Abstract: An apparatus for making and depositing bricks includes a nozzle having an inlet opening, an outlet opening, and a plurality of walls surrounding the outlet opening. At least one of the walls is configured to retract relative to the other walls. When a first brick is deposited, all of the nozzle walls are in the extended position. When subsequent bricks are deposited, one or more of the nozzle walls are retracted so that the form for the subsequent bricks is provided by the walls that are in the extended position and the sides of the already-deposited bricks. In this manner, the nozzle is configured to deposit the bricks directly adjacent to each other without any space or intervening material between them. The bricks may be deposited in a heated state and they meld together as they cool. The nozzle is particularly advantageous for paving autonomously in otherwise inaccessible locations, such as surfaces on the moon or other planets.

Abstract: An apparatus for making and depositing bricks includes a nozzle having an inlet opening, an outlet opening, and a plurality of walls surrounding the outlet opening. At least one of the walls is configured to retract relative to the other walls. When a first brick is deposited, all of the nozzle walls are in the extended position. When subsequent bricks are deposited, one or more of the nozzle walls are retracted so that the form for the subsequent bricks is provided by the walls that are in the extended position and the sides of the already-deposited bricks. In this manner, the nozzle is configured to deposit the bricks directly adjacent to each other without any space or intervening material between them. The bricks may be deposited in a heated state and they meld together as they cool. The nozzle is particularly advantageous for paving autonomously in otherwise inaccessible locations, such as surfaces on the moon or other planets.

Abstract: In the following embodiments, an approach is described for a chewed gum receptacle. A chewed gum receptacle is provided for receiving and storing chewed gum portions and other foodstuff refuse securely and aesthetically. The chewed gum receptacle includes a housing unit, a displaceable vessel unit configured to be housed in the housing unit, a securing terminal for a source of malleable material, and an aperture within a top surface of the housing unit which allows the transportation of objects from an external location to a location within the housing unit. A patron or diner thus secures a food refuse item within a sheet or piece of malleable material from the terminal and deposits the enveloped food refuse item through the aperture into the receptacle. The receptacle may be emptied by displacing the vessel unit and removing the contents thereof.

Abstract: A method of handling and storing data in a computer by establishing a plurality of zones or sessions with different levels of write protection, writing attempted changes to data stored in a protected zone to a temporary zone, creating representative maps of some or all of the zones or sessions to track such attempted changes, reading the changes from the temporary zone such that it seems as though the changes were successful, and erasing the temporary zone when the computer is restarted, thereby allowing for “restoring” the data, or, more generally, the computer's configuration, to a state prior to the attempted change. One of the zones may contain working files which are relatively frequently changed, and such changes are treated, e.g., saved, in a substantially conventional manner and not affected by restarting the computer. Access to specific non-temporary zones may be restricted.