Abstract: Methods and systems for managing and/or processing a blockchain to maintain data security for confidential and/or personal data are provided. According to certain aspects, the disclosed data security techniques may enable access sharing functionality utilizing the blockchain. For example, access sharing may be utilized to share policy information. The policy information may be associated with a smart contract. Accordingly, the policy information may be encrypted using a public key for the smart contract and compiled into a block of the blockchain. In response to a request to provide access to the information to a particular node, the private key for the smart contract may be encrypted using the public key for the particular node and compiled into a block of the blockchain.

Abstract: Methods and systems for processing a blockchain comprising a plurality of immutable sales records corresponding to sales made by agents of an entity are provided. According to certain aspects, a transaction request indicating a sale made by an agent of the entity may be received at a first node. A block including a sales record indicating the sale made by the agent may be added to a blockchain and transmitted to another node for validation. The first node may add the block to a copy of the blockchain, where the block may be identified by a hash value that references a previous block in the blockchain that includes at least one additional sales record.

Abstract: Methods and systems for managing and/or processing a blockchain to maintain data security for confidential and/or personal data are provided. According to certain aspects, the disclosed data security techniques may enable access sharing functionality utilizing the blockchain. For example, access sharing may be utilized to file documents, share policy information, and/or comply with an audit. The data security techniques disclosed herein also enable the use of smart contracts to transfer funds associated with payment obligations and/or other forms of blockchain based payments, comply with anti-money laundering requirements, report industry data, validate interest payments and/or maintain agent sales data. Data security may be achieved through the use of public key/private key encryption techniques.

Abstract: A submersible fluid pump suitable for use in a landfill well includes an outer case extending along a vertical axis and at least partially defining an interior of the fluid pump, a fluid inlet and outlet, a discharge tube within the outer case and disposed between the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet, a float positioned around the discharge tube and within the outer case such that the float is within the discharge tube and the outer case, the float being movable along the discharge tube in an axial direction, a pneumatic valve configured to introduce pressurized air into the interior of the fluid pump, an actuator configured to open and close the pneumatic valve, and a plurality of magnets comprising a first magnet fixed with respect to the actuator and a second magnet fixed with respect to the float, the second magnet configured to magnetically repel the first magnet as the float moves to tip the actuator to either open or close the pneumatic valve.

Abstract: Various embodiments concern a pneumatic landfill pump cycle counter comprising a spring located within a housing passage and a shuttle comprising a shuttle magnet, the shuttle located within the passage. The shuttle can be configured to move axially by the spring within the passage in an upstream direction to a home position, move axially by one or both of air pressure differential and airflow within the passage in a downstream direction away from the home position to a hold position. The cycle counter can further comprise a counter comprising an element responsive to a magnetic field of the shuttle magnet, the counter configured to increment a numeric count for each complete cycle of the shuttle moving from the home position to the hold position and then back to the home position.

Abstract: A submersible fluid pump suitable for use in a landfill well includes an outer case extending along a vertical axis and at least partially defining an interior of the fluid pump, a fluid inlet and outlet, a discharge tube within the outer case and disposed between the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet, a float positioned around the discharge tube and within the outer case such that the float is within the discharge tube and the outer case, the float being movable along the discharge tube in an axial direction, a pneumatic valve configured to introduce pressurized air into the interior of the fluid pump, an actuator configured to open and close the pneumatic valve, and a plurality of magnets comprising a first magnet fixed with respect to the actuator and a second magnet fixed with respect to the float, the second magnet configured to magnetically repel the first magnet as the float moves to tip the actuator to either open or close the pneumatic valve.

Abstract: Various embodiments concern a pneumatic landfill pump cycle counter comprising a spring located within a housing passage and a shuttle comprising a shuttle magnet, the shuttle located within the passage. The shuttle can be configured to move axially by the spring within the passage in an upstream direction to a home position, move axially by one or both of air pressure differential and airflow within the passage in a downstream direction away from the home position to a hold position. The cycle counter can further comprise a counter comprising an element responsive to a magnetic field of the shuttle magnet, the counter configured to increment a numeric count for each complete cycle of the shuttle moving from the home position to the hold position and then back to the home position.

Abstract: In articulated machines it has long been a desire to provide a steering system that will permit the incorporation of machine controls into a steering wheel assembly and yet provide the operator with mechanical feedback through the steering wheel. The present invention accomplishes this goal by providing a steering wheel assembly on a first frame of the machine and a control valve on the second frame that articulates with respect to the first. The steering wheel assembly and control valve are connected by a shaft assembly that includes a pair of constant velocity U-joints interposed along the length thereof. The shaft assembly translates substantially equal amounts of rotation between the steering wheel assembly and the control valve. The control valve is operable in a first and second condition, depending upon the amount of rotation of the steering wheel assembly, to provide different modes of steering that compliment the operation of the machine.

Abstract: A jerk control valve adapted for use in a pilot operated steering system has a pilot operated valve biased to an open position by a spring for communicating left steer and right steer pilot lines to a tank through a pair of orifices. The pilot operated valve is moveable to a closed position blocking communication through the first and second orifices when the highest pressure of the left and right steer pilot lines exceeds a predetermined value. The left and right steer pilot lines are continuously communicated with the tank through a pair of orifice devices.

Abstract: A hydraulic cylinder snubbing arrangement includes a pilot operated control valve having a predetermined snubbing position at which flow exhausted from a hydraulic cylinder actuating chamber must pass through a plurality of flow restricting orifices in a valve spool when the hydraulic cylinder is retracted to a predetermined position. The valve spool is shifted to the snubbing position automatically by reducing the fluid pressure in a pilot chamber at the end of the valve spool to a predetermined level so that a snubber spring device resiliently moves the spool from a lower or float position. By forcing the fluid to pass through the restricted flow path created by the orifices, the gravity induced velocity of the hydraulic cylinder is greatly reduced as the hydraulic cylinder approaches its end of stroke position.

Abstract: Snubbers are useful in dampening inertia loads at the end of stroke movement of a hydraulic motor. The known snubbers usually restrict fluid flow therethrough in the non-snubbing mode thereby slowing the response of the motor in the opposite direction. The subject self-energizing snubber includes a snubber piston which is moved from a first operative position to an intermediate operative position by contact with an end surface and then hydraulically moved to a second position by differential pressure established between an actuating chamber and a fluid passage. The snubber piston defines a variable rate flow path continuously communicating the actuating chamber with the passage. A maximum flow rate is established through the flow path at the first operative position while a minimum flow rate is established through the flow path at the second operative position.