Abstract: A cigarette manufacturing machine wherein a shredded tobacco distributor presents a drop-down duct for the tobacco, and a pair of rollers rotating about respective axes, for withdrawing the tobacco from the outlet of the duct. The rollers are supported on a movable frame connected to a guide device so as to move in a direction parallel to the axes of the rollers, and connected to an activating device so as to oscillate in that parallel direction and in relation to the duct.

Abstract: An orthopaedic brace having an adjustable control mechanism for controlling in a continuously variable manner the limits of pivotal movement of a body support member. The mechanism includes a threaded guide rod with a longitudinal slot, a collar slidably carried by the rod and equipped with an insert element projecting into the slot for preventing relative rotation of the collar and rod, and a pair of stop members disposed on opposite sides of the collar for controlling the extent of the collar's sliding movement. At least one of the stop members is in the form of a nut threadedly mounted upon the rod.

Abstract: A device for passive extension of the spine including first and second support panels abutting in end to end alignment for supporting a person's body in a prone position. The upper portion of the person's body is supported on the first panel and the lower portion of the person's body supported on the second panel. The first panel is pivotable with respect to the second panel about a transverse axis. A selected area in the lumbar or sacrum region of the spine is positioned over the transverse axis. The first panel supports the head of the person lying face down on the panel while providing clearance for the nose and mouth. The first panel and the portion of the person's body supported on it may be held at a selected angular position with respect to the second panel thereby holding the person's spine in a selected angle of extension. The angle between the first and second panels, and thus the approximate angle of extension of the spine, may be read directly from the device.

Abstract: The cigarette-lighter with built-in extinguisher device includes a cup having an inner wall of revolution ending into a vault. The inner wall of this cup is polished and has an inlet (9a) of a diameter corresponding substantially to that of a cigarette. The cup is fixedly connected to the bottom of a body of the cigarette-lighter. The bottom of the cup includes a substantially hemispherical vault having spherical sectors connected by a plane portion.

Abstract: A book permitting one person to hold and read, or to follow along with the reader of the book, in which a set of removable pages that correspond numerically to fixed pages in the book include material corresponding to that appearing on the fixed pages. The book can be held and read by an unsighted or visually impaired person by means of Braille and/or large-sized type printed upon the removable pages. The relationship of sighted/unsighted may be reversed; and the invention may be adopted to other educational, translation or instructional purposes.

Abstract: A system for displaying educational material relating to environmental matters comprises a computer, a laserdisc player for extracting video and audio signals and a globe which comprises a representation of the earth with an array of constantly spaced light emitting elements arranged on the surface of the globe so they can illuminate various patterns across the earth. The computer can control the patterns in stationary or moving format to illustrate various effects for example holes in the ozone layer, movement of pollution across the earth, the depletion or tropical rain forest. The array of illuminated lights in one preferred arrangement is formed by a plurality of optical fibers which are buried in an outer surface of the globe and which are connected together at an input end receiving light from a monitor screen on which the patterns are formed. A number of different monitors are provided each for generating illumination of a portion of the globe.

Abstract: An apparatus for transporting particulate material, such as cut tobacco, including a duct having an inlet for receiving material to be transported, an outlet for transported material, air inlet zones in the duct wall for the passage of air under pressure into the duct and air outlet zones in the duct wall wherein the inlet zones and outlet zones are positioned in the duct wall and are so dimensioned to cause an air velocity in the duct which has a first velocity component directed to urge the material transported away from the wall of the duct and a second velocity component directed to urge the material along the length of the duct.

Abstract: An atherectomy system includes a guide wire which can be inserted into an artery of a patient to a region of occlusion, a torque tube having a cutter device affixed to its distal end which is insertable into the artery over the guide wire, and a protective support sheath surrounding the guide wire and the torque tube. A retraction device controllably retracts the support sheath so as to allow the cutter on the distal end of the torque tube to extend progressively greater distances beyond the distal end of the support sheath. The system also includes means for rotating the torque tube, thereby simultaneously rotating the cutter, and vacuum means connected to the torque tube for extracting dislodged cuttings from the patient's bloodstream. The guide wire is preferably provided with an abutment on its distal end which both mechanically limits the distance the cutter can advance into the patient's body and assists in retrieving the cutter from the patient's body following the atherectomy operation.

Abstract: An educational, decorative, illuminated block set is provided having a low voltage matrix form mounting apparatus for the blocks, so that the blocks can be selectively illuminated if placed in a pre-arranged order of alphabet symbol or number assigned to each of the blocks.

Abstract: A knee support comprising a main body for covering the knee joint and thigh and shank portions of a leg located above and below the knee joint, two straps respectively disposed extending laterally above and below the portion of the main body which corresponds to the patella, one end of each strap fixed to the main body while the free ends thereof are adapted to be detachably attached to the main body, and a patella pad fixed to the two straps so as to be brought into contact with a side portion of the patella when the support is mounted on a knee.

Abstract: An expanding apparatus of this invention includes a preparatory vessel that is supplied with material of agricultural origin, for example, tobacco material. The tobacco material in the preparatory vessel is supplied to an impregnation vessel through a convey pipe. Carbon dioxide having an impregnation pressure is supplied to the impregnation vessel so as to fill the same. A booster mechanism is associated with the convey pipe to increase the pressure of carbon dioxide around the tobacco material to a pressure substantially equal to the impregnation pressure in the impregnation vessel when the tobacco material is supplied from the preparatory vessel to the impregnation vessel. The tobacco material impregnated in the impregnation vessel is discharged to a blow pipe through a delivery pipe and is expanded by means of a heating medium generated in the blow pipe.

Abstract: A device for feeding cigarettes to a packeting machine. Cigarettes are placed in the lower part of a hopper in stacks mobile stepwise along respective outgoing channels from the hopper. A device is provided for checking the cigarettes descending stepwise along the channels, and another device which ejects faulty cigarettes is controlled by the checking device and includes, for each channel, a pneumatic extractor connectable to a suction source and a withdrawal element able to gain access to the respective channel to extract the faulty cigarettes from the interior of the hopper.

Abstract: A motorcycle accident simulating test dummy and method utilizing the test dummy wherein the test dummy includes motorcycle handle bar grips operable to releasably connect the dummy and motorcycle handle bar, frangible limb/joint structure, and a wholly self contained and test dummy protected, accident condition data acquisition unit.

Abstract: A knee brace including a tubular sleeve to encompass the knee region. An upper strap assembly includes first and second support straps that are fixed above the knee to sides of the sleeve. The free ends are fixed together and are extendable to a location beneath the knee to straddle the kneecap intension. A cymmetrical lower strap assembly has a pair of support straps fixed at one end to opposite sides of the sleeve at a location below the knee. The free ends are fixed together and are extendable to a location above the knee to also straddle the kneecap intension and tend to hold it in place during rigorous activity. Cross straps extend laterally from the point of fixation of the support straps.

Abstract: An adjustable spring-loaded splint device is provided for supporting the ankle joint of a wearer. The splint device includes a pair of spaced lower struts and a pair of spaced upper struts pivotally connected to lower struts. The lower struts each include, at one end, a pivotably mounted head portion defining a cam surface, and the upper struts each include an adjustable spring assembly mounted therein, including a spring biased into engagement with the cam surface, for applying a quantifiable force tending to align the upper and lower struts. Upper and lower sets of cuff and strap members are connected between the upper struts which adjustably and releasably secure the splint device to the limb of the wearer using a detachable fastener including hooks and loops fastener sections. An adjustable footplate assembly is pivotably connected to the lower struts of the splint device for securely supporting the foot of the wearer in a selected relation with respect to the ankle.

Abstract: A personalized gift kit for promoting self-esteem and its method of use are disclosed. The invention promotes self-esteem, i.e., a basic human need for positive feelings about oneself, by recognizing, acknowledging, reinforcing, and encouraging the admirable and unique qualities of each individual recipient of the gift. The promotion is achieved by identifying desirable qualities of the recipient (lists of examples are provided but qualities are not limited to the lists included), recording the qualities on a personalized enclosure card and inserting preselected chips into the provided container. The chips are preprinted and/or hand printed with the appropriate corresponding qualities demonstrated by the individual who will receive the gift.

Abstract: A dynamic orthosis device for the tridimentional reduction of scoliosis wherein two elastically deformable plastic hands joined at the anterior laterally enclose the thorax of the patient. The hands assembly is connected to a pelvic girdle by at least two lateral supports made of elastically deformable semirigid material. As the rear of the hand, which are not attached, are expanded outward due to the movement of the thorax patient the lateral supports provide a torsional return stress which forces the hands to create a pressure on the body of the patient. This pressure is beneficial in reeducating the spine of the patient and thereby reducing scoliosis.

Abstract: A back support vest including a lower back supporting section formed of elastic material that encircles the body in the lumbar and lumbosacral region, an upper back supporting section formed of non-elastic material that encircles the body in the thoracolumbar and thoracic region, and shoulder straps that join the front and rear lateral portions of the upper section. The vest also includes a reinforced section that spans the lower and upper sections centering on the dorsolumbar region. The elastic material of the lower section keeps the reinforced section in tension to provide effective support. Additional support is provided by pockets that releasably attach to the rear of the vest and are adapted to hold additional back support devices such as pillows, inflatables and molded spinal orthoses.

Abstract: An orthopedic splint comprise a pair of arcuately shaped shell members to which are fastened on the interior surface thereof a foam pad and a flexible therapeutic insert in the form of a pad or a bladder that is filled with a gel material. The arrangement is such that when the shell members are fitted about the lower extremity of a leg and the pad or gel bags have been suitably cooled, the entire assembly may be fitted about the lower leg above the ankle and held in place by means of suitable encircling fastener straps and lacing.

Abstract: A method and system for enhancing reading skills whereby readers can improve both reading speed and comprehension. This novel teaching method and system associatively combines input to visual, tactile, and auditory senses. The reader is trained to conceptualize the meaning of words directly from symbols rather than from symbols and related sounds by causing the eyes to scan text more rapidly than both symbols and related sounds can be assimilated. The eyes are prompted to follow a rapidly moving finger induced to rhythmically move back-and-forth across the text at rapidly driven rates by an auditory beat. Different auditory inputs are provided to each ear, such that each hemisphere of the brain predominately receives signals which are related to its primary function. For example, rhythmic beats to induce higher reading rates are addressed to the left hemisphere of the brain which governs spatial relations, time, and rhythm.