Abstract:
There is disclosed a knitting machine comprising: at least one knitting needle; at least one positive yarn feed device for feeding yarn to said at least one knitting needle; needle monitoring means for providing information relating to the at least one knitting needle during the course of a knitting operation; and a controller for controlling the operation of the positive yarn feed device; in which the controller is adapted to: receive information from the needle monitoring means during the course of a knitting operation; use said information to calculate a desired amount of yarn to be fed to a knitting needle; and control the positive yarn feed device so that the positive yarn feed device feeds the desired amount of yarn to the knitting needle during the course of the knitting operation.
Abstract:
A method of cutting or machining a material (7) by directing a laser beam (1) into a cut zone and at the same time injecting substantially continuously a stream of high speed (50-300 m/s) solid particles (4) into the cut zone or the vicinity thereof. The solid particles (4) may be aluminium oxide or zirconium oxide particles having a size in the range of 1-50 mu m. The particle stream is preferably formed coaxially around the laser beam, the particles (4) being accelerated by means such as an inert gas or electrostatic charge which does not work the material. The laser beam (1) melts the material and the solid particles (4) are directed into the molten material before exiting from the face of the material opposite that to which the stream is directed.
Abstract:
A heat transfer tube (1) for effecting heat transfer between a wall (2) of the tube (1) and a fluid flowing through said tube (1) has an internal spirally fluted surface (3). Each flute (4) is at a common helix angle relative to the axis of the tube and each is asymmetrical in cross section. The asymmetry of the flutes (4) provides for high heat transfer coefficients with a reduction in the friction factor. Thus high performance heat exchange is possible with a reduced loss of pressure in the fluid as it flows through the tube (1).
Abstract:
A method of effecting cross-linking of a resin comprises generating vinyl sulfonyl moieties in situ with the resin, said sulfonyl moieties then undergoing a reaction which effects cross-linking of the resin. The vinyl sulfonyl moieties may be generated as a result of a loss of a liquid carrier for the resin to be cross-linked. The cross-linking reaction may result from reaction of the vinyl sulfonyl moieties with nucleophilic groups in the resin composition. The resin may be a co-polymer of a compound of formula (IV) with other olefinically unsaturated monomers.
Abstract:
A method and apparatus for monitoring the corrosion of a working electrode. An alternating perturbation signal of at least one frequency is applied to the working electrode. A signal representing the response of the working electrode to the applied perturbation signal is monitored. The monitored signal is filtered to separate out a signal representing the response of the electrode to the or each applied frequency and an electrochemical noise output signal representative of corrosion of the working electrode. The potential of the working electrode relative to a reference electrode may be controlled by controlling the supply of current through an auxiliary electrode. The supplied current is then monitored and the monitored current is filtered. Alternatively, a known alternating current may be applied between the working electrode and an auxiliary electrode and fluctuations in the potential of the working electrode relative to a reference electrode may be monitored, the monitored potential being filtered. A measure of the impedance of the working electrode is derived from the applied perturbation signal and the response signal. Both electrochemical potential noise and electrochemical current noise measurements may be derived from the known applied potential and the measured current or the known applied current and the monitored potential.
Abstract:
The invention relates to a method for determining whether or not a patient infected with hepatitis C is likely to develop severe liver disease. The method comprises determining the ApoE genotype of the patient, where a patient expressing the ApoE4 isoform is less likely to develop severe liver disease than a patient expressing only the ApoE2 or ApoE3 isoforms.
Abstract:
The invention relates to a method for determining whether or not a patient infected with hepatitis C is likely to develop severe liver disease. The method comprises determining the ApoE genotype of the patient, where a patient expressing the ApoE4 isoform is less likely to develop severe liver disease than a patient expressing only the ApoE2 or ApoE3 isoforms.
Abstract:
There is disclosed a method for making a pressure garment, comprising the steps of: defining 3D shape and pressure profile and characteristics of a garment; specifying a knitting pattern for the garment; calculating yarn feed data for the knitting pattern to produce the defined shape and pressure profile and characteristics; and knitting the seamed or seamless garment according to the knitting pattern and the yarn feed data.
Abstract:
There is disclosed a method of patterning a monolayer comprising the steps of : providing a monolayer of a compound on a substrate; positioning a near field light source in relation to the monolayer so that light from the light source irradiates the monolayer in the near field regime, the wavelength of the light being suitable to interact with molecules in the monolayer and thereby initiate a photochemical reaction; and patterning the monolayer by causing relative movement of the monolayer and the near field light source, the relative movement corresponding to a desired pattern.
Abstract:
There is disclosed a method of extracting information from an object or object scene comprising illuminating the object or scene by a plurality of primary colour illuminants and measuring or recording the resulting light from the object or scene.