A designer-adaptive visual code (32, 32', 32″) includes a user-selected set glyphs (36, 36', 36″, 36'−), a user-selected set of allowable glyph orientations relative to a user-selected reference angle, and a user-selected spatial arrangement of the glyphs (36, 36', 36″, 36'″). The user-selected set of glyphs (36, 36', 36″, 36'″) has a size sufficient to recover geometric characteristics of at least one repeating code portion so as to generate an analyzable image when captured via a camera-equipped mobile device (26). The user-selected spatial arrangement of the glyphs (36, 36', 36″, 36'″) includes the at least one repeating code portion (34) to be visible on a surface from at least two different areas of the surface.

A banking system operates responsive to data read from data bearing records. The system includes an automated banking machine comprising a card reader. The card reader includes a movable read head that can read card data along a magnetic stripe of a card that was inserted long-edge first. The card reader includes a card entry gate. The gate is opened for a card that is determined to be properly oriented for data reading. The card reader can encrypt card data, including account data. The card data is usable by the machine to authorize a user to carry out a financial transfer involving the account.

A card reader may include a card conveying mechanism structured to convey the card; a magnetic head which is structured to abut with the card and performs at least one of reading of magnetic data recorded on the card and recording of magnetic data on the card; a head moving mechanism structured to move the magnetic head in a longitudinal direction of the card; and an abutting part structured to abut with one end of the card in the short-side direction of the card. The head moving mechanism may be configured such that, while the card conveying mechanism holds the card in a state that the one end of the card in the short-side direction of the card is pressed against the abutting part, the magnetic head is moved in the longitudinal direction of the card to perform at least one of reading and recording of magnetic data.

A reader for a card having an information strip, the reader comprising a first movable member, a read head capable of reading the information strip, the read head disposed on the first movable member and a second movable member which upon translation causes the first movable member to translate in a direction opposite to the second movable member. The reader includes a guide slot disposed in line with the direction of translation of the second movable element such that when a card is placed in the guide slot and subsequently moved transversely along the guide slot, the card urges the first movable member in the opposite direction and moving the head across the information strip as the information strip is moved in the opposite direction as the read head movement.

A laser scanning symbol reading system includes an analog scan data signal processor for producing digital data signals, wherein during each scanning cycle, a light collection and photo-detection module generates an analog scan data signal corresponding to a laser scanned symbol, a multi-channel parallel scan data signal processor/digitizer processes the analog scan data signal along multiple cascaded multi-stage signal processing channels, to generate digital data signals corresponding thereto, while a synchronized digital gain control module automatically processes the digital data signals in response to start of scan (SOS) signals generated by a SOS detector. Each signal processing channel supports different stages of amplification and filtering using a different set of band-pass filtering and gain parameters in each channel, to produce multiple digital first derivative data signals, and/or multiple digital scan data intensity data signals, having different signal amplitudes and dynamic range characteristics for use in decode processing.

The claimed subject matter provides a system and/or a method that facilitates servicing a portion of a trade card via a web service. A web service can provide a portion of data to enhance a trade card, wherein the portion of data is at least one of a portion of trade card document-specific data, an intelligent gadget, or a feed driven component. A build component can leverage the web service to utilize the portion of data with the trade card.

A fleet management system for managing a fleet of encoded information reading (EIR) terminals can comprise one or more computers, a fleet management software module, and a payment processing software module in communication with the fleet management software module. The fleet management software module can be configured, responsive to receiving a customer initiated request, to generate an unlocking message upon processing a payment by the payment processing software module. The unlocking message can be provided by a bar code to be read by an EIR terminal, or by a bit stream to be transferred to an EIR terminal via network. Each EIR terminal can be configured to perform not more than a pre-defined number of EIR operations responsive to receiving the unlocking message.

A portable radio-frequency identifier (RFID) reading terminal can comprise a microprocessor, a memory, an RFID reading device, and a display. The portable RFID reading terminal can be configured to display a scan trace provided by a line comprising a plurality of time varying points. Each point can be defined by a projection of a radio frequency (RF) signal coverage shape of the RFID reading device onto a chosen plane at a given moment in time.

An imaging reader reads targets by image capture in both handheld and hands-free modes of operation. Upon detection of the mode of operation, a controller sets the resolution and frame rate of a solid-state imaging sensor to different values in each mode to optimize target reading performance in each mode.

An illuminating, indicia-reading device includes a hand-held indicia reader and a charging-and-communication base. The charging-and-communication base's communication button places the hand-held indicia reader in presentation mode when the hand-held indicia reader is seated in the charging-and-communication base, thereby facilitating hands-free scanning and providing work lamp functionality via activation of the hand-held indicia reader's light source. When the hand-held indicia reader is not seated, the communication button pages the hand-held-indicia reader.

Operation of a charge pump is controlled to optimize power conversion efficiency by using an adiabatic mode with some operating characteristics and a non-adiabatic mode with other characteristics. The control is implemented by controlling a configurable circuit at the output of the charge pump.

Methods, systems, and computer readable media for wideband frequency and bandwidth tunable filtering are disclosed. According to one aspect, the subject matter described herein includes a wideband frequency and bandwidth tunable filter that splits a filter input signal into first and second input signals, modifies the first input signal to produce a first output signal, modifies the second input signal to produce a second output signal having an intermediate frequency response, and combines the first and second output signals while adjusting their relative phases and/or amplitudes to produce a filter output signal with the target frequency response. Adjustment includes splitting the second input signal into third and fourth input signals, which are modified and then combined to produce the second output signal having the intermediate frequency response.

This invention concerns a creepage control system for locomotives that optimizes adhesion while minimizing wasted energy, rail/wheel wear and shock loading on the drive train. The basis of the invention is to always maintain a small but positive value of the slope of the wheel-rail adhesion creep curve (or differential of adhesion versus creep) for all traction axles of the locomotive through microprocessor control. The value of the differential of adhesion versus creep is used to define an operating window for control and operation of motors continually in the optimum domain when high adhesion is demanded. When, due to a sudden increase in rail contamination, the value of the control function becomes negative, the microprocessor control reduces the generator excitation in stages until the function becomes positive and inside the operating window again. The microprocessor controls a rail cleaning system which is turned on or off depending on the cleanliness of the rail. It also controls a rail sanding system which is turned on or off depending on the magnitude of wheel creep.

A standby sanding unit for emergency sanding of icy roadways has a plurality of sand hoppers that are connected to a tank holding air under pressure. The hoppers have hopper type bottoms that have nozzles attached to the bottoms so that when air under pressure is provided to the upper portions of the tank, sand will be discharged out through the nozzles. The air pressure tank has valves that control the flow of air under pressure to the hoppers, when needed.

A sand delivery system for use in automobiles, or other vehicles. The device uses the hollow front bumpers found on most modern vehicles today to store bags of sand, which is delivered through a number of nozzles located in the front of the vehicle. A blower system forces the sand through the nozzles and projects the sand in a wide pattern out in front of the vehicle. The system is designed to operate when the vehicle is braking. Because the sand is disbursed out in front of the vehicle, the tires can better utilize the sand for braking. Because the sand is projected out in front of the vehicle only a moderate amount of sand is needed to improve traction, thereby reducing the need for large quantities of sand. The sand delivery system can be tied to a manual switch, the vehicle's brake pedal, or to a computer that is tied into the anti-lock brake systems of a car. In the latter case, sand is only be applied when the anti-lock brake system is activated.

The adhesion between a locomotive drive wheel and supporting rail can be substantially increased by application of a powder mixture that contains a hard particle constituent preferably including alumina, a soft particle constituent preferably including titania, and an iron oxide constituent. The mixture may be in the form of a dry powder, a paste with water or alcohol vehicle, or a metal composite that includes the powder.

If the wheel/rail adhesion for a railway vehicle is insufficient then the wheels may slip when braking. If slipping is detected, a control system may reduce the brake pressure to permit a controlled level of slip and so to optimize the braking force for the available adhesion. By determining the pressure supplied to the brake cylinder, a signal may be obtained which indicates the value of the adhesion. Alternatively the adhesion may be monitored by detecting any discrepancy between the braking deceleration demanded by the driver and the observed deceleration. The adhesion signal may activate a warning. It may also be used to adjust the rate at which sand is supplied by a sander to the wheel/rail interface. The rate at which sand is supplied may also be adjusted in accordance with other parameters such as the train speed.

A spreading device for confined application of grain type materials along a well-defined path on a road from a conveyor of a storing tank mounted on a moving vehicle includes a chute member mounted thereon that receives the materials from the conveyor and substantially drops them generally vertically under gravity on the road along the path in proximity and in front of a roller. The latter stops the materials relative to the road and confines, or packs, them on the road. The spreading device is adapted to be mounted on either side of the vehicle, in line with its wheels.

Metering or dosing device for sand spreading apparatuses with a metering piston for sealing off and releasing the throughflow opening for the material to be spread, in which the metering piston and the opposite housing wall of the passage hole have profiles overlapping each other so that a labyrinth-like outflow of the spread material results.

A method of dynamically controlling traction of a locomotive (V) having a plurality of axles (A1–A6) on each of which are mounted wheels (W) for moving the locomotive over a set of rails (R). A creep control signal (creep_n) is provided to a controller (TMTC) for each axle to move the locomotive over the rails, the creep control signal being a function of adhesion operation characteristics (tractive effort, torque, creep) for that axle. An advisory signal (ccc_n) combining values representative of the adhesion quality of the two axles is provided to the controller to maximize the tractive effort of the axle if the adhesion quality of the other axle is a maximum for the current rail conditions. This reduces the amount of time for the axle to attain its maximum tractive effort when rail conditions change.

A method and computer program product of limiting sand use in a railroad locomotive sanding system applying sand to railroad rails to enhance adhesion of wheels of a railroad locomotive on a track having a pair of railroad rails, the sanding system including a plurality of sand applicators for each rail for directing sand flow toward the rail and with the locomotive having two trucks carrying the wheels for supporting and propelling the locomotive along the track. The method and computer program product may include steps of automatically controlling a flow of sand applied to the rail by the locomotive sanding system to limit the application of sand to situations in which applying sand to the rail would be effective to increase the adhesion of at least one of the railroad locomotive wheels on the rail by a predetermined incremental amount. The operation of each of the plurality of sand applicators may be independently controlled for selectively operating those sand applicators whose operation will result in at least the predetermined incremental increase in adhesion of the locomotive wheels on the rail, while not operating the other sand applicators so as to limit the amount of sand applied to the track.

Metering or dosing device for sand spreading apparatuses with a metering piston for sealing off and releasing the throughflow opening for the material to be spread, in which the metering piston and the opposite housing wall of the passage hole have profiles overlapping each other so that a labyrinth-like outflow of the spread material results.

A system for increasing the efficiency of the movement of a railroad car over a length of rail, including a fluid reservoir for containing a quantity of efficiency enhancing fluid, a fluid dispensing member, a fluid pump connected in fluidic communication between the reservoir and the fluid dispensing member for dispensing a predetermined quantity of fluid through the fluid dispensing member, a microprocessor operationally connected to the fluid pump, and a first sensor for generating a first sensor signal in response to a railroad car crossing a predetermined section of track and operationally connected to the microprocessor. The fluid dispensing member is positioned along a railroad portion substantially equal in length to the circumference of a railroad car wheel to provide a substantially continuous flow of efficiency enhancing fluid substantially equal in length to the circumference of a railroad car wheel onto the rail portion when the predetermined quantity of fluid is dispensed.

The Revolution Daddy Rock Super Track is a salt sifting tank that dispenses rock salt directly to the front of the vehicle wheels followed by the rear wheels which would prevent the automobile from sliding side to side and also aiding the vehicle to go up and down hills in the winter time with super traction.

A system for spreading spreadings in front of the wheels of vehicles, in particular, rail vehicles, including at least one container for the spreadings, at least one device arranged below each spreadings container for metering the spreadings with an outlet opening for dispensing the metered spreadings and at least two devices for conveying the metered spreadings over at least two conveyor lines. The conveyor devices provided for the metering device are made up of a pneumatically operated multiple injector arranged beneath the outlet opening, with at least two separate cavities for the dispensing of the metered spreadings, with one compressed air connector per cavity, and a connector for the conveyor line in each cavity opposite the compressed air connection.

The present invention provides an ultra violet irradiating device for aligning liquid crystal and also an water-cooling coaxial tube. The ultraviolet irradiating device includes a water-cooling coaxial tube configured with an inter tube and an external pipe enveloping the internal pipe. A light tube is disposed within the internal pipe, and an infrared filter layer is disposed between the internal and external pipes; and an ultra violet filter layer is coated over an external surface of the external pipe so as to filter out an ultra violet light beam having wavelength lower than 320 nm. The breakage of the unit filters resulted from inter pushing with each other or leakage resulted from overlapping of the unit filters can be readily resolved.

An appliance is provided having one or more racks or shelves, the position of which may be adjusted vertically. Multiple different positions along the vertical direction can be made available for selection by a user of the appliance. One or more mechanisms allow for the selective adjustment and securing of the vertical position at which a shelf may be located.

The invention relates to a drawer frame including an adjusting device for raising and lowering the drawer frame relative to a drawer pull-out guide. The adjusting device, which is arranged substantially inside the drawer frame, has an actuating element accessible from the drawer interior, in the region of a lateral inner surface of the drawer frame facing the drawer interior.

An assembly comprising a storage receptacle includes a front panel, a rear panel, a first side panel joining the front panel to the rear panel and a second side panel joining the front panel to the rear panel. The front panel, the rear panel and the first and second side panels define a storage space within the confines of the front panel, the rear panel and the first and second side panels. A divider is located within the storage space and extends between the front panel and the rear panel and divides the storage space into storage space sections. A spring operated mechanism engages the divider to selectively maintain the divider in place in the storage space and allows for the position of the divider to be adjusted between the first side panel and the second side panel, whereby the dimensions of the storage space sections can be adjusted.

A rail seat includes a concrete rail tie; a pair of rail clip support shoulders cast in place in said rail tie each said shoulder having a rail face between its external sides; a pair of shoulder insulators each shaped to lie against the rail face of the rail shoulder; a pair of rail clips each having a base section adapted to seat within the rail clip support shoulder and a toe section adapted to seat on the rail base. The clip and toe insulator assembly is loaded on the shoulder in a vertical direction so that parts of the toe insulator seat within pockets in the shoulder that enable the clip and insulator assembly to move laterally towards the rail but not away from it and the clip base is aligned with the shoulder slot ready to enter it when the clip is moved laterally to the parked position which applies a small downward force to the clip toes and at this stage lie outside the limits of the rail base and finally the clip can be moved laterally into the installed position where the toe insulators sit on top of the rail base and securely hold it down.

The invention relates to a plastic screw plug (6) for attaching a rail to a sleeper, in particular concrete sleeper, having an essentially cylindrical plug body which has at the head end a stem region (7) which preferably adjoins a plug crown (8) toward the bottom, and in the continuation of which stem region (7) has an outer thread (9) with which it can be turned out of or into the sleeper, and is provided with an inner thread (10) underneath the stem region (7) in order to receive a sleeper screw. The intention is to improve such a plastic screw plug, in particular, with regard to its operating properties such as uniform application of force into the sleeper, simpler mounting and replaceability, reduction of the risk of fracturing, and additionally to permit it to be used in a variable way. For this purpose, the stem region (7) has on the inside, in the junction with the inner thread (10), a shoulder (13) which reduces the internal diameter over part of the length of the stem region (7) and extends in a spiral shape over at least part of the circumference.

The invention relates to a rail clamp for fastening rail equipment, said rail clamp being integrally composed of a polymeric composition produced by pultrusion or molding, vacuum molding or compression molding. It has high mechanical strength. It is anticorrosive and insulating and is preferably composed of a resin and reinforcing fibers and/or a thermoplastic. It is advantageously formed as a one piece structure. The rail clamp is especially used to fasten rails to base slabs and has economic advantages compared to the rail clamps known in the art, which are made of steel coated with rubber.

Embodiments of the present invention are directed to improved designs of railroad spikes and improved methods of manufacturing the same. According to one exemplary embodiment, a method for manufacturing a railroad spike may have the steps of: preparing a metal blank having a substantially circular cross-section; subjecting the metal blank to at least one cold heading process and at least one cold extrusion process to form a railroad spike having (a) a circular head with a fillet at its bottom side that is angled to engage a railroad tie plate or rail base and (b) a non-threaded shank with a substantially square cross-section and a chiseled tip; and coating the railroad spike with an anti-corrosion material.

A rosin composition includes a gum rosin, an emulsifier, a randomizing additive and a bonding agent. This rosin composition may be used as a temporary or permanent adhesive for the soldering of components. The rosin composition may be temporary as it is easily removed from a surface without damaging the surface.

A railway rail pad (1), for use beneath a railway rail in a rail fastening assembly as cushioning and/or electrical insulation, has first and second major faces (2, 3), the first face (2) having a rail seat portion (20) on which a foot of a railway rail sits when the pad (1) is in use, and side members (4A, 4B) attached to and extending from two opposite edges of the first face (2) of the pad (1). The side members (4A, 4B) are arranged so as to be located on respective opposite sides of the railway rail when the pad (1) is in use such that the rail seat portion (20) of the pad (1) lies between respective inwardly-facing wall faces (41A, 41B) of the said side members (4A, 4B). When the pad (1) is not under load and is placed so as to rest on a surface with the first face (2) of the pad (1) uppermost and part of the surface lying beneath the rail seat portion of the pad, an inclination angle (α1, α2) between the wall face (41A, 41B) of each side member (4A, 4B) and that part of the surface beneath the rail seat portion on which the pad (1) is resting is greater than 90°. When the pad is not under load, the first face is substantially convex in a vertical plane that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the rail when the pad is in use.

A method of making an electrical connection to a railroad rail includes fastening a wire bonding assembly to a railroad rail, the wire bonding assembly including first and second spaced apart washer plates contacting the rail and a metal bar supported by the washer plates. The metal bar is electrically connected with the rail with a first conductive lead contacting a selected point on the rail and a selected point on the metal bar. A second conductive lead is connected to another selected point on the metal bar for establishing an electrical connection to the rail from an electrical device.

A mounting plate fixed to a longitudinally extending rail is secured by a plurality of bolts in a substrate. The mounting plate is formed at each bolt with an array of ridges. An adjuster plate formed with a vertically throughgoing transversely elongated slot through which the respective bolt extends has a lower face formed with an array of downwardly projecting generally complementary to the ridges of the mounting plate and an upper face formed with a central recessed seat defined between two longitudinally extending and parallel edges at a predetermined transverse spacing. A gauge plate formed with two parallel outer edges spaced apart by a distance substantially equal to the transverse spacing of the seat edges and with an eccentric circular hole of a diameter substantially equal to an outer diameter of the shank of the respective bolt that extends vertically through the circular hole fits in the seat.

A ballast anti-flight sleeper characterized by having on the upper face two surfaces endowed with sufficient inclination as to prevent the accumulation of ballast over this side of the sleeper, with this geometric topology being the main claim; the fundamental elements in the same figure: track (1), ballast anti-flight sleeper (2), ballast (3) and the elements to anchor and secure the track (4).

Automated banking machines operate to cause financial transfers responsive to data read from data bearing records. Each of the automated banking machines includes a card reader that is operative to read data from user cards corresponding to financial accounts. Transactions are authorized responsive at least in part to correspondence between card data and stored data corresponding to authorized users. Entities responsible for operating the automated banking machines may receive messages that include information or update code items for software or firmware usable in the banking machines for which they have operational responsibility.

A polymeric woven bag has a first panel and a second panel and an open end of the bag to be pinched closed. A first layer of heat activated adhesive material is on a portion of the bag to form an adhesive-to-adhesive seal by contact with a second layer of heat activated adhesive material on a portion of the bag, wherein a chemical family of the adhesive layers comprises polyolefin thermoplastic components, and wherein the first adhesive layer and the second adhesive layer have respective heat activation temperatures below the softening point temperature of the polymeric bag material.

A bulk material product bag has an adhesive closure strip fixedly secured thereon. As a result of the adhesive closure strip being oriented transversely across the normally open end region of the bulk material product bag so as to be adhesively bonded to both the back and front sides of the bulk material product bag, the adhesive closure strip effectively closes and seals the open end region of the bulk material product bag. Handle structure can also be integrally incorporated within the adhesive closure strip.

Disclosed herein is an adapter for use with ordinary lawn and leaf bags and a method for manufacture of such adapter. The adapter has a cavity that has four sides and four corners, and a lower portion consisting of four flaps. The use of a frame, side and/or corner fasteners create an adapter where the flaps lie inside the bag and the cavity remains outside the bag to create a large surface area for filling the bag and also prevents the mouth of the bag from closing due to wind or other forces.

In the case of a package (1) for single-dose films (2) containing active substances, comprising an upper packaging material element (3) and a lower packaging material element (4) which are connected together by a peripheral seal area or respectively sealing seam (5) such that a cavity (6) for holding the film (2) is formed, said cavity being enclosed on all sides, wherein the upper packaging material element (3) and the lower packaging material element (4) each have at least one cut (7, 8) in the region of the seal area or respectively, the sealing seam (5), said cuts being congruent, andat least one cut (7, 8) is crossed by a folding or bending line (10), the folding or bending line (10) is formed in a weakened manner.

The present disclosure provides a multiple chamber container that includes a container body sealed around a peripheral edge and having an outlet. The container also includes a first peel seal having a projecting portion and a second peel seal that isolates the outlet. The second peel seal may also include a projecting portion. The first and second peel seals may be configured to define a symmetrical chamber. The chamber may include an axis of symmetry extending between the first and second projecting portions. The chamber geometry of the container ensures a correct sequential opening of the first and second peel seals.

The invention relates to a drive arrangement for the motorized adjustment of a flap arrangement for a motor vehicle, with a drive controller for producing a desired flap adjustment by means of at least one drive, wherein the flap arrangement is configured with two flap wings, wherein the two flap wings are each substantially pivotable about a respective spaced-apart, parallel pivot axis and, in the closed state, are in engagement with each other via a respective free wing end opposite the respective pivot axis. The two flap wings are assigned collision pivoting regions which are mounted upstream of the respective closed position and in which the movement regions of the flap wings overlap in such a manner that a predetermined opening and closing sequence has to be observed there in order to avoid collisions between the free wing ends.

A magnetic latch for industrial environments includes fixed magnetic pole pieces that may be sealed within a housing to resist environmental contamination and which provide for perpendicular engagement faces for use with gates having a rolling or swinging configuration. An RFID tag reader may be incorporated into the magnet assembly of the latch for reading a specially encoded RFID tag in a keeper portion of the magnetic latch.

According to one embodiment, an apparatus comprises an interface and one or more processors. The interface receives a request for a web page from a web browser. The one or more processors select a subset of web servers from a resource pool according to a load balancing determination. The one or more processors send the request to at least two of the web servers of the subset before receiving any response from the other web servers. Upon receiving one or more responses from distinct web servers, the one or more processors selects a response to communicate to the web browser.

A machine permits an end of a thick-walled, high-pressure tubing to be chucked in a collet one time, coned, faced and threaded, using a coning head and threading head which are mounted on a carriage which can be translated laterally between three positions and the coning and threading heads parallel to the longitudinal axis of the workpiece to complete the coning and threading operations.

A translocation-simulating loading apparatus for the gear grinding machine with the shaped grinding wheel is provided. The apparatus includes a load-receiving test piece disposed on the gear grinding machine with the shaped grinding wheel and a load-exerting component for use in loading simulation. The gear grinding machine enables linear movements along the X, Y, and Z axes, a rotary movement around the Y axis, a rotary movement C around the Z axis, and a rotary movement A around the X axis. An angle α is formed between the axis L of a ball seat of the load-exerting component and the X axis direction of a Y axis component and an angle formed between the normal line of a load receiving face a and the X direction of the coordinate system of the machine tool is α. A detection method for static stiffness distribution is provided.

A tool adapter includes an adaptor body having a connection portion structured to be attached to a machine tool and a holder portion disposed opposite the connection portion and a tool receiver structured to receive and couple a portion of a rotary cutting tool therein. The tool receiver is mounted in the holder portion so as to be rotatable to a limited extent. The tool receiver is mounted in the holder so as to be elastically resilient in both the axial and circumferential directions.