A rotorcraft including a fuselage, one or more motor-driven rotors for vertical flight, and a control system. The motors drive the one or more rotors in either of two directions of rotation to provide for flight in either an upright or an inverted orientation. An orientation sensor is used to control the primary direction of thrust, and operational instructions and gathered information are automatically adapted based on the orientation of the fuselage with respect to gravity. The rotors are configured with blades that invert to conform to the direction of rotation.

The invention relates to a fixing element for locking a hinged hand crank on the input shaft of a support winch for semi-trailers, wherein the hand crank is fastened to the input shaft in an articulated manner and can pivot between at least one folded-in rest position and at least one folded-out usage position. According to the invention, said fixing element has a fastening section for fastening to the hand crank and a spring bar connected to the fastening section on which at least one locking section is formed, wherein the locking section reaches over the end face of the input shaft in a form-fitting manner in a folded-out usage position of the hand crank and is simultaneously pulled against said end face of the input shaft.

A shaft sealing device switches a sealing state and an unsealing state of a fluid, with high sealing performance maintained, because no abrasion accompanies movement of a sealing material or a sealing member, enabling feeding a fluid at a predetermined flow rate, and adjusts the expanding rate of the sealing material with the quantity of an external electric signal and accordingly adjusts the contact face pressure to enable controlling the amount of leakage of the fluid highly precisely, so that it can be used for all applications. The shaft sealing device includes a shaft sealing body formed of a macromolecular material and made expansible or contractible, or deformable, through external electrostimuli applied to a shaft sealing portion disposed in a device body, and flow passages disposed in the shaft sealing portion for feeding the fluid leaked due to the expansion or contraction, or the deformation, of the shaft sealing body.

Branched braided stent or graft devices and processes for fabrication of the devices are disclosed in which a trunk portion and two hinge leg portions are fabricated in one piece braided from a single plurality of filaments, whereby the legs contain the full plurality of filaments and the trunk portion contains a subset of the same plurality of filaments. The fabrication process involves braiding the hinged legs on a mandrel while retaining loops of filament between the hinged leg portions for subsequent braiding of the trunk portion of the stent or graft.

A positioning device for a driving shaft of a lathe chuck includes a casing, a motor received in the casing with a driving shaft of the motor extending through a first end and a second end of the casing, and a disk disposed to the first end of the casing and threadedly mounted to the driving shaft. The disk has at least one hole defined therethrough and the first end of the casing has a plurality of holes defined therethrough so that a pin is removably extending through the hole in the disk and received in one of the holes in the first end of the casing to position the driving shaft to which the lathe chuck is connected.

A wood lathe includes first and second seats disposed respectively and fixedly on two ends of a table. A first driving device includes a motor disposed on the second seat, an outer tube fixed between the first and second seats, and a rotating inner rod journalled within the tube and connected to the motor by a belt and pulley unit. An output shaft is journalled on the first seat, and is provided with a fixed first clamping element. A second clamping element is disposed adjacent to the second seat so as to clamp a workpiece between the first and second clamping elements. A second driving device is disposed within the first seat, and interconnects the shaft and the rod to transfer rotation of the rod to the shaft, thereby rotating the workpiece.

In a charging process of a shaft furnace, in particular of a blast furnace, batches of charge material are typically discharged in cyclical sequence into the furnace from a top hopper using a flow control valve. A method and system is proposed for adjusting the flow rate of charge material in such a process. Pre-determined valve characteristics for certain types of material are provided, each indicating the relation between flow rate and valve setting for one type of material. According to the invention, a specific valve characteristic is stored for each batch of charge material, each specific valve characteristic being bijectively associated to one batch and indicating the relation between flow rate and valve setting of the flow control valve specifically for the associated batch. In relation to discharging a given batch of the sequence the invention proposes: using the stored specific valve characteristic associated to the given batch for determining a requested valve setting corresponding to a flow rate setpoint and using the requested valve setting to operate the flow control valve; determining an actual average flow rate for the discharge of the given batch; correcting the stored specific valve characteristic associated to the given batch in case of a stipulated deviation between the flow rate setpoint and the actual average flow rate.

A spacer and gasket assembly is shown for receipt between a static structure having an outer and inner surface and fastener holes therethrough and a removable structure having a base with fastener holes and an upper surface and a lower surface. The static structure and removable structure are engaged through a multiplicity of fasteners having a shaft diameter. The fasteners are adapted to apply a compression on the gasket between the static structure and the removable structure. The static structure and the removable structure have opposed, typically flat, facing walls. The spacer and gasket assembly comprising a substantially non-compressible spacer adapted for receipt between the static structure and the removable structure having a spacer thickness. A gasket has a deformable, flowable, elastomeric body and a skeleton having a skeleton thickness, the skeleton substantially integral with the body. The gasket has an uncompressed gasket thickness. The spacer and the gasket are adapted to be placed substantially between the facing walls of the static structure and the removable structure and the removable structure will compress and deform the gasket when the fasteners are torqued down.

A cap acting as a grease retention feature and venting system allows crash optimization of a propeller shaft with a plunging constant velocity joint. The cap is located between a constant velocity joint and a tube of the propeller shaft system. The cap includes: a rim sealed against the inner diameter of the constant velocity joint, an interior vent chamber, a vent hole facing the interior components of the constant velocity joint and leading to the vent chamber, and an annular radial groove along the entire circumference connected to the vent chamber. The outer race has a hole perpendicular to the joint axis to complete venting to the atmosphere. In the event of a vehicle crash, the constant velocity internal joint components contact the device, causing the device to dislodge from its fixed position, contact the friction weld curls and fracture at a determined load.

A radial shaft seal for separating two media includes two radial shaft sealing rings each including an axial surface and a sealing lip. The sealing rings are disposed with the axial surfaces facing one another and the sealing lips axially opposed to one another with a space between the sealing lips including a vent. At least one of the sealing rings includes clamping cams configured to grip an inner rim of the other sealing ring so as to join the sealing rings in a form-locking, rear-engaging position relative to each other.

An aircraft nacelle including a pipe (32), a peripheral wall (34), a lip (36), and a front frame (38) connecting the peripheral wall (34) and the pipe (32) and forming with the lip (36) a space (50) in which the hot air that is provided for frost treatment can circulate, with the pipe (32) including a coating (44) for the composite material acoustic treatment, is characterized in that the nacelle includes at least one element (52) made of a heat-conducting material inserted between the lip (36) and the pipe (32) ensuring the continuity of the aerodynamic surfaces of the lip (36) and the pipe (32) and the propagation of heat from the space (50) toward the rear of the nacelle, whereby the at least one element (52) includes a coating (54) for acoustic treatment that is made of a heat-resistant material.

Embodiments of thermal-acoustic sections for an aircraft for reducing noise along an acoustic path produced from an acoustic source are provided herein. The thermal-acoustic section comprises a first porous layer having a first characteristic acoustic impedance. A second porous layer is disposed adjacent to the first porous layer and has a second characteristic acoustic impedance that is greater than the first characteristic acoustic impedance. The thermal-acoustic section is configured to be positioned along the acoustic path such that at least a portion of the noise from the acoustic source is directed through the first porous layer to the second porous layer to promote absorption of the noise.

According to one embodiment of this disclosure an integrated fuel cell and environmental control system includes a turbo-compressor. The turbo-compressor includes a rotatable shaft, a compressor rotatable with the shaft to generate a flow of compressed air, a motor connected to the shaft, and a turbine connected to the shaft. The system further includes a fuel cell connected to the compressor by a first compressed air supply line that supplies a first portion of the flow of compressed air to the fuel cell. The fuel cell is connected to the turbine by a fuel cell exhaust line that supplies a flow of fuel cell exhaust to the turbine and causes the turbine to rotate. The system further includes an environmental control system connected to the compressor by a second compressed air supply line that supplies a second portion of the flow of compressed air to the environmental control system.

The invention provides methods and compositions for improving the characteristics of paper substrates. The method involves adding to a paper substrate an NCC-polymer. NCC-polymers have unique chemical properties which result in improvements in wet strength, dry strength and drainage retention properties of the paper substrates.

A mounted assembly of a wheel and a tire. The tire inflation pressure is greater than 9 bar, and a relative deflection of the tire greater than 30%. The rim comprises a drop-center functionality and is of monobloc type. A carcass reinforcement includes a circumferential alignment of carcass reinforcement elements anchored in the beads by a stack of circumferentially oriented reinforcement elements, and by an anchoring rubber mix having an elasticity modulus of less than 30 MPa at 10% deformation.

The invention relates to a crankshaft comprising at least: a journal; a first crankpin; a second crankpin; a first arm connecting the first crankpin to the journal; a second arm connecting the second crankpin to the journal; a first pipe extending away from the first crank pin toward the journal and leading onto the surface of the first crankpin on the transverse median plane thereof, and substantially passing to the center of the median plane of the second arm; and a second conduit extending away from the second crankpin toward the journal and leading onto the surface of the second crankpin on the transverse median plane thereof, and substantially passing to the center of the median plane of the second arm, characterized in that the shape of the crankshaft is such that it cannot also comprise a diametric pipe within the transverse median plane of the journal fluidly adjoining the first pipe and the second pipe, and the crankshaft comprises a third non-diametric pipe within the transverse median plan of the journal fluidly connecting the first pipe and the second pipe.

A shaft assembly includes a gear with a gear bore having a splined bore section adjacent to an oil dam. A shaft includes a first splined end section and a second splined end section, the first splined end section engageable with the splined inner diameter, the shaft having a bore with a bore diameter greater than a diameter of the oil dam, a first set of radial apertures axially inboard of the first splined end section in communication with the shaft inner bore and a second set of radial apertures axially inboard of the second splined end section in communication with the shaft inner bore that altogether provide lubrication of the splined end sections.

A burner for use with an induced draft furnace and which satisfies reduced nitrous oxide (NOx) emission standards is disclosed. The burner may employ a mechanical swirler that introduces a rotational vector to the emitted air and fuel mixed by the burner. By introducing the rotational vector, the resulting flame is more stable and sustainable even with the relatively low air flow afforded by an induced system. Such flame stability can be enhanced by positioning the burner directly within an inlet to a heat exchanger and manufacturing the inlet with reception surfaces that form a frusto-conically shaped flame expansion zone. In doing so, a secondary source of air is avoided and NOx emissions are reduced.

A pump for pumping molten metal and delivering flux includes a refractory base that can be submerged in molten metal including an impeller chamber, an inlet and an outlet. A refractory shaft sleeve has upper and lower end portions and is fastened to the base at the lower end portion. A motor is disposed near the upper end portion of the shaft sleeve. A refractory shaft extends in the shaft sleeve and is connected to the motor near the upper end portion of the shaft sleeve. A refractory impeller is connected to the shaft and is rotatable in the impeller chamber. A flux feeding device feeds flux into the shaft sleeve. Also featured is a method for delivering flux in the shaft sleeve of the pump and a method for cleaning flux accretions in the shaft sleeve.

A component composition contains, by % by mass, 0.0016 to 0.01% of C, 0.05 to 0.60% of Mn, and 0.020 to 0.080% of Nb so that the C and Nb contents satisfy the expression, 0.4≦(Nb/C)×(12/93)≦2.5. In addition, the amount of Nb-based precipitates is 20 to 500 ppm by mass, the average grain diameter of the Nb-based precipitates is 10 to 100 nm, and the average crystal grain diameter of ferrite is 6 to 10 μm. Nb is added to ultra-low-carbon steel used as a base, and the amount and grain diameter of the Nb-based precipitates are controlled to optimize the pinning effect. Grain refinement of ferrite is achieved by specifying the Mn amount, thereby achieving softening and excellent resistance to surface roughness of steel.

Provided is bearing steel excellent in workability after spheroidizing-annealing and in hydrogen fatigue resistance property after quenching and tempering. The bearing steel has a chemical composition containing, by mass %: 0.85% to 1.10% C; 0.30% to 0.80% Si; 0.90% to 2.00% Mn; 0.025% or less P; 0.02% or less S; 0.05% or less Al; 1.8% to 2.5% Cr; 0.15% to 0.4% Mo; 0.0080% or less N; and 0.0020% or less O, which further contains more than 0.0015% to 0.0050% or less Sb, with the balance being Fe and incidental impurities, to thereby effectively suppress the generation of WEA even in environment where hydrogen penetrates into the steel, so as to improve the roiling contact fatigue life and also the workability such as cuttability and forgeability of the material.

The galvannealed steel sheet includes: a galvannealed layer formed on at least one surface of a steel sheet and contains includes an amount of 0.05 mass % to 0.5 mass % of Al, an amount of 6 mass % of 12 mass % of Fe, and the balance composed of Zn and inevitable impurities; and a mixed layer formed on a surface of the galvannealed layer and includes a composite oxide of Mn, Zn, and P and an aqueous P compound, wherein the composite oxide includes 0.1 mg/m2 to 100 mg/m2 of Mn, an amount of 1 mg/m2 to 100 mg/m2 of P, and Zn, and a P/Mn ratio is 0.3 to 50, and wherein the total size of an area of the mixed layer in which an attached amount of P is equal to or more than 20 mg/m2 is 20% to 80% of a surface area of the mixed layer.

A method for producing a metal part, the part including, in particular, a first set of elements having a small thickness, and a second set of elements having a large thickness, the method including: forming a peripheral portion of the elements of the second set of elements by selectively melting a powder by scanning the surface of the powder layer with a laser beam or with an electron beam; using the peripheral portion of the elements of the second set of elements as a mould by carrying out an operation of filling an inner area defined by the peripheral portion with liquid metal; cooling the metal part to solidify the inner area defined by the peripheral portion and filled with metal.

A securing mechanism is provided for a tool that allows for the attachment and release of the shafts of a variety of implements from the tool. The mechanism has a construction that provides an easily releasable, but secure engagement of the implement shaft within the mechanism while also having an alignment feature which engages the implement at multiple locations when engaged with the mechanism to maintain the alignment and concentricity of the implement shaft with regard to the mechanism and the tool when in use.

A fuselage panel made of composite material having a skin with an opening, at least part of the contour of which is reinforced by an integrated reinforcement made of composite material. The fuselage panel includes at least one liner made of composite material which is attached to and superposed on the reinforced skin portion and participates at least partially in defining the contour of the opening, the panel additionally including consolidating members, each passing at least partially through the liner and at least partially through the reinforced skin portion.

The invention relates to a method for guiding an aircraft along a reference path, said method comprising: a) when the altitude of the aircraft is greater than a threshold, estimating (E1) a relative location of the aircraft in relation to a taxiing starting point using a map of the platform and reference points on the ground, b) when the altitude of the aircraft is less than said threshold and before the aircraft is located at the taxiing starting point, estimating (E2) a relative location of the aircraft in relation to the taxiing starting point using data relating to the absolute location of the aircraft and the last relative location estimated at step a), c) when the aircraft is located at the taxiing starting point, guiding (E3) the aircraft on the basis of a location of the aircraft relative to the reference path as estimated using data relating to a set of indicators on the ground.

A device for generating rotational movement which includes an output shaft supported for rotational movement and at least two one-way clutch mechanisms attached to the output shaft. An inflatable piston (“infton”) assembly is associated with each one-way clutch mechanism and includes a weighted member, an inflatable bladder associated with the weighted member, at least one inlet valve associated with an interior of the inflatable bladder, at least one outlet valve associated with the interior of the inflatable bladder, and a chain associated with the weighted member and extending over and drivingly engaging the respective one-way clutch mechanism. A source of filling fluid supplies each inlet valve. The filling fluid has a density less than that of a buoyancy fluid surrounding the infton assembly. A control system is configured to control the inlet and outlet valves to facilitate filling and discharging of the inflatable bladders.

A shaft connection structure connects a pair of rotating shafts by a fit between a pair of spline shafts, wherein the pair of rotating shafts are provided with corresponding ones of the pair of spline shafts. The shaft connection structure includes a shaft connection assist device. The shaft connection assist device includes a centering ring and centering pins. The centering ring is arranged outside of a first one of the spline shafts and coaxially with the first spline shaft. The centering pins are provided outside of a second one of the spline shafts. The centering pins engage with an outer peripheral surface of the centering ring and bring a shaft axis of the first spline shaft and a shaft axis of the second spline shaft into a range enabling the fit therebetween.

A portable bracket is removably attached to a structure, such as a tree, for the purpose of relieving the strain on a hunter who is holding and aiming their firearm. A bracket comprising a back plate and a horizontal plate is secured to a tree using a strap and binder arrangement. The firearm support is portable and lightweight and maybe useful for other purposes within a campsite, such as holding a lantern and a like.

A watercraft includes a watercraft body, a watercraft propulsion device, a water protective case, a communication device, and a display device. The watercraft propulsion device propels the watercraft body. The water protective case is arranged on the watercraft body. The communication device communicates with a mobile terminal arranged inside the water protective case. The display device displays content of the mobile terminal based on data received from the mobile terminal through the communication device.

Planing hull extensions for watercraft are disclosed which may be mounted along the sides of the hull of a watercraft such as a boat or yacht. Typically, the hull extensions may be disposed along the side chines of the hull such that they extend the effective beam of the hull. The hull extensions may aid stabilizing the watercraft and/or inhibit wetting of the sides of the hull as well. In some cases, the hull extensions may be hydraulically operated between a closed position against the hull (or into a pocket along the side of the hull) and a fully open position substantially extending the width of the hull bottom. The position of the hull extensions may be automatically varied based upon throttle position, e.g. fully open at low throttle to fully closed against the hull at full throttle. Different hull extension position profiles may be used according to loading and water conditions.

A craft includes a rigid hull (1) that consists of a V-shaped bottom (5) and a bridge (4) on which a load can rest. The hull includes plating consisting of compartmentalized pneumatic floats (2), the rear compartments (32) of which are combined with an inflation and deflation system so as to vary the buoyancy of the craft. The craft also includes a submergible hull (1), the central cavity (9) of which is formed between the bottom (5) and the bridge (4) and is open at the rear so as to be automatically filled or emptied, the central cavity (9) containing at least one bag (10) that is combined with an inflation and deflation system enabling the buoyancy to be varied and consequently the level of immersion of the stern (7) to be changed as needed.

A cable-stranding apparatus includes a stationary guide, a motor, a driven guide, and a controller electrically coupled to the motor. The stationary guide is configured to guide strand elements in a spaced-apart configuration and to pass a core member. The motor is operatively associated with a guide driver. The driven guide is disposed at least partially within the guide driver so as to rotate therewith. The driven guide is configured to receive the strand elements from the stationary guide, individually guide the strand elements received from the stationary guide, and to further pass the core member. The controller is electrically coupled to the motor and configured to control the rotational speed and direction of the motor.

The general field of the invention is that of the graphical representation of a synthetic three dimensional view of the exterior landscape in an onboard visualisation system for aircraft, said graphical representation being displayed on a visualisation screen comprising the piloting and navigation information of said aircraft superposed onto said three-dimensional synthetic representation of the exterior landscape, said synthetic representation being computed up to a first determined distance, characterised in that said three-dimensional synthetic representation is tilted at a tilt angle about an axiom positioned at the level of the terrain in a substantially horizontal plane, and substantially perpendicularly to an axis between the flight direction and the heading of the aircraft, said axis moving with the aircraft.

This maintenance trolley (17) for the air intake (9) of the nacelle of an aircraft turbojet engine is notable in that it comprises a base (19) and a platform (23) cantilever-mounted on this base (19) and designed to enter said air intake (9) without contact therewith.

A crankshaft and method for manufacturing the same are disclosed. The crankshaft may comprise a web and a rod journal disposed adjacent to the web. The rod journal includes a fillet disposed proximal to the web. The fillet includes a tapered undercut having a concave shape with a graduated depth. The undercut is defined by a sweep angle and an offset angle.

An electromechanical actuator for a movable flight control surface of an aircraft, the actuator comprising an electric motor having an outlet shaft with first and second directions of rotation, a movement transmission arranged to connect the outlet shaft of the motor to the movable flight control surface, and a control unit for controlling the motor. The transmission incorporates a pawl device arranged to oppose the transmission of movement in the first direction of rotation, and the control unit is connected to a pawl declutching member for declutching the pawl and enabling movement to be transmitted in the first direction of rotation.

Systems and methods for providing aircraft heading information are provided. In one embodiment, an attitude heading reference device comprises: at least one interface for receiving heading information from one or more IRUs; at least one set of gyroscopes and accelerometers; a memory device for storing data representing heading information received via the at least one interface; and a heading calculator coupled to the at least one interface, the at least one set of gyroscopes and accelerometers, and the memory device. The heading calculator generating a heading output signal based on heading information when reliable heading information is received over the at least one interface; the heading calculator generating the heading output signal based on data from the memory device regarding previously reliable heading information and an output of the at least one set of gyroscopes and accelerometers when reliable heading information is not received over the at least one interface.

The purpose of the invention is to reduce the abrasive impact of the fiber or the yarn on the rollers coated with elastic material, which are used for drafting and guiding purposes in yarn production techniques, and thus keep the operating conditions and yarn quality parameters constant. The fiber on the top rollers coated with elastic material especially in the mechanical ring compact yarn production among the yarn production techniques, is an apron cladding method, over the top roller and the bearing guide arms connected to a bearing body found on the bearing unit placed on the pressure arm, in a way that it would cover these together. The method includes the operation steps of stretching the aprons by application of tension via a tension component and, while the fiber drafting operation continues, the bearing unit carrying the aprons being shifted in the horizontal plane in certain intervals.

The front top roller (20) includes a fiber contacting portion (30) and a reduced-diameter portion (31). The fiber contacting portion (30) has a substantially uniform outer diameter. The reduced-diameter portion (31) is provided at both ends of the fiber contacting portion (30) in an axial direction, and is formed with an outer diameter smaller than an outer diameter of the fiber contacting portion (30). The fiber contacting portion (30) has a width (W1) in an axial direction of 18 mm and the outer diameter (D1) of 30 mm. An outer diameter (D2) of the reduced-diameter portion (31) is 25 mm.

Magnetic vascular grafts and methods for their use are provided herein.

Implementations disclosed herein provide a compact downdraft table system comprising a vertically oriented cylindrical filter cartridge located below a work surface in a main housing of the downdraft table, a purge assembly in the main housing vertically aligned with the filter cartridge that discharges purged air to an interior of the filter cartridge to purge particulates collected on an exterior of the filter cartridge, and a self-closing louvre in the main housing that permits air flow from the work surface, through the louvre, and through the filter assembly in a first direction, and prevents purged air flow from flowing through the louvre to the work surface in a second direction opposite the first direction.

Implementations disclosed herein provide a compact downdraft table comprising a spark arrestor oriented below a work surface, a vertically oriented cylindrical filter cartridge located below the work surface, a fan assembly that draws air through the work surface, the spark arrestor, and the filter cartridge and exhausts filtered air out of the downdraft table, a purge assembly that discharges purged air to an interior of the filter cartridge to purge particulates collected on an exterior of the filter cartridge, wherein the spark arrestor, filter cartridge, fan assembly, and purge assembly are all contained within a main housing for the downdraft table.

An agricultural harvester (100) comprises a self-propelled vehicle (102); a feederhouse (104); a driveshaft (114) supported on the feederhouse (104), the driveshaft (114) having a first coupler (116) fixed to one end of the driveshaft (114), the first coupler (116) comprising a coupler body (420), a piston (416) disposed in the coupler body (420), and a first key (302) mechanically coupled to the piston (416) to be extended or retracted by the piston (416) to engage a mating coupler on a second driveshaft (120) of an agricultural harvesting head (106) that is supported on the feederhouse (104).

A grass collection system may have an impeller with a through-shaft that mechanically couples power take off (PTO) energy to the mower deck. The PTO shaft may pass through the impeller and blower housing to power the mower deck, resulting in a compact mechanism. The PTO shaft may pass through a grass tunnel that connects between the blower housing and the mower deck, then may be connected to the mower deck to power the mower blades. The grass collection system may be deployed on a front mounted deck tractor that has front wheel drive. The front wheels may each have a hydrostatic pump and gearbox, and the PTO shaft may pass between or under the front wheel drive systems in connecting to the mower deck.

A bushing is for supporting a movable cylindrical body within a housing, the housing having a central axis, an inner circumferential surface and an annular groove formed in the surface. The bushing includes a plurality of generally arcuate tube segments disposable within the groove and alignable circumferentially about the housing axis so as to form a generally tubular body configured to slidably support the cylindrical body. Preferably, each tube segment is formed of a generally rigid metallic material.

This application relates to a baren 100 comprising a base 20 having a substantially flat surface 21 adapted for applying pressure to a work piece and a handle 10 removably connected to the base 20, wherein the handle 10 has an end that is adapted to receive a craft blade 60. the application also relates to a stamp 200 comprising a base 20' having a stamping surface 50 adapted for transferring a marking medium from the stamping surface 50 to a substrate and a handle 10' removably connected to the base 20', wherein the handle 10' has an end that is adapted to receive a craft blade 60.

A tip insert for a cue shaft having a cavity at the tip has a tip disc to support a tip for striking a ball and an inwardly extending section for bonding to the inside surface of the cavity. The inwardly extending section includes one or more centering flanges and a bonding surface, the centering flanges interfacing with the inner surface of the cavity and enabling a substantially consistence bond distance between the bonding surface and the inner surface of the cavity. The tip insert can be machine from a single piece of material comprising glass fiber-reinforced epoxy laminate sheets, where the individual sheets of the material are oriented perpendicular to the longitude axis of the tip insert to increase the durability and performance of the tip insert when transferring the force from the tip striking a ball.

The invention provides an arrangement and methods for thermally insulating aircraft, particularly but not exclusively for when the aircraft is operating in extremely hot or cold conditions, and describes an aircraft skin construction including a foam-stiffened CFC sandwich panel forming part of the aircraft outer skin mounted to an underlying load bearing aircraft structure, wherein the panel at the mounting to the structure includes two outer layers of CFC material with an inner layer of foam material sandwiched therebetween.

I say to all communities pat yourselves on the back for the great job you are doing taking care of each other and supporting each other.