Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention relate to an article of footwear having a unitary upper and midsole referred to as a mupper. The mupper includes both a midsole portion and an upper portion. An outsole may be coupled to the midsole portion to provide a ground contacting surface. Additionally, a bootie may be coupled to the interior of the mupper. A reinforcement may be utilized in conjunction with the mupper and/or the bootie to resist lasting deformation of apertures formed into the mupper for a lacing structure. The reinforcement may be coupled to the bootie, the mupper, or other portions of the shoe. In an embodiment, the reinforcements are constructed from a material different from that which the mupper is formed. Consequently, a traditional crisscross lacing pattern may be utilized while still realizing benefits of having a unitary upper and midsole.

Abstract: A tongue for a skate boot and a skate boot having a tongue comprising at least one exposed structural molded foam body, and a plurality of apertures and/or grooves defined therein along a longitudinal axis. The tongue can also be releasably connected to the skate boot to allow a skate owner to change the tongue for another tongue more adapted to the skate owner's specific needs in different circumstances.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a toe cap for footwear which can improve the wearing feeling and the fitting feeling, and can protect toes from a strong external impact, and an outsole integrated with the same. Disclosed is a toe cap for footwear characterized by a first feature, wherein the toe cap is highest at a big toe region and gradually slopes downward toward the little toe; and a second feature, wherein the top cap has the shape of a circular arc along the outer shape of the toes and first to fourth grooves are formed at four positions between the five toes, respectively, so as to support each toe. In addition the outsole integrated with the toe cap is characterized by having a support groove which is formed at a front upper end surface to accommodate the bottom surface of at least one or more of the toes.

Abstract: A polygonal tool pick formed entirely of a single hard material, including a head, a shoulder extending rearwardly from the head and having an outer dimension at least as large as a largest outer dimension of the head, a shank extending rearwardly from the shoulder and having an outer dimension smaller than the outside dimension of the shoulder, and a tail extending rearwardly from the shank and having an outer dimension larger than the outer dimension of the shank, wherein the head, the shoulder, the shank, and the tail each have a plurality of faces with at least one pair of opposed faces being parallel to each other.

Abstract: An attachable flame simulating apparatus includes a coupling appendage, having a distal end and a proximal end, a housing adjacent the proximal end of the coupling appendage, the housing comprising one or more light sources, and a projection surface extending from the housing. Furthermore, the distal end of the coupling appendage is removably attachable to a vehicle.

Abstract: This design is a new multi-colored crosswalk sign with distinctive 3D vision. It belongs to road traffic sign field and includes crosswalk sign, crosswalk lane line with two trapezoids added to both ends of the white rectangle and parallel elongate trapezoids designed on both sides of the white rectangle. The trapezoids at both ends and the parallel elongate trapezoids on both sides are in different colors so that the crosswalk sign takes the appearance of distinctive 3D vision, which reminds pedestrians and drivers to be more careful.

Abstract: A load-sensing base, cartridge and method are provided for use with a firearm. The cartridge includes a support element that moves a cartridge into a chamber of the firearm. The base includes a load sensor that senses a load applied by the support element and outputs a load sensing signal. The bases also include a cartridge counter, coupled to the load sensor, that uses the load sensing signal to determine a number of cartridges remaining.

Abstract: An ambidextrously operated bolt catch assembly for a firearm facilitates ease of use by either right handed or left handed shooters. The ambidextrous bolt catch assembly includes two levers, one on each side of the firearm, that interact with each other. Each lever has a primary contact surface and a secondary contact surface. By depressing the primary contact surface of either lever, both levers rotate to move the bolt catch assembly from a displaced position to a static position. Conversely, by depressing the secondary contact surface of either lever, both levers rotate to move the bolt catch assembly from a static position to a displaced position.

Abstract: An improved semiautomatic firearm is provided comprising as assembly which reduces the effort of cocking the firearm or loading a first cartridge. A spring tube contains an inner recoil spring which is employed only during cycling of the firearm when firing. For initial cocking purposes, the inner recoil spring is bypassed in favor of a lighter outer spring which is selectively engaged by the user. When the inner recoil spring is engaged, both inner and outer springs are employed without adversely affecting the recoil dynamics of the firearm.

Abstract: A firearm includes a frame having at least one interior receptacle defined by opposed interior walls and having opposed guide rails extending from the opposed interior walls, and at least one modular housing disposed in the receptacle and accommodating at least one operational component of the firearm. The modular housing is defined by opposed sidewalls having opposed guide channels formed therein, the guide channels being configured to selectively engage the guide rails to facilitate the aligning of the modular housing with respect to the interior receptacle. The at least one operational component and the modular housing are pre-assembled together as an integrated unit for drop-in insertion into the receptacle during assembly of the firearm.

Abstract: An extractor mechanism for a firearm includes a firearm slide having a pocket, the pocket extending in a longitudinal direction substantially parallel to a firing axis of a firearm and having an opening proximate to a breech face of the slide, and an extractor arm having a body portion and a hook portion, the body portion being disposed at least partially within the pocket and the hook portion extending at least partially out of the opening and having a distal edge sized to engage a cartridge rim, wherein the extractor arm is pivotally and slidably mounted to the slide such that the hook portion is capable of being pivoted toward and away from the firing axis and the extractor arm is capable of translational movement with respect to the slide in a direction substantially parallel to the firing axis.

Abstract: In order to increase the functional reliability of a weapon or the magazine of a firearm, even in case of dirtying, it is proposed to configure at least the inner side of the magazine housing coming in contact with a cartridge with a friction-reducing surface.

Abstract: A box magazine for a firearm may have a housing with two substantially different widths. A wider region may accommodate four columns of cartridges and may have tapered surfaces at one end that lead into a narrower region which may accommodate an interlocked and staggered double column of cartridges. Cartridges in the wider region may be separated into two staggered double columns by a free standing dividing wall and may be advanced by inner and outer contoured followers that may be nested together to form a single follower assembly surrounding the freestanding wall and that may be driven by the outer follower's spring. An inner follower spring may remain nested within the outer follower such that the two followers coordinate the advance of the two separated double columns of cartridges toward tapered surfaces that merge the two double columns into two single columns proximate the top of the dividing wall.

Abstract: An extended cartridge magazine longer than a pistol grip length needs to have the gap between the base plate of the magazine and the butt end of the grip filled. The present invention provides a sleeve to fill this gap that can be easily slid on and off the magazine by applying simple pressure to the ends of the sleeve.

Abstract: A magazine well grip includes a generally U-shaped body having an outer surface, with a plurality of finger grooves defined therein, and an inner surface. An upper section of the inner surface is contoured to closely accommodate a magazine well of a firearm, the upper section terminating at a lip recess dimensioned to accommodate a lower lip of the magazine well in an interference fit arrangement. A lower section of the inner surface flares outwardly from below the lip recess. The generally U-shaped body includes a pair of spaced-apart, generally opposed sidewalls and a front wall. A generally wedge-shaped protrusion extends upwardly from the front wall of the body and is dimensioned for an interference fit between trunnions on a forward edge of the magazine well and behind a hinge portion of an upper receiver when arranged between the trunnions.

Abstract: A recoil pad having a pad in which the elastomer contains a plurality of pockets having one or more pocket characteristics adjustable over the entirety or portions of the pad to achieve recoil pad characteristics which can be incrementally variably matched to the recoil energy characteristics and recoil energy transfer characteristics of a particular target stock.

Abstract: A modular automatic or semiautomatic rifle. The rifle has a lower receiver assembly having a fire control assembly for firing the rifle. An upper receiver assembly is provided with a frame and a bolt carrier assembly configured for firing bullets of a predetermined caliber. The lower receiver has a mating interface configured for operably joining the lower receiver assembly to the upper receiver assembly, and for operably joining the lower receiver assembly to another upper receiver assembly different from the upper receiver assembly configured for firing bullets of the predetermined caliber. The other upper receiver assembly has a different frame and different bolt carrier assembly configured for firing bullets of a different predetermined caliber.

Abstract: A firearm with keyhole-shaped rail mounting points has a forend element having an exterior surface and interior surface. The forend element defines a plurality of rail mounting apertures extending from the interior surface to the exterior surface. Each of the apertures has a first portion with a first diameter to closely receive a fastener head of a first diameter. Each of the apertures has a second portion with a second width less than the first diameter size to receive a shank portion of a fastener. There may be a recess on the interior surface size to receive the fastener head, the recess positioned at the second portion.

Abstract: A cover for use with a firearm sound suppressor comprises an insulating body and a retention apparatus attached to the insulating body. The insulating body includes one or more layers of thermally-insulating material. The insulating body is configured for being wrapped around the firearm sound suppressor. The retention apparatus includes a securing structure configured for being wrapped around the insulating body to secure the insulating body in a fixed position with respect to the firearm sound suppressor after the insulating body is wrapped around the firearm sound suppressor.

Abstract: An auxiliary device includes a housing and a rail mount coupled to the housing. The rail mount includes a first rigid member and a second rigid member extending substantially longitudinally along at least a portion of the housing, the first and second rigid members configured to engage a mounting rail defined on a frame portion of a weapon. The rail mount further includes a flex member having a first end coupled to the first rigid member and a second end coupled to a tightening member being movable between a first position and a second position, the flex member configured to provide a gripping force on the mounting rail of the weapon and couple the auxiliary device to the weapon. A shock absorbing member may be provided to prevent or reduce damage to an internal power supply upon discharge of the weapon.

Abstract: A device for mounting more than one accessory to a weapon includes a clamp, a circular opening, and a weapon mount. The clamp receives a first accessory and the circular opening receives a second accessory. The clamp has a yoke and a strap securable around the first accessory. The circular opening is spaced laterally from the clamp such that the first accessory and the second accessory can be received in a parallel configuration. The weapon mount is located centrally between the clamp and the circular opening for attaching the device to the weapon.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention can include systems and methods for associating an accessory with a firearm. According to one embodiment, an accessory having an accessory portion and an attachment portion can be provided. The attachment portion can allow the accessory to be mounted to at least a portion of a rail assembly of the firearm when the attachment portion is clamped to the portion of the rail assembly of the firearm. The attachment portion can include a clamp assembly comprising a clamped position and an unclamped position. The attachment portion can also include a lever assembly operable to move the clamp assembly between the clamped position and the unclamped position respectively. Moreover, the attachment portion can include a lever assembly housing for at least partially enclosing some or all of the lever assembly.

Abstract: Disclosed is a system for a weapon sight for aiming a target. The system includes a controller unit configured to initiate an electronic zoom calibration mode, locate a red dot of a day view optic, cause a line of sight to the target unperturbed, electronically superimpose a reticle of the weapon sight onto a thermal image of the target, store information corresponding to a location of the reticle when the reticle is allowed to coincide with the located red dot, and write a pixel corresponding to the stored information of the location of the reticle to a pixel written corresponding to a location of the reticle in a non-electronic zoom mode. The system also includes a memory unit communicably coupled to the controller unit. Further disclosed are a weapon sight and a method for aiming a target using electronic zoom calibration.

Abstract: A bore sight including a rear casing, a front casing sized to cooperatively engage the rear casing and define a first cavity and a separate second cavity, a laser disposed within the first cavity, and a battery in the second cavity. The bore sight further includes a switch selectively connecting the battery and the laser, an elongate mandrel releasably engaging the rear cavity, the mandrel having a free-end, a tapered seating collar having a through hole sized to receive a length of the mandrel, the seating collar being a separate components from the mandrel and the rear casing, wherein the seating collar can be formed of a different second material than the mandrel and the rear casing; and an adaptor releasably engaging a free end of the mandrel.

Abstract: A method for mounting an electrical device to plurality of weapons includes attaching a universal mounting member having a head to the electrical device and receiving the head into a first track of first weapon mount to from a first mated coupling. The method further includes inserting a screw through the first track and into the head to secure the mated coupling.

Abstract: A sight mount base having longitudinally spaced base sections defines an intermediate space or recess within which the downwardly facing Horus reticle adjustment knob of an inverted optical sighting device is received. The sight mount base may have independent, spaced base sections, each being releasably mounted to the accessory mount rail of the firearm or may be a unitary base structure machined to define an intermediate recess or receptacle within which the Horus reticle adjustment knob is received. The spaced base sections may be interconnected by a structural bridge so that the sight mount base is in the form of an integral structure. Inverted positioning of the optical sighting device eliminates the presence of upwardly projecting obstructions.

Abstract: An optical sight is provided and may include a housing having a base, a first post extending from the base, and a second post extending from the base. The optical sight may additionally include an optical element supported by the housing between the first post and the second post, a reticle displayed on the optical element, and an illumination system generating the reticle. A first actuation member may be disposed on one of the first post and the second post and may selectively control an intensity of the reticle by controlling an output of the illumination system.

Abstract: An adjustment turret for an optical sight is provided. The adjustment turret may include a body, an adjustment shaft, a cap, and a locking pin. The body may include a cavity and an axial bore. The adjustment shaft may threadably engage the axial bore for relative rotation therebetween. The cap may be connected to the adjustment shaft for rotation with the adjustment shaft relative to the body and may be axially movable relative to the body and the adjustment shaft between a first position and a second position. The locking pin may be axially movable with the cap and may be received in the cavity when the cap is in the first position to prevent relative rotation between the cap and the body and may be removed from the cavity when the cap is in the second position to allow relative rotation between the cap and the body.

Abstract: A turkey decoy or other animal hunting decoy is provided depicting a live mature animal, wherein certain body parts are dwarfed and diminished in size in comparison to the live mature animal it depicts. The decoy will further have colors thereon mimicking colors of the live mature animal eliciting a sexual response from the hunted live animal.

Abstract: The invention concerns artificial baits of wobbler's type. The artificial bait comprises a body having its centre of gravity located at its front portion with at least one hole for fixing a fishing line and with at least one hole for fixing at least one hook, with a plate having the lateral parts symmetrically curved convex relative to its longitudinal axis of symmetry and movably attached to the nose portion or to the lower portion of the body with fixed arrangement of its longitudinal axis at angle more 0° but less 180° to the body longitudinal axis by means of a motionless holder with a possibility of the plate rotation round the axis. The body is made of a material having density more than density of water. The bait has effective oscillations in a considerable range of frequencies and amplitudes.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a blade bait fishing lure apparatus with a barbed tail for securing interchangeable soft bait components. The blade bait has a plurality of upper apertures for connecting a fishing line and a plurality of lower apertures of attaching fishing hooks. The front end of the blade bait fishing lure includes a weighted component for balancing the blade bait in water.

Abstract: A humane animal leg hold trap designed to restrain a Raccoons paw or foreleg. The trap has an enclosed bait area behind a pivoting gate. The gate opens when the Raccoon pushes on it with its paw and foreleg to reach for the bait. The Raccoon's paw or foreleg then becomes wedged between the gate and the housing. The Raccoon provides the holding force of the trap by attempting to remove its paw or foreleg from the trap. The trap has a double swivel anchor chain attached to the traps anchor bail which restrains the Raccoon and the trap at the traps set location.

Abstract: A rodent trap includes a base, a trigger mechanism and a spring activated snap cover. During operation, a rodent touching the trigger mechanism releases the spring activated snap cover which quickly snaps over the trigger mechanism either enclosing and trapping the rodent or snapping onto the rodent and retaining the rodent by snapping onto the rodent and retaining the rodent between the base and the edges of the snap cover. The snap cover includes rounded edges which fit into flange portions on the base and which aid in retaining the rodent in the rodent trap.

Abstract: An insect trap includes an internal source of multi-directional illumination mounted within the housing. The outer surface of the housing has an adhesive layer. The internal source of illumination attracts insects which fly onto the adhesive layer and become ensnared on the surface of the housing.

Abstract: Fuel composition and methods of making fuel compositions including 50-90 wt % pyrolysis oil, 0.1-40 wt % water, 1-30 wt % alcohol, and 0.1-4 wt % surfactant, wherein the composition is an emulsion. The pyrolysis oil may be a crude pyrolysis oil and may be produced by pyrolysis of biomass material. The pyrolysis oil and surfactant may form the continuous phase and the water and alcohol may form the dispersed phase of the emulsion. Alternatively, the water and alcohol may form the continuous phase and the pyrolysis oil and surfactant may form the dispersed phase of the emulsion.

Abstract: A biomass pyrolysis product is quenched by direct cooling with a cold quench fluid and initial product separation is performed based on boiling point and solubility in the quench fluid. A properly chosen quench fluid may act as a selective solvent, thus providing dilution of unstable precursors of pyrolytic lignin or other heavy by-products, and/or separation of certain undesirable pyrolysis oil components such as water and light acids.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing crude oil from biomass by direct liquefaction under atmospheric pressure, involving the following steps: introducing dried biomass into a reactor containing heavy oil to form a sump oil phase consisting of biomass and heavy oil; maintaining the temperature of the sump oil phase at a predetermined reaction temperature; condensing and collecting the volatile reaction products; and isolating and collecting the crude oil. Said method is characterized in that the heavy oil phase has at least 5 wt. % organically bound oxygen.

Abstract: Methods are disclosed for the treatment of feedstocks comprising a fatty acid- or triglyceride-containing component to remove contaminants that are detrimental to the conversion of such feedstocks to hydrocarbons, and especially biofuel fractions such as diesel or aviation biofuels. Contaminants contributing to the presence of trace elements in animal fats and/or plant oils, as components of feedstocks, hinder the ability to catalytically convert these feedstocks, for example by hydroprocessing, to biofuels.

Abstract: The present invention provides a gas oil composition that can achieve environment load reduction, low temperature properties and low fuel consumption all together and is suitably used in a winter season. The gas oil composition comprises an Ft synthetic base oil in an amount of 60 percent by mass or more on the basis of the total mass of the composition and has a sulfur content of 5 ppm by mass or less, an aromatic content of 10 percent by volume or less, an oxygen content of 100 ppm or less, an end point of 360° C. or lower, an insoluble content after an oxidation stability test of 0.5 mg/100 mL or less, an HFRR wear scar diameter (WS1.4) of 400 ?m or smaller and a specific relation in normal paraffin contents and the total content thereof.

Abstract: Techniques, systems, apparatus and material are disclosed for generating multi-purpose H2-dense fuel for isolating contaminants and storing energy. In one aspect, a method of producing a renewable multi-purpose biomaterial for isolating a hazardous contaminant from an environment and storing energy includes dissociating biomass waste using a thermochemical reaction to produce at least one of hydrocarbon and alcohol by applying waste heat recovered from an external heat source. The method includes dissociating the at least one of hydrocarbon and alcohol to generate carbon and hydrogen. Carbon dioxide emitted from an industrial process is harvested and reacted with the hydrogen to generate the hydrogen-dense fuel. A hazardous contaminant is dissolved in the hydrogen-dense fuel operating as a solvent to generate a liquid mixture that isolates the hazardous contaminant from the environment. The hazardous contaminant includes at least one of a carbon donor and a hydrogen donor.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides methods, compositions and systems for drying coal fines.

Abstract: There is provided an irrigation apparatus. The irrigation apparatus is used to water trees.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods of removing liquid from a porous substrate on which plant embryos are disposed.

Abstract: The present invention is comprised of a stackable cultivation tower system for creating a facility and process that is used to cultivate vegetation in a reduced indoor physical area, conserve resources and promote faster plant. The present invention is further comprised of vertically stacked components for planting vegetation to be cultivated to reduce the space, an irrigation system that is regulated to optimally control application of water and a light source to provide various types of lighting to promote faster growth. The components are commercially readily available and at costs that allow the stackable cultivation tower system to produce faster growth, higher yields economically.

Abstract: Exhaust gas, produced in a thermal reactor (1) that is fed with solid fuel can be cooled and in a gas cooler (4) which produce a condensate that is further cooled in a condensate cooler (7) which produce energy. By using air moisturizing and particle separation technology the exhaust gas and the excess condensate can be clean and the energy efficiency of the plant can be increased. The method can be used for a broad spectrum of fuels and conversion technologies.

Abstract: A char 7 feed rate at a rated point determined from a relationship between a current water vapor 3 flow rate and a current raw material 5 charge rate to a gasification furnace 1 is multiplied by a proper number determined from a relationship between a current gasification furnace 1 temperature and a current bed material 4 circulated rate to calculate an actual char 7 feed rate. A subtraction is performed between a gross heat value of the char 7 flowing into the combustion furnace 2 determined on the basis of the calculated char 7 feed rate and a heat value required for keeping a top of the combustion furnace 2 at a commanded temperature determined from a relationship between the commanded temperature and an air flow rate in the furnace 2 to determine a heat value required for keeping the combustion furnace 2 at the commanded temperature.

Abstract: Systems and methods for gasifying a feedstock are provided. The method can include combining one or more feedstocks and one or more solid components in a treatment zone to provide a treated feedstock. At least a portion of the treated feedstock can be introduced to a reaction zone of a gasifier. The one or more solid components can have an average density and an average cross-sectional size that adjusts at least one of an average density of solids within a solids bed of the gasifier and an average cross-sectional size of the solids within the solids bed of the gasifier.

Abstract: A plasma-assisted catalytic reforming apparatus includes a feeder, a plasma reactor, a reforming reactor and a pre-heater. A first reforming cavity of the reforming reactor is connected to a plasma cavity of the plasma reactor, and the reforming reactor is inside a pre-heating cavity of the pre-heater. A pre-heating pipe of the pre-heater is connected between a mixing room of the feeder and the plasma cavity and partially disposed inside the pre-heating cavity. The first reforming cavity is inside a second reforming cavity of the reforming reactor. An end of a recirculation pipe of the reforming reactor is connected to a first reforming cavity opening of the first reforming cavity and partially disposed inside the first reforming cavity. Another end of the recirculation pipe passes a second reforming cavity outlet of the second reforming cavity and partially disposed inside the pre-heating cavity. A plasma-assisted catalytic reforming method is also provided.

Abstract: A method for injecting a chemical, such as an odorant, from a chemical supply into a fluid-containing system such as a natural gas or an LPG pipeline. A tank of odorant is maintained at a pressure above ambient, but below pipeline pressure. An injection conduit communicates the odorant tank with the pipeline. A hydraulic pressure booster is located in the injection conduit for pressurizing the chemical to a pressure above that of the pipeline. Flow-control apparatus located within the injection conduit for metering chemical to be injected into the pipeline is either (a) drip-style metering valve adjustable between a drop-wise setting and a steady-flow setting or (b) a pair of valves one of which is a flow valve allowing larger volumes to be injected and the other which is a drop-wise flow valve for metering smaller volumes of the chemical.

Abstract: Systems and methods for maintaining a sulfur concentration in a syngas are provided. The method can include combining sulfur and a carbonaceous material to produce a sulfur containing carbonaceous feed. The method can also include gasifying at least a portion of the sulfur containing carbonaceous feed to produce a syngas and detecting a sulfur concentration in the syngas. The method can further include adjusting an amount of the sulfur combined with the carbonaceous material based on the detected sulfur concentration.