Abstract: A hammer includes a handle, a head assembly affixed to the handle, and a claw assembly slidably disposed on the handle. The handle includes apertures interspaced linearly along the length of the handle. The head assembly includes a throat and a striking face. The claw assembly includes a claw, an annular sleeve slidably disposed around the handle for enabling linear adjustment of the claw assembly along the length of the handle, and a ratcheting lever coupled to the sleeve for adjusting the position of the claw relative to the head assembly during operation. The ratcheting lever includes a spring-biased locking pin for removably engaging any one of the apertures to selectively secure the claw assembly to the handle in a desired position and a depressible release arm for releasing the spring-biased locking pin from the apertures to enable the claw assembly to slide along the length of the handle.

Abstract: A hammer includes a handle, a head assembly affixed to the handle, and a claw assembly slidably disposed on the handle. The handle includes apertures interspaced linearly along the length of the handle. The head assembly includes a throat and a striking face. The claw assembly includes a claw, an annular sleeve slidably disposed around the handle for enabling linear adjustment of the claw assembly along the length of the handle, and a ratcheting lever coupled to the sleeve for adjusting the position of the claw relative to the head assembly during operation. The ratcheting lever includes a spring-biased locking pin for removably engaging any one of the apertures to selectively secure the claw assembly to the handle in a desired position and a depressible release arm for releasing the spring-biased locking pin from the apertures to enable the claw assembly to slide along the length of the handle.

Abstract: A hammer includes a handle, a head assembly affixed to the handle, and a claw assembly slidably disposed on the handle. The handle includes apertures interspaced linearly along the length of the handle. The head assembly includes a throat and a striking face. The claw assembly includes a claw, an annular sleeve slidably disposed around the handle for enabling linear adjustment of the claw assembly along the length of the handle, and a ratcheting lever coupled to the sleeve for adjusting the position of the claw relative to the head assembly during operation. The ratcheting lever includes a spring-biased locking pin for removably engaging any one of the apertures to selectively secure the claw assembly to the handle in a desired position and a depressible release arm for releasing the spring-biased locking pin from the apertures to enable the claw assembly to slide along the length of the handle.

Abstract: A hammer has a claw assembly that is linearly moveable relative to the head of the hammer so as to improve leverage and range of prying for nail removal. A locking mechanism secures the claw assembly in a position. The locking mechanism may be automatic or manual, and may comprise a ratcheting mechanism with a pawl and rack, or a clamping mechanism with a deflectable sleeve and engaged bar, or a biased pin lock mechanism.

Abstract: A device for positioning a reciprocating saw blade within a tube stub, such that the device is inserted into the tube stub and dynamically positions the reciprocating saw blade relative to the interior surface of the tube stub so that the saw blade can make a controlled longitudinal cut into the interior of the tube stub to a precise depth.

Abstract: A device for positioning a reciprocating saw blade within a tube stub, such that the device is inserted into the tube stub and dynamically positions the reciprocating saw blade relative to the interior surface of the tube stub so that the saw blade can make a controlled longitudinal cut into the interior of the tube stub to a precise depth.

Abstract: A hammer has a claw assembly that is linearly moveable relative to the head of the hammer so as to improve leverage and range of prying for nail removal. A locking mechanism secures the claw assembly in a position. The locking mechanism may be automatic or manual, and may comprise a ratcheting mechanism with a pawl and rack, or a clamping mechanism with a deflectable sleeve and engaged bar, or a biased pin lock mechanism.

Abstract: A hammer has a claw assembly that is moveable relative to the head of the hammer so as to improve leverage and range of prying for nail removal. The ratcheting mechanism may be automatic or manual.

Abstract: A power supply includes a rectifier circuit having a rectifier mode and a voltage doubler mode. An AC switch is coupled to the rectifier circuit and switches the rectifier circuit into the rectifier mode when a higher AC line voltage is supplied and a voltage doubler mode when a lower AC line voltage is supplied. A control circuit is connected to the AC switch and detects the higher or lower AC line voltages and is operable for latching the rectifier circuit in the rectifier mode when the higher AC line voltage is detected and in the voltage doubler mode when the lower AC line voltage is detected. The latch circuit maintains a latched configuration in either the rectifier or voltage doubler mode during voltage transients and in the rectifier mode during start-up transients.

Abstract: A method and apparatus detects a ground fault on a span-powered telecommunication wireline within a plurality of span-powered wireline segments, to respective ones of which DSL-Cs are coupled, so that a ground fault may be detected when power is delivered by the DSL-C over a respective wireline segment to a respective downstream functional RT. A respective DSL-C measures a first voltage across a first sense resistor representative of current flowing in a first portion of its wireline segment to the RT, and also measures a second voltage across a second sense resistor representative of current flowing in a second portion of the wireline segment from the RT. In response to a difference in the first and second voltages an output representative of a ground fault in that wireline segment is generated.

Abstract: A method and apparatus detects a ground fault on a span-powered telecommunication wireline within a plurality of span-powered wireline segments, to respective ones of which DSL-Cs are coupled, so that a ground fault may be detected when power is delivered by the DSL-C over a respective wireline segment to a respective downstream functional RT. A respective DSL-C measures a first voltage across a first sense resistor representative of current flowing in a first portion of its wireline segment to the RT, and also measures a second voltage across a second sense resistor representative of current flowing in a second portion of the wireline segment from the RT. In response to a difference in the first and second voltages an output representative of a ground fault in that wireline segment is generated.

Abstract: A regulated power supply interface has a current feedback and voltage level shift circuit that monitors power supply output (load) current and controllably diverts current to a current reference node. A differential amplifier-based, voltage feedback and voltage level shift circuit monitors the load voltage and controllably diverts output current to the current reference node. A current mode setpoint circuit has multiple voltage dropping current paths, through one or more of which a summation of the diverted load currents are programmably directed, to generate a control voltage for controlling the operation of a pulse width modulator unit of the regulated power supply.

Abstract: A central office transceiver-installed current limiter and regulator provides fault isolation and transient load isolation in a wireline communication network, having multiple transceivers connected by respective span-powered wirelines to a common power source at the central office. Using a current-sense resistor and controlled switch in series with the wireline, the current-limiter and regulator processes input electrical power from the power source prior to coupling that power to a remote transceiver. To prevent overheating and substantial power dissipation in the current-limiting circuitry in the event of a prolonged fault condition, the controlled switch is alternately turned on and off.

Abstract: A central office transceiver-installed current limiter and regulator provides fault isolation and transient load isolation in a wireline communication network, having multiple transceivers connected by respective span-powered wirelines to a common power source at the central office. Using a current-sense resistor and controlled switch in series with the wireline, the current-limiter and regulator processes input electrical power from the power source prior to coupling that power to a remote transceiver. To prevent overheating and substantial power dissipation in the current-limiting circuitry in the event of a prolonged fault condition, the controlled switch is alternately turned on and off.

Abstract: A regulated power supply interface has a current feedback and voltage level shift circuit that monitors power supply output (load) current and controllably diverts current to a current reference node. A differential amplifier-based, voltage feedback and voltage level shift circuit monitors the load voltage and controllably diverts output current to the current reference node. A current mode setpoint circuit has multiple voltage dropping current paths, through one or more of which a summation of the diverted load currents are programmably directed, to generate a control voltage for controlling the operation of a pulse width modulator unit of the regulated power supply.

Abstract: A convertible carrying bag/envelope suitable for carrying and shipping printed materials and other items. The bag/envelope provides a handle that may be used to carry the bag/envelope while allowing items to be placed into or removed from the interior of the bag. The bag/envelope provides an exterior flap that is operative for sealing the bag, on which delivery indicia is printed, so that it may be shipped via a small package delivery service. To prepare the bag for shipping, the handle is folded into the interior of the bag. The flap is then extended across the opening and affixed to the opposite panel using the pressure-sensitive adhesive provided on the flap.

Abstract: A method for upgrading the bitumen content of tar sands, wherein a raw tar sand slurry admixture of tar sands, water, collectors, and dispersing/wetting agents is milled; conditioned and then separated by a series of froth flotations at ambient temperatures from about 2.degree. C. to about 25.degree. C. to recover a concentrated bitumen tar sand product which may be processed by conventional means to recover oil from the bitumen. Enhanced recovery of bitumen may be accomplished by moderate heating in one or more of the flotation zones to about 50.degree. C. The method permits recovery and recycle of various components used in processing of the tar sand.