baber/WOPTO huggingface dataset:
Patent GB-2326073-A (GB)
Title: Snood release device
Inventor: PUCKEY STEPHEN ROY
IPC: A01K91/053
Filed: 1997-06-10
Abstract: A Snood release device comprises a release body 2 non-rotatably slidable within a body 1 which is fixed to a casting line 3 by sleeves 5 and 6. The body 1 contains at least one inclined slot 8 for retaining a snood line during casting. Upon impact with the water the release body 2 is pushed up inside the body 1 so that an inclined leading end face 15 of the release body ejects the snood line from the slot 8, thereby freeing the snood line from the casting line 3.
Patent GB-2315351-A (GB)
Title: Point-service systems for online shopping malls
Inventor: IKEDA SEKIO
IPC: G06Q30/00
Filed: 1997-06-16
Abstract: A point-service system (20) in an online shopping mall established through a network such as the Internet includes a points issuing unit (22) which issues points corresponding to the purchase amount of a customer, a points storage device (21) which stores the number of points accumulated by the customer, and a points redeeming unit (23) which reduces a purchase amount according to the number of points to be redeemed by the customer. A points issue ratio and a points redeeming ratio can be set individually for each shop forming part of the online shopping mall. Such a system can improve the service to a customer by avoiding the need for the customer to carry a magnetic card and by shortening the time from issuing points to redeeming points.
Patent GB-2315093-A (GB)
Title: Hinges
Inventor: FIELDING LEONARD JOHN
IPC: E05F1/12
Filed: 1997-07-07
Abstract: A pivot unit for a hinge comprises first and second pivot members 2, 16 each adapted for releasable attachment to a respective hinge leaf. The first and second pivot members 2, 16 are connected, for instance by snap fitting, such that they are relatively rotatable about a common axis. The pivot unit may further include tensioning means such as a spring 30 attached directly or indirectly to the pivot members 2, 16 for rotationally urging the hinge leaves towards a predetermined position. The hinge leaves may be formed with bores to receive the pivot members 2, 16 such that each respective bore and pivot member has a cross-section for location together either in a single orientation or in a number of orientations. In the latter case the tension of the tensioning means may be adjusted by adjusting the relative orientation of a respective pivot member and bore.
Patent GB-2320343-A (GB)
Title: computer system with checkpoint facility
Inventor: HOSHIYA TAKAYUKI
IPC: G06F1/00
Filed: 1997-07-14
Abstract: In a computer system 1, the operating system 6 includes a checkpoint facility 8, a restart facility 9, and an accounting means 10. The record indicating a charge payable as a result of the execution of a user program is output in the middle of execution of the user program to an accounting file19. Or the accounting information is output to the file when a checkpoint process for a user program is complete. Alternatively, the information indicating the charge payable as a result of execution of a normal program, or of a checkpoint and restart process, are output separately to respective accounting files. When a file is accessed, a determination is made as to whether the access occurs subsequent to the checkpoint process and whether the accessed file has not been saved. If it is determined that the access occurs subsequent to the checkpoint process and the accessed file has not been saved, the accessed file is appended to the saved information.
Patent GB-2315482-A (GB)
Title: Folding
Inventor: PILLER RAINER
IPC: B65H45/16
Filed: 1997-07-23
Abstract: A folding blade shaft 1 of a folding cylinder of a drum folder comprises drive shaft 4 and spindle 5 coupled, so that an inclined or skewed position causes no damage to the machine, by means of a stack of discs 10 screwed to the shaft and spindle respectively and centered by means of a radial ball and socket joint 25.
Patent GB-2326124-A (GB)
Title: In-mould method for the manufacture of a foamed cellulose heat insulating material
Inventor: HUR BANK-UK
IPC: D21J3/00
Filed: 1997-08-06
Abstract: The present invention relates to the manufacture of a heat-insulating material made of a foamed cellulose substance, wherein a cellulose material premix is injected in a mould and is heated in a microwave oven to be foamed homogeneously and is then dried. The foamed product is not deformed; an excellent buffer and heat-insulating material is obtained.
Patent GB-2329496-A (GB)
Title: Tidal calculator
Inventor: CORNES VICTOR SADLER
IPC: G06G1/00
Filed: 1997-09-10
Abstract: A tidal calculator comprises a base marked with horizontal lines corresponding with times and vertical lines corresponding with water depths, a clock 1 rotatable in the base so that the times of high and low water can be set against the uppermost and lowermost horizontal lines respectively, and an adjustable bar 2 whose ends can be located on the upper and lower lines to indicate the depths of water at high and low tide respectively. Positions along the bar thus indicate the depth of water at any particular time. Whether the water is rising or falling and the potential strength of current can also be ascertained from inspecting the device.
Patent GB-2314535-A (GB)
Title: Belt roller with damped force limiter
Inventor: SINGER KLAUS-PETER
IPC: B60R22/34
Filed: 1996-04-11
Abstract: In a self-locking belt roller with a vehicle-sensitive and/or seat belt-sensitive controllable blocking device, in which the belt roller is provided with a force limiting device for restricted belt withdrawal when a blocking member is engaged, and in which the force limiting device comprises a torsion rod, which is connected at one end to the belt winding shaft and at the other end to the blocking member of the belt roller, the force-path curve is to be better adapted to the special features of the deceleration curve of the vehicle or its occupants. To this end, for connecting the torsion rod (16) to the blocking member (15), a profile head (14), which is connected to the associated shaft end face and rotates together with the belt winding shaft (13), is provided as a support for the radially deflectable blocking member (15), and an additional energy-dissipating structure (17, 18, 19, 25, 26, 27, 28) is provided in the force transmission path between the torsion rod (16), profile head (14) and shaft (13) for increasing the restraining force before the torsion rod (16) becomes effective and for obtaining a stepped and/or degressive force-path characteristic curve.
Patent GB-2318396-A (GB)
Title: Park lock mechanism for an automatic transmission
Inventor: HEUVER BRADLEY RONALD
IPC: F16H63/48
Filed: 1997-10-15
Abstract: A park lock mechanism for an automatic transmission includes a park apply rod 42 with a cam member 50 for selectively engaging and disengaging a park pawl 20 with a park gear 18. The gear 18 is fast with an output drive shaft (14, Fig. 1). End 44 of the park apply rod 42 is engaged in a slot 46 in a manually rotatable plate member 32. The slot 46 defines a cam portion 48 and a constant radius portion 57 whereby the park apply rod 42 moves longitudinally only when the plate member moves into or out of "park". A reaction member (70, Fig.4) is also used to limit the degrees of freedom of the park apply rod. In an alternative embodiment, the cam 50 is located in a guide (82, Fig.6).
Patent GB-2330528-A (GB)
Title: Piston-driven umbrella with combined canopy and casing
Inventor: FUNSHO-ATANDA DELE
IPC: A45B25/16
Filed: 1997-10-21
Abstract: The umbrella shaft has telescopic upper and lower tubes forming a pneumatic chamber 25. Piston 24, which is connected to the umbrella runner 6, is propelled up the chamber by a battery-powered thruster (23, Fig 11), thus driving the umbrella open and compressing air in the upper region of the chamber. Electromagnetic catches 15 maintain the open position against downward pressure of the compressed air on the piston. Release of the catches causes the umbrella to close. The outer end of each canopy rib 1 carries a flexible external casing section 19. When closed, the sections combine to form a complete casing for the umbrella.
Patent GB-2318528-A (GB)
Title: Chromatograph
Inventor: BERGER TERRY A
IPC: G01N30/60
Filed: 1997-10-20
Abstract: An analytical instrument includes a control system 130, comprising computer 122 and a pneumatic controller 126 responsive to the computer 122, and a planar chromatographic assembly 120 including a planar pneumatic manifold 113, a heater/fan assembly 118A, 118B for establishing a temperature-controlled zone, an insulating enclosure 117, 119 for confining the temperature-controlled zone to an oven cavity and certain zones of the planar pneumatic manifold, a separation column 114 having inlet and outlet ends attached to couplers 112A, 112B, 112C, 112D at selected internal fluid-bearing conduits in the pneumatic manifold 113 and located closely adjacent the planar manifold 113 and within the temperature-controlled zone, and one or more fluid-handling functional devices attached to the pneumatic manifold 113 for fluid-tight communication with respective internal etched channels provided within in the planar pneumatic manifold. The fluid-handling functional devices may be surface-mounted or edge-mounted to certain ones of the etched channels in the planar pneumatic manifold.
Patent GB-2319730-A (GB)
Title: Absorbent Article Having Grooves
Inventor: TOYOSHIMA YASUO
IPC: A61F13/53
Filed: 1997-11-25
Abstract: An absorbent article such as a sanitary napkin comprising a liquid permeable skin-contacting surface, a liquid impermeable outer surface and an absorbent layer wherein the liquid permeable skin-contacting surface is provided with grooves (15,16) in both the longtitudinal and transverse directions such that the distance between the innermost side portions of the pair of front grooves (16) in the widthwise direction is less than the distance between the outermost portions of the pair of rear grooves (15) in the widthwise direction. The said grooves improve the leakage prevention properties the absorbent article.
Patent GB-2325575-A (GB)
Title: Latching connector
Inventor: PAUZA WILLIAM VITO
IPC: H01R13/639
Filed: 1998-03-30
Abstract: This invention relates to a latchable connector having a plug (12) and a header (14). The header consists of a plug-receiving section (26) along with a pair of posts (16) which are mechanically connected to a printed circuit board. The posts (16) serve to secure the header (14) to a plug through a plurality of latches (30) mounted in the plug housing (11). Locking projections (58) of the latch (30) engage annular grooves (18) of the posts (16) in order to secure the plug (12) to the header (14). A force applied to the latches (30) to urge them towards each other will serve to release the plug (12) from the header (14). When no force is applied, the projections 58 are held in line with the centre of the posts 16 by spring arms 52 or alternatively by a ball (252, fig 8) or a spring (152, fig 7).
Patent GB-2336055-A (GB)
Title: Chroma-keying system including modified matte softness region
Inventor: PETTIGREW DANIEL
IPC: H04N9/75
Filed: 1998-04-01
Abstract: Image data representing a matte control signal (ie a region of colour-space) for use in chroma-keying video signals, is processed by identifying a transitional portion 3101 (in which undesirable transitions occur) of the softness region 3102 surrounding the matte tolerance region 3103. The position of the softness region in colour-space is then adjusted (eg enlarged from 3102 to 3701) thereby reducing the relative amplitudes of variations within the identified portion.
Patent GB-2324880-A (GB)
Title: Electrophotographic medium
Inventor: MATSUI NAOYUKI
IPC: G03G5/14
Filed: 1998-05-01
Abstract: A photoconductor for electrophotography comprising an aluminum substrate (10) which has been heated 430C to 550C for three or more hours, an anodic oxidation film (11) which is sealed preferably using nickel acetate, thus improving the heat resistance of the aluminum substrate, a charge generating layer (12) and a charge transport layer (13). The photoconductor has an adequate degree of heat resistance and can give a good image characteristics even in a high-temperature and high-humidity environment.
Patent GB-2327481-A (GB)
Title: Elastic bushing for motor vehicles
Inventor: ENCKE ERNST-EKKEHARD
IPC: F16C27/06
Filed: 1998-07-15
Abstract: For an elastic bushing, in particular an elastic chassis bushing for motor vehicles, it is proposed for the outer sleeve 5 to be provided in its radially set-back end sections 11, which adjoin the longitudinally central supporting region 10, with an anti-corrosion coat 12 made of rubber-like material.
Patent GB-2340452-A (GB)
Title: An air bag arrangement
Inventor: MCAULIFFE JAMES WILLIAM
IPC: B60R21/231
Filed: 1998-08-13
Abstract: An airbag arrangement for a motor vehicle comprising an airbag (1) coupled to inflation means (4) where, during a vehicle impact the inflation means (4) inflates the airbag (1) with a volume of gas which is less in volume, at atmospheric pressure than the volume of the airbag (1) such that the airbag (1) remains flexible. An occupant (2) then coming into contact with the airbag (1) has less possibility of deployment induced injury from the airbag (1) than if the airbag (1) were inflated to a greater pressure.
Patent GB-2341737-A (GB)
Title: Fault protection apparatus for use in a time-graded fault protection scheme
Inventor: BO ZHIQIAN
IPC: H02H3/38
Filed: 1998-09-17
Abstract: A power line is divided by forward and reverse circuit breakers into four sections 1,2,3,4. A first of group of breakers are conventional time-graded devices, while a second group (indicated by underlining) can be opened at an accelerated rate under certain conditions, for example, occurrence of a fault on the section of line associated with the breaker or if a remote breaker has operated and the fault has not cleared. The system may respond to unbalance by monitoring positive, negative and zero sequence currents and there may be provision for fault location.
Patent GB-2331722-A (GB)
Title: Controlling superplastic forming with a gas mass flow meter
Inventor: YASUI KEN K
IPC: B21D26/055
Filed: 1998-11-27
Abstract: The forming time necessary to superplastically form an object from a metal sheet is estimated by empirical analysis. The required rate of gas mass flow into a forming cavity is then determined using either a nomograph composed of four interrelated graphs, or a single graph which requires the input of fewer variables than the nomograph. Forming gas, such as argon, flows from a bottle 51 through a pressure regulator 55 and a gas mass flow meter 57 to an input port 75 in the lid 67 of a forming die 61. A metal sheet 71 to be formed is trapped between the periphery of the lid 67 and the walls of a bottom section 69 of the die. An exhaust port 79 in the bottom section 69 allows gas between the sheet 71 and the bottom section 69 to escape as the forming gas superplastically forms to sheet 71. A pressure gage 59 indicates the forming pressure. The required gas mass flow rate, which is a target value, is maintained by regulating the forming pressure until the final forming pressure is reached. The method may also be used to form cells of multiple sheet panels from a stack of sheets.
Patent GB-2331072-A (GB)
Title: Liquid effluent treatment plant and process
Inventor: JONES RICHARD BERNARD
IPC: C02F3/30
Filed: 1997-09-05
Abstract: The invention relates to an effluent treatment plant and to a method for treating effluent. The plant comprises a pair of elongate vessels (5, 12), one vessel (12) being for aerobic and the other (5) being for anoxic metabolisation of effluent by microorganisms, each vessel having a downcomer zone (4, 11) and a riser zone (7, 14). The first riser zone (7) of the vessel (5) for anoxic mctabolisation communicates with the downcomer zone (11) of the vessel (12) for aerobic metabolisation.
Patent GB-2334469-A (GB)
Title: Abrasive treatment discs
Inventor: SMITH WALTER WILLIAM EDGAR ANS
IPC: B24B37/24
Filed: 1999-02-22
Abstract: A surface treatment device comprising a disc of material 10 carrying an abrasive 12 and a mounting member 14 used to attach the device to a tool for subsequent use, is made by welding the mounting member 14 to the rear face of the disc 10 using high frequency energy, for example by means of ultrasonic welding preferably at a frequency in excess of 10 kHz. The mounting member 14 may be made of nylon and the disc 10 may be made of woven or non-woven materials, nylon scrim or polyester backed abrasive cloth. Pressure may be applied to the mounting member 14 and disc 10 before, during and after the welding process. Preferably raised areas are provided on one or both of the abutting surfaces of the mounting member 14 and the disc 10.
Patent GB-2348035-A (GB)
Title: Speech recognition system
Inventor: HARRIS ROBERT
IPC: G10L17/26
Filed: 1999-03-19
Abstract: A speech recognition system is trained to be sensitive not only to the actual spoken text, but also to the manner in which the text is spoken, for example whether something is said confidently or hesitatingly. In the preferred embodiment this is achieved by using a Hidden Markov Model (HMM) as the recognition engine and training the HMM to recognise different styles of input. This approach finds particular application in telephony voice processing where short caller responses need to be recognised, and the system can then react in a fashion appropriate to the tone or manner in which the caller has spoken.
Patent GB-2349582-A (GB)
Title: Fortune telling device
Inventor: CHOU KUANG YUAN
IPC: A63F9/24
Filed: 1999-05-07
Abstract: A fortune telling apparatus comprises sensors for at least one physical condition of the environment in the neighbourhood of the device and means to pass the value of the physical condition to a data base, means to input personal data to a database, data in the data base which relates to personal predictions, means to process the data from the sensors, the personal data and the data from the predictions to produce a predictive result, and means to convert this predictive result into an audible or visual output.
Patent GB-2334582-A (GB)
Title: Detection of ground roll cone
Inventor: BAETEN GUIDO JOSEF MARIA
IPC: G01V1/28
Filed: 1997-11-05
Abstract: The present invention relates to a method to detect areas of acquired seismic data that contain ground roll. The method according to the invention allows the detection of ground roll cone on the basis of an estimate of the local ground roll velocity or even without any knowledge of the ground roll velocity. The method according to the invention is furthermore very useful for an automatic process of ground roll detection.
Patent GB-2351065-A (GB)
Title: Container grappler
Inventor: TAYLOR GEOFFREY EDWARD
IPC: B66C1/66
Filed: 1999-05-22
Abstract: A grappler for lifting a cargo container has a spreader frame 10 supporting two pairs of opposed arms 14 each extending downwardly from the frame, the lower end 19 of each arm 14 being arranged for inter-engagement with a respective lifting recess provided on the container. Each arm has at its lower end 19 a claw 25 mounted for rotational movement between a first position (Figure 2A) where the claw 25 lies wholly within the confines of the arm, and a second position (Figure 2B) where the claw 25 projects out of the arm towards the opposed arm of its pair, for engagement with an adjacent lifting recess on the container. An hydraulic ram 26 is incorporated within the arm 14 to effect rotational movement of the claw 25, between its two positions. Preferably, the claw is moved via a rack 29 and pinion 32.
Patent GB-2350965-A (GB)
Title: Loudspeaker cabinet and microphone housing internal damping system
Inventor: GAMBLE STEFAN
IPC: H04R1/28
Filed: 1999-06-10
Abstract: The system damps acoustic and energy pulses 43 originating from a source such as a driver unit 42 in a loudspeaker cabinet 41, or the reflected second generation signals resulting from the acoustics surrounding a recorded source. There is provided a suitably match weight 44 which is freely suspended by means of resilient elastic sandwiching, chosen to approximate to the generated energies 43 required damping. When these damping masses 44 are affected by an energy source 43 they will resonate 48 in harmony and absorb free acoustic and air pulse energy, converting it into heat, which may be dissipated by means of controlled air movement or transferred to another plate and so on.
Patent GB-2338969-A (GB)
Title: Paving block with tapered edges
Inventor: HART PETER
IPC: E01C11/22
Filed: 1999-06-11
Abstract: There is disclosed a paving block for use in the construction of a paved surface, which paving block has a top surface, a bottom surface and at least one lateral surface extending between the top and bottom surfaces and abutting in use at least part of a lateral surface of at least one adjacent paving block, wherein a portion of the lateral surface of the paving block adjacent to the top surface is tapered.
Patent GB-2356008-A (GB)
Title: Paint can holder for ladders
Inventor: MEEHAN GEORGE ARTHUR MITCHELL
IPC: E06C7/14
Filed: 1999-11-05
Abstract: A paint can holder insertable into a hollow rung of a ladder has a hook 12 at one end and an expansible ball 13 at the other, the ball 13 being expanded by action of cam 14 as shown so as to firmly grip the interior of the ladder rung.
Patent GB-2345874-A (GB)
Title: A wave soldering apparatus
Inventor: SCANLAN JOHN
IPC: B23K1/08
Filed: 1999-12-01
Abstract: A wave soldering apparatus comprises a wave solder machine 1 with conveyor means having a pair of spaced apart substantially parallel inclined endless chains with associated drive means to drive the chains along complementary guide rails 3. A plurality of circuit board support arms 5 are mounted side by side on each chain for engagement with a circuit board 9 to support the circuit board between the chains. A solder bath 10 is provided with means for forming a solder wave 11 for washing against an underside of the circuit board. Demountable shroud means 14 for the circuit board project upwardly at a leading edge of the circuit board to direct the solder wave beneath it. The apparatus may also include a circuit board carrier (40, fig 6), which comprises a panel (41, fig 6) with side edges (42, 43 fig 6) adapted for engagement with the support arms of the conveyor, and which may be capable of housing a number of circuit boards. Preferably the panel of the circuit board carrier shrouds the leading edges of the circuit boards.
Patent GB-2357148-A (GB)
Title: Determining a spatial position using an array of single axis transducers
Inventor: FAITHFULL PAUL THOMAS
IPC: G01C9/08
Filed: 1999-12-07
Abstract: A spatial position eg for a vehicle is determined from one or more gravitational offsets detected by an array of single axis transducers spaced apart substantially symmetrically in pairs about one or more axes eg about a centre of gravity CoG. Position determination may include using points derived from functions of longitudinal, lateral, and vertical acceleration, which themselves can be derived as a function of initial position and a change in one or more of roll, pitch and yaw angles eg as an integral of rotational acceleration about a centre of gravity . Change in angle can be derived from the difference between signals in one or more pairs of transducers. Gravitational offsets can be cancelled out by subtracting signals of the transducers in a pair from each other. The transducers may operate down to zero frequency and may comprise linear accelerometers.