Abstract: A tuned mass damper (TMD) system in combination with a floating offshore wind turbine (FOWT) platform includes a barge type FOWT platform having a hull configured to have a wind turbine tower mounted thereon. A TMD system is mounted in the hull and has a first TMD configured to operate at a first frequency, and a second TMD configured to operate at a second frequency different than the first frequency.

Abstract: A fluid moving apparatus includes an electric motor having a rotor and a stator and a propeller. The rotor rotates relative to the stator on an axis to generate a rotational output. The rotational output is provided to the propeller to power the marine propulsion apparatus. The stator includes one or more coils configured to power rotation of the rotor. The one or more coils extend circumferentially around and can be coaxial on the axis. A portion of a housing of the motor extends into the aquatic environment to facilitate heat dissipation.

Abstract: An exemplary embodiment provides a universal tailgate assembly for a truck dump body having a pair of opposing sidewalls and an open rear-end. The universal tailgate assembly comprises a pair of pivot connector assemblies being configured to mount to the sidewalls of the truck dump body and a pair of opposing sidearms configured to adjustably couple thereto the pair of pivot connector assemblies. Each sidearm includes a connection flange oriented in a direction opposite a respective adjacent sidewall of the truck dump body. The assembly includes a tailgate supported by the pair of opposing sidearms. The tailgate has a center portion and extension sections on opposing sides of the center portion. A respective one extension section is adjustably coupled to and overlapping the connection flange of a corresponding sidearms wherein the extension sections extend beyond the sidewalls of the truck dump body.

Abstract: An audio application programming interface (API) enables an audio processing graph to be modified during processing. If they are received while the audio graph is playing or paused, graph modifying commands may be inserted into either an asynchronous command queue or a deferred command queue. The audio API may also include a clock manager for synchronizing clocks from a number of different connected audio rendering devices, applications, processors, functions, operations, modules, or other resources. The clock manager may provide an interface that enables a number of control groups to be defined. Each such control group may include a master clock, a slave clock, and a control.

Abstract: An audio generation system includes MIDI track components that generate event instructions for MIDI audio data received from a MIDI audio data source, and includes audio wave track components that generate playback instructions for audio wave data maintained in an audio wave data source. A segment component plays one or more of the MIDI track components to generate the event instructions, and plays one or more of the audio wave track components to generate the playback instructions. An audio processing component, such as a synthesizer component, receives the event instructions and the playback instructions, and generates an audio rendition corresponding to the MIDI audio data and/or the audio wave data.

Abstract: A mounting mechanism for multiple computer storage drives mounts at least one drive so that it may be swung out for easy access to the drive and to its cable connectors. The mechanism comprises a drive cage mounting bracket, a hinge, and appropriately adapted chassis, so that the mounting bracket is hingeably connected to the chassis to swing open for access and to swing closed for operation. The bracket is adapted so that, when in the open position, the cable connector of at least one mounted drive is distal from the hinge and chassis and thus easily accessible. A preferred embodiment provides for releaseably locking the bracket in the closed position. Furthermore, the bracket preferably mounts a hard drive so that it is suspended within the airspace above the computer motherboard for easier cooling.

Abstract: A method for continuously casting grain oriented electrical steel is disclosed. This method utilizes a controlled rapid cooling step, such as one using a water spray, to control the grain orientation in the finished product. The product formed not only has the appropriate grain orientation but also has good physical properties, for example, minimized cracking. In this process, after a continuously cast electrical steel strip is formed, the strip undergoes an initial secondary cooling to from about 1150 to about 1250° C., and finally undergoes a rapid secondary cooling (for example, by water spray) at a rate of from about 65° C./second to about 150° C./second to a temperature of no greater than about 950° C.

Abstract: A method for continuously casting grain oriented electrical steel is disclosed. This method utilizes a controlled rapid cooling step, such as one using a water spray, to control the grain orientation in the finished product. The product formed not only has the appropriate grain orientation but also has good physical properties, for example, minimized cracking. In this process, after a continuously cast electrical steel strip is formed, the strip undergoes an initial secondary cooling to from about 1150 to about 1250° C., and finally undergoes a rapid secondary cooling (for example, by water spray) at a rate of from about 65° C./second to about 150° C./second to a temperature of no greater than about 950° C.

Abstract: Casting molten metal using a segmented roll for casting continuous metal strip. A strip caster (10) for producing a continuous strip (18) includes a tundish for containing a melt and a pair of horizontally disposed water cooled composite casting rolls (84). The casting rolls are juxtaposed relative to one another for forming a pouring basin (16) for receiving molten metal. The composite rolls are formed from a plurality of annular segments (45). Each segment preferably includes at least a pair of coolant openings (34) and means for aligning the coolant openings, such as a pair of alignment openings (26). The segments are axially aligned and structurally connected by a pair of connecting rods (42) extending completely across the width of the roll through the alignment openings and through appropriate end plates (96). Each roll includes a load supporting spindle (86) with each end of the roll sealed by a rotary seal (88).

Abstract: An audio generation system includes MIDI track components that generate event instructions for MIDI audio data received from a MIDI audio data source, and includes audio wave track components that generate playback instructions for audio wave data maintained in an audio wave data source. A segment component plays one or more of the MIDI track components to generate the event instructions, and plays one or more of the audio wave track components to generate the playback instructions. An audio processing component, such as a synthesizer component, receives the event instructions and the playback instructions, and generates an audio rendition corresponding to the MIDI audio data and/or the audio wave data.

Abstract: A card hold down assembly for retaining one or more expansion cards within the chassis of an electronic device such as a computer system, server, photocopier, facsimile machine, printer, or the like is described. The card hold down assembly is comprised of a retainer that engages the mounting bracket securing tab of an expansion card received in the chassis to at least partially restrain the tab for securing said expansion card in the chassis.

Abstract: A mounting mechanism for multiple computer storage drives mounts at least one drive so that it may be swung out for easy access to the drive and to its cable connectors. The mechanism comprises a drive cage mounting bracket, a hinge, and appropriately adapted chassis, so that the mounting bracket is hingeably connected to the chassis to swing open for access and to swing closed for operation. The bracket is adapted so that, when in the open position, the cable connector of at least one mounted drive is distal from the hinge and chassis and thus easily accessible. A preferred embodiment provides for releaseably locking the bracket in the closed position. Furthermore, the bracket preferably mounts a hard drive so that it is suspended within the airspace above the computer motherboard for easier cooling.

Abstract: A mounting mechanism for multiple computer storage drives mounts at least one drive so that it may be swung out for easy access to the drive and to its cable connectors. The mechanism comprises a drive cage mounting bracket, a hinge, and appropriately adapted chassis, so that the mounting bracket is hingeably connected to the chassis to swing open for access and to swing closed for operation. The bracket is adapted so that, when in the open position, the cable connector of at least one mounted drive is distal from the hinge and chassis and thus easily accessible. A preferred embodiment provides for releaseably locking the bracket in the closed position. Furthermore, the bracket preferably mounts a hard drive so that it is suspended within the airspace above the computer motherboard for easier cooling.

Abstract: A performance engine selects note patterns from a pattern style containing a plurality of note patterns. The note patterns are categorized by embellishment type and by ranges of playback levels. In addition, a beat pattern is specified for each note pattern, indicating the chord rhythm with which the style can be used. The beat pattern is a bit array, with bits corresponding to every beat of one or more contiguous measures. In response to selection of a particular embellishment type and playback level, the performance engine selects a note pattern that meets the following qualifications: (a) it is of the selected embellishment type; (b) its designated range of playback levels includes the selected playback level; and (c) its beat pattern indicates that it can accommodate chord changes at the beats at which such changes occur in the currently selected chord progression. If there are no qualifying note patterns, these conditions are gradually relaxed until at least one of the note patterns qualifies.

Abstract: A method of generating music includes steps of specifying a note sequence and a chord progression against which the note sequence is played. The notes of the note sequence are defined relative to chord elements, and melodic runs are identified within the note sequence. Each melodic run consists of a series of notes. Inversion conditions are specified in terms of inversion boundaries and in terms of legal inversion notes relative to the individual chords of the chord progression. When interpreting the note sequence in conjunction with the chord progression to generate output notes, the output notes are compared against the inversion conditions and inverted if appropriate. If a note belongs to an identified melodic run, the run is evaluated against the inversion conditions as a whole. More specifically, one note of the melodic run is compared against the inversion conditions. If the one note satisfies the inversion conditions, the entire run is inverted.

Abstract: A strip caster (10) for producing a continuous strip (24) has a tundish (12) for containing a melt (14) and a pair of horizontally disposed water cooled casting rolls (22). The casting rolls are juxtaposed relative to one another for forming a pouring basin (18) for receiving the melt through a teeming tube (16) thereby establishing a meniscus (20) between the rolls for forming a strip (24). The melt is protected from the outside air by a non-oxidizing gas passed through a supply line (28) to a sealing chamber (26). Devices (29) for conditioning the outer peripheral chill surfaces of the casting rolls includes grit blasting nozzles (30A, 30B, 30C, 30D), a collection trough (32) for gathering the grit, a line (34) for recycling the grit to a bag house (36), a feeder (38) and a pressurized distributor (40) for delivering the grit to the nozzles. The conditioning nozzles remove dirt, metal oxides and surface imperfections providing a clean surface readily wetted by the melt.

Abstract: A strip caster (10) for producing a continuous strip (24) includes a tundish (12) for containing a melt (14), a pair of horizontally disposed water cooled casting rolls (22) and devices (29) for electrostatically coating the outer peripheral chill surfaces (44) of the casting rolls with a powder flux material (56). The casting rolls are juxtaposed relative to one another for forming a pouting basin (18) for receiving the melt through a teeming tube (16) thereby establishing a meniscus (20) between the rolls for forming the strip. The melt is protected from the outside air by a non-oxidizing gas passed through a supply line (28) to a sealing chamber (26). A preferred flux is boron oxide having a melting point of about 550.degree. C. The flux coating enhances wetting of the steel melt to the casting roll and dissolves any metal oxide formed on the roll.

Abstract: Casting nozzles will provide improved flow conditions with the parameters controlled according to the present invention. The gap relationships between the nozzle slot and exit orifice must be controlled in combination with converging exit passageway to provide a smooth flow without shearing and turbulence in the stream. The nozzle lips are also rounded to improve flow and increase refractory life of the lips of the nozzle. The tundish walls are tapered to provide improve flow for supplying the melt to the nozzle. The nozzle is located about 45.degree. below top dead center for optimum conditions.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for regulating the gap between a casting nozzle and a casting wheel in which the gap between the casting nozzle and the casting wheel is monitored by means of at least one sensing element protruding from the face of the casting nozzle. The sensing element is preferably connected to a voltage source and the casting wheel grounded. When the sensing element contacts the casting wheel, an electric circuit is completed. The completion of the circuit can be registered by an indicator, and the presence or absence of a completed circuit indicates the relative position of the casting nozzle to the casting wheel. The relative positions of the casting nozzle and casting wheel can thereby be selectively adjusted to continually maintain a predetermined distance between their adjacent surfaces.

Abstract: An apparatus, method and system for the casting of thin strips or strips of metal upon a moving chill block that includes an electromagnet located so that molten metal poured from a reservoir onto the chill block passes into the magnetic field produced by the electromagnet. The electromagnet produces a force on the molten metal on said chill block in the direction toward said chill block in order to enhance thermal contact between the molten metal and the chill block.