Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure involve systems, methods, computer program products, and the like, for providing failover and load clustering features to one or more proxy servers of a content delivery network (CDN). In one embodiment, one or more proxy servers may announce a virtual host internet protocol (IP) and, to provide a failover feature, two or more of the proxy servers may also announce a more generic virtual network IP address that includes a broader range of IP addresses associated with the virtual network IP address. In another embodiment, each of the proxy servers in communication with the router may announce a generic IP network address to the router. In response to receiving a request for content from an end user of the CDN, the router may select a proxy server and load balance the received requests among the proxy servers.

Abstract: A dipper having an inlet and an outlet. The dipper includes a front wall and an opposite back wall extending between the inlet and the outlet. The front wall has a substantially linear inner surface between the inlet and the outlet. The dipper further includes two side walls connected between the front wall and the back wall and extending between the inlet and the outlet. Further, the dipper has a lip coupled to the front wall and extending outwardly from the inlet in a direction away from the outlet, the lip having a lip inner surface arranged generally parallel with the substantially linear inner surface of the front wall.

Abstract: A snubber for a mining shovel including a dipper body and a dipper door rotatably coupled to the dipper body. The snubber includes a housing having an internal wall defining a fluid-filled chamber, a shaft rotatably coupled to the housing and including a portion positioned within the chamber, a paddle positioned within the chamber, a dam positioned within the chamber, a first valve, and a second valve. Rotation of the dipper door relative to the dipper body causes rotation of the shaft relative to the housing. The paddle is coupled to the shaft such that the paddle rotates with the shaft. The dam and paddle substantially partition the internal chamber into a first portion and a second portion. The first valve controls fluid flow from the first chamber to the second chamber, and the second valve controls fluid flow from the second chamber to the first chamber.

Abstract: A sheave includes a hub defining an axis, a rim defining at least one circumferentially extending groove, and two plates oriented substantially perpendicular to the axis. Each plate is connected to the hub and to the rim, and a plurality of reinforcing tubular members extend between the plates.

Abstract: A dipper having an inlet and an outlet, and an inlet reference plane being defined at the inlet. The dipper includes a front wall and an opposite back wall extending between the inlet and the outlet. A front wall reference plane extends from the inlet to the outlet and is positioned between the front wall and the back wall. The dipper further includes two side walls connected between the front wall and the back wall and extending between the inlet and the outlet. The inlet has an inlet area in the inlet reference plane, wherein the outlet has an outlet area in an outlet reference plane substantially parallel to the inlet reference plane. The front wall, the back wall, and the two side walls are arranged such that the outlet area is at least 3 percent and no more than 25 percent greater than the inlet area.

Abstract: A snubber for a mining shovel including a dipper body and a dipper door rotatably coupled to the dipper body. The snubber includes a housing having an internal wall defining a fluid-filled chamber, a shaft rotatably coupled to the housing and including a portion positioned within the chamber, a paddle positioned within the chamber, a dam positioned within the chamber, a first valve, and a second valve. Rotation of the dipper door relative to the dipper body causes rotation of the shaft relative to the housing. The paddle is coupled to the shaft such that the paddle rotates with the shaft. The dam and paddle substantially partition the internal chamber into a first portion and a second portion. The first valve controls fluid flow from the first chamber to the second chamber, and the second valve controls fluid flow from the second chamber to the first chamber.

Abstract: A sheave includes a hub defining an axis, a rim defining at least one circumferentially extending groove, and two plates oriented substantially perpendicular to the axis. Each plate is connected to the hub and to the rim, and a plurality of reinforcing tubular members extend between the plates.

Abstract: A method for ranking a plurality of systems based on their susceptibility to a selected risk that is determined from a plurality of risk indicators, is described herein. The method includes obtaining benchmark values for at least one benchmark system with a predetermined level of the predetermined risk; obtaining measured risk indicator values of the predetermined plurality of risk indicators in each of the plurality of systems, the predetermined plurality of risk indicators are the same in all of the plurality of systems; comparing the measured risk indicator values of each of the plurality of systems with the benchmark values of the at least one benchmark system; and ranking the plurality of systems based on the comparing to indicate the susceptibility of each of the plurality of systems to the predetermined risk.

Abstract: A method for ranking a plurality of systems based on their susceptibility to a selected risk that is determined from a plurality of risk indicators, is described herein. The method includes obtaining benchmark values for at least one benchmark system with a predetermined level of the predetermined risk; obtaining measured risk indicator values of the predetermined plurality of risk indicators in each of the plurality of systems, the predetermined plurality of risk indicators are the same in all of the plurality of systems; comparing the measured risk indicator values of each of the plurality of systems with the benchmark values of the at least one benchmark system; and ranking the plurality of systems based on the comparing to indicate the susceptibility of each of the plurality of systems to the predetermined risk.

Abstract: A compressible earplug is made of a slow recovery foam material. The earplug has a cross-section formed by a plurality of three or four sides wherein there is an angle no greater than 90.degree. between at least two sets of adjoining sides. In this manner, the plug can be cut from a sheet of material with virtually no waste resulting. Preferably a linear saw cut is used for form the plugs.

Abstract: An ear plug assembly includes a pair of plug bodies made from open cell resilient foam material having a slow recovery rate which are interconnected by a flexible cord having its free ends inserted into preformed holes in the plug bodies before the holes close under the influence of the recovery rate.