Abstract: Apparatus and methods are disclosed by which a closed ventilating system accommodates multiple access to the respiratory system of an intubated medical patient. Access to the respiratory system is accomplished via one or more access ports through an attached accessory device in order to ventilate the lungs of the patent with gas or gasses, aspirate secretions from the lungs, oxygenate the lungs, visually inspect selected parts of the respiratory system, sample sputum and gasses, sense parameters such as flow rates, pressure, and temperature, flush the respiratory tract with washing solution, and/or administer medication, gasses, and/or lavage. The embodiments of the present invention may have such accessory devices permanently fixed to the adaptor or may be removable and replaceable. Access control means may be provided whereby one or more access ports are selectively aligned with the adaptor in order to allow passage of an attached accessory device therethrough.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods are disclosed by which a closed ventilating system accommodates multiple access to the respiratory system of an intubated medical patient without comprising the closed character of the system. Access to the respiratory system through one or more access sites of the closed system apparatus is provided at proximal adapter ports to ventilate the lungs of the patient with gas or gases, to aspirate secretions from the lungs, to oxygenate the lungs to eliminate or reduce residual co.sub.2 therefrom, to visually inspect selected parts of the respiratory system, to sample sputum and gases, to sense parameters such as flow rates, pressure, and temperature, to flush with washing solution, and/or to administer medication, gases, and/or lavage.

Abstract: A novel aspirating catheter tube inserter, and related methods, which provides for incremental, facile, safe, and efficient unidirectional delivery of an aspirating catheter to the lung of a patient. The disclosed inserter comprises a movable housing which is non-compressibly reciprocally moved relative to a stationary housing to urge the catheter tube to move incrementally into the patient. The inserter comprises resiliently compressible, seizing and releasing washers which accommodate distal displacement of the catheter tube into the patient when the movable housing is linearly moved toward the patient, but seizes and holds the catheter tube from movement when the movable housing is retracted. The catheter seizing and releasing washers also release the catheter from further progress into the lung, when there is an impeding force of a predetermined magnitude which is caused by tissue engagement, to prevent injury.

Abstract: This disclosure is a hub which includes a resilient means designed to engage the shank of a needle, cannula or stylet and resist axial movement therebetween while holding same therein. The configuration of the hub allows the axial relationship between the needle, cannula or stylet and the hub to be set and maintained during further assembly operations. Disclosed also is a method for assembling the needle, cannula or stylet to the specifically configured hub.

Abstract: A machine for baking thin wafers of the type which are foldable to form fortune cookies includes an oven, a parallel chain conveyor that moves continuously in a plurality of horizontal runs through the oven, and a plurality of baking units carried by the conveyor. Each baking unit consists of two associated platens mounted in movable face-to-face parallelism. The wafers are baked in cupped containers which are carried by one of the platens and which are sealed by the other platen during baking. Following a baking period, the platens are inverted. A mechanism is provided to remove baked wafers from the inverted platens. Finally, a mechanism is provided to carry the removed wafers to discharge from the machine.

Abstract: Flat circular wafers are folded into the shape characteristic of fortune cookies in a machine which includes a turntable whereon a flat wafer is located and carried to a predetermined position, a reciprocating plunger operable to press the wafer through a pair of gates which define a slot below the predetermined position thereby to make a first fold in the wafer along its diameter so that it has a semicircular shape, two pairs of pincers which grasp the once-folded wafer at opposite ends of the first fold line, and means to operate the pincer pairs to move toward one another to bring the midpoint of the first fold line against a stationary edge and to make the second fold over that edge, and a pair of juxtaposed endless belts that grip the twice-folded wafer on edge therebetween and carry it to discharge. Also, a device is described for laying a fortune slip on the flat wafer after it is located on the turntable.