Abstract: A pontoon connector system and process are provided which allows pontoons to be connected at sea, even under rough sea conditions, so that the pontoons can be connected, for example, to form a barge. Initially, the pontoons are coupled by cables which are connected to winches disposed on one of the pontoons. The cables are then wound upon the winches to draw the pontoons together until latch members can be connected between the pontoons. Once the latch members connect the pontoons together, conventional connectors can then be inserted between connector sites of the pontoons.

Abstract: A ship's steering gear mechanism (10) embodying a number of improvements to the well-known Rapson-Slide apparatus provides greatly improved operating efficiencies and cost effectiveness by inclusion of a specially configured transverse travelling channel, trunion-mounted hydraulic cylinders (12* and 14*), and reduced friction sliding/rolling slider elements (48 and 144). The traveling channels formed by a pair of transverse beams (34) prevent harmful forces from being reflected back into the hydraulic cylinders, thus reducing their size and strength requirements, while other improvements decrease operating losses due to friction/stiction, and compensate for both static and dynamic component misalignments.

Abstract: In a cast film process, a thin sheet of semi-molten resin is extruded from a die and directed onto a rotating cylinder such that the transverse length of the sheet and the rotational axis of the cylinder are parallel to one another. During this stage of the process, it is desired to prevent air from entering and subsequently being trapped between the film and the casting surface of the rotating cylinder. Ultimately, entrapped air results in localized film distortion and non-uniform heat dissipation from the film. The cast film process employs an air deflector to deflect this laminar air flow layer which is entrained with the surface of the rotating cylinder before it can be forced between the casting surface and the film. The elimination or substantial reduction of the tangential velocity of the entrained air layer provides more uniform adherence of the extruded film to the casting surface.