Conditioning device (24) and method for drying and/or controlling the temperature of a ballast bed (12) of a railway track system (10), wherein the railway track system (10) has sleepers (14) resting on the ballast bed (12) and rails (16) resting on the sleepers, wherein the conditioning device has a bogie (30) for moving the conditioning device (24). An outlet nozzle (36) for blowing temperature-controlled air into the ballast bed (12) via at least one blowing-in region (26) positioned between two adjacent sleepers (14) is connected to the bogie (30), as is at least one cover plate (42) for essentially air-tight coverage of an upper side, pointing essentially in the direction counter to the direction of gravity, of a side strip (20), provided next to the sleepers (14) in the direction of travel, of the ballast bed (12). In a method for drying and controlling the temperature of a ballast bed (12) of a railway track system (10), an upper side of the ballast bed (12) and/or at least one sleeper (14) and at least one rail (16) are sealed in an essentially air-tight fashion outside a blowing-in region (26) before temperature-controlled air is blown into the ballast bed (12) via the blowing-in region (26).

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 X-ray tube with a rotatable anode for generating X-rays and an X-ray apparatus and a method for balancing the rotary anode of an X-ray tube include balancing of the rotary anode applicable to an anode mounted inside an X-ray tube. The rotatable anode includes an anode disc fixedly mounted to a rotatably driven support body, which is rotatably supported by a bearing arrangement. The anode includes at least one balancing cavity to adjust the center of gravity of the anode. The balancing cavity is partly filled with a balancing material being solid at operating temperature of the X-ray tube and liquid at a higher temperature. The balancing method includes determining an imbalance of the anode; heating liquefy balancing material; dislocating the balancing material inside the balancing cavity to compensate the imbalance; and cooling to solidify the balancing material.

An industrial spark plug (20) includes a central electrode (24) with a central base (30) formed of a nickel-based material and a central firing tip (32) formed of an iridium-based material. The central firing tip (32) has a tip thickness (tct) of 0.02 to 0.03 inches, a tip diameter (dct) of 0.1184 to 0.1776 inches, and an aspect ratio of 4.736 to 7.104. The central firing tip (32) is electron beam welded to the central base (30) to provide a robust joint therebetween. The central electron beam weld (36) includes a mixture of re-crystallized iridium-based material and re-crystallized nickel-based material extending continuously along and over the entire welding interface. The spark plug (20) also includes a ground electrode (26) with a ground firing tip (38) electron beam welded to a ground base (42).

Provided is an aggregate of carbon nanotubes wherein a mixture of 10 mg of aggregate of carbon nanotubes, 30 mg of sodium polystyrene sulfonate and 10 mL of water is subjected to ultrasonic homogenizer treatment, subsequently subjected to centrifugal treatment at 20000 G, then 9 mL of supernatant is sampled, and the content of aggregate of carbon nanotubes in the supernatant is 0.6 mg/mL or more. The aggregate of carbon nanotubes of the present invention can provide a dispersion of an aggregate of carbon nanotubes having a high concentration through very good dispersibility.

A system and method for manufacturing carbon nanotubes using chemical vapor deposition. The system has a first chamber comprising at least one cathode and at least one anode, a gas supply source, at least one activation energy source, at least one alignment energy source, a second chamber situated within said first chamber, said second chamber comprising: a target growth plate, comprising a catalyst and a substrate, a second cathode configured to support said target growth plate, a movable platform configured to support said second cathode, and a gas permeable barrier vertically opposed from said second cathode.

A system and method scrub a vapor. In embodiments, a vacuum truck scrubber system includes a liquid vat, a first carbon canister, a second carbon canister, and a third carbon canister. The first carbon canister and the second carbon canister each contain carbon. The liquid vat is connected to the first carbon canister. The first carbon canister is connected to the second carbon canister. A vapor having contaminants is fed to the liquid vat and is introduced from the liquid vat to the first carbon canister wherein a portion of the contaminants is removed from the vapor. The vapor is introduced from the first carbon canister to the second carbon canister wherein another portion of the contaminants is removed. The vacuum truck scrubber system also includes a monitoring system for reading and recording of sample measurements in the first carbon canister, the second carbon canister and the third carbon canister.

A method for extending the service life of a Collective Protection (CP) filter includes: providing at least one CP filter comprising a filter bed; and passing an airstream through a guard bed configured to protect the filter bed by removing one or more of airborne contaminants and battlefield contaminants. An apparatus for extending the service life of a CP filter includes: a CP filter comprising a filter bed; and a guard bed configured to protect the filter bed by removing one or more of airborne contaminants and battlefield contaminants.

The invention relates to a method for cleaning exhaust gases, in which an exhaust gas and a sorbent are combined in a fluidized bed reactor. In a subsequent filter system, solid matter is segregated, and thereafter, up to 99 per cent of the sorbent is re-channeled into the fluidized bed reactor, wherein the gas is subjected to a rotation around the flow axis in the fluidized bed reactor.

The present invention relates to a method for removal of SO2 from exhaust gas from a marine engine or a marine boiler of a ship. The exhaust gas from said marine engine or marine boiler is cooled and washed with seawater in a first scrubber section, and subsequently, in a second scrubber section, washed with circulating freshwater with an addition of an alkaline chemical. The circulating freshwater used for washing is warmer than the seawater used for cooling in the first scrubber section. The warmer freshwater is indirectly heat exchanged with cold seawater. The exhaust gas washed in the first scrubber section is passed via a demister unit before it is washed with circulating freshwater in the second scrubber section. The invention further relates to a corresponding scrubber system.

Described is a process for preparing platinum-carbene complexes.

A bottom mount refrigerator is provided with refrigerator components housed in a space adjacent the top of the fresh food compartment between a false ceiling and the top wall of the compartment. The top wall includes a stepped portion formed in the liner forming the compartment. The stepped portion is positioned near the top and front of the compartment, and it includes a section that is lower than the remainder of the top wall. The stepped portion includes a rear facing face in the interior of the compartment, and the false ceiling is positioned between the rear facing face and the back wall. The ceiling extends horizontal from the rear wall before angling upward to abut the face of the stepped portion. The false ceiling may also contain apertures to provide access to the components housed between the ceiling and the top wall.

A connecting apparatus for connecting two drawer wall parts which are intended to be arranged at a right angle includes at least one receiving part which has a receiving opening for receiving an end section of a first drawer wall part and has at least one insertion opening, a bracket which has at least two limbs which run substantially parallel, wherein the bracket can be pushed onto a web, which is arranged or formed on a second drawer wall part, in order to connect the first drawer wall part and the second drawer wall part, and wherein the at least two limbs of the bracket surround the web of the second drawer wall part, wherein a first limb of the bracket can be inserted into the insertion opening in the receiving part and connects the receiving part to the second drawer wall part in a positionally secure manner.

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 trackbed liner which has a particular utility in a railway trackbed, as well as in other trackbeds such as tram trackbeds. The trackbed liner may include an upper support layer; a lower support layer; and at least one middle filtration layer of a material having a plurality of pores and which is normally impermeable to liquid water. In use and under the load of a vehicle acting on the trackbed, the filtration layer permits passage of liquid water upwardly therethrough but restricts the passage of solids materials, so as to restrict pumping erosion of material located beneath the liner. The trackbed liner may be used to renovate a trackbed comprising ballast contaminated with clay particles. The method includes removing contaminated ballast; laying the trackbed liner; and locating fresh ballast on an upper surface of the liner to provide a renovated trackbed.

An assembly to hold a rail boot to a rail during embedded track construction comprising: a cover having a bottom surface, a first portion of the bottom surface generally conforming to a length of a top surface of a rail head; the bottom surface having a second portion defining a convex shape adjacent to and generally parallel to the length of the top surface of the rail head; the bottom surface further defining a hook to engage a gauge side of the rail boot; and a clip having first and second ends, wherein the first end engages a gauge side of the cover; and the second end engages a field side of the cover and/or the rail boot.

The present invention provides a surface covering for enabling a surface, e.g. of the uneven, muddy, marshy, or sandy ground type, to be crossed by a vehicle, said surface covering including a double-ply textile core having two covered faces, each covered with at least one polymer layer, and a plurality of through tubular pockets extending substantially transversely through the thickness of the core between the two layers, and enabling respective stiffener bars to be inserted into each tubular pocket so as to make it possible, in particular, to increase the drivability and the load-bearing capacity of the surface when the surface covering is positioned on said surface.

A sorbent container includes a plurality of sealed pockets connected in a strip. At least one of the pockets is a filled pocket containing a quantity of sorbent material. A pocket adjacent to the filled pocket is empty.

A stopper for being sealed between two sheets of a reservoir, including a body defining a front face, rear face, internal edge, and external edge. The body forms a dispenser orifice that passes through from the rear face to the front face, the front and rear faces defining front and rear heat-sealing zones for the sheets. The front face defines a fluid collection zone at the orifice and the rear face defines a fluid delivery channel that extends from the dispenser orifice to the internal edge of the body. A closure lid is provided, the lid connected to the base body via a hinge. The body defines tapering side edges where the front and rear heat-sealing zones are contiguous, and the front and rear faces are convex, to define a maximum thickness where the dispenser orifice, the delivery channel, and a fraction of the collection zone are formed.

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 present invention refers to a flexible multiple chamber bag comprising: a) three adjacent chambers, a first chamber partially separating a second upper chamber from a third lower chamber by first and second welded seams,b) said second chamber and said third chamber being partially connected by a third welded seam,c) said first welded seam being non-peelable and said second and third welded seams being peelable said second and third welded seams having the shape of an inverse letter “V” each second and third welded seam starting at the basic point of said “V” and terminating essentially in a right angle at the circumference weld of said bag, said bag comprising a hanger flap extending from the top end of said bag and a medical port welded to the lower end of said circumferential weld.

The method and apparatus relates to providing a slit, perforation, line of weakness or similar structure in a flange of a zipper for a reclosable package or bag, including a high-capacity zipper. The slit, perforation, line of weakness or similar structure provides an opening for filling the reclosable package or bag without the need to separate the zipper profiles from each other. After filling, the opening is sealed and the cosmetic appearance of the reclosable package or bag is maintained.

A method of determining an optimized face cone element for spiral bevel and hypoid gears. The form of the root fillet of one member of a gear pair is determined and that from is transferred to the tip of the other member of the gear pair. With the inventive method, tooth root-tip clearance is optimized and the contact ratio is maximized while avoiding root-tip interference between mating gear members.

A method of manufacturing bevel gears with a tool, such as a tapered milling tool (16), wherein the tool is located at a position offset (Rw) from the center position of a conventional face milling cutter and the tool follows a path, such as a circular arc path, during machining.

The invention relates to a method for producing a bevel gear wheel, in particular for rudder propellers, the teeth of which have a macro geometry specific to the gear wheels, the teeth of which can be described by flank and profile lines, the flanks of which have a tooth flank micro topography and the bearing surface of which represents the contact region of the inter-meshing teeth. The crown of a tooth flank corresponds to the elevation of the tooth flank center with respect to the tooth flank edge, wherein the course of the height and width crowns of the flank surface is substantially shaped like a circular arc. By means of precise material removal, the micro topography of the tooth flank and thus the bearing surface is optimized firstly in that the material removal is carried out such that the end relief on the tooth flank surface is reduced toward the tooth heel side and the tooth toe side, an area having a greater length and width comes into engagement on the flank and thus an enlarged bearing surface is present, and secondly in that the course of the crown the crown of a tooth flank follows an approximately logarithmic, elliptical and/or an exponential curve shape, which runs through the point of contact, when the ease-off is viewed with no load, in a longitudinal section in the flank sectional surface and/or in a profile section in the profile sectional surface.

An apparatus for forming a bend in a composite panel is provided. An angle and a radius bend are identified for a bend. A location of the bend in the composite panel is identified. A slot is cut having a curved flange in the composite panel at the identified location in a single pass through the composite panel with a tool, wherein the curved flange has a shape with a bend allowance width and a bend slot width. The bend allowance width is BA=2π*A/360, wherein BA is the bend allowance width, R is a corner radius, and A is a bend angle. The bend slot width is BS=BA−2K(R−T), wherein K is Tan(A/2) and T is a thickness of the composite panel.

A method of machining bevel gears whereby machining of both flanks of a tooth slot and crowning of the tooth surfaces in the lengthwise direction are realized without an active pivot axis and by a modification of the conventional relationship between the radial and swivel basic settings during gear generating.

Apparatus, systems and methods of 50 CFM exhaust and ventilation fans for bathrooms with grill covers having removable light lens covers, and flaps/ears that allow the housings to mount directly to joists and/or other structural members inside of a ceiling or inside of a wall. The housing can include a mounting plate having a motor with attached impeller thereon, wherein the mounting plate with motor and attached impeller and electrical connectors can be removed as a single unit from the housing for accessing and inspecting interior wire connections during inspection and for ease in replacing parts such as burned out motors overtime.

The invention provides a method and system of monitoring bending strain on a wind turbine blade. The method in one aspect comprises: locating at least three strain sensors on the turbine blade, in use each strain sensor providing a strain measurement, the strain sensors located such that edgewise and flapwise bending can be determined from the strain measurements; calculating a plurality of resultant bending strains using the strain measurements; calculating an average resultant bending strain from the plurality of resultant bending strains; and calculating a confidence value for a first sensor based on a comparison of resultant bending strains derived from the strain measurement from the first sensor with the average resultant bending strain.

The present invention provides a transmission type X-ray tube and a reflection type X-ray tube. The transmission type X-ray tube comprises a target and a filter material. The target has at least one element which produces X-rays as being excited. The X-rays comprise characteristic Kα and Kβ emission energies of the element for producing images of an object impinged by the X-rays. The filter material through which the X-rays pass has a k-edge absorption energy that is higher than the Kα emission energies and is lower than the Kβ emission energies. The thickness of the filter material is at least 10 microns and less than 3 millimeters.

A system comprises a structure having particles embedded at a level within the structure, and X-ray imaging apparatus for capturing images of the particles at the level.

The present disclosure relates to an electric field emission x-ray tube apparatus equipped with a built-in getter, and more particularly, to an electric field emission x-ray tube apparatus equipped with a built-in getter that makes it possible to reduce the size of an x-ray tube by forming a stacked structure, with electric insulation and predetermined gaps maintained for each electrode, by manufacturing an x-ray tube having a stacked structure by inserting insulating spacers (for example, ceramic) between an exhausting port, a cathode, a gate, a focusing electrode, and an anode and bonding them with an adhesive substance, and then inserting a spacer between a field emitter on a cathode substrate and a gate hole connected with a gate electrode.

Method for limiting an X-ray beam, wherein the X-ray beam is limited by a limiting unit comprising a couple of blades approaching each other or moving away from each other to adjust the width of a space between the blades the two blades being driven by an actuator (12) linked to both blades. The position of a symmetry axis (S) of the space between the blades is set in a shifting step by changing the distance between the blades and by impeding the motion of one blade in comparison with the motion of the other blade resulting in an asymmetric motion of the blades with respect to an initial position of the symmetry axis (S). The desired width (W) of the space between the blades is set in an adjustment step by an unimpeded symmetric motion of the blades with respect to the position of the symmetry axis (S) set in the shifting step.

An educational game for teaching addition and subtraction of whole numbers includes a carpet/game board including ten positively numbered spaces from +1 to +10 inclusive a 0 space and negatively numbered spaces from −1 to −10 inclusive and wherein said positive numbered spaces proceed upwardly in a generally zigzag direction from 0 to plus 10 and the negatively numbered spaces proceed downwardly from 0 to minus 10 and an extra space above the plus 10 and an extra space below the minus 10 wherein the extra space above the plus 10 is a win space and the space below the minus 10 is a lose space. The game also includes a single cube shaped die having six faces with an indication of plus 2, minus 2 and no movement on three of the faces and a plus 1, minus 1 and plus 1 plus and additional turn on the sixth face. Further, the game includes six game pieces of separate distinct colors.

A preloadable side bearing for railroad cars having a mass of hard elastomeric material on a base adapted for attachment to a supporting surface, such as the truck bolster of a railroad car with provision for an initial reduction in the overall height of the bearing in response to preloading forces and to then absorb substantial loading forces with resulting compressive depression of the mass and wherein the mass is formed of a material such as polyurethane.

PCT No. PCT/DE96/01067 Sec. 371 Date Jun. 17, 1998 Sec. 102(e) Date Jun. 17, 1998 PCT Filed Jun. 17, 1996 PCT Pub. No. WO97/16777 PCT Pub. Date May 9, 1997For regulating the pressure in a pressure chamber, in particular in a pneumatic brake apparatus for a web-type recording medium, an actual pressure is set in the pressure chamber dependent on an actual angle of rotation of a rotary valve. The actual angle of rotation of the rotary valve and the actual pressure in the pressure chamber are acquired. A target pressure and a target angle of rotation allocated to this target pressure are predetermined, and a pressure deviation between the actual pressure and the target pressure are determined, as is a deviation of the angle of rotation between the actual angle of rotation and the target angle of rotation. An adjusting unit sets the angle of rotation at the rotary valve, first dependent on the deviation of the angle of rotation and then dependent on the pressure deviation. Furthermore, a sensor for acquiring the angle of rotation is specified.

The invention relates to an assemblage of two pieces of bodywork (1, 2) each having a flange (5, 6) for pressing against the flange of the other piece. Each flange carries at least one tongue (11, 12) extending towards the other piece. A fastener member (20) is suitable for engaging around the tongues so to prevent them from moving relative to one another once said two pieces of bodywork are in a predetermined position in which they are united flange against flange. The invention also provides the pieces of bodywork constituting said assemblage.

A coupling device for use in a hybrid fiber coaxial (HFC) network may be configured to disable an upstream path through it when there is only noise incident on the upstream path, and enable the upstream path through it when a desired transmission from a cable modem downstream of the coupling device is incident on the upstream path. The coupling device may be a trunk amplifier, a distribution amplifier, a splitter, or the like. The coupling device may comprise a single upstream interface coupled to a plurality of downstream interfaces. The enabling and/or disabling may be in response to a signal strength indicated by the SSI being below a threshold and/or in response to one or more control messages indicating whether any downstream cable modem is, or will be, transmitting.

A cavity filter includes a slider, a driving device, and an adapter. The slider is used to slide relative to and couple with a plurality of resonators located in the cavity filter to adjust a resonating frequency of the cavity filter. The driving device is used to drive the slider slide relative to the plurality of resonators and includes a shaft having a free end. The adapter is installed between the slider and the driving device and rotateably connected to the free end of the shaft with a gap configured between the free end and the adapter.

High tenacity, high elongation multi-filament polymeric tapes as well as ballistic resistant fabrics, composites and articles made therefrom. The tapes are fabricated from multi-filament fibers/yarns that are twisted together, bonded together, compressed and flattened.

In a method for transferring energy between at least two energy storage cells in a controllable energy store that serves to control and to supply electrical energy to an n-phase electric machine, which energy store has n power supply arms which each have at least two series-connected energy storage modules which each include at least one electrical energy storage cell with an associated controllable coupling unit, and are connected to one respective phase of the electric machine, in a charging phase, all coupling units of those energy storage modules which are to be used as an energy source are controlled in such a way that the respectively associated energy storage cells are connected into the respective power supply arm.

A belt battery charger includes a belt having a first end, a second end and an elongated central portion extending between the first and second ends. A plurality of electrically connected rechargeable batteries are carried by the central portion of the belt. A belt buckle located at the first end of the belt includes a frame that is secured to the central portion of the belt. The buckle further includes a prong in the form of an electrical connector electrically connected to the batteries and pivotally secured to the frame. The second end of the belt includes a number of spaced apart eyelets passing therethrough. The prong is shaped so as to be able to enter one of the eyelets to secure the second end of the belt to the buckle in the conventional manner. A second electrical connector is located adjacent the second end of the belt and is also connected to the batteries. One of said connectors is adapted to be connected to a cell phone for charging the same.

A wind energy plant comprising a rotor having blades and a generator driven by said rotor for generating electric energy. The pitch of the blades can be adjusted and a pitch system for adjusting the pitch angle of the blades is provided, which is supplied by a hub power source. An additional electric load is provided on the hub. A pitch power control device is provided which dynamically distributes the power of the hub power source between the pitch system and the additional electric load and further acts on the pitch system such that its power consumption during high-load operation is reduced. Thus, the power consumption of the pitch system during high-load operation can be reduced and additional power provided for operating the additional load. Even large additional loads, such as a blade heater, can be operated in this way, without having to boost the hub power source.

The present invention has its application to a system for driving an electric and by one or more batteries powered vehicle along a roadway, comprising “a” one or more vehicles, which may be driven by an individual electric motor or motors and where in the respective vehicles exhibit a power-controlling control circuit for creating the necessary power and/or speed control and wherein required power i.a. can be provided primarily by a chargeable can be provided primarily by a chargeable battery set associated with the vehicle and “b” a plurality of road sections road portions divisible for the roadway, each being allotted one or more vehicle external electric stations for charging the battery set thereby and/or for supplying necessary power and energy for driving the vehicle. The underneath side of the mentioned vehicle is provided with a contact means displaceably positioned up and down and sideways, counted in the direction of transportation. Said roadway and its road sections or portions exhibits an elongated track or groove, each road section is supporting two rails in the groove and disposed under the driving path of the road section or portion. The rails being supplied with current and voltage. Said contact means is coordinated with a control equipment for creating simple adaptation of the contact means for registering the contact means for mechanical and electrical contact against said two rails.

A novel 3-Input-3-Output (3×3) Fuel-Air Ratio Model-Free Adaptive (MFA) controller is introduced, which can effectively control key process variables including Bed Temperature, Excess O2, and Furnace Negative Pressure of combustion processes of advanced boilers. A novel 7-input-7-output (7×7) MFA control system is also described for controlling a combined 3-Input-3-Output (3×3) process of Boiler-Turbine-Generator (BTG) units and a 5×5 CFB combustion process of advanced boilers. Those boilers include Circulating Fluidized-Bed (CFB) Boilers and Once-Through Supercritical Circulating Fluidized-Bed (OTSC CFB) Boilers.

A robotic tubesheet walker having two rails connected by a central hinge, wherein the central hinge can be opened or closed by an actuation device. Upon each rail is mounted a carriage, wherein each carriage can move along its respective rail toward or away from the central hinge by means of a drive mechanism. Each carriage further contains at least two “gripper” attachment mechanisms, such as camlocks, to grip the tubesheet. The grippers either insert into tube holes within the tubesheet to fasten the respective carriage to the tubesheet, or retract to disengage. Further attached to the central hinge is a tool support fixture, and attached to the tool support fixture is a coupler that holds maintenance or inspection tools.

A circulating fluidized bed boiler includes a rectangular furnace having multiple particle separators connected to an upper portion of each of a front wall and a back wall of the furnace. Each particle separator includes a gas outlet, and a flue gas duct system connected to the gas outlets for conducting cleaned flue gas to a back pass. The particle separators are arranged in pairs. Each pair includes a front separator arranged adjacent to the front wall and a back separator arranged adjacent to the back wall. The flue gas duct system includes cross over ducts, each duct connecting the gas outlet of a front separator of a pair of particle separators, across and over the furnace, to the gas outlet of the back separator of the same pair of particle separators, and to the back pass, which back pass is arranged on the back wall side of the furnace.

An evaporator surface structure of a circulating fluidized bed boiler having a furnace that is enclosed by sidewalls and has a bottom and a ceiling. The evaporator surface structure includes at least one vertical and separate evaporator surface unit that is spaced apart from the sidewalls of the furnace. The at least one evaporator surface unit (i) is formed of planar water tube panels that extend from the bottom of the furnace to the ceiling of the furnace, and (ii) consists of two cross-wise joined vertical water tube panels.

A personal protection device includes a belt which conceals a whip in an internal sheath formed therein. The whip has a handle which also is concealed by an end portion of the belt. The whip can be quickly and easily withdrawn from the sheath in the belt by releasing the end portion and grasping the handle, all in a substantially single motion. The whip material allows sufficient flexibility to be worn comfortably around the waist, but is rigid enough to be an effective striking device. Embodiments for sports and uniform use are disclosed.