Abstract: Reversible switchable surfactants are provided. A surfactant is the salt of an amidine or guanidine having at least one R group that is a hydrophobic moiety selected from the group consisting of higher aliphatic moiety, higher siloxyl moiety, higher aliphatic/siloxyl moiety, aliphatic/aryl moiety, siloxyl/aryl moiety, and aliphatic/siloxyl/aryl moiety. The other R groups are smaller moieties such as H, C1 to C4 aliphatic or the like. The surfactant is turned on by a gas that liberates hydrogen ions, such as, for example, carbon dioxide, which liberates hydrogen ions in the presence of water. The surfactant is turned off by exposure to a flushing gas and/or heating. When “on” the surfactants are useful to stabilize emulsions, and when “off” they are useful to separate immiscible liquids or a liquid and a solid. The surfactants find uses in polymerization and in the oil industry.

Abstract: The invention describes methods of preparation and compositions of plasticizers. The plasticizers include at least 2 alkyl ketal ester moieties and have a molecular weight of greater than 300. In one aspect, the alkyl ketal ester moieties are levulinic ester ketals. Certain compositions contain at least one of an antioxidant, a UV stabilizer, a thermal stabilizer or mixtures thereof, present in the composition from about 0.01 to about 5.0 percent by weight of the total composition.

Abstract: A copper-based alloy which contains 7.8 to 8.8 mass % of Al, 7.2 to 14.3 mass % of Mn and a remainder made up by Cu and unavoidable impurities, has a largest crystal grain diameter of more than 8 mm, has good shape memory properties, and enables the production of a structural material having a cross-section size suitable for use as a structure body or the like; and a structural material comprising the copper-based alloy. The copper-based alloy may additionally contain at least one element selected from the group consisting of Ni, Co, Fe, Ti, V, Cr, Si, Ge, Nb, Mo, W, Sn, Bi, Sb, Mg, P, Be, Zr, Zn, B, C, S, Ag and a misch metal in the total amount of 0.001 to 5 mass %.

Abstract: Process for the manufacture of aerated concrete construction materials comprising the following steps: (a) mixing a composition comprising at least water, a cementitious material, calcium oxide, a compound comprising reactive silicon dioxide, a source of oxygen, and a compound selected from sodium carbonate, sodium bicarbonate and sodium hydroxide; (b) pouring the mixture of step (a) into a mould and allowing the mixture to set, thus forming a stiffened body; (c) removing the stiffened body from the mould; (d) optionally cutting and shaping the stiffened body, and (e) curing the stiffened body.

Abstract: Inorganic polymer compositions and methods for their preparation are described herein. The compositions include the reaction product of a reactive powder, an activator, and optionally a retardant. The reactive powder includes fly ash and calcium aluminate cement in an amount of 5% by weight or greater of the reactive powder. The reactive powder can include less than 8% by weight of portland cement. Also described herein are building materials including the compositions.

Abstract: Inorganic polymer compositions and methods for their preparation are described herein. The compositions include the reaction product of a reactive powder, an activator, optionally a retardant, and water. The reactive powder includes 85% by weight or greater fly ash. The ratio of water to reactive powder is from 0.06:1 to less than 0.15:1. Also described herein are building materials including the compositions.

Abstract: Inorganic polymer compositions and methods for their preparation are described herein. The compositions include the reaction product of a reactive powder, anhydrous calcium sulfate, an activator, and optionally a retardant. The reactive powder includes fly ash and no more than 10% by weight portland cement. The anhydrous calcium sulfate is present in an amount of 2% or greater by weight of the reactive powder. Also described herein are building materials including the compositions.

Abstract: Methods of producing inorganic polymer products are described herein. The methods include mixing reactants comprising a reactive powder, an activator, and optionally a retardant for a mixing time of 15 seconds or less to provide a reaction mixture and forming the reaction mixture into a product. Also described herein are building materials formed according to the methods.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a hydraulically setting mixture comprising: a) 6% to 25% by weight of cement, b) 50% to 90% by weight of at least one aggregate, and c) 0.01% to 8% by weight of at least one fluoroorganyl-substituted silicon compound, and also to materials produced from this mixture, more particularly components, concrete articles or mouldings. The invention further relates to the use of a hydraulically setting mixture of the invention for producing materials, more particularly components, concrete articles or mouldings, for example as facing concrete, where the surface of the materials exhibits only relatively low soiling tendency (“easy-to-clean” property) even on abrasion.

Abstract: A display table includes a drawer section, a main drawer, an internal light drawer, and an upper section. The drawer section includes two opposing sidewalls partially defining a drawer compartment and a main opening. The main drawer, disposed within the drawer compartment, slidably mounts to the two opposing sidewalls and includes an exposed front panel for concealing the main opening. The internal light drawer is disposed above the main drawer and slidably couples to the two opposing sidewalls. The upper section is disposed over the drawer section to receive light when the internal light drawer is illuminated. When the main drawer is in an open position, the internal light drawer is movable relative to the main drawer. When the main drawer is in a closed position, the internal light drawer is concealed by the front panel.

Abstract: Furniture pieces which include integrated storage capacity for storing water or other material. By incorporating such storage capacity within furniture, a user may take advantage of space that would otherwise be unused or unusable to unobtrusively and conveniently store an emergency water supply or other desired material.

Abstract: A toilet tank shelf is disclosed with a self leveling pad comprised of a granular weighted pouch. The pouch is attached to the bottom shelf surface. The granular pouch fills irregularities of an uneven surface of the tank lid. It provides a weighted level base of the shelf. The shelf can also be attached to the lid structure by one or more flexible elastic straps. The shelf can also comprise shelf edge components that cover the granular pouch and may extend above the shelf surface to form a lip. The shelf edge components can also serve to hold the shelf surface to the top of the tank.

Abstract: The melting equipment has a melting furnace that combusts and melts ash, a secondary combustion chamber disposed above the melting furnace, a slag extraction chute that guides slag generated in the melting furnace downward, a bypass channel (20) that connects the slag extraction chute and the secondary combustion chamber, an ejector (22) that is provided between the bypass channel (20), has a contraction portion (23) at which the channel cross sections are narrowed, and suctions the combustion exhaust gas (G) into the bypass channel (20), and an adhesion-prevention unit (31) (41) that prevent an incorporated substance that incorporates into the combustion exhaust gas (G) from attaching to the inner wall surface (21a) of the ejector (22).

Abstract: A system and method for drying, cleaning and upgrading coal and biomass solid fuel while integrating the steps with the normal on site steps in coal preparation for a utility boiler, such that boiler efficiency is improved and emissions are reduced. The present invention carefully sequences steps to employ latent heat from one step to the next and more efficiently bring the fuel up to or near ignition temperature. The present invention incorporates several previously related inventions to improve the heat content and cleanliness of the fuel, thus reducing fuel flow rate, ash, CO2, CO, NOx, sulfur, mercury, chlorine, particulate and other emissions, for the same or higher energy output.

Abstract: A bobbin thread monitor includes a rotatable thread pulley together with a rotation sensing counter and numeric count display. During bobbin loading, the thread supply is looped about the pulley in a first direction resulting in rotation of the thread pulley in a corresponding first direction. The rotation of the thread pulley in the first direction produces an accumulated account within the rotation sensing and display apparatus. During sewing operations, the thread supply is looped about the thread pulley in a second opposite direction loop resulting in opposite direction rotation of the thread pulley during the sewing process. The opposite direction rotation of the thread pulley during the sewing process produces a downcount of the number accumulated during the bobbin loading process. This down count is indicative of bobbin supply remaining and may be used to activate additional alarm apparatus.

Abstract: A mobile floating deck barge system is provided for use in performing work on the underside of a bridge or other structure extending over a body of water.

Abstract: To keep the water around an off-shore installation (1) free from a harmful impact of ice, a vessel (5) is used to deploy an anchor (6) in a position at a distance from the off-shore installation (1) and in a direction which, seen from the off-shore installation (1), is substantially in parallel with the direction of movement (P) of the ice. By means of the machinery of the vessel, which preferably comprises azimuth propellers, the direction of the anchor line is adjusted and so is the orientation of the vessel relative to the anchor line to the effect that the propellers can be used to crush and dispose of the ice without using energy to hold the vessel up against the pressure of the ice.

Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure are directed to a dock protector apparatus. The apparatus includes an elongated pipe and a flange. A floating dock includes at least one floating dock section coupled to mooring pipes secured to a river or lake bed. The mooring pipes are slidably coupled and to the dock section by pipe sleeve assemblies that enable the dock section to slide vertically along the mooring posts. A dock protector apparatus is inserted within an interior cavity of each mooring pipe. Under tidal surge conditions, the decking may reach a vertical position above a top end of the mooring posts. In order to present the deck section from becoming decoupled from the mooring posts, the dock protector apparatus extends upwardly and remains coupled to both the mooring posts and the dock section, thereby maintaining an essentially laterally-rigid mooring between the dock section and the mooring post.

Abstract: A system for performing a desired subsea well-servicing operation, comprises a vessel, a service apparatus for performing the desired subsea well-servicing operation, the service apparatus being supported on the vessel; and a support apparatus mounted on the vessel, the support apparatus having first and second modes, wherein in the first mode the support means does not provide access to a well by the service apparatus and wherein in the second mode the support means does provide access to a well by the service apparatus. The vessel may be a vessel of opportunity and the service apparatus may be selected from the group consisting of subsea tree installation apparatus, perforating apparatus, acidizing apparatus, fracturing apparatus, workover apparatus, reservoir stimulation apparatus, wireline apparatus, coiled tubing apparatus, and snubbing apparatus.

Abstract: Safety apparatuses for objects having a nut are disclosed. Contemplated apparatuses comprise a nut cap and a nut rotation indicator that can readily be observed by an operator. A retention wall can also be included to operate in conjunction with an additional component to block a rotation of a nut. Apparatuses are preferably configured to remain stable in harsher environments.

Abstract: An automobile instrument (1) includes: a dial (4); an indicator (11) configured to rotate on the dial (4); a facing member (14) configured to surround a circumference of the dial (4) and comprising a plurality of transparent light guide portions (35) radially arranged respectively from an end of the circumference of the dial (4) at intervals in a circumferential direction of the dial (4); a first light source (17) configured to irradiate the dial (4) with light; and a second light source (19) configured to emit light to the transparent light guide portions (35).

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to a hydride vapor phase epitaxy (HVPE) apparatus that utilizes a high temperature gas distribution device and plasma generation to form an activated precursor gas used to rapidly form a high quality compound nitride layer on a surface of a substrate. In one embodiment, plasma is formed from a nitrogen containing precursor within a gas distribution device prior to injection into a processing region of the HVPE apparatus. In another embodiment, plasma is formed from a nitrogen containing precursor within the processing region by using the gas distribution device as an electrode for forming the plasma in the processing region. In each embodiment, a second precursor gas may be separately introduced into the processing region of the HVPE apparatus through the gas distribution device without mixing with the nitrogen containing precursor prior to entering the processing region.

Abstract: A composite crucible comprising an iridium alloy sidewall and an iridium bottom. The iridium alloy is selected from the group consisting of iridium, rhenium, rhodium and tungsten. In some embodiments the iridium alloy comprises about 99 to 95 parts iridium and about 1 to 5 five parts rhenium. The crucible can be fabricated by rolling a flat sheet of iridium alloy into a cylinder and affixing an iridium circular bottom to one end of the cylinder. Seams can be welded to complete the composite crucible structure.

Abstract: A self-gettering differential pump for a molecular beam epitaxy system has a collimator with a length greater than its diameter mounted in front of a source in extended port geometry, wherein the reactant delivered by the source also serves as a gettering agent.

Abstract: An apparatus for applying dye material on an electrode to form a dye-sensitized solar cell includes a rotary unit and an electrode holding unit disposed around the rotary unit. The rotary unit is rotatable about a rotary axis and includes a dye tank for receiving liquid dye therein and a dye breaking unit disposed around the dye tank. The dye tank permits flow of the liquid dye therein to the dye breaking unit. The dye breaking unit breaks the liquid dye flowing from the dye tank into liquid droplets that move in the dye breaking unit due to centrifugal force. The rotary unit permits the liquid droplets to exit therefrom. The liquid droplets exiting the rotary unit are propelled toward an electrode on the electrode holding unit during rotation of the rotary unit.

Abstract: An apparatus is configured to include a gas supplying part configured to supply a plasma generating gas on a surface on a substrate mounting area side in a turntable and an antenna configured to convert the plasma generating gas to plasma by induction coupling and provided facing the surface of the substrate mounting area side in the turntable so as to extend from a center part to an outer edge part of the turntable. The antenna is arranged so as to have a distance from the turntable in the substrate mounting area not less than 3 mm longer on the center part side than on the outer edge part side.

Abstract: A process control system is provided for use with a processing tool for thin film patterning by a material removal processing system. The system includes an optical end-point detector operable within a working area defined by the processing tool when the processing tool is applied to an article, the optical end-point detector performing in-situ measurements of parameters of patterned thin film on the article. An optical integrated monitoring tool is installed with the processing tool and operable outside the working area for measuring parameters of the patterned thin film on the article. A control unit is connected to the end-point detector and to the integrated monitoring tool, and includes processing and computational intelligence responsive to data received from the end-point detector and to the measured data received from the integrated monitoring tool for analyzing data and generating a signal for terminating the patterning of the thin film on the article.

Abstract: Described are apparatuses and methods for the hydroxylation of a substrate surface using ammonia and water vapor.

Abstract: An arrangement for control in an animal handling system includes an automated teat preparation station for preparation of teats of animals to be milked and a separately located milking system for milking of the animals. The arrangement is operatively connected to the teat preparation station and the milking system and includes a unit estimating a time left until the milking system is ready to receive a further animal to be milked; a unit estimating, for a animal present at the teat preparation station, a time for preparation of the teats of the animal; and initiating unit initiating automated preparation of the teats of the animal at a point of time, which is dependent on the estimated time left until the milking system is ready to receive a further animal to be milked and on the estimated time for preparation of the teats of the animal.

Abstract: A device suitable for attachment to a milking platform at a “milking position” has a strippings viewing area and a light source, which is operable to illuminate in a suitable manner the strippings viewing area to enhance the visibility to an operator of any mastitis symptoms in use and/or to illuminate the udder to facilitate inspection or treatment. The light source may also be operable to give continuous or intermittent colour signals to the operator and the device might also include an alpha-numeric area. The device might form part of a leg separator and/or sprayer and/or milk hose support. A milking platform with such a device is also claimed.

Abstract: A pet fountain that presents circulating water that is continuously filtered and pumped through the fountain. The fountain includes a basin that has a sidewall extending upwardly from a bottom wall (or floor) and a cover. A pump assembly is housed between the basin and cover, and circulates water through the pet fountain by pumping the water from the basin to an upper drinking bowl of the cover. The water spills out of the upper drinking back to the basin. An opening is provided between the cover and the basin which allows a pet to drink directly from the basin in addition to the upper drinking bowl of the cover.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for enhancing animal production in the animal confining house for raising the animals by improving health of the animals and reducing their rate of respiratory infections using an aerosol. The apparatus includes an animal confining house, containing an enclosed structure, a fan means, an aerosol generating means, and an aerosol delivery means.

Abstract: A pet toy comprising a head having a recess and two interlocking arms that extend from the head and are situated such that one arm is wrapped around the other to create a barrier to accessing the recess in the head. The head and interlocking arms are comprised of a single durable, flexible and resilient material.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for securing a pet leash to an object. The apparatus comprises a body connectable to a leash secured to the pet and a flexible member extending from the body. The flexible member has sufficient length to be passed around an object and a free distal end. The body has a receiver operable to selectably and lockably receive the free distal end of the flexible member therein. The method comprises providing a body connectable to a leash secured to the pet, extending a flexible member from the body around an object and selectably and lockably securing a distal end of the flexible member into a receiver of the body. The body may comprise a handle body of a leash.

Abstract: A method for producing steam generator tubes is provided. The method is intended to allow a technically particularly simple production process and at the same time allow particularly high flexibility with regards to the materials that may be used to achieve a particularly high efficiency of a steam generator. For this purpose, an insert is fixed in slots of a former shaft, the former shaft with the insert is introduced into a steam generator tube, the fixing of the insert on the former shaft is released and the former shaft is removed again from the steam generator tube.

Abstract: A steam generation device includes a water tank, a steam-water separating device including a sealing cover and a base assembly, a guiding valve, at least one heat generating tube, wherein said water tank has a water returning inlet while said base assembly has a water returning tube connected to said water returning inlet, wherein said base assembly has a flat bottom wall and an inclined bottom wall formed at a bottom side of said base assembly at a position near said water returning tube, wherein said steam-water separating device has an air outlet, wherein said water tank further has a water outlet connected to said guiding valve through passage IV, wherein said steam-water separating device and said passage IV are connected with each other. The present invention also provides a household steaming device which is safe, energy efficient and water efficient.

Abstract: A combustion-engined setting tool for driving fastening elements in a workpiece includes a combustion chamber (14) for an oxidant-fuel mixture, a ventilator (16) located in the combustion chamber and driven by an electric motor (18), and an electrical energy source (24) for supplying electrical energy to the electric motor (18) which forms part of a generator unit (30) for generating the electrical energy.

Abstract: An engine without a compressor or a turbine comprises a combustion chamber for burning a fuel-air mixture formed by mixing a fuel with outside air; and an outside air introduction part for introducing outside air into the combustion chamber. The outside air introduction part comprises an intake main port for introducing outside air into the combustion chamber from the direction along the central axis of the combustion chamber and a plurality of intake sub-ports for introducing outside air into the combustion chamber from the direction toward the central axis. The intake sub-ports comprise ejection openings capable of ejecting outside air toward a collision point inside the combustion chamber. Streams of outside air ejected from the ejection openings of the intake sub-ports mutually collide at the collision point and are thereby compressed.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine is selectably operable in one of homogeneous charge compression ignition (HCCI) mode with low lift intake and exhaust valve profiles and spark ignition (SI) mode with high lift intake and exhaust valve profiles. Transition from a current combustion mode to a desired combustion mode includes phase adjusting the one of the intake and exhaust valves exhibiting a greater effect upon an effective cylinder volume for a given phase adjustment in the desired combustion mode based upon a desired phasing for the desired combustion mode prior to lift adjusting the one of the intake and exhaust valves and adjusting the other of the intake and exhaust valves.

Abstract: In one exemplary embodiment of the invention an internal combustion engine includes a piston disposed in a cylinder, a valve configured to control flow of air into the cylinder and an actuator coupled to the valve to control a position of the valve. The internal combustion engine also includes a controller coupled to the actuator, wherein the controller is configured to close the valve when an uncontrolled condition for the internal engine is determined.

Abstract: A device (1) for controlling and/or influencing the valve control times of an internal combustion engine, in particular to a camshaft adjustment device, which includes a drive element (2) which is fastened to an attachment part (3) with a screw connection (4), wherein the drive element (2) and/or the attachment part (3) are/is composed of a fiber-reinforced material. In order to obtain a more lightweight design and to be able to reduce screwing forces, the invention provides that at least one of the contact faces (5, 6) between the drive element (2) and the attachment part (3) is at least partially subjected to material-removing processing.

Abstract: Reciprocating-piston internal combustion engine with intake and exhaust valves actuatable by sliding cams of a camshaft, arranged so that they are rotationally locked but axially moveable on a base shaft, and with an actuator unit for each sliding cam unit with at least one actuator pin for the displacement of the sliding cam units into different axial positions. The actuator pins are spring-loaded in the direction of the sliding cam unit and are fixable in their retracted position away from the sliding cam unit by latches having spring-loaded control needles that correspond to clamping bodies of the latches and are releasable via an electromagnet and permanent magnets that are in active connection with the control needles, and acceleration of the control needles defined by the spring force of each moving mass due to their springs is compensated by the acceleration of the actuator pins due to their allocated compressive springs.

Abstract: A method for reducing the temperature tolerance of sheathed-element glow plugs is described, in which, in a first step, the sheathed-element glow plugs of an auto-ignition internal combustion engine are classified into at least two temperature classes, at least one temperature class including a temperature range above a setpoint temperature range, at least one temperature class including a temperature range below the setpoint temperature range, and/or one temperature class including the setpoint temperature range. In a second step, the control voltage of sheathed-element glow plugs which were assigned to a temperature class which includes a temperature range above the setpoint temperature range is reduced, and the control voltage of sheathed-element glow plugs which were assigned to a temperature class which includes a temperature range below the setpoint temperature range is increased. A device for performing the method is also described.

Abstract: An opposed piston engine has an outer piston and an inner piston, which are disposed in a cylinder and are driven in opposite directions and delimit a common combustion chamber. The inner piston drives a crankshaft via a connecting rod and the outer piston drives the crankshaft via a pair of traction connecting rods. The outer piston is supported by a connecting rod that is guided linearly in a guide block, and the connecting rod protrudes from a bridge that is connected at both end portions to a traction connecting rod. Accordingly, it is provided that each traction connecting rod contains a U-shaped curved piece of tube, preferably with parallel legs, which with its U-shaped curved portion encloses a part of the circumference of the pivot bearing supported by the bridge and is fixed, especially bolted, with its leg ends onto a traction connecting rod bearing mounted on the crankshaft.

Abstract: An oil passage structure for an engine of a vehicle is provided with a connecting rod swingably coupled to a crankshaft rod by a plurality of crankpins, the plurality of crankpins being disposed between a plurality of crank journals, and a plurality of support portions for rotatably supporting the crankshaft by the plurality of crank journals in a cylinder block. The crankshaft has a first oil passage formed therein, the first oil passage supplying oil from an opening formed in one end face thereof to sliding surfaces of the plurality of crankpins, the plurality of support portions have a second oil passage formed therein, the second oil passage supplying the oil to a sliding surface of each of the plurality of crank journals, and the first oil passage and the second oil passage communicate with each other in some of the support portions and in some of the crank journals.

Abstract: A head assembly and valve-less internal combustion engine are disclosed. The head assembly includes a head having a first port extending through the head and a surface defining a portion of a combustion chamber in fluid communication with the first port. The head further includes a first shaft mounted in a first bore of the head between the first port and the combustion chamber. The first shaft includes a first aperture extending therethrough and is rotatable between a first orientation wherein the first shaft blocks fluid communication between the first port and the combustion chamber and a second orientation wherein the first shaft permits fluid communication between the first port and the combustion chamber through the first aperture.

Abstract: A rotary internal combustion engine includes an outer housing and an inner housing and an enclosure defined therebetween. At least one of the outer and inner housings is rotatable relative to the other and at least two barriers are disposed in the enclosure and divide the enclosure into a combustion chamber and an exhaust chamber. At least one barrier is rotatable relative to at least one other barrier and at least one barrier comprises a retractable barrier mounted along a pivot axis and is pivotable between an extended position and a retracted position. An intake port, exhaust port, and ignition source are also provided. A method of combusting a fuel comprises rotating a drive member to expand a combustion chamber and substantially isolate the combustion chamber from an exhaust chamber, and introducing and combusting a combustion fluid and a fuel in the combustion chamber as the combustion chamber is expanding.

Abstract: An engine cylinder has a feed duct and a charge movement duct, which are each led adjacent to one another to an inlet valve in the cylinder head of the engine cylinder. A through flow of the two ducts is regulated by a common throttle valve extending in the or over the two ducts or their inflow openings, with which the end portions of the two ducts remote from the combustion chamber or their inflow openings can be closed.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to reciprocating piston engines having four cylinders with a circular cross section, cylinder axes which are parallel to one another, and an output shaft. The cylinder axes, as viewed in axial section, lie at the corner points of a rectangle that is a square, with the output shaft, which extends parallel to the cylinder axes, in the centre of the square. Each pair of cylinders which lie diagonally opposite one another are arranged in the same direction, as viewed axially, and in opposite directions, as viewed axially, with respect to the other pair of cylinders. The force or moment from each cylinder is transmitted to the output shaft via a dedicated rotating crank and a toothing system.

Abstract: An accelerator device capable of achieving miniaturization and easily varying torque characteristics with a simple structure. The accelerator device includes a housing, a grip-side rotary body which is rotated with accelerator operation, a friction member including a contact portion to apply resistance due to friction as being contacted to the grip-side rotary body, an urging member which is connected to the housing via the friction member and connected to the grip-side rotary body and which urges the grip-side rotary body to rotate to an initial position side, and a restriction portion which is arranged at the housing and which restricts rotation of the friction member with the urging force of the urging member as being contacted to the friction member. Here, the friction member is urged by the urging member in a direction that the contact portion is pressed to an outer circumferential face of the rotary body having the restriction portion as a fulcrum.