Abstract: Apparatus for treating blood that includes a source of ultraviolet radiation arranged to irradiate a target region. A cuvette fabricated of a single tube of quartz that contains a series of parallel runs that are connected by 180° bends so that the runs and bend lie in a common plate within the target region. An aspirator is connected to the inlet of the cuvette and a vacuum bottle or pump is connected to the outlet of the cuvette. The inside diameter of the cuvette is sized so that a uniform flow of blood moves through the cuvette and the blood is well mixed as it moves through the bends.

Abstract: A piercing blade for perforating slits in a continuous tubular web of thermo-plastic material is shown. The blade is used in a machine to form individual bags from the tube by heat sealing the bottom and perforating the top of the next bag. The piercing teeth in the blade have formed in the front face a number of horizontal grooves which serve to pick up the edge of the top layer of the slit to form a burr thereon and thus separate the two plys of the tubular web, facilitating the opening of the top of the bag when it is separated from the roll of continuous tubular material.

Abstract: A device for perforating a tubular film of plastic material flattened to form a roll of pre-formed bags for individual separation from the roll, has a perforating knife with a plurality of pointed teeth spaced along the bottom edge thereof disposed for reciprocal piercing of a continuous tubular film of plastic passed over a work support surface having a hollow slot therein. The teeth are hollow-ground to provide a slightly arcuate cutting edge along each tooth that produces a non linear perforation in the tubular film of plastic and partially seaprates the top layer of the plastic from the bottom layer. The teeth are spaced apart a desired distance to leave sufficient attaching tabs so that the roll of bags does not prematurely pull apart. Minimum tension and penetrating pressure are achieved with the present invention and result in less distortion and unwanted tearing of the end product and greater life for the piercing blade and a more easily separated and opened bag.

Abstract: A machine in which a bagged product is conveyed to a station where the open end of the bag is tied with a wire reinforced plastic tape ribbon tie. The tying station comprises a wire gripper and cutter, an arcuate needle carrying a tie-supporting roller movable from an initial position in which a length of tie is held in the path of the bag end to a second position with the length of tie looped around the bag end, means for gathering the bag end in a compact neck, and a horizontally disposed hooked twister spaced below the gripper and cutter and rotating about a vertical axis for twisting the loop of tie about the gathered neck of the bag, and the improvement comprises lowering the gripper and cutter to a position in which its lower surface is at substantially the same level as the upper surface of the twister hook.