Abstract: Apparatus for applying traction forces to the fingers of a patient during surgery comprising a traction box, the traction box having wires extending therefrom with their outboard ends connecting to finger traps, by means of an "S" hook, for holding the fingers of the patient and with their inboard ends extending to within the traction box.

Abstract: An auxiliary tire bead depressor is provided for use with an apparatus for inflating a tubeless tire having sidewalls and upper and lower annular tire beads. The tire is mounted on a wheel having upper and lower wheel flanges against which the upper and lower tire beads seal, respectively. The apparatus has an inflation head and an annular tire seal ring extending outwardly therefrom for depressing the tire sidewall. The auxiliary tire bead depressor comprises a mechanism, spaced from the annular tire seal ring, for selectively depressing the upper tire bead away from the upper wheel flange. The tire bead depressing mechanism is moved from an advanced position wherein the depressing mechanism engages and depresses the tire, to a retracted position wherein the depressing mechanism is spaced from the tire. The auxiliary tire bead depressor is mounted to the inflation head.

Abstract: A method for parenteral administration of fat-soluble pharmaceuticals and vitamins using microemulsions is disclosed. The microemulsions are comprised of a naturally occurring amphipatic substance and a hydrophobic lipid along with the active ingredient, are size selected for 300-1000 .ANG. pseudomicelles, and permit safe intravenous injection of the active ingredient. Levels of the active ingredient in the various lipoprotein fractions of serum appear to mimic the natural distribution of the administered drug if taken orally.

Abstract: A method of producing a purified lipid-binding peptide which can bind to phospholipids at one or more amphipatic alpha-helical peptide regions. The method includes providing a gene coding for the peptide, and introducing the gene in expressible, heterologous form in a suitable expression system capable of synthesizing a mixture of peptides which includes the lipid-binding peptide. Addition of either endogenous or exogenous lipids to the peptide mixture forms a low-density lipopeptide complex composed of lipid and the lipid-binding peptide, and this complex can be separated easily from nonlipid-binding peptides in the peptide on the basis of its size and/or density. The method is intended particularly for scaled-up production of purified human apolipoproteins and their alpha-helical lipid-binding regions. Also disclosed are related methods for producing recombinant apolipoproteins, therapeutic lipopeptide compositions, and a stabilized lipid emulsion for nutritional therapy.

Abstract: Turnover apparatus for the controlled turning of a flat-sided article, such as a vehicle wheel-tire unit, from a horizontal outside-up position to a horizontal outside-down position includes a chain conveyor for conveying the article in a horizontal position. A turnover device employs two pairs of elongate arms mounted for rotation about respective, spaced, parallel axes from and to a normal rest position wherein the pairs of arms project horizontally in opposite directions from their axes below and parallel to the conveying chains. One pair of arms is coupled to a reversible drive to be rotated upwardly from its rest position through an angle greater than 90.degree. to tilt an article on the conveying chains upwardly to and past the vertical by an amount such that the article, if not restrained, would fall forwardly.

Abstract: A horizontally disposed vehicle wheel having a tubeless tire resting upon the wheel in a forwardly offset inclined position is located beneath a work head which is then lowered to an operating position at a fixed distance above the wheel. A radially extensible arm is mounted for rotary oscillation below the head about an axis coaxial with that of the located wheel and carries at its outer end a set of rollers which, upon rotation of the arm in one direction will engage the lowermost bead of the tire where located above the upper rim of the wheel and progressively face the engaged bead radially outwardly beyond the rim and downwardly below the rim to mount the lower bead only on the wheel.The apparatus self adjusts itself to wheels of different diameters and axial widths.

Abstract: A turnover device for turning over articles as they are conveyed along a production path. The turnover device comprises a frame, two spaced apart and parallel axis, first and second carrier arms mounted respectively on the axes for rotational movement, first and second meshing gears mounted on the axes respectively, and a drive motor and lever. The first and second meshing gears have pitch diameters such that, as the two carrier arms counter-rotate from a start position to a finish position, the first carrier arm will rotate through an arc of approximtely 108.degree. and the second carrier arm will rotate through an arc of approximately 72.degree.. The arms are then rotated to their start position. An article placed on a first carrier arm will drop off onto the second carrier arm and be carried back down to a horizontal orientation which is flipped end to end with respect to its starting orientation.

Abstract: A mounting apparatus for a proximity switch for sensing the position of a piston within a fluid operated, expandable chamber cylinder. The mounting device comprises a block shaped member with at least a first depressed, arcuate surface, the degree of curvature of which is adapted to fit the surface of the cylinder. By first attaching the mounting apparatus to the proximity switch and then positioning the proximity switch with respect to the fluid cylinder, tightening down of fastening devices provided for the proximity switch will cause the arcuate surface to firmly engage the surface of the cylinder, thereby providing a secure, vibration resistant mounting of the proximity switch to the cylinder.

Abstract: The invention pertains to a high production tire inflator apparatus for rapidly inflating tubeless tires wherein sealing between the tires and the wheels occurs at the tire beads. A tandem expansible chamber motor unit utilizing compressed air and hydraulic pressurized fluid vertically translates a carriage upon which an annular tire seal is mounted for displacement between tire indexing, sidewall displacement and bead seating positions, compressed air being used to displace the tire seal during rapid transverse movement, and the hydraulic fluid motor being employed to lock the tire seal to resist inflation pressures during pressurization of the apparatus. The wheel and tire are mounted upon a conveyor pallet which is of such configuration to directly sealingly engage the lower tire sidewall, and during inflation all sealing occurs between the tire sidewalls and the inflation apparatus, and no sealing of the wheel rim is required.

Abstract: Apparatus for cleaning the central opening or bore of a vehicle wheel and an adjacent annular radial surface includes a power driven shaft mounted for rotation about and axial movement along a fixed vertical axis. A cleaning head includes a horizontal plate axially slidable upon and rotatively fixed to the upper end of the shaft. A horizontal cleaning disc is mounted upon the plate by a pair of parallel links, one of which is pivotally coupled to the upper end of the shaft to cause the disc to shift horizontally relative to the plate upon vertical movement of the disc relative to the plate and shaft. Upon upward movement of the disc into engagement with a downwardly facing radial surface of a wheel centered over the shaft in a horizontal position, further upward movement of the shaft will shift the disc horizontally until a vertical cleaning surface on the disc engages the bore of the wheel. Rotation of the cleaning head will clean the wheel surfaces of the wheel engaged by the disc and vertical surface.

Abstract: A wheel soaper for spraying soap on a wheel rim includes a conveyor for conveying wheels in a horizontal position in succession to a soaping station. A downwardly facing frictional drive disc is located above the conveyor at the soaping station clear of the path of movement of wheels and is mounted for rotation about a fixed vertical axis. A cone member is mounted beneath the disc in coaxial relationship with the disc for free rotation and is driven in vertical movement by a reciprocating air motor upwardly from and downwardly to a normally maintained rest position below the path of wheels on the conveyor. When a wheel is stopped on the conveyor at the soaping station, the cone is driven upwardly into the central opening of the wheel to lift the wheel from the conveyor until the upper rim of the wheel is firmly pressed against the drive disc which is then driven in rotation as soap is sprayed from a stationary nozzle onto the rotating wheel rim.

Abstract: An automatic tire mounting and inflation system for successively mounting the upper and lower beads of a tire to a wheel. The system includes a continuously driven conveyor having means for feeding wheels and tires thereon, mounting the tire to the wheel in two successive steps, inflating the wheel mounted tire and removing the same from the conveyor.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for rotatably positioning an uninflated tire relative to its wheel about the axis of the wheel whereby a predetermined relationship between wheel and tire will exist upon inflation. In the system of the invention an uninflated tubeless tire is placed upon its wheel in a random manner, both tire and wheel having indicia defined thereon indicating a desired final orientation. Automatic sensing apparatus determines the angular relationship between the wheel and tire indicia about the wheel axis, records and analyzes the position of the indicia, and thereupon the wheel and tire are automatically rotated relative to each other with respect to the wheel axis an angular degree which will locate the wheel and tire indicia in a predetermined relationship, usually at a 0.degree. deviation with respect to each other.

Abstract: The invention pertains to apparatus for inflating tubeless tires, particularly of large sizes, wherein the tire is quickly inflated, and a variety of wheel widths may be readily accommodated. A wheel and uninflated tire are located within the path of movement of an inflation head which includes an annular wheel rim seal ring which is brought into sealing engagement with the wheel rim. Thereafter, a tire sidewall engaging seal ring also mounted upon the inflation head compresses the tire sidewall under the influence of an expansible air bag motor to displace the tire bead from a sealing relationship with the wheel flange, and the sidewall engaging ring forms an annular compressed air receiving chamber with the wheel rim ring permitting compressed air to enter the tire throughout the displaced tire bead periphery.