Author: claimsbot

1. A hoist apparatus comprising:
a frame;
a drum mounted on the frame for rotation about a drum axis;
a motor connected to the drum for selectively rotating the drum in opposite wind-up and wind-off directions about the drum axis;
a rope wound around the drum such that the rope winds on to and off of the drum in response to rotation of the drum in the wind-up and wind-off directions, respectively;
a switch mounted to the frame and preventing the motor from rotating the drum when the switch is actuated to a stop motor position; and
a rope sensing device pivotable between a sensing position and a fouled position, the rope sensing device including a lever arm having a first end portion, a second end portion, and a pivot point located between the first and second end portions along the lever arm, the lever arm being pivotably connected to the frame at the pivot point, a follower connected to the first end portion and positioned adjacent and spaced from the drum such that the rope winds on to the drum spaced from and relative to the follower when the rope sensing device is in the sensing position, and a switch actuator connected to the second end portion adjacent the switch, the rope sensing device being biased towards and positioned in the sensing position until a rope fouling event occurs and causes the rope to contact the follower and pivot the lever arm from the sensing position to the fouled position, the switch actuator actuating the switch to the motor stop position when the rope sensing device is in the fouled position.
2. A hoist apparatus according to claim 1 and further comprising a control operably connected to the motor and the switch, wherein the control controls rotation of the drum, and wherein the switch signals the control to prevent the motor from rotating the drum when the switch is actuated to the stop motor position.
3. A hoist apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the drum includes a helical groove in which the rope is reeved as the rope winds on to the drum, and wherein a rope fouling event occurs when the rope leaves the helical groove.
4. A hoist apparatus according to claim 1 and further comprising a load engaging mechanism connected to the rope such that the load engaging mechanism moves upward when the rope winds on to the drum and moves downward when the rope winds off of the drum.
5. A hoist apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the follower includes a roller connected to the lever arm for rotation about a roller axis, and wherein the roller axis is substantially parallel to the drum axis.
6. A hoist apparatus according to claim 5 wherein the roller includes a polyurethane cover.
7. A hoist apparatus according to claim 5 wherein the rope sensing device further includes a bearing that connects the roller to the lever arm for rotation about the roller axis.
8. A hoist apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the rope sensing device further includes a bearing that pivotably connects the lever arm to the frame at the pivot point.
9. A hoist apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the lever arm is biased towards the sensing position by a spring.
10. A hoist apparatus according to claim 9 further comprising a first spring mount connected to the frame, wherein the rope sensing device includes a second spring mount connected to the lever arm, wherein the spring is connected between the first and second spring mounts, and wherein at least one of the first and second spring mounts is adjustable to adjust the bias force exerted by the spring on the lever arm.
11. A hoist apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the switch actuator includes an actuating portion, and wherein the position of the actuating portion relative to the switch is adjustable.
12. A hoist apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the switch actuator linearly actuates the switch.
13. A hoist apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the position of the follower portion relative to drum is adjustable.
14. A hoist apparatus according to claim 13 wherein a portion of the frame contacts a portion of the lever arm to establish the position of the follower portion relative to the drum.
15. A hoist apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the rope is wound around the drum in a double-reeve rope arrangement, and further comprising a second rope sensing device positioned adjacent the drum to detect a rope fouling event.
16. A hoist apparatus according to claim 15 wherein the follower of the first mentioned rope sensing device extends approximately one half of the axial length of the drum to sense a first portion of the double-reeve rope arrangement winding on to the drum, and wherein a follower of the second rope sensing device extends approximately the other one half of the axial length of the drum to sense a second portion of the double-reeve rope arrangement winding on to the drum.
17. A hoist apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the switch actuator is spaced from the pivot point by a distance that allows for complete actuation of the switch to the motor stop position when a rope fouling event occurs.
18. A hoist apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the lever arm includes an L-shaped member, and wherein the L-shaped member includes a first leg portion and a second leg portion joined to the first leg portion roughly at the pivot point.
19. A hoist apparatus according to claim 18 wherein the first leg portion defines a first length, wherein the second leg portion defines a second length, and wherein the first and second lengths are approximately equal.
20. A hoist apparatus according to claim 18 wherein the follower is connected to the first leg portion, and wherein the switch actuator is connected to the second leg portion.
21. A hoist apparatus according to claim 18 wherein the first and second leg portions are spaced by approximately ninety degrees.
22. A hoist apparatus comprising:
a frame;
a drum mounted on the frame for rotation about a drum axis;
a motor connected to the drum for selectively rotating the drum in opposite wind-up and wind-off directions about the drum axis;
a rope wound around the drum such that the rope winds on to and off of the drum in response to rotation of the drum in the wind-up and wind-off directions, respectively, the rope having a predetermined radial position beyond which it is not desirable to wind rope on to the drum;
a switch mounted to the frame and preventing the motor from rotating the drum when the switch is actuated to a stop motor position; and
a rope sensing device pivotable between a sensing position and a fouled position, the rope sensing device including a lever arm having a first end portion, a second end portion, and a pivot point located between the first and second end portions along the lever arm, the lever arm being pivotably connected to the frame at the pivot point, a roller connected to the first end portion for rotation about a roller axis, the roller axis being substantially parallel to the drum axis, the roller being positioned adjacent and spaced from the drum such that the rope winds on to the drum spaced from and relative to the follower when the rope sensing device is in the sensing position, and a switch actuator connected to the second end portion adjacent the switch, the rope sensing device being biased towards and positioned in the sensing position until a rope fouling event occurs and causes the rope to contact the follower and pivot the lever arm from the sensing position to the fouled position, the switch actuator actuating the switch to the motor stop position when the rope sensing device is in the fouled position, a rope fouling event occurring when the rope is positioned radially outward of the predetermined radial position beyond which it is not desirable to wind rope on to the drum.
23. A hoist apparatus comprising:
a frame;
a drum mounted on the frame for rotation about a drum axis;
a motor connected to the drum for selectively rotating the drum in opposite wind-up and wind-off directions about the drum axis;
a rope wound around the drum such that the rope winds on to and off of the drum in response to rotation of the drum in the wind-up and wind-off directions, respectively;
a switch mounted to the frame and preventing the motor from rotating the drum when the switch is actuated to a stop motor position; and
a rope sensing device pivotable between a sensing position and a fouled position, the rope sensing device including a lever arm having a first end portion, a second end portion, and a pivot point located between the first and second end portions along the lever arm, the lever arm being pivotably connected to the frame at the pivot point, a roller connected to the first end portion and positioned adjacent and spaced from the drum by a first distance such that the rope winds on to the drum spaced from and relative to the follower when the rope sensing device is in the sensing position, the first distance being adjustable, and a switch actuator connected to the second end portion and positioned adjacent the switch, the position of the switch actuator relative to the switch being adjustable, the rope sensing device being biased by a spring towards and positioned in the sensing position until a rope fouling event occurs and causes the rope to contact the follower and pivot the lever arm from the sensing position to the fouled position, the spring exerting a biasing force, the biasing force being adjustable, the switch actuator actuating the switch to the motor stop position when the rope sensing device is in the fouled position.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1-22. (canceled)
23. A process for the preparation of an ester of probucol, comprising reacting:
(i) reacting probucol with sodium hydride to generate a probucol phenoxide ion; and
(ii) reacting the probucol phenoxide ion with an acid chloride or an acid anhydride to form the ester of probucol.
24. The process of claim 23, wherein the acid anhydride is succinic anhydride.
25. The process of claim 23, wherein approximately two equivalents of sodium hydride to one equivalent of probucol are used to generate the probucol phenoxide ion.
26. The process of claim 23, wherein approximately three equivalents of the acid chloride or acid anhydride are used to form the ester of probucol.
27. The process of claim 23, further comprising quenching the ester of probucol with aqueous HCl.
28. The process of claim 23, wherein the step (i) and (ii) are carried out in a solvent selected from the group consisting of DMF or THF.
30. The process of claim 23, wherein the acid anhydride is glutaric anhydride.

1. A method comprising:
providing a layer of a metal powder;
sinter-inhibiting one or more regions in the layer;
repeating said providing and sinter-inhibiting for a plurality of layers;
compacting the plurality of layers to form a compact;
sintering the compact; and
removing one or more sintered sections at a boundary formed by the sinter-inhibited regions in the compact.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein said removing comprises extracting a three-dimensional (3-D) metal object from the compact.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein said compacting comprises compacting each layer before another layer is provided on said layer.
4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:
compacting each layer after sinter-inhibiting one or more regions in the layer.
5. The method of claim 3, further comprising:
compacting each layer before sinter-inhibiting one or more regions in the layer.
6. The method of claim 3, wherein said compaction comprises pressing the layer with a press surface, and further comprising:
cleaning the press surface between each successive layer.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein said sinter-inhibiting comprises depositing a sinter-inhibiting material on the one or more regions of the layer.
8. The method of claim 7, wherein said depositing comprises extruding the sinter-inhibiting material through a nozzle.
9. The method of claim 7, wherein said depositing comprises printing the sinter-inhibiting material with a printer head.
10. The method of claim 7, wherein the sinter-inhibiting material comprises a solution that when dried results in crystals or other solid forms with a high sintering temperature.
11. The method of claim 7, wherein the sinter-inhibiting material comprises a metal salt.
12. The method of claim 11, wherein the metal salt comprises potassium phosphate (K3PO4).
13. The method of claim 7, wherein the sinter-inhibiting material comprises a ceramic slurry.
14. The method of claim 1, wherein said sinter-inhibiting comprises oxidizing metal powder particles in the one or more regions.
15. The method of claim 14, wherein said oxidizing comprises heating said metal power particles in the presence of oxygen.
16. The method of claim 15, wherein said oxidizing comprises scanning a laser over the one or more regions.
17. The method of claim 15, wherein said oxidizing comprises moving a micro-torch over the one or more regions.
18. The method of claim 1, wherein the metal powder comprises a binderless powder.
19. The method of claim 1, wherein said compacting comprises cold welding metal powder particles in the plurality of layers.
20. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
creating a boundary in said plurality of layers to form a block.
21. The method of claim 20, wherein said creating the boundary comprises depositing an adhesive at a periphery of each layer.
22. A system comprising:
means for spreading a plurality of layers of a metal powder;
a press to compress said layers;
means for sinter-inhibiting one or more regions in a plurality of said layers; and
a furnace to sinter the metal powder in a compact formed from said plurality of layers.
23. The system of claim 22, wherein the means for spreading comprises a roller.
24. The system of claim 22, wherein the means for spreading comprises a blade.
25. The system of claim 22, wherein the means for sinter-inhibiting comprises means for depositing a sinter-inhibiting material over said one or more regions.
26. The system of claim 25, wherein the means for depositing comprises a nozzle to extrude the sinter-inhibiting material.
27. The system of claim 25, wherein the means for depositing comprises a printer head to print the sinter-inhibiting material.
28. The system of claim 25, wherein the sinter-inhibiting material comprises a metal salt.
29. The system of claim 28, wherein the metal salt comprises potassium phosphate (K3PO4).
30. The system of claim 25, wherein the sinter-inhibiting material comprises a ceramic slurry.
31. The system of claim 22, wherein the means for sinter-inhibiting comprises a scannable laser operative to oxidize metal powder particles in said one or more regions.
32. The system of claim 22, wherein the means for sinter-inhibiting comprises a controllable micro-torch operative to oxidize metal powder particles in said one or more regions.
33. The system of claim 22, wherein the metal powder comprises a binderless metal powder.
34. The system of claim 22, further comprising:
means for cleaning a surface of the press before compacting each successive layer.
35. The system of claim 22, further comprising:
a heater to heat each of said plurality of layers.
36. The system of claim 35, wherein said heater comprises an array of gas torches operative to be selectively turned on or off.
37. The system of claim 35, wherein said heater comprises a an array of very high temperature electric filaments operative to be selectively turned on or off by electric current or by a shutter.
38. A method comprising:
providing a layer of a metal powder;
sinter-inhibiting one or more regions in the layer;
compacting the layer;
sintering metal powder in the layer;
repeating said providing, sinter-inhibiting, compacting, and sintering for a plurality of layers; and
removing one or more sintered sections at a boundary formed by the sinter-inhibited regions in the compact.
39. The method of claim 38, wherein said removing comprises extracting a three-dimensional (3-D) metal object from the compact.
40. The method of claim 38, wherein the compaction of the layer is performed prior to the sinter-inhibiting.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. A system, comprising:
a memory configured to store a host table;
a translator configured to restore predetermined portions of packet header information of a data packet, the packet header information including a network portion of a destination address routable over a wide area network and an encrypted host portion of the address identifying a destination host, the restoration including to:
extract, from the packet header information, predetermined portions of packet header data including the encrypted host portion of the address,
decrypt the extracted packet header data to determine a restored host portion of the restored address, and
place the restored host portion of the address back into the packet header information of the data packet, preserving the network portion of the destination address of the packet header;

a mapping device configured to map the restored address to the host table;
a host resolution device configured to issue a request to the network to resolve the restored address when the restored address does not match an entry in the host table and to supplement the host table with the restored address upon receipt of a reply to the request that indicates that the restored address is valid; and
an actuator configured to trigger a security device when the restored address does not match an entry in the host table.
2. The system of claim 1, wherein the security device is a logging device configured to log the data packet.
3. The system of claim 1, wherein the security device is configured to signal an alarm when triggered.
4. The system of claim 1, wherein the host resolution device is configured to derive the host table using an address resolution protocol.
5. The system of claim 1, further comprising a network device configured to place the data packet onto a network when the restored address maps to the host table.
6. A method, comprising:
restoring predetermined portions of packet header information of a data packet, the packet header information including a network portion of a destination address routable over a wide area network and an encrypted host portion of the address identifying a destination host, the restoring including:
extracting, from the packet header information, predetermined portions of packet header data including the encrypted host portion of the address,
decrypting the extracted packet header data to determine a restored host portion of the restored address, and
placing the host portion of the restored address back into the packet header information of the data packet, preserving the network portion of the destination address of the packet header;

issuing a request to the network to resolve the restored address when the restored address does not match an entry in a host table and supplementing the host table with the restored address upon receipt of a reply to the request that indicates that the restored address is valid; and
triggering a security device when the restored address does not match an entry in the host table.
7. The method of claim 6, further comprising logging the data packet when the address does not match an entry in the host table.
8. The method of claim 6, further comprising signaling an alarm when the security device is triggered.
9. The method of claim 6, further comprising deriving the host table using an address resolution protocol.
10. The method of claim 6, further comprising placing the data packet onto a network when the restored address maps to the host table.
11. The system of claim 1, wherein the network address is an internet protocol address, the network portion of the destination address of the packet header is an upper bits portion of the internet protocol address, and the host portion of the restored address is a lower bits portion of the internet protocol address.
12. The method of claim 6, wherein the network address is an internet protocol address, the network portion of the destination address of the packet header is an upper bits portion of the internet protocol address, and the host portion of the restored address is a lower bits portion of the internet protocol address.