Abstract: A seeding needle has a detent formed near its distal end to prevent radioactive seeds and spacers from sliding out of the needle under the influence of gravity. In a first embodiment, the detent is provided in the form of a dimple that provides an interior protuberance that holds the seeds and spacers and a smooth exterior recess that does not cut tissue as the needle is advanced or retracted. In a second embodiment, a coined slot provides an interior protuberance and an exterior recess also having smooth, non-cutting edges. A third embodiment provides a plug that enables reduction of the size of the detent.

Abstract: An interstitial brachytherapy device includes an applicator having an elongate barrel and a plurality of radioactive seed-containing cartridges releasably connected to the elongate barrel along its longitudinal extent. Each cartridge includes a handle, a hollow housing within which is stacked the seeds, and a neck formed integrally with the handle. The neck is slideably received within the hollow housing and its free end abuts the top of the stack of seeds. A plurality of seed-discharging chambers is formed in the elongate barrel at longitudinally spaced intervals along the extent of the elongate barrel and each chamber is in alignment with each cartridge. The seeds in each hollow housing are urged toward their associated seed-discharging chamber by a bias member having a leading end connected to the hollow housing and a trailing end connected to the handle.

Abstract: An apparatus that inhibits snoring includes a handle and a distal free end that is disposed at an angle relative to the handle to facilitate placing the distal free end against the soft pallet at the back of a throat. A flexible material such as a sheet of paper is placed into overlying relation to the distal free end and a layer of adhesive is disposed in overlying relation to the paper. When the distal free end of the apparatus is pressed against the soft pallet, the adhesive quickly adheres to the soft pallet so that the paper adheres to the soft pallet when the apparatus is withdrawn. The paper provides rigidity that inhibits vibration of the soft pallet. Multiple layers of paper may be used. In an alternative embodiment, at least one layer of adhesive is applied to prevent vibration of the soft pallet and no paper is needed.

Abstract: A repeater case capable of housing HDSL telecommunications modules without an excessive buildup of heat. The repeater case has a base, an open-topped housing, and a closure member that closes the housing. The closure member is provided in the form of a pair of thermal covers that share a common construction, including heat-radiating fins formed on their respective top walls and heat transferring structures positioned on the respective interior sides of their top walls. The housing includes multiple printed circuit boards to further enhance internal air flow, each of which is protected from short circuits by an acrylic plastic barrier mounted in vertically spaced apart relation from it. The spacing between each printed circuit board and its barrier provides ample space for the connection of individual conductors from a stub cable that enters the repeater case through an opening formed in the base. The spacing also enhances the air flow within the repeater case.

Abstract: A disposable, plastic interstitial brachytherapy device includes an applicator, having the general appearance of a hypodermic syringe, and a transparent plastic cartridge, detachably connected to the applicator, for holding a plurality of radioactive tumor-killing seeds. The seeds in the cartridge are urged toward a seed discharge chamber by a loop-shaped bias member that forms an integral part of the cartridge. The seed discharge chamber is a bore formed in the radially innermost end of the cartridge. That bore is aligned with an elongate throughbore formed in the applicator when the cartridge is inserted into a radially extending opening formed in the applicator. A manually-operated elongate plunger rod is slidably mounted in the elongate throughbore and drives seeds from the seed discharge chamber, through the needle, and into the tumor. The device is usable with conventional luer lock needles.

Abstract: A trailer apparatus having no wheels is releasably connected to a trailer hitch at the rear of a motorized vehicle in cantilevered relation to the vehicle. The apparatus includes a longitudinally disposed base and a cradle disposed in transverse relation to the base. The base includes a pair of support posts for the cradle so that the cradle may be selectively positioned near the leading end of the base for relatively short loads and near the trailing end of the base for relatively long loads. The cradle is disconnected from the base and positioned in parallel relation to it when the apparatus is in storage. The apparatus weighs about fifty pounds and has carrying handles. It can be assembled and attached to a trailer hitch by one person in about two minutes.

Abstract: A hair washing or shampooing device includes a pair of interlocking bowls and a drainage tank that eliminate the need for a conventional sink and which further eliminates the need for a client to bend his or her neck backward during a hair cleaning process. A secondary bowl surmounts a primary bowl and has a greater breadth than the primary bowl so that liquids splashing against the secondary bowl are directed into the primary bowl. A sump formed in the primary bowl is connected by a drainage hose to a drainage tank which may be manually emptied or emptied by a pump. A liquid-delivery hose extends through an opening formed in the secondary bowl, and a liquid-dispensing nozzle having a trigger is attached to the free end of the hose to facilitate the hair-cleaning process. The inner part of a cape is connected to the primary bowl and the outlying part of the cape overlies the client's shoulders to protect them from wetness. A belt member is tightened around the cape to further secure it into position.

Abstract: A marker for use by boaters to mark spots in a body of water includes a water-tight, hollow cylindrical main body that floats and which serves as a buoy member. The main body is capped at its opposite ends by end caps that are apertured. An elongate hollow tube is positioned within the hollow interior of the cylindrical main body so that it extends between the apertures. A spool member having a preselected length of line coiled thereabout is rotatably mounted atop the upper end cap and line extends from the spool through the interior of the hollow tube to the bottom of the body of water when the marker is in use, there being a weight at the free end of the line. Beads of progressively larger size relative to the free end of the line are secured to the line, each bead being positioned at a preselected length of the line that represents a particular water depth.

Abstract: A bandage adapted to be wrapped around a knee has a first side covered with a pressure-sensitive adhesive. A "U"-shaped housing is secured to the adhesive and is aligned so that a longitudinal axis of symmetry of the housing is coincident with a longitudinal axis of symmetry of the bandage. A flexible and resilient "U"-shaped patellar support member of foam construction is housed within the housing and supports a patella from three sides when the bandage is properly applied with its longitudinal axis encircling the knee. A slit is formed in the housing so that the patellar support member can be removed from the housing for subsequent re-use with another bandage. The adhesive is covered by a peelable cover that is removed and discarded just prior to bandage use.

Abstract: A tool for implanting radioactive seeds for therapeutic purposes into living tissue such as a prostate gland includes an elongate hollow needle, an elongate hollow sleeve, and an elongate push rod. A plurality of axially aligned seeds and spacers are loaded into the sleeve, the sleeve is slideably inserted into the hollow needle, the needle is introduced into the tissue at a preselected site, and the push rod is used in a procedure that implants one or more seeds and spacers into the tissue. The sleeve is transparent or translucent so that the number of seeds and spacers remaining within the sleeve at any time is visually ascertainable.

Abstract: A rotary engine has a rotor shaft, a power rotor carried by and rotating conjointly with the rotor shaft, a pair of stators disposed radially outwardly of the power rotor, an annular cam ring, disposed radially outwardly of the stators, connected to and rotating conjointly with the rotor shaft, and at least one cavity formed in the power rotor that enters into fluid communication, sequentially, with an intake port, a combustion port, and an exhaust port as the engine rotates. Oscillating members that are pivotally mounted to an engine housing close the ports under the influence of cam lobes formed on the cam ring and the ports are opened by the shape of the cavity or cavities driving the oscillating members radially outwardly as the engine rotates.

Abstract: A plurality of screws are held in a screw cartridge that is housed within a magazine, and in a first embodiment a spring urges the screws toward a screw injector chamber where they are driven into a substrate upon activation of a motor-operated screw gun. In the first embodiment, the screw cartridge is a blister pack that is split open by a bar positioned at the leading end of the cartridge. The magazine is positioned normal to a drill guide housing that includes a drill bit housing, a screw injector housing, and a screw discharge housing, and the leading end of the magazine is in open communication with the screw injector housing. The trailing end of the magazine is closed by a snap on end cap, and a spring is positioned between the end cap and a trailing end of the screw cartridge to urge the screws into the screw injector housing. Brackets are used to secure the attachment to the screw gun.

Abstract: A medical device immobilizes a patient's head and enables the patient to lie face down without turning the face to either side. A cushioned face-shaped frame has a rigid convex open mesh attached to it so that the patient's face is spaced apart from a support surface when the periphery of a patient's face lies against the cushioned frame. A transversely extending base having an adjustable height is connected to the frame by an interconnecting member having an adjustable length. The patient's chest overlies the base and therefore the face-receiving frame is held against movement when the device is in use. The effective height of the base and its distance from the frame are adjustable for the comfort of the patient.

Abstract: A parallelogram tool for measuring exterior and interior angles is used in conjunction with a miter saw having a pair of pivotally mounted guide blocks. The tool is made of six link members that are pivotally interconnected to one another. One of the pivotal connections may be tightened to lock the tool into position after a measurement has been made, and at least one pivotal connector extends below the plane of the tool. The locked tool is then transferred to the flat plate of a miter saw having a pair of arcuate slots formed in it in bilateral relation to one another and having a central diametrically extending slot. The central slot receives the pivotal connector that extends below the plane of the tool. The arcuate slots guide a pair of pivotally mounted guide blocks which are placed into abutting relation to the measuring arms of the tool and then locked into position. The tool is then removed and items to have a miter cut formed in them are placed against the guide blocks.