and second guide rails and a carriage rail. The guide rails are fixedly mounted in the vending machine spaced from and parallel to each other and extend along respective first and second axes. The carriage rail extends along a third axis and includes first and second ends that are slidably connected to the respective ones of the first and second guide rails. A carrier member is slidably mounted to the carriage rail for movement along the third axis. A first drive belt is coupled to the carriage rail and a first drive motor to selectively shift the carrier member along the third axis. A second drive belt, extending in multiple axes, is connected to each of the first and second ends of the carriage rail and a second drive motor. The second drive motor selectively shifts the carriage rail along the first and second axes upon driving the second drive belt.

Abstract: An apparatus for processing carcasses of gallinaceous animals, including a conveyor line 3 from which, in operation, carcasses are suspended by their legs, a heating cabinet 1 through which the carcasses are transported on the conveyor line 3 the heating cabinet 1 including hot air means 10, 11, 15 to project a flow of hot air onto the carcasses to warm the outer surface on the carcasses to thereby loosen the feathers.

Abstract: An attitude indicator device for detecting, indicating, and/or logging the positional attitude of an individual in response to deviation from a set of one or more reference angles. By way of example and not of limitation, the device is mounted on the thigh of a patient and measurements are taken from an acceleration sensor within the device. The acceleration measurements are communicated to a receiver when the measurements deviate from acceptable thresholds, whereby the receiver indicates an alert condition. The device may be employed within numerous medical related applications, for example, to facilitate preventing patient egress and the prevention/detection of patient falls.

Abstract: Some studded footwear, such as sports shoes, require studs (6) to be specifically oriented relative to the shoe sole (1). The studs (6) may be specifically oriented in the receptacles (5), and thus the receptacles need to be oriented relative to the sole of the shoe (1). Means are provided therefore for orienting a specifically-oriented receptacle (5) for a shoe stud (6) in a multi-layer shoe sole (1) comprising co-operating orienting means (13) on the receptacle (5) and an outer shoe sole (2), the co-operating orienting means being operative to physically retain the receptacle (5) in the correct orientation relative to the outer shoe sole (2) at least until an inner shoe sole (3) is secured to the outer shoe sole (2). Thus the co-operating orienting means serve to ensure that a specifically-oriented receptacle (5) is physically held in the correct orientation relative to the shoe sole (1), at least until the shoe sole is completed by attachment of an inner shoe sole (3).

Abstract: A source computer 2 having a copy of a computer file that it is desired to download to a plurality of target computers issues broadcast messages via a computer network linked to those target computers. The broadcast messages indicate the availability of the computer file for download and include a download qualifying parameter. The download qualifying parameter is used by receiving target computers to determine whether or not they qualify to attempt a download from the source computer in response to the received broadcast message. Only those target computers that do qualify attempt a download. The source computer monitors how many target computers make a download attempt in response to a particular broadcast message and adjusts the download qualifying parameters in subsequent broadcast messages so that the target computers progressively download the new computer file without overloading the source computer.

Abstract: A positioning mechanism for a vending machine is provided to properly align product containers for vending purposes. The vending machine includes a cabinet that establishes a product storage zone, a product delivery zone and a dispensing chamber. Arranged within the product storage zone are a plurality of shelves which include dividers that separate the shelves into a plurality of product queues. Each product queue includes an dispensing mechanism that releases a selected product from the product queue for delivery to the dispensing chamber. In addition, each product queue includes a positioning mechanism to align products in the product queue. The positioning mechanism includes a support member secured to the divider and a spacer bar pivotally secured to the support member. The spacer bar automatically adjusts to a width of a product container placed in the product queue in order to assure proper alignment of the product for dispensing.

Abstract: An apparatus for processing carcasses of gallinaceous animals, including a conveyor line 3 from which, in operation, carcasses are suspended by their legs, a heating cabinet 1 through which the carcasses are transported on the conveyor line 3 the heating cabinet 1 including hot air means 10, 11, 15 to project a flow of hot air onto the carcasses to warm the outer surface on the carcasses to thereby loosen the feathers.

Abstract: A vending machine includes a product storage area, a dispensing chamber, a chute zone that interconnects the product storage area with the dispensing chamber, and a self-locking gate assembly having a gate member. The gate assembly is pivotally mounted to a frame member that is positioned at the chute zone. A latch member selectively secures the gate member to the frame member. The latch member is operatively connected to a trigger plate that disengages the latch member when the trigger plate is abutted by a product container such that the gate member shifts from a closed position to an open position, allowing the product container to pass into the dispensing chamber. The gate member then automatically closes and the latch member re-engages so as to prevent unauthorized removal of products from the vending machine.

Abstract: Load balancing between agents in a network skillset has become a particular problem. Not only is there a need to ensure efficient use of agent resources in the network skillset but increasingly labour law and union requirements mean that work must be shared between agents in an equitable manner. A source contact node in a network of contact centres requests nodal longest idle agent information from the other contact centres in the network. Using this information a network longest idle agent is identified and the incoming contact routed to that agent. A reservation system is used in combination with the longest idle agent information in order to prevent dropped contacts and to ensure equal sharing of work between agents in a network skillset. Contact centre servers are linked over a separate network, isolated from a network linking the contact centre switches.

Abstract: A dilution refrigerator assembly comprises a first module (1) including a dilution refrigerator (2); and a second module (3) including experimental services for attachment to a sample located in use outside the dilution refrigerator (2). The second module (3) can be attached to and demounted from the first module (1) without compromising the integrity of the dilution refrigerator.

Abstract: Received e-mail messages are subject to a minimum delay period determined in dependence upon characteristics of the e-mail message received. Prior to release of the e-mail message upon expiry of the minimum delay period a check is made that the most up-to-date anti-virus and anti-spamming tests have been applied to the e-mail message. Characteristics that may be used to determine the minimum delay period applied include sender characteristics, recipient characteristics, attachment type characteristics and message content type characteristics.

Abstract: A switching system in which telecommunications features are improved by the proximity status of a predetermined user to a communications terminal. Proximity status information deduces a predetermined user's presence or absence to answer incoming calls on a communications terminal associated with the predetermined user and silences the audible alert if the predetermined user is absent from the area. The proximity status information may also be used to control security features on a terminal so that only the predetermined user can use the terminal when the predetermined user is deduced to be present.

Abstract: A dilution refrigerator assembly comprises a first module (1) including a dilution refrigerator (2); and a second module (3) including experimental services for attachment to a sample located in use outside the dilution refrigerator (2). The second module (3) can be attached to and demounted from the first module (1) without compromising the integrity of the dilution refrigerator.

Abstract: The present invention provides a computer program product, method and data processing apparatus for reviewing files for potential malware. The computer program product comprises logging code operable to maintain a statistical log having an entry for each file sent for review, each entry being arranged to store a count value indicating the number of times that the file has been sent for review and a value of one or more predetermined attributes relating to the file. Weighting table code is also used to maintain a weighting table identifying, for each value of said one or more predetermined attributes, a weighting indicating the likelihood that a file having that value of the one or more predetermined attributes will be malware.

Abstract: An oven door assembly having a minimum number of required components parts is constructed by attaching a pair of spaced hinge assemblies, preferably through a tab and slot arrangement to the first panel, and positioning a central window pack on a first panel. A second panel is then snap-fit directly through the hinge assemblies to the first panel, thereby indirectly securing the second panel to the first panel through the hinge assemblies with the window pack therebetween.

Abstract: A pressure relief valve and method of preparation is provided in which the relief valve includes a body having a seat disposed in a passageway. The relief valve also includes a piston sealing a gasket against the seat by a spring. The spring is adjusted and retained by an adjusting gland. The piston includes a cone that aids in reclosing the valve quicker than it would close without the cone. The relief valve has a low blowdown and may be easily assembled and then shipped on the same day.

Abstract: A method of allocating a location-related order to one of a number of mobile agents, such as taxicabs, delivery or repair vehicles.

Abstract: Soluble polypeptides of human prolactin receptor, corresponding to products expressed from differentially spliced mRNA and obtainable from various human tissues, are reported and recombinant molecules containing nucleic acid sequences encoding the soluble polypeptides of human prolactin receptor can be constructed and inserted into expression vectors for production in transformed host cells.