Abstract: Sport boots have an outer shell and an ankle compression system attached to and positioned within the outer shell to apply selective compressive force against an anterior ankle portion of a person's foot when wearing the boot. The ankle compression system includes an ankle compression member positioned forwardly adjacent to the anterior ankle portion and at least one medial positioning band having a lower terminal end immovably fixed to a medial edge portion of the strobel and having an opposite end operatively associated with the ankle compression member. An adjustment lace is connected to the ankle compression member and is operatively connected to a tightening member positioned on a lateral side of the outer shell so that operation of the tightening causes the adjustment lace to forcibly draw the ankle compression member toward and exert a selective compressive force against the anterior ankle portion of the person's foot.

Abstract: An equalization shutoff valve includes a housing having an outward extending flange around an open end of the housing, retaining clips attached to the flange configured to engage a battery pack compartment, and piston guides disposed inside the housing; a piston having guide notches engaging the piston guides, and a first flow port; a spring disposed between the housing and the piston to urge the piston in a direction away from a closed end of the housing; and a locking tab cover attached to the housing with the piston inside the housing, and having a second flow port and locking tabs with clip ports. The housing is attached to the battery pack compartment through the retaining clips so that air flows from inside the battery pack compartment, and when pressure inside the housing increases, increased pressure pushes the spring and the piston to allow air to exit from the housing.

Abstract: Sport boots have an outer shell and an ankle compression system attached to and positioned within the outer shell to apply selective compressive force against an anterior ankle portion of a person's foot when wearing the boot. The ankle compression system includes an ankle compression member positioned forwardly adjacent to the anterior ankle portion and at least one medial positioning band having a lower terminal end immovably fixed to a medial edge portion of the strobel and having an opposite end operatively associated with the ankle compression member. An adjustment lace is connected to the ankle compression member and is operatively connected to a tightening member positioned on a lateral side of the outer shell so that operation of the tightening causes the adjustment lace to forcibly draw the ankle compression member toward and exert a selective compressive force against the anterior ankle portion of the person's foot.

Abstract: Sport boots have an outer shell and an ankle compression system attached to and positioned within the outer shell to apply selective compressive force against an anterior ankle portion of a person's foot when wearing the boot. The ankle compression system includes an ankle compression member positioned forwardly adjacent to the anterior ankle portion and at least one medial positioning band having a lower terminal end immovably fixed to a medial edge portion of the strobel and having an opposite end operatively associated with the ankle compression member. An adjustment lace is connected to the ankle compression member and is operatively connected to a tightening member positioned on a lateral side of the outer shell so that operation of the tightening causes the adjustment lace to forcibly draw the ankle compression member toward and exert a selective compressive force against the anterior ankle portion of the person's foot.

Abstract: Sport boots have an outer shell and an ankle compression system attached to and positioned within the outer shell to apply selective compressive force against an anterior ankle portion of a person's foot when wearing the boot. The ankle compression system includes an ankle compression member positioned forwardly adjacent to the anterior ankle portion and at least one medial positioning band having a lower terminal end immovably fixed to a medial edge portion of the strobel and having an opposite end operatively associated with the ankle compression member. An adjustment lace is connected to the ankle compression member and is operatively connected to a tightening member positioned on a lateral side of the outer shell so that operation of the tightening causes the adjustment lace to forcibly draw the ankle compression member toward and exert a selective compressive force against the anterior ankle portion of the person's foot.

Abstract: An apparatus (400) for facilitating the removal of a tube stub from a drum includes an arbor (401) configured to extend within the tube stub to be removed, and a circular, rotating cutter (402) protruding from the arbor (401). The cutter (402) is configured to score an internal surface of the tube stub along an axial direction of the tube stub. A controller (403) associated with the apparatus (400) controls the axial and rotational movement of the arbor (401) to create one or more cuts in the tube stub to facilitate removal of the tube stub from the drum.

Abstract: A tube joint (16) for joining dissimilar metal sections (12, 14) of a superheater or reheater tube (10) is formed using a hot isostatic press process. A first end of the tube joint (16) is formed from a first metal which has substantially the same chemical composition as that of one section (12) of the superheater or reheater tube (10), and a second end of the tube joint is formed from a second metal which has substantially the same chemical composition as a metal used to form the other section (14) of the superheater or reheater tube (10). Because the ends of the tube joint (16) are made of substantially the same metal as the respective tube sections (12, 14) to which they attach, the welds (18) may be performed using a standard fusion welding process, such as arc welding, and the need for dissimilar metal welding is eliminated.

Abstract: A tube joint (16) for joining dissimilar metal sections (12, 14) of a superheater or reheater tube (10) is formed using a hot isostatic press process applied to at least two different metals. A first end of the tube joint (16) is formed from a first metal which has substantially the same chemical composition as a metal used to form one section (12) of the superheater or reheater tube (10), and a second end of the tube joint is formed from a second metal which has substantially the same chemical composition as a metal used to form the other section (14) of the superheater or reheater tube (10). Because the ends of the tube joint (16) are made of substantially the same metal as the respective tube sections (12, 14) to which they attach, the welds (18) may be performed using a standard fusion welding process, such as arc welding, and the need for dissimilar metal welding (DMW) is eliminated.

Abstract: An apparatus (400) for facilitating the removal of a tube stub from a drum includes an arbor (401) configured to extend within the tube stub to be removed, and a circular, rotating cutter (402) protruding from the arbor (401). The cutter (402) is configured to score an internal surface of the tube stub along an axial direction of the tube stub. A controller (403) associated with the apparatus (400) controls the axial and rotational movement of the arbor (401) to create one or more cuts in the tube stub to facilitate removal of the tube stub from the drum.

Abstract: There is provided a method of applying a weld overlay to a surface of a wastage susceptible chamber. The basic steps of the method include evaluating the post weld orientation of the surface of the wastage susceptible chamber resulting from the movement of the surface in response to the application of a weld overlay thereon and selecting characteristics of a weld overlay to be applied to the surface of the wastage susceptible chamber based upon the step of evaluating the post weld orientation of the surface of the wastage susceptible chamber. The basic steps of the method also include determining a series of weld torch engagement locations relative to the surface of the wastage susceptible chamber at which a weld torch is to be located for performing thereat welding operations which result in a weld overlay on the surface having characteristics corresponding to the predetermined weld overlay characteristics.