Abstract: A multistage vacuum pump comprises a stator housing a multistage rotor assembly, each stage comprising inter-meshing Roots rotor components, wherein the tip radius of the rotor components at an inlet stage of the pump is larger than the tip radius of the rotor components at an exhaust stage of the pump.

Abstract: An artificial hollow core boulder and method of fabrication. A plastic trash bag is loosely filled with newspaper, tied shut, and wrapped with a layer of chicken wire. The chicken wire wrapped bag is hand pressed into a boulder like shape and a hole is cut into the chicken wire at the bottom of the wrapped bag. Wet stucco mix is troweled over the chicken wire and the wire is lightly pulled away from the plastic. A second layer of stucco mix is troweled over the dried first layer of stucco. A hole is cut in the plastic bag through the hole in the chicken wire and the newspapers are removed. The hollow core artificial boulder is filled through the hole with expended, crushed, cans and plastic bottles. The hole is sealed with chicken wire and stucco. The completed boulder is sealed with penetrating acid stain or latex stain.

Abstract: A vacuum pump housing comprises first (12) and second half-shell stator components (14) defining a plurality of pumping chambers separated by partition members (26, 28, 30, 32). Each pumping chamber comprises an inlet port (42, 44, 46, 48, 50) for receiving fluid and an outlet port (54, 56, 58, 60, 62) through which pumped fluid is exhausted from the chamber. The inlet ports are open on an external surface of the first stator component, and the outlet ports are open on an opposing external surface of the second stator component. The stator components further define transfer channels (66, 68, 70, 72) for conveying fluid between the pumping chambers. Each transfer channel preferably comprises first and second portions located on opposite sides of the housing.

Abstract: A Roots vacuum pump stator is arranged to house a pair of intermeshing rotors, said stator being characterised in that it comprises a director or deflector arranged to direct solid material entrained in a gas pumped through the pump towards the outlet. In other words, the stator according to the present invention has a means for directing or deflecting powder or solid material entrained in a gas being pumped directly towards an outlet of the pump or out of the pump. The directing means can comprise a channel disposed between the arcuate surface and the outlet, said channel comprising a portion that engages the arcuate surface prior to the bottom-dead-centre position and which extends away from the rotor's axis of rotation towards the pump outlet.

Abstract: A regenerative pumping mechanism comprises a rotor having a series of blades positioned in an annular array on one side of the rotor, and a stator having an annular channel within which the blades rotate. In order to control the axial clearance between the rotor and the stator, an axial magnetic bearing actively controls relative axial movement between the rotor and the stator. This can allow the pumping mechanism to provide controllable axial sealing between the rotor and the stator, as opposed to radial sealing.

Abstract: The present invention can be generally described as a backplane test device that provides the possible flexibility of being operationally resident on a standard card form factor, and thereby, potentially able to provide a testing capability that does not require the use of hardware or software not residing on the card form factor. Moveover, since the test device may be operationally inserted into a backplane, the present invention may be effectively used in a variety of environments including, but not limited to, those constrained by space considerations, and/or to those that are subject to vibrations due to their operational nature. This may provide a technician with greater flexibility, and could possibly allow a backplane to be tested, and possibly repaired, while the platform is operational.

Abstract: An apparatus for converting expended thermoplastic material, specifically empty plastic bottles, into artificial rocks, by placing the empty thermoplastic bottle in the apparatus between two sliding carriages, on each of which a rock has been mounted; and each carriage attached to a hydraulic jack, which, when the handle is pumped, moves the carriage toward the bottle which has been heated to malleability by heat lamps mounted above and sideways to the bottle, and the said heated, flexible bottle is squeezed between the two rocks mounted on the carriages, and then the bottle is rotated and the process repeated to give the bottle a rock shape. The rock shape may be further altered using a portable heat gun.

Abstract: A dry pump comprises a stator housing a rotor assembly comprising intermeshing rotor components defining a running clearance with a surface of the stator, means for applying a transient magnetic force to at least one magnetic member of the rotor assembly to move the rotor components away from the stator surface and increase the size of the running clearance to reduce a frictional force applied to the rotor components by particulates accumulated within the running clearance, and means for moving the rotor components back towards the stator surface upon reduction of the magnetic force.

Abstract: A vacuum pumping arrangement for evacuating an enclosure is provided. The arrangement comprises a turbomolecular vacuum pump having an inlet which is connectable using fixing members to an outlet of an enclosure to be evacuated. Each of the fixing members passes through a first aperture in the inlet and through a second aperture in the outlet. An elongate, circumferentially extending cavity is provided extending from or adjacent to one of these apertures to accommodate a crushable insert. Energy transmitted to the fixing members by the turbomolecular vacuum pump during a failure thereof is thus absorbed by the deformation of the inserts. By absorbing a proportion of the energy in this way separation of the inlet from the outlet is thus inhibited.

Abstract: Scroll-type pumping apparatus comprises a stator (104) comprising a fixed scroll member (106) having an end plate with a first spiral wrap (110) extending therefrom; an orbital scroll member (108) having an end plate with a second spiral wrap (112) extending therefrom to intermesh with the first spiral wrap; a plurality of flexible supports (118) each having one end connected to the orbital scroll member and another end connected to the stator to support the orbital scroll member relative to the stator, and a linear drive system (120) for driving the orbital scroll member to orbit relative to the fixed scroll member. The use of a linear drive system in combination with the flexible supports can provide apparatus having no rotational or rubbing parts.

Abstract: A method of making a bonding agent to bond stucco to smooth plastic articles, specifically plastic rocks, by coating the plastic article with a water-based coal tar or asphalt emulsion, putting dry sand over the wet emulsion by hand sprinkling or spraying the sand onto the coated surface of the article, or rolling the article in the sand, allowing the sand coated article to dry thoroughly, applying a wet stucco over the dry, sand coated layer, and allowing the stucco coated article to dry.

Abstract: The invention provides a dual inlet screw pump, in which a chamber 18 defines with first and second externally threaded rotors 30, 32 respective fluid flow paths within the chamber 18. This can enable fluid entering the pump via a first inlet 20 to be pumped substantially in isolation from fluid entering the pump via the second inlet 22.

Abstract: A process for preparing a compound of formula (I) where R4 and R5 are as defined in the specification; and R6 is hydrogen or a protecting group, which process comprises cyclisation of a compound of formula (II) where R4, R5 and R6 are as defined in relation to formula (I), and R7 is nitrogen-protecting group, and removing the group R7—, and thereafter if desired or necessary, removing any protecting group R6 to obtain the corresponding carboxylic acid. Novel intermediates and the use of the products in the preparation of pharmaceutical compounds is also described and claimed.

Abstract: A vacuum pump comprises a molecular drag pumping mechanism and a regenerative pumping mechanism. A rotor element of the molecular drag pumping mechanism surrounds rotor elements of the regenerative pumping mechanism.

Abstract: Scroll-type pumping apparatus comprises a stator (104) comprising a fixed scroll member (106) having an end plate with a first spiral wrap (118) extending therefrom, and an orbital scroll member (108) having an end plate with a second spiral wrap (120) extending therefrom to intermesh with the first spiral wrap (118). A motor drives a drive shaft for generating orbital movement of the orbital scroll member relative to the fixed scroll member (106). The apparatus comprises a plurality of flexible rods (122) arranged about the drive shaft and each having one end connected to the orbital scroll member (108) and another end connected to the stator (104) to support the orbital scroll member (108) relative to the stator and to inhibit rotation of the orbital scroll member.

Abstract: A multi-stage vacuum pump comprises a first piston in a first cylinder defining a first stage pumping chamber and a second piston in a second cylinder defining a second stage pumping chamber. The pump has a spool valve between the first and second cylinders for controlling flow from the first stage pumping chamber to the second stage pumping chamber. Either the first cylinder and the first piston or the second cylinder and the second piston being stepped so as to define a third stage pumping chamber. The spool valve is arranged to control the flow from the second stage pumping chamber to the third stage pumping chamber.

Abstract: Novel Process and Intermediates. A process for preparing a compound of formula (I) where R4 and R5 are as defined in the specification; and R6 is hydrogen or a protecting group, which process comprises cyclisation of a compound of formula (II) where R4 and R5 and R6 are as defined in relation to formula (I), and R7 is nitrogen protecting group, and removing the group R7, and thereafter if desired, removing any protecting group R6.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for converting expended thermo-plastic material, specifically empty plastic bottles, into artificial rocks, by placing the empty thermoplastic bottle in the apparatus between two sliding carriages, on each of which a rock has been mounted; and each carriage attatched to a hydraulic jack, which, when the handle is pumped, moves the carriage toward the bottle which has been heated to malleability by heat lamps mounted above and sideways to the bottle, and the said heated, flexible bottle is squeezed between the two rocks mounted on the carriages, and then the bottle is rotated and the process repeated to give the bottle a rock shape. The rock shape may be further altered using a portable heat gun.

Abstract: A process for preparing a compound of formula (I) where R4 and R5 are as defined in the specification; and R6 is hydrogen or a protecting group, which process comprises cyclisation of a compound of formula (II) where R4, R5 and R6 are as defined in relation to formula (I), and R7 is nitrogen-protecting group, and removing the group R7—, and thereafter if desired or necessary, removing any protecting group R6 to obtain the corresponding carboxylic acid. Novel intermediates and the use of the products in the preparation of pharmaceutical compounds is also described and claimed.