Abstract: Method and apparatus for treating edible plants with feed water containing carbon dioxide and ozone while maintaining a growth maintaining effective amount of oxygen therein.

Abstract: A nitric oxide delivery system that is useable with any of a variety of gas delivery systems that provide breathing gas to a patient. The system detects the flow of gas delivered from the gas delivery system at various times and calculates the flow of a stream of nitric oxide in a diluent gas from a gas control valve. The flow of gas from the gas delivery system and the flow established from the flow control valve create a mixture having the desired concentration of nitric oxide for the patient.The system does not have to interrogate the particular gas delivery system being used but is an independent system that can be used with various flows, flow profiles and the like from gas delivery systems.

Abstract: An apparatus for depositing solid carbon dioxide on items to be refrigerated comprises a device (10) operable to convert a stream of liquid carbon dioxide into a forward flow of gaseous carbon dioxide containing entrained particles of solid carbon dioxide, a carriage (8) upon which said device (10) is mounted for translating in opposite directions and means for moving said device so as to direct said stream towards a plurality of individual items to be refrigerated.

Abstract: Apparatus and method of induction heating wherein the heating operation is conducted in a low oxygen-containing atmosphere by the introduction of an inert gas alone or in combination with an oxygen-reacting gas through the ends of the induction coil housing or through removable covers enclosing the spaces between spaced apart housings.

Abstract: A heated humidifier for an infant incubator wherein the flow of air through the humidifier that picks up water vapor from the surface of the water is controlled in response to the temperature of the heater used to heat the water. In the preferred embodiment, the heater is an active heater located above the surface of the water and includes an extruded heat exchanger that depends downwardly from the heater to below the level of the water. A thermal actuator is located in good heat transfer association with the extruded heat exchanger at a point above the surface of the water and that thermal actuator controls the position of a valve in the outlet of the humidifier.

Abstract: A carbon dioxide snow discharge apparatus having at least two snow discharge tubes wherein at least two of the snow discharge tubes have different internal diameters which can be operated either individually or together to vary the flow rate of the carbon dioxide snow, the snow discharge tubes being joined at selected points along their length.

Abstract: An anesthetic vaporizer 1 includes an inlet 2 for carrier gas, an outlet 4 for carrier gas and anesthetic agent, a first passage 6 interconnecting the inlet to the outlet and a first fixed flow restrictor 8 located in the passage 6. A second passage 56 extends between a vaporizing chamber and the outlet 4 and located therein is a second fixed flow restrictor 54 and also a solenoid valve 58. A first pressure transducer 50 generates an electrical signal corresponding to the pressure differential P1 across the restrictor 8; and a second pressure transducer 52 generates an electrical signal corresponding to the pressure differential P2 between the passages 6, 56. A controller responsive to said electrical signals from the pressure transducers 50, 52 transmits an electrical signal to the valve 58 for controlling the flow of gaseous anesthetic agent through the passage 56 such that P2=P1.times.constant.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for continuously freezing a food product in which the food product is contacted on a conveyor with a liquid refrigerant under conditions of turbulent flow to thereby freeze at least the outer surface of the food product. The frozen food product and the liquid refrigerant are thereafter separated.

Abstract: A substantially U-shaped immersion freezer having an inlet and an outlet and an immersion zone filled with liquid refrigerant. Product to be frozen is passed into the freezer through the inlet and raised by at least one paddle member to the outlet. The resulting frozen product and some liquid refrigerant is then passed out of the outlet to a conveyor having holes provided therein which allow the liquid refrigerant to be drained from the frozen product for recycling back to the inlet side of the freezer.

Abstract: An anaesthetic vaporizer includes a concentration dial for controlling the concentration of anaesthetic leaving the vaporizer. The vaporizer is adapted to be mounted on a back bar of an anaesthesia machine. An exclusion pin is mounted adjacent the back bar and forms part of an interlock system for preventing rotation of the concentration dial when a second vaporizer is also mounted on the back bar and is dispensing anaesthetic vapor. A button assembly is mounted on the concentration dial and must be depressed before the concentration dial can be rotated. The button assembly incorporates an overload device which, if excessive force is applied to the button assembly in order to override the effect of the exclusion pin will render the button assembly inoperative.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for chilling foodstuffs in which liquid cryogen is more effectively dispersed to chill the foodstuffs and cryogenic vapor generated by the liquid cryogen is used to remove residual liquid cryogen from the apparatus and for other useful purposes including freezing the foodstuffs.

Abstract: A pressure regulator for lower pressure distribution of gases from a higher pressure source of gas including a gas inlet and a gas outlet defining a gas path therebetween, a regulating element disposed downstream of the gas inlet remote from the gas path, including a resiliently displaceable device responsive to gas pressure and connected to a valve at the gas inlet to thereby regulate the gas pressure at the gas outlet, and to gas distribution systems employing the same.

Abstract: An improved apparatus for the introduction of a gas into a liquid comprising a mixing device formed by a first generally convergent section and a second generally divergent section, said first section having a narrow outlet end of smaller diameter than an inlet end of said second section and extending thereinto so as to form an annular gap therebetween, and supply means for supplying said gas to said annular gap so as to facilitate the mixing of said gas with any liquid passing therethrough. The mixing device is preferably positioned at or near the surface of the liquid so as to avoid problems associated with hydrostatic head. The apparatus is advantageous in the treatment of a liquid with oxygen which is preferably generated by a Pressure Swing Adsorption device.

Abstract: A method and apparatus suitable for sweetening sewerage which avoids the need for pumping the sewerage. The method comprises the steps of passing the sewerage under a gas-tight enclosure and causing it to fall as a stream through a first passageway, passing bubbles of a gas, such as oxygen, up through the descending sewerage to dissolve in the liquid stream to form a gas-liquid stream and causing the gas-liquid stream to ascend through a second passageway in which further bubbles of the gas are passed therethrough to dissolve further gas in the stream to balance the liquid density in the descending and ascending streams.

Abstract: A wave soldering process and apparatus in which a localized low oxygen-containing atmosphere is provided at the point of contact of the solder wave and the substrate to be soldered by bubbling an inert gas through the solder wave.

Abstract: A vaporizer for introducing a vapor of an anesthetic liquid into t carrier gas for introduction into a patient is disclosed. The vaporizer directly vaporizes the liquid by introducing the liquid into a vaporizing chamber having an extremely large width to height ratio, i.e. in excess of 600:1. The carrier gas flows in laminar flow through the vaporizing chamber and the liquid anesthetic is introduced at a controlled flow such that it immediately vaporizes upon introduction to the entrance of the vaporizing chamber. A control scheme utilizing a CPU controls the percentage of anesthetic vapor in the outlet gas by sensing certain parameters and then controlling the flow of liquid anesthetic by controlling the speed of a controllable speed pump.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for incinerating waste whose ease of burning may vary form batch to batch, wherein burning is conducted in a main combustion region to form combustion products containing combustibles and in a secondary combustion zone which is supplied with oxygen at a rate during a first period of time which is independent of the composition of the combustion products or resulting flue gas and at a rate during a second period of time which is determined as a function of the concentration of at least one component of the combustion products or flue gas.

Abstract: Novel diquaternary polypeptides possessing skeletal muscle relaxation activity represented by the formulae: ##STR1## wherein: R is lower alkyl; R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 are lower alkyl or R.sub.1 and R.sub.2, together with the nitrogen to which they are attached form a heterocyclic ring having 5 to 7 member atoms; R.sub.3 is lower alkyl, [N,N-di(lower alkyl)-3-piperidinium].sup.(+), or [N,N-di(lower alkyl)-4-piperidinium].sup.(+) R.sub.4 is selected from the group consisting of t-butyl, benzyl or fluorenylmethyl; A.sub.1 is selected from the group consisting of trans-4-acetoxyproline, phenylalanine, glutamic acid-.gamma.-methyl ester, or proline; AA.sub.2 is selected from the group consisting of phenylalanine, leucine, 3-(2-naphthyl)alanine, 3-(1-naphthyl)alanine, and 3-cyclohexylalanine; AA.sub.3 is proline when R.sub.3 is [N,N-di(lower alkyl)-3-piperidinium].sup.(+) or [N,N-di(lower alkyl)-4-piperidinium].sup.(+), and is Orn(.delta.-N.sup.(+) --R--R.sub.1 --R.sub.2) or Lys(.epsilon.-N.sup.(+) --R--R.sub.1 --R.

Abstract: A device for transmitting a heating or cooling medium to a moving substrate which includes at least one continuous channel traversing at least a major portion of the width of the moving substrate for converting a multidirectional flow of the heating or cooling medium into a unidirectional flow, a device for removing and/or preventing the presence of foreign matter within the channel, and ovens and freezers employing the same.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for chilling a food product which includes a food distribution device having a pair of circular members including at least one spaced-apart partition defining a food receiving area; the circular members rotating to cause food delivered to the food product receiving area to fall into a food storage compartment in a uniform manner; and a cryogen releasing device connected to one of the circular members which uniformly distributes a cryogenic substance to the food product within the food storage compartment.