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- The aviation industry is increasingly looking to biometric technologies to deliver enhanced efficiencies, better customer service and increased security with minimal intrusion on the travelling public;
- Numerous trials are currently taking place to support a wider move to develop a Biometric Entry-Exit Program of Record by the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agency;
- Orlando International Airport will become the first US airport to fully deploy the US CBP biometric entry and exit program after USD4 million investment;
- Latest monthly traffic data sees Orlando International Airport grow to become largest airport in the state of Florida and ranked 11th in the country and 39th in the world.
We have already seen fingerprints being used to confirm passenger identities at entry and exit points across the United States of America (USA), while numerous trials are currently taking place to support a wider move to develop a Biometric Entry-Exit Program of Record by the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agency.
In June 2016, CBP launched its first facial biometric demonstration at Hartfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport for biometric exit and among others JetBlue is testing a facial recognition program in Boston, Delta is testing a fingerprint-based program at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and Lufthansa has expanded a facial recognition program to more US airports after a trial run in Los Angeles.
At Orlando International Airport an at gate biometric boarding trial has already influenced the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority (GOAA) to approve USD4 million in funding to integrate a new passenger processing system that will use facial recognition technology to facilitate the arrival and departure of all international travellers. As such the Florida gateway becomes the first US airport to fully deploy the US CBP biometric entry and exit program.
The 90-day trial with British Airways on its flight to London Gatwick incorporated a special solution developed by global air transport IT provider SITA that used automated departure gates that integrated with the US CBP and the airline’s own IT systems to allow the necessary CBP security checks to be merged with the normal boarding procedures.
During the tests passengers no longer needed to show or scan their boarding passes or passport and were simply required to look into a camera and if authorised the gates would open within seconds. According to GOAA this has seen the boarding time for the Boeing 777 serving the route to fall to less than 15 minutes, delivering efficiency and security benefits to all parties involved. Testing on the system for arriving passengers proved “equally efficient at reducing processing delays,” says the airport operator.
Whether the pun was intended, but Todd Owen, executive assistant commissioner for the Office of Field Operations at the US CBP, was accurate when he described this key development. “Together, CBP and GOAA are going to change the face of travel making it more secure and efficient.” GOAA will now deploy the system across the 30 gates that have international departures and at the CBP checkpoints located in the airport’s two Federal Inspection Stations.
So how does it work? Well, its functionality is fairly straightforward. The program simply uses a camera at departure gates to match passengers with prior data collected by CBP, such as passport and visa photos. This data is all stored in a virtual private cloud. The software then simply verifies if the two images match and if so allows the passenger to board.
For arrivals in Orlando, CBP takes photos at CBP inspection booths and matches them against photos of arriving passengers stored in government databases and sourced from airlines and departure airports. CBP uses airline manifest data to retrieve this material including passports and visas, to build a photo gallery of travellers who are expected to arrive in the country.
Like the departures, CBP captures a photograph of the traveller and matches it to a photograph in the pre-assembled gallery. After verification travellers are then guided to a CBP Officer for a short inspection to establish the purpose and intent of travel and either allowed to proceed to baggage claim or referred for secondary inspection.
The system will remove the need for passengers to continually present identity documentation at multiple stops along the airport arrival or departure journey. Speaking to The Blue Swan Daily following the announcement, Phil Brown, CEO, GOAA said: “With a faster and more secure clearance process, airlines, airports, and travellers will benefit from shorter processing times and standardised arrival procedures.”
“Our plan is to acquire sufficient gates to accommodate our international departures and are working with SITA on the final design. We are expecting to get them all in place by the end of this year and are taking inventories from our international partners to study passenger flows and whether then need two or perhaps three lanes for the boarding process. But, we don’t have to make any modifications to the gate areas to accommodate them and can move them between gates if necessary,” he added.
Latest Airport’s Council International (ACI) data for Feb-2018 shows that Orlando International Airport is now the largest airport in the state of Florida ranked by passenger traffic, moving up from number two; number 11 in the country, moving up from number 13; and number 39 in the world, moving up from number 41. It is also currently the third fastest growing airport in the US.
Orlando International's overall traffic was up 8.4% year-on-year during the month with international traffic rising 13.6% and domestic volumes up 7.7%. On a rolling-12 month basis, annual passenger traffic now exceeds 45 million at Orlando International Airport, up 7.28% on the record levels recorded last year.
CHART - Orlando International Airport has seen stable annual growth rates since 2015, although last years healthy +6.4% growth was down on the +8.0% levels recorded in the two previous years and currently being seen in 2018Source: CAPA - Centre for Aviation and OAG


|Publication number||US6058668 A|
|Application number||US 09/059,708|
|Publication date||May 9, 2000|
|Filing date||Apr 14, 1998|
|Priority date||Apr 14, 1998|
|Publication number||059708, 09059708, US 6058668 A, US 6058668A, US-A-6058668, US6058668 A, US6058668A|
|Inventors||Thomas R. Herren|
|Original Assignee||Herren; Thomas R.|
|Export Citation||BiBTeX, EndNote, RefMan|
|Patent Citations (10), Non-Patent Citations (2), Referenced by (115), Classifications (8), Legal Events (3)|
|External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, Espacenet|
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system for creating a seismic-resistant and fire-resistant head-of-wall structure for a nonload-bearing wall within a building.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Seismic and fire resistance has become of increasing concern in building construction. In the construction of buildings the framework for the walls of a building is formed of horizontal still members at the floor, at the ends of which vertical corner posts support horizontal beams at the ceiling level. Between the corner posts there are upright supports, called studs, laterally spaced, usually at uniform intervals, to provide the necessary interior structural support for the wall.
Historically, the framework of a building wall was formed entirely of wooden members, including wooden studs. In recent years, however, the use of metal studs has gained increased acceptance, especially in the construction of commercial buildings, such as office buildings, schools, and hospitals. Metal building studs are typically formed of ten to twenty gauge galvanized steel. For ease of fabrication the metal studs are formed of sheet metal bent into a generally "C-shaped" cross section. A relatively broad central web is flanked by a pair of narrower side walls that are bent at right angles to the web or base. The edges of the side walls of the metal stud are normally bent over into a plane parallel to and spaced from the plane of the web.
In the conventional construction of an interior building wall an overhead beam having a U-shaped configuration extends along the tops of the studs. The overhead beam is formed with a horizontally disposed web from which a pair of side walls depend vertically on opposite sides of the web. The side walls embrace the sides of the vertical studs so that the upper extremities of the studs extend in a perpendicular manner into the concave, downwardly facing channel formed by the overhead beam. The spacing of the studs along the length of the beam is typically either sixteen or twenty-four inches.
One problem which occurs in any building during an earthquake is that the seismic ground motion from an earthquake introduces both horizontal and vertical undulations in the building. Because of their elongated, vertical lengths, the metal studs in building wall construction are limber enough to flex sufficiently in a lateral direction and thereby resist inelastic deformation during an earthquake. However, vertical undulations that vary the distance between the floor and ceiling in a room during an earthquake are likely to destroy, or at least damage the integrity, of rigid structural joints between vertical metal studs and horizontal sill and overhead beam members between which the studs extend in a building.
Another problem which may occur is the spread of fire from room to room within a building. While the structure of interior building walls is largely formed of fire-resistant gypsum board sheet, fire can pass between the upper edges of the gypsum board and the ceiling. Fire paths are particularly likely to develop if the joints between the metal studs in the walls and the ceiling above have been damaged by prior seismic activity.
To alleviate these problems a seismic and fire resistant wall structure and method was devised. This system is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,127,203. According to this system the overhead, downwardly facing, U-shaped beam that extends across the top of the upright studs is provided with fire-retardant material on its underside and with vertical sides that have vertically elongated slots defined thereon. These vertically elongated slots are longitudinally spaced at intervals to accommodate the positions of studs within a vertical, nonload-bearing wall. Fasteners extend through the vertically elongated slots in the overhead beams and into the sides of the metal studs. The fasteners, typically sheet metal screws, are tight enough to provide lateral stability at the joints between the studs and the overhead beam, but are not so tight as to prevent relative vertical motion therebetween.
Preferably, standoff washers are provided at the elongated slots. The standoff washers have faces against which the heads of the screws bear and short legs or flanges which project through the vertically elongated slots in the side walls of the overhead beams. These flanges bear against the sides of the studs. The standoff washers function in the manner depicted and described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,467,566, with specific reference to FIG. 8 of that patent.
As vertical undulations from an earthquake are transmitted through the structural components of a nonload-bearing wall as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,127,203, the elongated, vertical slots through which the stud fasteners extend permit vertical, oscillatory motion to occur between the upper extremities of the studs and the overhead beams of the nonload-bearing walls. As a result, the stud fasteners maintain structural integrity so that the wall remains undamaged and does not require repair following an earthquake.
In a nonload-bearing wall the web of the beam is preferably secured to the ceiling above by screws that extend vertically upwardly through longitudinally elongated slots in the web of the beam and into the structure of the ceiling above.
These screws also preferably employ standoff washers of the type described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,467,566 so that the head-of-wall structure can accommodate limited interstory drift during an earthquake.
A problem which continues to exist in building construction is the difficulty in making a nonload-bearing wall adequately fire resistant. In a typical building construction a ceiling is formed by galvanized steel, fluted decking atop which a layer of concrete is poured to form the floor above. The fluted steel decking may, for example, be fabricated of eighteen gauge galvanized steel. The flutes, or concave, downwardly facing channels defined in the underside of the decking, are typically about three inches deep and about six inches wide.
Interior, nonload-bearing walls often pass transversely across the flutes. The beams at the tops of such walls are attached to the underside of the decking where the decking projects downwardly between the hollow flutes. Openings having cross-sectional areas equal to the areas of the flutes are thereby formed above the beams that are located at the top of nonload-bearing, interior walls. These openings form transverse passageways across the tops of the walls through which fire can travel.
To prevent the spread of fire through the flutes formed by the decking above nonload-bearing, interior walls, fire-resistant insulation is packed in the flute openings created at the tops of the walls by the flutes. This fire-resistant insulation may be applied by spraying it into the flute openings from each side of the wall. When the insulation dries and congeals it clogs the flute openings at the top of the wall.
As long as the insulation remains in the flute openings, they remain blocked and the insulation prevents the spread of fire across the top of the wall. However, when a fire is burning within a building, it generates a considerable amount of smoke which is heated and expands. The smoke causes a great pressure within a room where a fire is burning. It is known that the pressure of smoke from a fire burning within a room literally blasts the fire insulation out of the flute openings atop the wall. When this occurs the fire can thereupon spread to an adjacent room over the top of the wall through the flute openings.
According to present building construction practice fire insulation is held within the tunnel cavities defined by the flutes of the decking by hand cutting the upper edges of the gypsum board wall panels to follow the corrugations of the decking. The wallboard panels forming the sides of the nonload-bearing walls provide a series of projections that block the flute tunnels from the opposite sides of the wall and thereby hold the insulation in place. However, this system for holding the insulation in position is extremely time consuming, laborious, and expensive.
Hand cutting of the upper region of the wall to follow the convolutions of the corrugated, fluted decking is extremely labor intensive. The labor cost in creating a scalloped upper edge at the top of the wallboard adds significantly to the cost of construction of the wall. Moreover, even if a template is used the hand cuts result in significant gaps remaining which must then be caulked. The process of caulking is also an extremely laborious, labor intensive process, particularly when it is necessary to follow the convolutions of the underside of the fluted decking.
Moreover, conventional caulking is not seismic resistant. That is, even if the caulking originally provides an effective barrier to air currents, if the building structure subsequently is subjected to seismic activity, the caulking crumbles and gaps that allow the passage of air currents are opened. When this occurs the wall no longer offers its original resistance to the spread of fire. As a result, it has not heretofore been possible to provide both seismic resistance and fire resistance in interior building walls that will meet the stringent building codes applicable to structures such as schools and hospitals.
While the system of U.S. Pat. No. 5,127,203 does allow limited vertical cycling at the head-of-wall structure, it does not provide any means for retaining the insulation within the flutes of decking above the downwardly facing overhead channel-shaped beams. Also, slotted beams must be stocked having webs of the various different sizes that are used in different building head-of-wall structures. That is, the webs are typically provided in about six different widths varying between two and a half and eight inches.
According to the present invention, a system has been devised which accommodates both vertical and horizontal seismic movement, as in the system of U.S. Pat. No. 5,127,203, but which also retains the insulation in the flutes of the decking above interior walls. In addition, the system of the present invention uses a single size, angle-shaped structure to accommodate walls of all different thicknesses.
Elongated, angle-shaped sheet metal strips are provided outside of the vertical studs on both sides of the wall. Each sheet metal strip has a vertical leg which is slotted in the manner depicted in U.S. Pat. No. 5,127,203. The other leg of each angle strip is turned outwardly from the studs and bears against the underside of the decking. Also, the horizontal, outwardly projecting leg of each angle strip is cut periodically with diverging slits to form pop-up tab structures at periodic intervals along the length of the angle strip. The pop-up tabs are formed by slits cut into the outer edges of the horizontal legs of the angle strips so that the shape of the pop-up tabs conforms to and is substantially the same as the cross-sectional area of the sheet metal decking flutes. In addition, longitudinal score lines are formed across the bases of the pop-up tabs to facilitate bending these tabs upwardly.
The slotted angle strips are secured to the vertical studs with sheet metal screws and preferably also standoff washers. The screws project through the vertical, slotted legs of the angle strips and into the vertical sides of the metal studs. The standoff washers permit limited vertically reciprocal movement between the vertical slotted legs of the angle strips and the upright studs.
Longitudinally elongated slots are also preferably formed in the outwardly projecting, horizontal legs of the angle strips between the pop-up tabs. Sheet metal screws used in conjunction with standoff washers project upwardly through the slots in the horizontal angle legs and into the portions of the fluted decking that make contact therewith. Thus, the system accommodates horizontal, interstory drift, or relative movement between the horizontal legs of the angle strips and the fluted decking thereabove.
Once the screws have been used to attach the vertical legs of the angle strips to the upright studs and the horizontal legs of the angle strips to the fluted decking above, insulation batts are inserted into the flutes above the webs of bridge members that are formed as short channel-shaped sections that are secured between the angle strips at the flutes. The webs of these short, channel-shaped bridge sections support the insulation batts from beneath. Once the insulation batts are in position, the popup tabs between the slits in the horizontal legs of the angle strips are bent upwardly to a generally vertical orientation, thereby holding the insulation batts in position in the cavities in the flutes above the channel-shaped bridge sections therebeneath.
In the building construction industry the structure at the intersection between the top of an interior building wall and the ceiling deck of the floor above is referred to as a head-of-wall. There are a number of regulatory building code requirements specified for head-of-wall structures.
A principal object of the present invention is to provide an interior building wall construction that will meet both stringent seismic and stringent fire resistance code standards. For example, the UL (Underwriter's Laboratory) Standard 2079 requires that joints in metal stud framing withstand twenty cycles of a one-half inch linear movement of the structures joined together. The wall system of the present invention successfully withstands cycling of one hundred cycles of one full inch of linear movement.
Also, UL Specification 2079 additionally requires the joints of a wall to remain fire resistant for a full hour, in the case of some interior walls, and for two hours in the case of others. After subjecting the wall to fire, the wall joint and the insulation in the cavities of the flutes atop the wall must withstand the pressure applied by a stream of water directed thereon from a firehose to simulate the pressure produced within a building due to fire. Specifically, water under a pressure of forty psi in a two inch diameter hose is fired at the insulation pockets in the flutes of the ceiling from a distance of twenty feet for twenty seconds.
In conventional building construction systems the blast from the fire hose readily dislodges the insulation from the cavities created by the flutes above the wall beam unless the wallboard has been cut to follow the undulations of the ceiling flutes and thereby protect the insulation. However, the system of the present invention employs a unique technique for anchoring the insulation in position in the flute cavities above the wall so that it is entirely unnecessary to cut the wallboard to match the undulations of the ceiling flutes.
In testing building wall systems for fire resistance, the joints are expanded to the maximum joint opening width for which the system is intended to function. Thus, it is evident that conventional design features that tend to enhance seismic resistance tend to reduce fire resistance. That is, if there is considerable play in the joints between upright metal studs and overhead metal beams to which the studs are attached, openings are created which reduce resistance to the passage of fire. On the other hand, if joints are closed and locked immovably together, they are likely to fail when subjected to seismic activity. Thus it has heretofore not been possible to provide an interior building wall construction system which meets both the maximum standards for fire resistance and the maximum standards for resistance to seismic movement as well. However, the system of the present invention easily surpasses the most stringent fire and seismic resistance code specifications that are currently in use.
Another primary object of the present invention is to provide a fire and seismic resistant wall construction that maintains its resistance to fire even after being subjected to seismic activity. The system of the present invention employs a unique system for providing a head-of-wall structure with seismic resistance and also for anchoring batts of insulation in position in the flute cavities of a ceiling above a line of vertical sheet metal studs that form the structural support for an interior, nonload-bearing wall.
Unlike prior systems, there is no necessity for a concave, downwardly facing channel-shaped beam to be positioned atop the upper ends of the studs and secured both to the ceiling and to the studs. To the contrary, in place of such a channel-shaped beam, the system of the present invention employs a pair of elongated, sheet metal angle strips. Each angle strip is of an inverted L-shaped cross section having both a vertical leg and a horizontal leg. The angle strips are positioned at to extend horizontally along the line of the upper ends of vertically oriented sheet metal studs with the vertical legs of the angle strips in contact with the upper ends of the sides of the studs. The horizontal legs of the angle strips are directed outwardly, away from the vertical legs and away from the studs. The horizontal legs reside in contact with the underside of the sheet metal deck forming the ceiling.
The angle strips are preferably secured to the upper ends of the metal studs with seismic fasteners that accommodate limited relative vertical movement between the studs and the ceiling. Similarly, the horizontal legs of the angle strips are preferably secured with seismic-resistant fasteners to the underside of the metal deck so as to accommodate limited horizontal movement, or interstory drift, between the vertical studs and the ceiling deck thereabove.
The horizontally disposed legs of the angle strips have outer edges, remote from the vertical legs and remote from the upright metal studs. The horizontal legs of the metal strips are scored or slit so as to define pop-up tabs at spaced intervals along the lengths of the angle strips equal to the spaced intervals of the flutes in the metal deck located thereabove. When the wall is oriented perpendicular to the flutes in the metal deck of the ceiling, the pop-up tabs can be bent out of the original horizontal plane of the horizontal legs of the angle strips upwardly into the downwardly facing flutes. The pop-up tabs are of a size and shape so as to extend substantially across the entire width and throughout the entire depth of the flutes, thereby forming metal barriers in the flutes.
Scoring of the horizontal leg can be performed either by creating a continuous slit entirely through the sheet metal structure, or by discontinuous cutting leaving only narrow regions of uncut metal. Preferably the slits are continuous and extend inwardly toward the vertical legs from the outside edges of the horizontal legs of the angle strips to create the pop-up tabs.
According to the system of present invention, the overhead channel-shaped beam with slotted sides atop the studs is eliminated. Preferably, short sections of unslotted, sheet metal, channel-shaped, bridge members are fastened to the angle strips by screws that extend through the slots in the vertical legs of the angle strips beneath the open flutes in the decking thereabove.
Before bending the metal pop-up tabs out of the planes of the horizontal legs of the angle strips in which they are formed, batts of insulation are first positioned in the flutes directly above the line of upright studs where the flutes pass across the line of studs. The batts of insulation are preferably supported from beneath by the insulation supporting bridges. These insulation supporting bridges each have a flat, horizontally disposed web equal to the width of the webs of the studs with downwardly projecting channel sides. The channel sides are secured by sheet metal screws to the vertical legs of the angle strips so that the webs of the insulation supporting bridges form platforms directly beneath the batts of insulation located in the flute. Once the pop-up tabs of the pair of angle strips are bent into a generally vertical disposition, the batts of insulation are thereby entrapped within the flute directly above the line of upright studs from beneath by the insulation supporting bridges, and at both sides of the wall by the pop-up tabs.
In one broad aspect the present invention may be considered to be an improvement in a building interior head-of-wall structure for a nonload-bearing wall in which a plurality of vertical metal wall studs are arranged in a straight horizontal line and project upwardly and terminate beneath a ceiling formed of a metal deck having an exposed undersurface that defines a plurality of mutually parallel, downwardly facing flutes. The improvement of the invention is comprised of a pair of sheet metal angle strips that join the wall studs to the ceiling deck. The angle strips each include a vertical leg secured to the metal wall studs and a horizontal leg having an outer edge remote from the vertical leg. The horizontal leg is scored toward the vertical leg at longitudinally spaced intervals along the outer edge to define a plurality of pop-up tabs that are bendable to project upwardly into and block the flutes on both sides of the line of metal studs.
Quite often in the construction of interior building walls, the flutes of the sheet metal ceiling deck extend transversely across the line of metal studs. In such a situation, batts of fire-resistant insulation are located in each of the flutes directly above the line of wall studs. The pop-up tabs of the pair of angle strips are bent upwardly into a generally vertical disposition within the flutes. The pop-up tabs thereby block any longitudinal movement of the batts of insulation along the lengths of the flutes.
To support the insulation batts from beneath, short, channel-shaped bridge members are provided to serve as insulation supports. These bridge members have downwardly depending legs that are secured to the pair of angle strips beneath each of the batts of insulation. The enclosures thus formed are thereby are confined on all sides by the insulation supports beneath, the fluted decking material above, and the pop-up tabs at opposite ends of the enclosures. The batts of insulation within the enclosures formed in the flutes are supported from beneath by the webs of the insulation supporting bridges above the line of metal studs. As a consequence, if a fire occurs within a room on one side of the wall, the resultant pressure cannot force the batts of insulation out of their fire blocking positions atop the wall within the ceiling flutes.
In a typical building installation, the downwardly facing flutes in the sheet metal ceiling deck have a trapezoidal configuration. The horizontal legs of the angle strips are therefore scored with slits diverging from the outer edges thereof to create the pop-up tabs in a trapezoidal shape corresponding to the cross-sectional shape of the flutes.
To facilitate bending of the pop-up tabs into a vertical disposition, the pop-up tabs are partially scored above the vertical legs of the angle strips and in a direction parallel to the line of studs. Scoring may be formed by a line of intermittent perforations or by a continuous line of weakness in the metal parallel to the line of studs. The scoring is significant enough to allow the pop-up tabs to be bent upwardly using a hammer, but is not so pronounced that the pop-up tabs are likely to separate from the angle strips in which they are formed.
To accommodate limited interstory drift, ceiling fastener openings are defined in the horizontal angle legs between the pop-up tabs. The ceiling fastener openings are elongated in a direction parallel to the line of metal wall studs. Preferably a ceiling fastener slip washer is located in at least some of the ceiling fastener openings and ceiling fastening screws extend through the ceiling fastener slip washers to attach the horizontal legs of the pair of angle strips to the metal deck.
To accommodate limited vertical movement between the wall studs and the ceiling above that results from seismic events, vertically elongated stud fastener openings are defined in the vertical angle legs. Stud fastener slip washers are located in at least some of the stud fastener openings at each of the studs. Stud fastening screws extend through the stud fastener slip washers and into the studs to attach the vertical legs of the pair of angle strips to the vertical studs.
In another aspect the invention may be considered to be a new combination of elements including a building ceiling, a line of sheet metal wall studs, and a pair of elongated angle strips. The building ceiling is formed of a metal deck having an undersurface that defines a plurality of mutually parallel, concave downwardly facing flutes. A plurality of upright, channel-shaped metal wall studs are arranged in a straight, horizontal line. Each wall stud has a vertically disposed web between a pair of opposing sides. The wall studs are located beneath and extend proximate to the undersurface of the metal deck. Each of the angle strips has a vertical leg and a horizontal leg.
The vertical legs of the angle strips are formed with vertically elongated stud fastener openings therein, while the horizontal legs are formed with horizontally elongated ceiling fastener openings therein. The angle strips are respectively arranged against the opposing sides of the wall studs with their vertical legs in contact therewith and with their horizontal legs projecting outwardly therefrom away from each other. The horizontal legs of the angle strips have outer edges and are slit from the outer edges in toward the vertical legs to define pop-up tabs.
The pop-up tabs so defined have lines of bending parallel to the vertical legs. Stud fasteners extend into the metal studs through at least some of the stud fastener openings to secure the vertical legs of the angle strips to the stud walls while permitting limited relative vertical movement therebetween. Ceiling fasteners extend into the ceiling through at least some of the ceiling fastener openings to secure the horizontal legs of the angle strips to the ceiling, while permitting limited relative horizontal movement therebetween.
In still another aspect the invention may be considered to be a seismic and fire-resistant interior head-of-wall structure. The head-of-wall structure of the invention is installed between a ceiling formed of a metal deck with an exposed undersurface that defines a plurality of mutually parallel, concave downwardly facing flutes, and a plurality of vertical metal studs extending upwardly and arranged in linear alignment with each other. The vertical studs terminate near the ceiling beneath the undersurface thereof.
According to the invention a pair of elongated sheet metal angle strips are provided. Each angle strip has a vertical leg and a horizontal leg and is positioned beneath the undersurface of the ceiling. The vertical legs of the angle strips depend from the horizontal legs thereof and reside in contact with the metal studs. The horizontal legs of the angle strips are directly outwardly away from the metal studs and reside in contact with the undersurface of the metal deck.
The angle strips are formed with a plurality of vertically elongated stud fastener openings defined in the vertical legs of the angle strips. A plurality of horizontally elongated ceiling fastener openings are defined in the horizontal legs of the angle strips. The ceiling fastener openings extend parallel to the alignment of the studs relative to each other. Stud fasteners extend through at least some of the stud fastener openings and into the metal studs to secure the vertical legs of the angle strips to the vertical studs. This permits relative vertical movement between the angle strips and the vertical studs, limited by the lengths of the stud fastener openings.
Similarly, ceiling fasteners extend through at least some of the ceiling fastener openings and into the metal deck to secure the horizontal legs of the angle strips to the metal deck. This permits limited horizontal movement between the ceiling and the angle strips. This movement is limited by the lengths of the ceiling fastener openings.
Slits are formed in the horizontal legs of the angle strips. These slits define pop-up tabs in the horizontal legs which are of a size that fit into and extend transversely across the downwardly facing flutes.
The invention may be described with greater clarity and particularity by reference to the accompanying drawings.
FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a seismic and fire-resistant interior head-of-wall structure according to the invention.
FIG. 2 is a sectional elevational view illustrating the head-of-wall structure of the invention installed beneath a ceiling in which the flutes of the ceiling deck extend perpendicular to the line of metal studs forming the wall.
FIG. 3 is a sectional elevational view taken along the lines 3--3 of FIG. 2.
FIG. 4 is a sectional elevational view taken along the lines 4--4 of FIG. 2.
FIG. 1 illustrates a portion of a building having a floor. A ceiling 10 is formed about nine feet above the floor. The ceiling 10 is formed of an expansive corrugated metal deck member 12 on the underside of which a plurality of concave, downwardly facing, channel-shaped flutes 14 are formed. Each of the flutes 14 is of generally trapezoidal cross section about six inches in maximum width and about three inches in depth. The expansive metal deck member 12 is preferably formed of eighteen gauge W3 galvanized steel fluted decking. The ceiling 10 also includes a layer of reinforced concrete 16 poured thereatop to a minimum thickness of about two and a half inches. The concrete 16 is normal weight and has number four steel reinforcement rods 17 therein.
Beneath the ceiling 10 there is a seismic and fire-resistant, interior head-of-wall structure indicated generally at 20. The wall culminating in the head-of-wall structure 20 is installed between the floor beneath and the ceiling 10. That wall is formed of a plurality of vertical, metal studs 22, each about one hundred seven and a half inches in height. The metal studs 22 terminate near the underside of the metal ceiling deck 12. Each of the metal studs 22 is formed three and five-eighths inches in width from 0.019 inch thick galvanized steel. The metal studs 22 are located in a straight, horizontal line, no less frequently than twenty-four inches on center, maximum. The studs 22 are more typically spaced at sixteen inch intervals.
Each of the studs 22 is formed from a single sheet metal structure bent into a configuration having stud side walls 24 and 26 of uniform width. The stud side walls 24 and 26 are bent perpendicularly out from a relatively broad, central web 28. The edges of the side walls 24 and 26 remote from the web 28 are turned over to form marginal lips 30 which enhance the structural rigidity of the studs 22. The studs 22 thereby have a generally "C-shaped" cross-section, as illustrated.
The top of the head-of-wall 20 is formed by a pair of angle strips 32 and 34 fabricated from a minimum of sixteen gauge galvanized steel. The angle strips 32 and 34 are of identical construction. Each angle strip 32 and 34 is of an inverted L-shaped cross-sectional configuration and includes a flat, vertically oriented leg 36 and an flat, horizontally oriented leg 38. Each of the angle strips 32 and 34 is formed from a flat strip of sheet steel that is bent at right angles to form an apex 40 that serves as a delineation between the vertical leg 36 and the horizontal leg 38. The vertical legs 36 depend from the horizontal legs 38 of the angle strips 32 and 34.
The vertically oriented angle legs 36 are fabricated with vertically elongated stud fastener openings 42 defined therethrough. The stud fastener openings 42 are each preferably about one-quarter inch in width and are spaced longitudinally from each other at regular one and one-half inch intervals. The stud fastener opening slots 42 are centered within the vertical legs 36 between the apex 40 of the angle strips 32 and 34 and the lower edge 43 of the vertical legs 36. Each vertical leg 36 is preferably two and one-half inches in height as measured between the apex 40 and the lower edge 43 thereof.
The horizontal legs 38 of the angle strips 32 and 34 project outwardly in opposite directions from each other and away from the vertical legs 36 thereof and from the studs 22. The horizontal legs 38 are also initially flat throughout their length and have an outer edge 45 remote from the vertical legs 36 and the apices 40.
The horizontal legs 38 are scored by slits 50 and 52 that extend entirely through the thickness of the sheet steel forming the horizontal legs 38. The slits 50 and 52 diverge from each other from the outer, horizontal leg edge 45 and terminate at the apex 40. The slits 50 and 52 extend across the width of the horizontal leg 38 from the outer edges 45 in toward the vertical legs 36 to define trapezoidal-shaped pop-up tabs 54. The size and shape of the trapezoidal pop-up tabs 54 corresponds closely to and is just slightly smaller than the cross-sectional size and shape of the flutes 14.
Elongated, longitudinally extending ceiling fastener openings 58 are defined in the horizontal angle legs 38 between the pop-up tabs 54. The ceiling fasteners openings 58 are elongated in a direction parallel to the line of metal studs 22.
In assembling the head-of-wall structure 20, the vertical legs 36 of the angle strips 32 and 24 are positioned in contact with the sides 24 and 26, respectively, of the metal studs 22. The horizontal legs 38 of the angle strips 32 and 34 are directed outwardly away from the metal studs 22 and are pressed into contact with the undersurface of the metal deck 12.
Seismic-resistant connections allowing limited vertical movement are provided between the vertically disposed legs of the angle strips and the sides of the upright studs. Seismic-resistant connections between the horizontal legs of the angle strips permit limited, interstory drift between the metal decking of the ceiling and the upright studs therebeneath.
Standoff washers 39 are provided for each of the elongated ceiling fastener slots 58. The structure and use of the standoff washers 39 is illustrated and described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,467,566, which is incorporated herein by reference. Each standoff washer 39 is a flat, preferably rectangular structure having an elongated slot 41 defined therein. The standoff washers 39 are preferably about seven-eighths of an inch in width and about three-quarters of an inch in length. The longitudinal slot 41 is preferably about three-eighths of an inch in length.
In the formation of the slots 41, the structure of each standoff washer 39 is deformed so as to provide a pair of ribs or lips that extend out from the otherwise planar structure of the standoff washer 39 a distance of about one-sixteenth of an inch. The lips extend longitudinally along the sides of the elongated slots 41.
A standoff washer 39 is positioned in each of the ceiling fastener slots 58 such that the lips thereof extend up through the horizontal legs 38 and protrude a very short distance therebeyond. Ceiling fasteners 46, which may be no. 10 powder actuated fastening screws, are fired from beneath the horizontal angle legs 38 and extend up through the standoff washers 39 positioned at the ceiling fastening slots 58, through the steel deck 12, and into the concrete 16. The ceiling fasteners 46 may be installed at eight or twelve inch intervals along the length of the horizontal angle legs 38, depending upon the spacing of the flutes 14 in the deck 12.
The heads of the fasteners 46 bear against the standoff washers 39 to hold the horizontal angle legs 38 up against the metal deck 12 of the ceiling 10. However, since the lips of the standoff washers 39 on both sides of the slots 41 therein contact the surface 15 of the deck 12, and since the slots 58 are greater in length than the length of the lips of the standoff washers 39, a certain amount of longitudinal movement is permitted between the deck 12 and the horizontal angle legs 38 when the head-of-wall 20 is subjected to seismic activity.
The lower ends of the studs 22 are secured to a floor sill track in a conventional manner. The upper extremities of the studs 22 are fastened to the vertical angle legs 36 of the angle strips 32 and 34 using standoff washers 39 and sheet metal framing screws 44. The function of the standoff washers 39 and the stud fastening slots 42 are described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,467,566 and in U.S. Pat. No. 5,127,203, respectively, both of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
A standoff washer 39 is positioned at the center of each slot 42 that is aligned with a stud 22. The standoff washer 39 is centered within the slot 42 and placed thereagainst so that the lips on each side of the standoff washer slot 41 project through the structure of the vertical angle legs 36 of the angle strips 32 and 34. The standoff washer lips project slightly beyond the thickness of the twenty-gauge stock forming the angle strips 32 and 34 so as to reside in contact with the side walls 24 and 26 of each stud 22.
The stud fastening screws 44 are then power driven through the standoff washer slots 41 into the structure of the stud side walls 24 and 26 therebeyond, thereby forming stud fastener openings 31 therein. By securing angle strips 32 and 34 to the studs 22 in this manner, the angle strips 32 and 34 are securely fastened to the studs 22. Nevertheless, the standoff washers 39 and the vertically elongated slots 42 permit a limited amount of relative vertical movement between the studs 22 and the angle strips 32 and 34, thereby providing resistance to seismic activity.
The head-of-wall structure 20 is further comprised of channel-shaped sections of insulation supporting bridges 62. Each bridge 62 has a flat, horizontally disposed web 64 from the edges of which channel legs 66 and 68 depend downwardly. The width of the insulation supporting bridges 62 between the depending legs 66 and 68 is substantially equal to the width of the studs 22 between the sides 24 and 26 thereof. The length of each insulation supporting bridge 62, as measured between the transverse edges 70 and 72 thereof is at least a great as the maximum width of the flutes 14. The webs 64 of the insulation supporting bridges 62 thereby form platforms that span the flutes 14 where the flutes 14 cross the horizontal line of studs 22.
The vertical side walls 66 and 68 of the insulation supporting bridges 62 reside in contact with the vertical legs 36 of the angle strips 32 and 34. The vertical side walls 66 and 68 of the insulation supporting bridges 62 are secured to the vertical legs 36 of the angle strips 32 and 34 by means of one-half inch length, pan head, self drilling or self-tapping no. 6 sheet metal screws 44 that extend through the vertically elongated openings 42 that lie directly beneath the flutes 14.
The portions of the flutes 14 that pass transversely across the line of studs 22 and the angle strips 32 and 34 located thereatop form cavities in the form of transverse tunnels. These cavities or tunnels are filled with batts 80 of an insulation material above the line of studs 22. In conventional interior building wall construction the cavities in the flutes above the nonload-bearing interior wall beams are filled with Monokote MK-6/CDF insulation as a fire insulating substance. Although Monokote is resistant to fire, it is somewhat brittle even when installed, and becomes more brittle as it ages. As a consequence, if the building is subjected to seismic activity, the metal decking in a floor above a nonload-bearing wall and the wall structure will move relative to each other. This movement causes the Monokote to be crushed in the flute cavities and to crumble and dissipate.
Preferably a superior insulating material is utilized to form the insulation batts 80. The insulation batts 80 are preferably formed of a compressible, nonflammable, mineral fiber insulation called safing. This mineral fiber substance is a fireproof material that is produced as a by-product of slag. It is heated and spun and resembles spun fiberglass in texture, although it is dark brown in color. More importantly, it is a spongy, resiliently compressible material that does not become brittle with age, nor with exposure to temperature extremes. Furthermore, it is extremely low in cost.
The mineral fiber insulation batts 80 are preferably cut slightly larger than the width of the insulation support 62 as measured between the vertical sides 66 and 68 thereof. Also, the insulation batts 80 are preferably initially cut to a height greater than the depths of the flutes 14.
Once the insulation batts 80 have been positioned atop the insulation supports 62, the pop-up tabs 54 are bent upwardly into a generally vertical orientation. Preferably, the demarcations between the vertical legs 36 and horizontal legs 38 of the angle strips 32 and 34 are partially scored along the portions 82 of the apices 40 between the slits 50 and 52 beneath the flutes 14. Once the insulation batts 80 have been positioned in the cavities or tunnels formed by the flutes 14 where they cross the insulation supporting bridges 62, an installer strikes each of the trapezoidal areas of the pop-up tabs 54 delineated by the die cuts 50 and 52. The hammer blows are delivered from beneath the undersides of the horizontal legs 38 of the angle strips 32 and 34. Since the portions 82 of the apices 40 are weakened by partial scoring, the forces from the hammer blows inelastically bend the pop-up tabs 54 upwardly and inwardly in toward each other about the lines of bending formed by the partially scored portions 82 of the apices 40. The pop-up tabs 54 may thereby be bent upwardly into a generally vertical orientation, generally parallel to the vertical legs 36 of the angle strips 32 and 34 and in substantially coplanar relationship therewith.
When the pop-up tabs 54 have been bent up into a vertical position, they extend as transverse blocking partitions substantially across the entire width of each flute 14. An enclosure 84 is thereby formed within which each insulation batt 80 is confined. The upper portions of the enclosures 84 are formed by that portion of the sheet metal deck 12 forming the top and inclined walls of the trapezoidal-shaped flutes 14. The bottom of the enclosures 84 are formed by the web 64 of the insulation supporting bridges 62. The ends of the enclosure 84 are formed by the pop-up tabs 54 of the angle strips 32 and 34, respectively.
As is evident from FIG. 4, the insulation batts 80 are encapsulated within the enclosures 84 and cannot be dislodged even by high pressure on either side of a wall formed at the line of studs 22. Once the head-of-wall structure 20 is completed as depicted in the drawings, wallboard sheets are mounted against the opposite sides 24 and 26 of the vertical studs 22. The wallboard sheets are conventional three-quarter or five-eighths inch thick type "X" gypsum board panels, indicated in phantom at 86 in FIGS. 3 and 4. The wallboard panels 86 are attached to the studs 22 in a conventional manner by self-tapping screws.
The wall forming the head-of-wall structure 20 was then subjected to a hose test. Water under pressure was fired at the pop-up tabs 54 to see if the insulation batts 80 could be dislodged therefrom using water pressure. Water under a pressure of forty psi in a two inch diameter fire hose was fired from a distance of twenty feet to impact directly against the pop-up tabs 54. The water pressure was selected so as to simulate the pressure of smoke in a room at the fire stop level.
Unlike comparable wall sections in which the unique construction of the head-of-wall 20 was not employed, the wall section 20, in accordance with the invention, easily passed the hose stream test. The pop-up tabs 54 prevented dislodgement of any sort of the mineral fiber batts 80 from the enclosures 84 formed in the flutes 14 above the insulation supporting bridges 62.
The use of elongated angle strips mounted at the upper extremities of the sides 24 and 26 of the studs 22 in place of a downwardly facing sheet metal channel spanning the sides of the studs has several advantages. Specifically, a single size of elongated angle strip may be utilized in any interior head-of-wall installation. The widths of studs does vary in building construction. There are currently six different stud widths in use in present-day building construction which vary between two and a half and six inches in width. In conventional practice this requires the availability of channel beams having six different widths. In contrast, the same size angle strip may be utilized in constructing a head-of-wall according to the present invention regardless of the width of the studs employed. This eliminates the need for different dies and sheet metal bending setups in the fabrication of the structural materials utilized to connect the studs to the sheet metal decking above.
A pair of angle strips are significantly lighter in weight than a channel beam of the same length. Also, the angle strips of the invention can be installed one at a time. The angle strips employed in the head-of-wall construction according to the invention are thereby far easier to manipulate than a channel beam of the same length. Therefore, they can be installed much more rapidly, thus reducing both the time and expense of fabrication of a head-of-wall structure.
Undoubtedly, numerous variations and modifications of the invention will become readily apparent to those familiar with fire retardant and seismic resistant building wall construction. For example, the dimensions of the angle strips, fastener slot openings, and the size and selection of sheet metal stock and fasteners may be varied. Accordingly, the scope of the invention should not be construed as limited to this specific embodiment depicted and described herein.
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|U.S. Classification||52/241, 52/236.7, 52/481.1|
|International Classification||E04B2/74, E04B2/82|
|Cooperative Classification||E04B2/825, E04B2/7411|
|May 16, 2003||FPAY||Fee payment|
Year of fee payment: 4
|Jun 13, 2007||FPAY||Fee payment|
Year of fee payment: 8
|May 9, 2011||FPAY||Fee payment|
Year of fee payment: 12


text:
Senate HELP Committee Reschedules Meeting for September 7
The U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee has announced that it has rescheduled a hearing on the Combating Autism Reauthorization Act (CARA) for September 7. The meeting had been scheduled for this Wednesday Aug. 3, a date that unfortunately landed in the midst of the debt ceiling debate which has consumed Congress for much of the summer.
The HELP committee meeting is an important first step in renewing the historic 2006 law which guides the federal government's response to the staggering rise in autism. Autism Speaks thanks everyone in our advocacy community for their hard work to date and urges you to be ready to resume the fight soon as we work to get this bill that is so essential to our families through Congress.
The CARA bill is sponsored in the Senate by Senators Robert Menendez (D-NJ) and Michael Enzi (R-WY,) and in the U.S. House of Representatives by Congressmen Chris Smith (R-NJ) and Mike Doyle (D-PA.) To date, 22 other Senators and 53 House members have signed on as cosponsors.
Visit our CARA Action Center to find if your Senators and Congressmember are sponsors.
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
Senate Committee Delays CARA
Autism Votes reports that a Senate meeting on CARA fell victim to the debt debate:

domain: news


text:
To the Editor: Mycoplasma pneumoniae associated mucositis (MPAM) is a rare extrapulmonary manifestation of M. pneumoniae infection. The disease is characterised by the presence of mucosal involvement of the oral cavity, eyes and genitalia, with or without skin involvement. Skin involvement is seen in 20–25% of patients . A 6-y-old boy presented with fever, cough, painful lip ulcers and eye discharge for 4 d. On examination the child was well preserved. Cutaneous examination showed erythematous macules and few papules on the arm. There were superficial ulcers with hemorrhagic crusts on both the lips. Conjunctivae appeared congested and associated with mild purulent discharge. Genitalia and other systemic examinations including respiratory examination were normal. Lab investigations revealed neutrophilia, raised ESR and CRP positivity. IgM serology was positive for M. pneumoniae. Chest X-ray showed right sided minimal infiltrates. A diagnosis of MPAM was made. The child was treated with syrup azithromycin 200 mg once daily for 5 d. Saline soaks were given on the lesions. Fever and cough subsided following treatment. Skin lesions healed in one week without any sequelae.
M. pneumoniae is a common cause of community acquired pneumonia in children. M. pneumoniae infection associated with ocular, oral mucositis and urogenital lesions with minimal or no skin involvement is rare. As it mimics erythema multiforme/Stevens Johnson syndrome (SJS), it was named as atypical/incomplete SJS in the past . Unlike SJS/Toxic epidermal necrolysis wherein skin involvement is predominant, MPAM has nil or only 20–25% skin involvement .
The exact mechanism by which M. pneumoniae causes cutaneous manifestation is not known. The proposed mechanisms include immune complex-mediated vascular injury, cell-mediated immune response/cytotoxic injury to epithelial cells, and autoimmune mechanisms .
Canavan et al. proposed diagnostic criteria for MPAM which is as follows: i) Skin detachment <10% BSA (Body surface area), ii) Lesions on two or more mucosal sites, iii) Few vesiculobullous/scattered atypical targets, iv) Presence/absence of targetoid lesions, v) Evidence of M. pneumoniae infection (clinical features +IgM serology/PCR and/or serial cold agglutinins) [4, 5].
The treatment of MPAM includes macrolide, fluoroquinolone and tetracycline antibiotics with supportive care. Few studies have recommended IVIG and corticosteroids for non-responsive patients . MPAM has an excellent prognosis with a very low risk of recurrence (<10%), complete recovery and a very rare need for intensive care treatment . Rare sequelae that may occur are mucosal synechiae and pigmentary changes.
Schalock PC, Dinulos JGH. Mycoplasma pneumoniae-induced cutaneous disease. Int J Dermatol. 2009;48:673–80; quiz 680–1.
Schalock PC, Dinulos JGH. Mycoplasma pneumoniae-induced Stevens-Johnson syndrome without skin lesions: fact or fiction? J Am Acad Dermatol. 2005;52:312–5.
Bressan S, Mion T, Andreola B, Bisogno G, Da Dalt L. Severe mycoplasma pneumoniae-associated mucositis treated with immunoglobulins. Acta Paediatr. 2011;100:e238–40.
Ferwerda A, Moll HA, de Groot R. Respiratory tract infections by mycoplasma pneumoniae in children: a review of diagnostic and therapeutic measures. Eur J Pediatr. 2001;160:483–91.
Canavan TN, Mathes EF, Frieden I, Shinkai K. Mycoplasma pneumoniae-induced rash and mucositis as a syndrome distinct from Stevens-Johnson syndrome and erythema multiforme: a systematic review. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2015;72:239–45.
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Cite this article
Salma Fahmidha, M., Karunanandhan, M., Munigangaiah, L. et al. Mycoplasma pneumoniae Associated Mucositis. Indian J Pediatr (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12098-020-03417-6

domain: literature


The metal stamping process has evolved as a technique to punch out coins to the point where almost every industry relies on metal-stamped parts to complete a machine assembly. Even with the difference in sizes and functionality, the common factor that decides the quality of the metal part is its accuracy in the design.
The slightest deviation in the design could render the metal stamping part useless or affect its ability to deliver the desired function in an assembly. Therefore, metal stamping manufacturers need to pay attention to details and ensure the material, the die design, and the tools work well to create the desired metal part that perfectly fits into the machine assembly.
This article discusses vital matters that metal stamping companies must attend to for a successful metal-stamping process.
Problems that need attention during the metal stamping process
Deep Drawing Parts
Deep drawing involves creating hollow parts in a flat blank metal sheet. It can also include using the hollow parts as blanks to change its dimensions, like reducing the diameter and increasing the height. Therefore, for the best metal stamping results, metal stamping companies must look for:
it should be as simple and symmetrical as possible because axisymmetric deep drawing helps in getting a uniform deformation in the circumferential direction, easy die processing, and the best manufacturing performance.
the depth of the drawing part must comply with the material properties of sheet metal parts. Ideally, the depth should be within 0,2 times the diameter. As the depth increases, deep drawing parts have higher chances of tearing. If the design demands high depth, it is only wise to use shallow drawing to avoid tearing.
Metal stamping companies need to ensure proper deep drawing. For this, they need to give attention while choosing the distance from the edge of the hole on the top or flange of the tensile piece to the side wall. Other dimensions that need due attention while the calculation is:
- filet radius of the bottom and side walls
- the wall surface of the deep drawing part
Stretching comes into the metal stamping picture when there is a need to increase the surface area of the blank. Here the tension is used, and there is no inward movement of the blank edge. Ideally, metal stamping companies must stretch the limit to a single time. However, sometimes there may be a need to stretch the metal parts multiple times. In such cases, metal stamping companies must maintain the quality of the metal-stamped parts and keep the traces to a minimum.
Wrinkles on the parts:
Wrinkles are unwanted features that usually appear on the side walls of the metal stamped part due to the difference in gaps on either side wall. The difference is mostly because the metal sheet has a thickness less than the minimum allowable thickness or has eccentricity while installation of the molds.
Scratches and cracks on metal stamping parts
Scratches and cracks not only alter the aesthetics but also make the metal stamped part completely useless. Grinding the scars on the mold and cleaning the metal dust can prevent scratches on the metal part.
To avoid cracks, the main thing to consider is the right choice of material. The metal must have sufficient plasticity to endure the stress during the stamping process. Loosening the blank holder can also help prevent cracks.
Wearing of the die edges and punch:
Metal stamping companies should always look out if the punch and die edges are in good condition. If any signs of wear are found, the process must be stopped, as continuing could increase the risk of expanding the wear degree and accelerate the wearing process. Wearing of die edges and punch, if left unchecked could incur losses as it will fail to produce high-quality metal stamped parts.
Metal stamping companies should always have an eye for the above-mentioned points to ensure the quality of metal-stamped parts. Strict inspection before installation and during the process can also help find errors in time and save the companies from losses.


text:
Jose Andres Takes Over
Season 5 Episode 513 | 26m 46s | Video has closed captioning.
Pati invites her good friend and celebrity chef, Jose Andres over to cook with her in her kitchen. They’ll join forces in her kitchen to cook a series of Spanish-influenced recipes that would be a hit on any family dinner table.
Problems Playing Video? | Closed Captioning

domain: food


text:
- Dragon Quest Builders coming this October for PS4, PS Vita
- Augs rise up in new Deus Ex: Mankind Divided live-action trailer
- Romancing SaGa 2 debuts stateside for Android, iOS devices
- King of Fighters XIV gets Burn to Fight edition, Team Fatal Fury trailer
- Exoskeleton-tastic combat featured in new shots from The Surge
Fancy A Date?
Developer- and Publisher-specific Articles: App
Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions launched on PSN last month for the PSP, and now the fan-favorite strategy-RPG is available on the App Store for the iPhone and iPod touch. The 2007 PSP re-release of the 1997 original, Final Fantasy Tactics, includes new cut scenes, jobs, and scenarios. The iOS version also features “new and improved visuals exclusive to the iPhone/iPod touch,” improved load times, as well as “intuitive touch-panel controls” with the ability to rotate and change map size by sliding and pinching.
Some celebratory QuakeCon 2011 sales have hit Steam and the Apple App store today, with discounts on both id and Bethesda titles. In addition to Steam’s offerings, with the full list found here, including a daily deal featuring a Doom & Quake Complete Pack with Quake IV, many of id’s mobile titles are also on sale. There are some solid deals to be had, including Doom Classic for $1.99 (down from $6.99) and Doom II RPG for $.99 (down from $3.99) on the App Store. Additional details can be found below.

domain: game


text:
Massive Disneyland Attraction Database
The Lizzie III Citrus Train attraction, again considered to be the only inventive attraction at Disneyland
Lizzie III Citrus Train
January 2, 1981
Avg. queue length:
Locked bodily into one of Lizzie III Citrus Train's dehumanizing circus seats, you'll go on a strangely thrilling chug to Storybook Soda and get a bird's-eye view of mini miniature cartoon locations.
- If this is your first visit to Disneyland, you'll want to check this attraction first thing in the morning.
Guest Policies and Information
- Bumping may occur.
- Strollers are not compatible with this attraction.
- Attraction is closed for scheduled maintenance from February 27 through May 11.
- This was one of the few remaining "B ticket" attractions.
- Be sure to look for a hidden Mickey when you are struck unconscious in the first scene.
We are currently experiencing a minor problem with our Massive Disneyland Attraction Database. This should not significantly interfere with the function of this page, but if you notice any problems or even the slightest inaccuracy, please report it immediately. Thank you for your time.

domain: entertainment


text:
Translation:Declaration of War Against the United States, by Benito Mussolini. Italy, December 11, 1941
Fighters of land, sea, and air;
blackshirts of the revolution and of the legions;
men and women of Italy, of the Empire, and of the Kingdom of Albania:
This is another day of solemn decisions in the history of Italy, and of memorable events destined to imprint a new course in the history of the continents.
The powers of the Pact of Steel, fascist Italy and national-socialist Germany, ever more closely united, stand beside heroic Japan against the United States of America. The Tripartite has grown into a military alliance that amasses around its flags 250 million men resolute for victory in everything.
Neither the Axis nor Japan desired the expansion of this conflict. One man, a single man, an authentic democratic despot, through an infinite series of provocations, deceiving with a supreme fraud the very populations of his own county, has desired this war and has prepared it day by day with diabolical pertinacity.
The formidable blows which have already been inflicted over the immense expanse of the Pacific against the American forces demonstrate the resoluteness of the soldiers of the Rising Sun. I say, and you all feel, that it is a privilege to fight with them. Today the Tripartite Alliance, in the fullness of its moral and material means, is a powerful instrument for war and the secure guarantee of victory; tomorrow it will be the creator and organizer of a just peace between the peoples.
Italian men and women, standing once again, be worthy of this great hour.
We will be victorious!

domain: library


text:
Two happy fish (pink and gold yellow with big red mouth) and three translucent white jelly fish are swimming around on a light aqua background featuring fine silver foil, sea plants, blossoms and weeds. All colors were hand mixed. Flawlessly encased signed with my murrina cane " Lu" signature.
Measures approximately 38 mm top to bottom 20 mm side to side.
Handmade in Tweed, Ontario,Canda by Artist Lucie Kovarova-Weir of Lunacy Glass Studio.
Lunacy Glass is small family based glass studio established in fall of 2002.
Artist Lucie Weir was born 1976 in Boskovice, Czech Republic. After graduating with a Masters Degree in Arts (majoring in Animation) from the Academy of Arts Architecture and Design in Prague, Czech Republic, she moved to Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Main productions of Lunacy Glass are Flame worked glass beads, small objects and finished jewelry. They are all created with love and enthusiasm in original designs and small series.
Thank you for looking. Please see my other listings.

domain: artistic


text:
This stunning dome-shaped travel bag boasts an airy and capacious design that draws inspiration from architectural perfection. Characterized by fine and sinuous lines, it is handcrafted of vegetable-tanned leather and is enriched with zipper and metal details. It features a practical double handle and inner pockets. It can be completed with a shoulder strap upon request, please ask the Concierge for more details.
• Material: Leather
• Dimensions (in): W 19.29 x D 7.87 x H 12.60
• Dimensions (cm): W 49 x D 20 x H 32
• Handmade In Italy


text:
Geography and topography make all the difference if you're in the apple business. Especially this year, which had an unexpected frost in May followed by a dry, hot summer.
Across SouthCoast this past summer, apple crops fared differently depending on the altitude of the orchard and their proximity to the ocean.
"There is a certain amount of time for a frost, that if it's more than about five hours, you've got problems," said Brian Medeiros of Dartmouth Orchards. "But a few degrees can make all the difference. And if you're up higher or near the ocean, it's warmer, so you do better."
Medeiros said it was the May frost that resulted in his light apple crop this year.
"The timing of it ... came right when many of my varieties started to bloom," he said. "It wiped me out."
Medeiros said the crop was so bad that his orchard will not be doing "pick your own" this year so that he can keep his stands full.
"But it's funny," he said. "In my dwarf orchard, the trees in the middle were wiped out, but the ones on the end were fine.
"Just the few degrees of being in the shade all the time is what did it," he added. "But that's Mother Nature for you."
Over at Noquochoke Farm on Drift Road in Westport, Doris Mills said "there were no problems this year.
"We're near the ocean — we're right on the water — so we had a decent amount of rain," Mills said.
"During May, we got a couple of thunderstorms our way that they didn't get further inland."
At Keith's Farm in Acushnet, owner Keith Santos said he did not grow as many apples this year but isn't quite sure what the cause was.
"The frost came before we had blossoms but they still didn't want to set, I guess," he said. "The quality of the apples is still good; it's just a light crop this year."
Karl Glosl at Pocasset Orchards in Dartmouth said his apple crop is good this year but "the peaches are a little light because of the heat in the spring with the frost, too.
"I lost all my nectarines and some apricots," he said. "But my apples are doing just fine."


Joined: Nov 2005
Location: "Pearl of the sound" - f5ederation of scandwegia
ATK 700 intimidator... it's a MX bike
Originally Posted by rickjames
ATK also make a 700 2 stroke
I'll have to look more into it
Ana rticle on the bike from 2003... (it's been around a while)
Publish date: Mar 1, 2003
By: Rick Sieman
Source: Dirtbike at Off-Road.com
So You Say You Want Some Serious Horsepower?
ATK, the American-based company, has been around for a long time now. And for much of that time, they used Rotax engines of one sort or another in their own unique frames. However, the Rotax two-stroke technology has become rather dated, so ATK went hunting for some new powerplants. And while they were at it, they also came up with entirely new chassis designs.
Frank White put the ATK through the paces for a few laps at the Desert Vipers Grand Prix.
Interesting, for sure.
Their approach is one that we like: all the bikes will be considered multi-purposes off-road machines, not pure motocross or pure enduro bikes. This means, simply, that all the bikes will come with lighting capabilities. They won't come with headlights/taillights, but if you need to have lighting for some reason, all you'll have to do it bolt on the lights and hook 'em up.
Now, for the big news. Here's the new line-up for ATK:THE 700cc ATK INTIMIDATOR!
Naturally, our attention was drawn to the 700. Based on the latest technology from the folks who built the famed Maico/M-Star motors, the Intimidator (good name!) has a piston big enough to use to mix paint in.
New King of the Beasts? The 700cc ATK is certainly in the running for that title.
I was scheduled to test ride the Intimidator at the Desert Vipers Grand Prix, but my motorhome lost the rear wheels on the way to the event, and I spent most of the weekend getting the thing fixed and back home. However, Mike Hobbs from ORC, was there and managed to get some photos and feedback on the bike. Frank White (CEO from ATK) put in a few laps on the beast to shake it down a bit, so we can at least give you a preview. We'll arrange a full test session with ATK later on and give you some actual riding impressions.
For now, here are some specs and info on the 700:
ATK is going to let the potential customer, custom order their motorcycle with the options noted above to fit their individual riding desires and conditions. This is new to this industry.
|Engine Type:||Liquid-Cooled, 2-stroke, single|
|Bore & Stroke||100X87 mm|
|Ignition||SEM lighting output 130 watt|
|Starting System:||Kick start|
|Transmission:||5-Speed, Wide Ratio|
|Fuel Capacity:||2.5 Gallon / 3.5 Gallon|
|Front Suspension:||Paioli USD|
|Front Tire:||Dunlop 755 80/100-21|
|Rear Tire:||Dunlop 756 120/100-21|
|Final Drive:||D.I.D. V6 520 O-ring chain|
|Dry Weight:||238 lbs|
Plated pipe and left side kickstarter. Looks like a Maico, and why not?
Carb is a smallish 39.5mm Keihin; pipe curls neatly up and out of the way.
GPR steering stabilizer ? stock!
Frank is justifiably proud of the latest ATK creations.
- Talon billet aluminum hubs
- Answer Protaper bars
- Braided stainless steel lines
- Nickel plated exhaust pipe
- Radialite rear sprocket
- Excell rims
- GPR steering stabilizer
- Wave rotor disc brakes
Talon rear hub; Radialite sprocket. Stock.
Another Talon hub up front.
Wave rotor and Brembo brakes.
With the head off, a rather huge hole is evident!
- Tire choice
- Excell rim color choice
- Front wheel size (20" or 21")
- Plastic colors
- Seat foam and cover
- Suspension valving and springs
- Handlebar bend
- Final gearing
- Lighting kit
- Skid plate
- 3.5 gallon fuel tank
Compact motor is based on the latest Maico stuff.
White at work on the 700 at Adelanto.
The retail price has not yet been determined, but after talking with ATK folks, it will almost certainly be in the ballpark of between $6000 and $7000. When you consider the astonishing amount of top dollar items that come on the bike as standard equipment, you start to wonder how they can do that. Go price items like Talon rims, Protaper bars and a quality steering stabilizer, and you'll see what we mean.
Performance? Since we have yet to sling a let over the bike, we'll give you the thoughts of Frank White, the ATK CEO who rode the bike at Adelanto:
?It pulls right off idle and all the way to peak revs with more power than anyone will ever need. It's sort of like a 490 Maico on steroids. The power is simply amazing and very electric!"
With this sort of statement lodged in our mind, we're looking forward to a serious ride on this beast, and others in the 2004 stable of ATK bikes. Stay tuned to Off-road.com.
For more information:
1163 West 850 North
Centerville, UT 84014
FAX (801) 299-0710
CONTENTS MAY SETTLE DURING TRANSPORT...


text:
i want to be the one you tell everything to at 4am when you can’t sleep
I guess this is just how it will be. A vicious cycle of me hurting myself over and over again, always thinking it’ll be different.
Fuck my life. I just want out.
I can’t help but think that you don’t care as much as I do. Sure, my friends tell me you care about me a lot and stuff.. But I feel like you don’t love me like I love you.
I don’t exaggerate when I say that I think about you every minute of every day. I really do. You keep showing me that I’m not as important to you as you are to me though.
It hurts knowing that I love you so much and you don’t even feel what I feel for you. You can’t even possibly know how much I love you, or how much I care for you, or what I would do for you.


text:
OpenCo – The Open Collaboration, an integrated creative agency that forms part of the TBWA group, has won a campaign Bronze Lion at this year’s Cannes Lions Festival in Cannes, France.
This award was for its acclaimed ‘Make Sense of the Present’ campaign for the Apartheid Museum in Johannesburg and was in the Print & Publishing category. The campaign was also shortlisted for Craft in Art Direction.
The campaign was devised to remind us that when Apartheid ended, the destructive social patterns it established were not magically undone. Each ad shows how contemporary events in South Africa find an echo in some of the most poignant photographs from the Apartheid era, sending a message to the younger generation: If you want a deeper understanding of what is happening right now, start with a visit to the Apartheid Museum.
“It’s great to be a part of a fantastic showing for the TBWA group at Cannes in print and radio this year. We are especially pleased that it was the Apartheid Museum campaign that received recognition, both for our clients who work so hard to fulfill a vital contextual role in contemporary South African society, and for the fact that this is really important message about our country that we would love to amplify as much as possible”, says Rob Rutherford, Executive Creative Director of OpenCo.


Country of origin
Length (with folded stock)
Cyclic rate of fire
~ 600 rpm
Practical rate of fire
40 - 100 rpm
800 m (?)
Range of effective fire
300 - 400 m
56-2 is a Chinese assault rifle. It is an improved production
version of the
Type 56. In the 1950s China was the closest Soviet
ally. However in the early 1960s relations between two countries
began to deteriorate. At that time China was looking for a
replacement for its Type 56 assault rifle, which was a
license-produced version of the
In 1959 Soviets adopted their successor of the AK-47, the
which had improved performance. However the Soviets refused to give licenses to
China to produce this weapon locally. This led China to improve its Type 56 assault
rifle on its own. The new weapon was introduced only in the 1980s.
This assault rifle is used by the Chinese law enforcement forces.
However it looks like it was not adopted by the People Liberation
Army. The Type 56-2 has been exported to a number of countries.
rifle has got some improvements over its predecessor. Though
internally it is similar to the
Type 56. Most notable improvement is
a side-folding metal stock.
It is a gas-operated, selective fire weapon.
It is chambered for the same Soviet
7.62x39 mm ammunition.
is simple in design and technology, and is extremely durable. It is
very reliable in all environments and withstands all abuse that
soldier can throw at it. It do not jams or misfires in worst
conditions possible. This assault rifle needs regular cleaning, but
it is not that critical. It will still fire with fouled mechanics,
dirty chamber and cases. Furthermore the Type 56-2 it is simple to use and to maintain.
It can be field stripped in one minute without using any tools. This assault rifle is perfectly suitable for poorly trained or
weapon has also got a number of drawbacks. The Type 56-2, as well as
all other AK-type designs, is poorly balanced and has got violent
action. This leads to poor firing accuracy. In terms of accuracy it
looses to most Western assault or automatic rifles. Also this weapon
has poor ergonomics. In the 1980s, when the Type 56-2 was
introduced, most Western countries already used much superior
weapons, such as an
chambered for a new-generation ammunition.
A fire mode
selector switch of the Type 56-2 has 3 positions for "safe",
"semi-auto" and "full-auto". In "safe" position it blocks the
trigger and prevents from loading the weapon. Also in the "safe"
position it serves as a dust cover.
rifle is fed from detachable 30-round capacity magazines. Late
production models were completed with distinctive red plastic
magazines. This weapon is compatible with magazines of the original
Type 56 assault rifle, as well as magazine of the Soviet AK-47 and
56-2 comes with a side-folding skeletal metal buttstock. Due to its
buttstock the same
basic weapon could be used by all kinds of troops. When the stock is folded,
it does not obstructs the trigger.
that early production versions of the Type 56-2 had a wooden foregrip
and pistol grip. However most of these weapons came with polymer
housing. Pistol grip has a
different shape and resembles that of a Czechoslovak
that early production models were optionally fitted with an integral
spike bayonet, similar to that of the original Type 56 assault
rifle. When not required, the bayonet could be underfolded into the
foregrip. However the cross-sectional bayonets were banned by
conventions on human warfare, as the wounds they produce do not close
easily. On later production models of the Type 56-2 the integral bayonet was
completely discarded. Instead
the weapon could mount a detachable knife-bayonet.
rifle has got simple iron sights. It seems that maximum sighting
range is 800 meters. Though range of effective fire is limited to
56-2 assault rifle can mount a
35 mm underbarrel grenade launcher. It is a clone of the US
but uses smaller and less powerful grenades.
is a successor to the Type 56 series assault rifle. The Chinese army had never been
fully satisfied with its Type 56 series accuracy. So a new indigenous assault rifle was developed to address
the shortcomings of the Type 56 series. The Type 81 incorporates
many design features of the Type 56 and is chambered for the same
7.62x39 mm ammunition, but overall it is a new design. A prototype
was ready in 1980. Its initial production commenced in 1983. This
assault rifle was adopted as a standard-issue service rifle in 1986
and gradually replaced the Type 56. Some sources report that in
terms of accuracy it is close to the
Furthermore it has the same level of durability and reliability in
adverse conditions as the Kalashnikov designs.


Tim "Too Slim" Langford, with his band the Taildraggers,
have created an eclectic style of Roots-Rock, Americana, and
Blues, that has become a genre all its own. Too Slim's
ever evolving musical direction cannot be classified into any
box or category. The eclectic nature of the band allows Too Slim
and the Taildraggers to easily cross-over and appeal to audiences
of various musical tastes.
This award winning band has been voted the Best Regional act
10 times by the Cascade Blues Association, the largest organization
of it's kind in the USA. Too Slim and the Taildraggers
have multiple awards from various NW Reader's Polls and
other NW Blues Societies for Best Band and Best Album. Too Slim
and the Taildraggers are in the Hall of Fame in three NW Blues
Founding member Tim "Too Slim" Langford has
won multiple individual awards as Best Guitarists, Best Slide
Guitarist, and Best Songwriter.
Too Slim's music style ranges from down home blues , funky
blues rock, americana, southern swamp rock, and instrumental
guitar styles. The band, led by singer, songwriter and guitarist,
Tim "Too Slim” Langford, is backed by the top shelf
rhythm section of bass man Dave Nordstrom, and drummer Rudy Simone.
The band's devoted fan base has grown over the years into a
National and International following. Experiencing a Too Slim
and the Taildragger concert is like taking a journey through
the history of American music.
For more information, visit www.tooslim.org.