A random orbital abrading machine having a housing, a drive shaft driven by a housing mounted motor for rotation about a first axis of rotation, an assembly for connecting a work surface abrading pad or the like to the drive shaft, wherein the pad is adapted to undergo free rotational movement about a second axis disposed parallel to the first axis of rotation, as such pad is caused to orbit about such first axis of rotation, characterized in that the assembly is designed for dampening vibration...

Methods and apparatus are disclosed for refining lignocellulosic material between a pair of relatively rotary refining elements forming an annular outer refining zone and a central feed zone. The method includes feeding the lignocellulosic material to the central feed zone, accelerating the lignocellulosic material through the central feed zone towards the annular outer refining zone without lignocellulosic material build up in the central feed zone and substantially without working the lignocel...

Control systems (or controllers) for once through, unfired steam generators (or boilers) which control a single parameter--the feedwater flow to the boiler--in accord with an energy or enthalpy balance between the hot gases supplied to the boiler and the steam generated in it. These control systems have a predictive mode of feedwater control and, optionally, an operator selectable, feedback mode to compensate for drifts in the predictive mode. Other corrections may also be made, and predictive a...

A method and apparatus for converting heat energy to mechanical energy with greater efficiency. According to the method, heat energy is applied to a working fluid in a reservoir sufficient to convert the working fluid to a vapor and the working fluid is passed in vapor form to means such as a generator for converting the energy therein to mechanical work. The working fluid is then recycled to the reservoir. In order to increase the efficiency of this process, a gas having a molecular weight no g...

In a food processing machine, a removable food receptacle and a platform on which the receptacle is positioned in the machine, are constructed so that the food receptacle, as it is introduced into the machine, is guided into proper position. The platform is provided with a raised shoulder that includes a portion that is contacted by the receptacle when inserted into the machine in an improper direction, and that causes the receptacle to turn to the proper direction. The raised shoulder further i...

Wafer polishing systems include a series of polish modules alongside a neighboring series of secondary modules. A conveyor travels along the series of polish modules and the series of secondary modules. When a polishing operation is completed, the wafers are transferred to a series of near-by storage modules. The polish modules include a pair of traveling wafer gantries, each of which delivers a wafer to a polishing surface, applying the necessary force to complete polishing of the wafer surface...

A method for creating ultra-fine particles of material using a high-pressure mill is described. The method includes placing a material in a first chamber and subjecting the material to a high-pressure liquid jet to divide it into particles. These particles are then transferred to a second chamber in which they are subjected to cavitation to further divide the particles into relatively smaller particles. These relatively smaller particles are then transferred to a third chamber, in which the part...

A superabrasive tool such as a superabrasive grindstone (101; 102), a superabrasive dresser (103; 104; 105) or a superabrasive lap surface plate (106) includes a base (20) of steel and a superabrasive layer (10) formed on the base (20). The superabrasive layer (10) includes superabrasive grains (11) consisting of diamond grains, cubic boron nitride grains or the like and a holding layer consisting of a nickel plating layer (16) and a bond layer (17), or a brazing filler metal layer (18), holding...

The invention includes polishing processes, methods of polishing materials, methods for slowing a rate of material removal of a polishing process, and methods of forming trench isolation regions. In one aspect, the invention includes a method comprising: a) forming a material over a surface of a substrate; b) providing a substantially nonporous polishing pad and a chemical composition proximate the material, the material being substantially wettable to the chemical composition, the substrate sur...

An apparatus (10) and method for conveying abrasive web (16), such as photographic media, has a pair of closely spaced rollers (12, 14) through which the abrasive web (16) is conveyed while in contact with a coated media bearing surface (80, 90). The media bearing surface (80, 90) comprising a composite coating or a thin inorganic coating.