Abstract: Various embodiments disclosed relate to a configurable drill fluid containment device. The present disclosure includes a device including a central shell configured to at least partially enclose an end of a drill pipe. The central shell can have two halves, each of the halves having flanges that are configured to attaching one or more extension features to the device. The flanges can be configured to attach extension features at an upper end of the device, a lower end of the device, or both.

Abstract: It is known to use screws to fasten cladding to the structural timber framing of a building. A problem is that in an earthquake event, movement of the wall can cause the screws to bend and cause non-recoverable damage to the cladding and framing. This may adversely affect the ability of a building to absorb energy sufficient to resist the destructive forces that earthquakes bring to bear. The fasteners address this problem. The fastener has a head 2, a first shaft portion (a fuse) 4 and a second shaft portion (a shank) 5. The fuse extends between the head and the shank and has less resistance to bending than the shank.

Abstract: A method of forming a three dimensional fiber structure is disclosed which comprises the steps of a) providing a starting material which comprises liquid carrier, fibers and binder; b) passing the starting material over a substrate so as to deposit fibers onto the substrate; c) forming a three dimensional fiber matrix; and d) curing the binder. The flow of material onto the substrate may be controlled such that the flow of a starting material over the substrate is chaotic and fibers are laid down in a three dimensional structure containing a high proportion of voids. The preform may be pressurized while moist and is cured under pressure. The fibers may comprise carbon fibers; recycled carbon fiber has been found to be particularly useful. The resulting preform may be stochastic and is suitable for use in ablative and braking applications.

Abstract: A method of forming an optical fiber tip, the method including, roughening at least part of an end portion of the optical fiber; and, etching the roughed end portion to thereby form an optical fiber tip.

Abstract: A method of forming a three dimensional fibre structure is disclosed which comprises the steps of a) providing a starting material which comprises liquid carrier, fibres and binder; b) passing the starting material over a substrate so as to deposit fibres onto the substrate; c) forming a three dimensional fibre matrix; and d) curing the binder. The flow of material onto the substrate may be controlled such that the flow of a starting material over the substrate is chaotic and fibres are laid down in a three dimensional structure containing a high proportion of voids. The preform may be pressurised while moist and is cured under pressure. The fibres may comprise carbon fibres; recycled carbon fibre has been found to be particularly useful. The resulting preform may be stochastic and is suitable for use in ablative and braking applications.

Abstract: A method of forming a three dimensional fibre structure is disclosed which comprises the steps of a) providing a starting material which comprises liquid carrier, fibres and binder; b) passing the starting material over a substrate so as to deposit fibres onto the substrate; c) forming a three dimensional fibre matrix; and d) curing the binder. The flow of material onto the substrate may be controlled such that the flow of a starting material over the substrate is chaotic and fibres are laid down in a three dimensional structure containing a high proportion of voids. The preform may be pressurised while moist and is cured under pressure. The fibres may comprise carbon fibres; recycled carbon fibre has been found to be particularly useful. The resulting preform may be stochastic and is suitable for use in ablative and braking applications.

Abstract: A method of forming an optical fibre tip, the method including, roughening at least part of an end portion of the optical fibre; and, etching the roughed end portion to thereby form an optical fibre tip.

Abstract: According to the invention there is provided a process for forming a profile of actual or potential unlawful acts, or actual or suspected perpetrators thereof, comprising the steps of: i) arranging a processor means such that it is able to receive communications from subscribers or users of a communications network, ii) receiving communications at the processor means from communications devices of the subscribers or users, the communications each comprising information as to an actual or potential unlawful act, iii) processing the information by way of the processor means such that a profile is developed to characterise the act and/or the actual or suspected perpetrators(s) of the act, and iv) reporting the profile to an interested authority. The communications devices mentioned at step ii) may be mobile telephones, and the interested authority may be a law renforcement authority.

Abstract: A nominally cylindrical surface of a workpiece is sensed by a stylus displaceable radially of an axis of rotation of the surface relative to a support column defining a reference datum so that the stylus follows the cylindrical surface at a given height along the surface. Relative rotation of the workpiece and the stylus about the axis of rotation of the surface is effected and the displacement of the stylus used to determine information relating to the radial form of the surface at that height. These measurements are represented at different heights along the surface so as to determine its cylindrical form. The displacement of the stylus from a given position on the surface at each height before and after rotation of the stylus and workpiece through 180° are measured and the resulting measurements used to compensate for any error or deviation in the reference datum.

Abstract: A transceiver for exchanging data with a transmission channel using any of the 100BaseT2, 100BaseTX, or 100BaseT4 standards, which includes a receive circuit for receiving analog data from the transmission channel. The receive circuit includes a first switch and a first analog-to-digital converter coupled to the first switch. The receive circuit further includes a second analog-to-digital converter coupled to the first switch. There is further included a second switch coupled to the first analog-to-digital converter and to the second analog-to-digital converter. The analog data is switched by the first switch into the first analog-to-digital converter and the second analog-to-digital converter to allow the first analog-to-digital converter and the second analog-to-digital converter to support sampling requirements of any of the 100BaseT2, the 100BaseTX, or the 100BaseT4 standards.

Abstract: An evaluation circuit for use in evaluating the bit error rate (BER) performance of a Viterbi detector based upon a computation of its amplitude error margin (AEM) includes two threshold comparison circuits and an AEM computation circuit. Each threshold comparison circuit receives and compares a Viterbi signal from a Viterbi detector and one or two AEM threshold signals and in accordance therewith generates a comparison signal. The Viterbi signals represent combinations of signals which include the sum of and difference between the Viterbi difference metric and slicer threshold signals associated with the Viterbi detector. The AEM threshold signals correspond to probabilities that the two Viterbi signals have magnitudes which exceed some predetermined values. The AEM computation circuit receives a control signal from the Viterbi detector and the two comparison signals and computes an AEM parameter which corresponds to one of the Viterbi signals.

Abstract: A lawn mower of the cutter reel type having a free running front roller, a driven rear roller and a cutter reel therebetween, the catcher being positioned rearwardly of the rollers, the rear roller being adjacent a lower deflector plate which deflects grass cuttings upwardly and rearwardly from the reel above the rear roller and into the catcher.

Abstract: A clutch of the slipping belt type wherein the belt is lifted away from engagement with the driving pulley so as to avoid localized wear on the belt which would otherwise take place.

Abstract: A food dispenser suitable for use in a machine for packaging food products such as coleslaw. The dispenser includes an upstanding dispensing cylinder having an inlet in a side wall thereof and an outlet at the bottom. Connected to the inlet of the dispensing cylinder is the outlet of a horizontal filling cylinder whose inlet is connected to a storage tank. A filling piston is slidable in the filling cylinder and, in use, forces a predetermined quantity of food into the dispensing cylinder. For closing the outlet from the dispensing cylinder a closing cylinder is secured thereto with diametrically opposed apertures in its side wall aligned with the outlet of the dispensing cylinder. A closing piston, slidable with the closing cylinder, has an outlet aperture extending perpendicular to the axis thereof. Food is forced downwardly from the dispensing cylinder by a dispensing piston in that cylinder. A cut-off plate, slidable beneath the closing cylinder, is secured relative to the closing piston.