Abstract: The present invention provides a probe-guide for guiding, identifying, and harvesting a biopsy, said probe-guide can be combined with an optical probe, a biopsy needle or a device for delivering a medicament.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for continuously producing pulp in which finely divided fiber material, preferably wood chips, is impregnated in an impregnation vessel (10), preferably by being fed in at the top (14) and fed out from the bottom (16) of the said vessel (10), in which cooking pressure essentially prevails in the said first vessel (10). The impregnation vessel, preferably, does not have a screen. The chips are heated and impregnated with the aid of black liquor that is concurrently flowing with a flow of the wood chips which have been thoroughly impregnated with boiling hot black liquor are transferred to the top (28) of a steam-phase digester (12). The pulp is permitted to flow passed at least one screen girdle (32) for drawing off spent liquor. The drawn off spent liquor has a high amount of effective alkali.

Abstract: A novel method and device for the production of pulp by a continuous cooking process is provided wherein hot impregnated chips are fed into the top of a countercurrent steam digester which has a bottom outlet and at least one draw off screen girdle for removing black liquor. At least 50%, preferably 70%, of the cooking liquor is fed to the top of the digester as finely divided droplets.

Abstract: This invention relates to a vertical vessel, particularly a continuous pulp digestion vessel, wherein fiber materials suspended in liquid pass downwardly past screens through which treatment liquid is withdrawn. The screens are reciprocated vertically up and down utilizing a piston and cylinder assembly. The piston moves downwardly on the pressure from a pump and returns upwardly on the influence of the interior digester pressure during normal digester operation. The positioning of the pistons on the inside of the screens provides many advantages.

Abstract: Impregnation of fiber material before digestion is accomplished utilizing a minimum amount of equipment. Liquid with entrained fiber material -- both fiber material sufficiently impregnated with liquid to be denser than the liquid and material insufficiently impregnated to be denser than the liquid -- is fed from a high-pressure transfer valve to an inlet at the top of a continuous digester. The digester has an outlet disposed vertically above the inlet, and liquid along with fiber material of lesser density than the liquid is withdrawn from the outlet. The withdrawn liquid and fiber material is recirculated back to the transfer valve through a conduit adapted to allow the passage of fiber material entrained in liquid therethrough. Each individual portion of fiber material is continuously circulated until it becomes sufficiently impregnated with liquid to descend into the digester and form a fiber column therein.

Abstract: In counter-current treatment of cellulosic fiber material it is known to have strainers for separation of liquid from the fiber material. In this invention strainers are omitted by introducing pretreated sinking fiber material through an inverted funnel into a liquid filled tank passing treatment liquid counter-currently to the fiber material and extract liquid from a liquid room above the surface of the fiber material and above the open lower end of said funnel. The tank may be operated at atmospheric or at higher pressures to suit the conditions.