Abstract: There is described a piece of furniture, particularly for stowing goods away, which comprises at least two uprights, two such uprights being fixedly connected to one another, at least one bendable material sheet resiliently opposing such bending, each sheet being retained in the bent condition thereof by two said uprights, as well as at least one horizontal stowing shelf which is supported by bearing means provided on said uprights and/or on the bendable material sheet or sheets. Such pieces of furniture may be used to form a stow-away unit.

Abstract: An exclusion or containment isolator provides an isolated environment for example for surgery or for preventing spread of infection. Known sleeves for allowing operators to manipulate inside the isolator from outside present difficulties in manufacture and can reduce easy movement of the operators arms. An isolator (11) of flexible, transparent plastics material has wide, triangular sleeves (35, 36) extending from regions of conjunction (44, 45) with the main isolator body (43), the regions of conjunction partially overlying one another to give greater freedom of movement. Preferably the sleeve construction utilizes a side sheet (13) providing a lower wall (25) of one sleeve (35) and upper wall (27) of the next adjacent sleeve (36).

Abstract: An environmental enclosure or clean room composed of a structural frame which supports a flexible transparent plastic film which defines a sealed chamber or room. Air is introduced into the chamber through a two-stage filter system and is exhausted through a filter duct. Located adjacent the chamber is a small entry compartment, and the entry compartment has sealed doorways leading to the exterior and to the interior of the sealed chamber respectively. To inspect objects in the sealed chamber, the operator enters the entry compartment and puts on a hermetically sealed suit that is normally stored in the compartment. With the operator sealed within the suit, the entry compartment is sterilized and the operator can then enter the main chamber. The suit has a provision for receiving air from the outside and for discharging air from the suit to the exterior of the chamber.

Abstract: Drying tower installation having a folding chamber built up of a number of individual interconnected sections formed by similarly shaped bearing members provided with an elastic outer covering. The top bearing member of an upper section has a means for holding the chamber on a support. Provision is also made for a chamber raising means, comprising at least three wire ropes which with one of their ends fixed on the bottom bearing member of the lower section, and with the other ends thereof linked to a rope reeling mechanism.

Abstract: Pieces of furniture have a pair of spaced side plates with rods extending between them. One or more sheets of tensilely stressed fabric are secured to and around the rods. The resulting panels may comprise structural elements of the furniture, such as the top, back, bottom, shelves, bins, and the like.

Abstract: A drawer for use in furniture defining drawer support slides comprises:(a) a generally rectangular frame defining parallel peripheral guide rails for cooperation with said support slides whereby the drawer may be advanced and retracted, and(b) a basket having flexible walls supported by and hanging from said frame, whereby the basket may be collapsed upwardly toward a plane defined by the frame.The basket walls may be removably attached to the frame, and the latter may be defined by inner and outer frame loop members defining slots to receive basket wall portions.

Abstract: A casket canopy assembly for use in providing a backdrop and display assembly for use with a casket is disclosed. A pair of end wing units having tiered shelves cooperate with a top unit, which may be separable from or secured to the wing units, to provide an assembly having a top and sides within which a casket may be placed either during a funeral or for display purposes. A suitable drape or curtain may be suspended from the assembly and a light fixture may be positioned on the wing units with the shelves providing suitable supports for floral displays and the like.

Abstract: An enclosure member such as a medical isolator provides an isolated environment at a higher pressure than the ambient environment, and has a transfer port for passage of objects into and out of the enclosure member. The transfer port comprises a flexible sleeve having one end coupled to the enclosure member around an opening in the enclosure member and having its other end positioned externally of the enclosure member. An air permeable member is arranged across the opening in the enclosure member and passes a restricted, substantially non-turbulent flow of air along the sleeve. The air permeable member is movable away from the opening during passage of objects through the conduit, and may comprise a sheet of flexible material hanging in the form of a curtain across the opening. Preferably the cross-sectional area of the sleeve diminishes with increase of distance along the sleeve away from the opening of the enclosure member to produce an increasing air velocity along the sleeve.