Abstract: A method and apparatus for forming a nonpneumatic tire is described. The method includes the steps of: mounting a rim on a spindle; providing a spoke structure having an inner diameter and an outer diameter, expanding the inner diameter and mounting the spoke structure over the rim; compressing the outer diameter of the spoke structure and then mounting a tread and shearband assembly over the outer diameter to form a nonpneumatic tire.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for forming a nonpneumatic tire is described. The method includes the steps of: mounting a rim on a spindle; providing a spoke structure having an inner diameter and an outer diameter, expanding the inner diameter and mounting the spoke structure over the rim; compressing the outer diameter of the spoke structure and then mounting a tread and shearband assembly over the outer diameter to form a nonpneumatic tire.

Abstract: A structurally supported tire includes a ground contacting annular tread portion, an annular shear band and at least one spoke disk connected to the shear band, wherein the spoke disk has at least one spoke, wherein the spoke extends between an outer ring and an inner ring in a first parabolic curve. The spoke disk may further includes a second spoke having a second parabolic curve different from the first curve, and overlapping with the first spoke.

Abstract: A method of forge welding includes placing at least two components for welding together, adjacent each other and with an exothermic flux mixture placed between the components. The exothermic flux mixture is heated to initiate an exothermic reaction and the faying surfaces of the two components are pressed together. The components being welded may be tubular, in particular pipes. Apparatus for the method of forge welding and exothermic flux mixtures for the method of forge welding are also provided.

Abstract: A method of forge welding includes placing at least two components for welding together, adjacent each other and with an exothermic flux mixture placed between the components. The exothermic flux mixture is heated to initiate an exothermic reaction and the faying surfaces of the two components are pressed together. The components being welded may be tubular, in particular pipes. Apparatus for the method of forge welding and exothermic flux mixtures for the method of forge welding are also provided.

Abstract: There is disclosed a tubing expansion device and a method of expanding tubing. In one embodiment, an expansion device (10) is disclosed which comprises at least one expansion member (14) adapted to expand a tubing (12) by inducing a hoop stress in the tubing (12), and at least one further expansion member (16) adapted to expand the tubing (12) by inducing a compressive yield of the tubing (12); and a method of expanding tubing (12) comprising the steps of expanding the tubing (12) at least in part by inducing a hoop stress in the tubing (12), and expanding the tubing (12) at least in part by inducing a compressive yield of the tubing (12).

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for providing for determining the time of receipt of a received signal are described. In particular, there is described method and apparatus for receiving a signal, and using a phase characteristic, such as the received phase angle at which a received signal is initially sampled, together with the frequency of the received signal in order to determine a receive time error. The receive time error can then subsequently be used to determine the actual time of receipt of the received signal.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for determining the speed of a signal species, such as an acoustic signal, in a multilayered medium is described. The multilayer medium, generally, has a first and second layer (e.g. oil and water), whereby first and second signals are transmitted across particular distances in the medium such that a second distance differs from a first distance, and whereby the time of flight of each signal can be used in order to determine the speed of the signals species in one or both of the first and second layer. In other words, in some cases, the speed of sound can be determined in oil and/or water, or the like.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for determining flow characteristics (e.g. flow rate, direction of flow, mass flow rate, etc.) of a multi-layered medium are described, such as a multi-layered medium in a pipeline. Such a multi-layered medium may be considered to have a first layer and second layer and an interface region, wherein the interface region is defined between the first and second layers. In some examples, a flow characteristic can be determined by using the time of flight of advanced signal communicated in a particular manner across the medium with the time of flight of a retarded signal communicated in a different manner across the medium, such that it is possible to use the time of flights together with a static speed of the advanced and retarded signal in both the first and second layers and the location of the interface region in order to determine the flow characteristics of the medium.

Abstract: There is provided a method and associated apparatus for measurement. Specifically, a method for determining a distance travelled by a signal in a medium, or the time of flight of a signal travelled. The method comprises considering an unambiguous range wherein the unambiguous range greater than a distance to be travelled by a signal. A signal is then transmitted across the distance to be determined, the signal comprising at least two frequency components, the frequency components based on the unambiguous range and the speed of the signal in the medium. The distance travelled (or the time of flight) is determined by using the variance of the received phase characteristics, such as phase angle) of one frequency component of the received signal with the received phase characteristics of another frequency component of the received signal.

Abstract: A tubing connection arrangement and a method used for coupling expandable tubing sections together. In one embodiment, there is disclosed a tubing connection arrangement comprising a first expandable tubing section defining a male portion; a second expandable tubing section defining a female portion, the first and second expandable tubing sections being engageable with one another; one of the first and second expandable tubing sections including a restraining member for restraining part of the other expandable tubing section; and the first expandable tubing section including a tapered shoulder for co-operating with a corresponding tapered shoulder of the second expandable tubing section.

Abstract: An exothermic reaction mixture for joining metallic components includes at least one transition metal oxide and, as fuel, a mixture of aluminium and calcium suicide, wherein the molar ratio of aluminium to calcium suicide is from 16:1 to 0.25:1. Methods of preparing the exothermic reaction mixtures and for using them in welding applications are also described.

Abstract: A method of expanding tubing comprises locating an expansion device in tubing to be expanded, vibrating one or both of the tubing and the expansion device, and translating the expansion device relative to the tubing, the vibration acting to reduce friction between the tubing and the device.

Abstract: A method of determining a welding process parameter for an object comprises subjecting a specimen removed from the object to a controlled specimen welding process, measuring a property of the specimen, and determining a welding process parameter associated with the object from the measured specimen property and the controlled specimen welding process. In one disclosed embodiment the method permits the determination of a welding process parameter of a full scale pipe by use of a specimen removed from the pipe, or a similar pipe.

Abstract: A method of expanding tubing comprises locating an expansion device in tubing to be expanded, vibrating one or both of the tubing and the expansion device, and translating the expansion device relative to the tubing, the vibration acting to reduce friction between the tubing and the device.

Abstract: A tubing connection arrangement and a method used for coupling expandable tubing sections together. In one embodiment, there is disclosed a tubing connection arrangement comprising a first expandable tubing section defining a male portion; a second expandable tubing section defining a female portion, the first and second expandable tubing sections being engageable with one another; one of the first and second expandable tubing sections including a restraining member for restraining part of the other expandable tubing section; and the first expandable tubing section including a tapered shoulder for co-operating with a corresponding tapered shoulder of the second expandable tubing section.