Abstract: Steel framing is provided for a building construction having a roof structure [80] and perimeter supporting posts [89] of roll formed steel sections. The connections between the perimeter posts [89] and the roof structure [80] are formed by separate connector assemblies [60] each having post mounting brackets [63] enabling each connector [60] to be bolted to the top of a respective the perimeter post [89], roof frame mounting brackets [61] enabling each connector to be bolted to a respective inclined roof frame member [92] extending inwardly from the respective perimeter posts [89], and perimeter beam mounting brackets [64] enabling adjacent perimeter posts [89] to be interconnected by perimeter beams [91] bolted to the perimeter beam mounting brackets [60].

Abstract: An intravascular catheter comprises a plastic tube of a diameter capable of occupying a blood vessel. The plastic tube defines a tapered distal tip. The distal tip comprises an annular, distal end portion having an outer diameter that tapers at a first acute angle to the tube longitudinal axis, distally and inwardly to a thin, annular, distal end surface. The tube also defines a second, tapered, annular portion proximal of and next to the annular, distal end portion. The second portion defines an outer diameter that tapers distally and inwardly down to an outer diameter of essentially no less than the maximum outer diameter of the annular, distal end portion. The second portion tapers at a second acute angle to the longitudinal axis, which is less than the first acute angle. Also, an improved composition for the cannula tube is disclosed.

Abstract: A first catheter surrounds a guidewire, with the first catheter and guidewire each having a distal portion emplaced in the cardiovascular system of a patient. By this invention, the first catheter may be removed without displacing the guidewire. To accomplish this, one may advance an exchange catheter into the patient to a desired position. The exchange catheter surrounds the guidewire and, in turn, is surrounded by the first catheter. One causes a proximal end portion of the guidewire to project outwardly through a longitudinal slit of the exchange catheter, so that the proximal end of the guidewire may be grasped. By this means the guidewire may be retained in the desired position as the exchange catheter is advanced into its position within the first catheter and surrounding the guidewire. One then withdraws the first catheter from the patient, while causing the exchange catheter to be held relatively stationary.

Abstract: A surgical connector for cable comprises a body having a pair of opposed ends and a first side extending between the ends. Outwardly extending projections adjacent the first side and ends may be provided to facilitate securance of the connector in a desired position. Cable-receiving bores extend from each of the ends inwardly toward each other, typically at an obtuse angle of less than 180.degree.. The bores have inner ends that communicate with a central aperture which is open to at least the side of the body which is opposed to the first side. Alternatively, the central aperture may extend entirely through the body and be open to both the first side and the opposed side. Also, a novel retention technique for cable is disclosed, for more general use, if desired.

Abstract: A system is provided for transferring loads between railroad cars on different tracks. If desired the system may be highly automated. A series of parallel, adjacent rail car tracks are provided for carrying separate strings of connected railcars in side-by-side relation. A second series of tracks is positioned parallel to and adjacent the first-named series of tracks. A plurality of load lifting mechanisms are provided, these mechanisms being independently movable along the second tracks. The mechanisms each have at least one and preferably a plurality of grapplers capable of lifting a load from one rail car on a first of the rail car tracks and placing the load on another rail car on a second of the rail car tracks. Thus, the plurality of load lifting mechanisms can redistribute the loads of separate strings of connected rail cars.

Abstract: A guidewire for insertion into the vascular system of a patient, to provide a path of advancement for an atherectomy catheter which surrounds the guidewire as it advances. The guidewire has an intermediate portion positioned proximally of the distal tip, which intermediate portion defines a transversely enlarged portion of a size to prevent substantial distal advancement of the atherectomy catheter or other catheter that surrounds the guidewire. Particularly, this protects the distal tip portion of the guidewire from engagement with moving blades of an atherectomy catheter.

Abstract: An intravascular catheter comprises a proximal housing carried on a tubular catheter body. The housing carries a slit, elastomeric partition valve which comprises a barrier wall positioned to block flow through the lumen of the catheter body, while permitting an elongated member such as a catheter to pass through the valve into the lumen without substantial back leakage of blood. The slit comprises a plurality of intersecting radii which rotate in spiral manner as the slit extends through the barrier wall to define a slit shaped of the intersecting radii of a first diameter on one side of the barrier wall. The slit spirals down to a lesser diameter on the other side of the barrier wall. Thus, advancement of a catheter or the like through the valve is facilitated, and back-leakage through the valve around the catheter is suppressed. Specifically, the intravascular catheter of this invention may be a catheter sheath introducer.

Abstract: A protective sheath for an endoscope probe comprises a pair of elongated plastic sheets peripherally sealed together at the sides and distal ends thereof, while being unsealed at the proximal ends. A first of the sheets is transparent, having greater optical clarity than the other sheet. The other sheet has better frictional slip characteristics than the first sheath. Also, an intermediate plastic sheet may be provided between the pair of plastic sheets, so that the endoscope probe slides into the sheath between the other sheet and the intermediate sheet. The intermediate plastic sheet may have better frictional slip characteristics than the first sheet, to render easier the advancement of the probe into the sheath. The intermediate sheet terminates short of the distal ends of the sheet pair.

Abstract: A balloon catheter comprises a catheter shaft and a balloon carried on the shaft, an inflation lumen being provided. The balloon comprises a plurality of holes of a size to permit medication delivered through the lumen to pass outwardly through the holes. The balloon carries on an outer surface a substantially hydrophilic, tubular microporous membrane covering the holes, to break up streams of flowing medication.

Abstract: A catheter for hemodialysis comprises a flexible catheter tube defining a plurality of separate lumens. The catheter defines an arc angle of generally U-shape in its natural, unstressed configuration. Thus, the catheter may be implanted with a distal catheter portion residing in a vein of the patient, the distal catheter portion being of substantially the shape of the vein in its natural, unstressed condition. Also, a proximal catheter portion resides in a surgically created tunnel extending from the vein and through the skin of the patient, this section of the catheter also being typically in its natural, unstressed condition. Thus blood may be removed from the vein through one lumen of the catheter, and blood may be returned to the vein through another lumen of the catheter, while the catheter is subject to long term indwelling in the body.

Abstract: A patient with acne may be treated by administering to the patient an effective amount of a pharmaceutical composition which comprises a dispersion of propolis in a pharmaceutical carrier as propylene glycol which comprises a neutral buffered plant-extract-based emollient comprising an extract selected from the group consisting of verbascum, gratiola officinalis and combinations thereof and other ingredients as extracts of black honey comb and millefoli.

Abstract: A drainage catheter comprises a tubular basic catheter body defining separate catheter lumens respectively comprising a pressure channel and a discharge channel. Connectors are provided at the proximal end of the catheter for respectively connecting the pressure channel to a source of liquid under pressure and the discharge channel to a discharge receptacle. An inlet opening is positioned in the side of the catheter adjacent the distal end thereof. The discharge channel communicates with the inlet opening, while the pressure channel extends from the proximal and distally forward of the inlet opening and then curves rearwardly to join the discharge channel at the inlet opening. In one embodiment of this invention the pressure channel defines a distal portion that is of rigid and fixed dimension to define a spray nozzle of precise, unchanging dimensions.

Abstract: A rolling ball amusement device such as a pinball game comprises a frame carrying a playfield, and a ball-actuated switch carried with the playfield. The switch comprises a switch body which is movably and typically pivotably connected with a variable-position actuator wire to operate the switch in a manner which is dependent upon the position of the wire. A slot is defined in the playfield, with the actuator wire defining an arc section which is free of angled corners projecting upwardly through the slot. A rolling ball can depress the arc section to actuate the switch with essentially no "hang-up", whether or not the rolling ball approaches the actuator wire from a longitudinal or a lateral direction. Also, a spring urges the actuator wire upwardly out of the depressed position so that the actuator wire only occupies its depressed position when pressed into it by a rolling ball.

Abstract: A female luer connector comprises a tube having an open, outer end in a luer-tapered bore communicating with the outer end. The tube carries a side arm that from a positioned spaced longitudinally from the open, outer end, with the side arm extending both radially outwardly from the tube and in generally longitudinal relationship with the axis of the bore toward the open, outer end, to define a space between the tube and the side arm for receiving an outer, threaded sleeve of a male luer lock connector. A cap is connected to the side arm through a plastic hinge in a position permitting the cap to pivot between a closed position in which the cap closes the open, outer end, and an open position in which the cap is spaced from the open, outer end. The side arm defines an effectively rigid, fixed configuration to position the hinge and cap to naturally and spontaneously permit pivoting to the closed position to the open position, typically upon pressing with a single finger.

Abstract: A digital clock comprises an electronic timekeeping circuit, plus electronic digital display means connected to the time keeping circuit to display time as controlled by the circuit. Electronic control means are provided to permit changing of individual numerals displayed in a plurality of locations by manually pointing at the individual numerals. The electronic control means may comprise transparent touch-sensitive detection means positioned in front of the digital display means to permit manual changing of the individual numerals. Alternatively, the electronic control means may comprise one or more light beam emitters and one or more light beam sensors, plus an optical means for passing individual time-gated light beams from the emitter(s) to the sensor(s) in front of the numerals in a position to permit selective occlusion of the individual light beams by manual pointing.

Abstract: A balloon dilatation catheter defines an inflation lumen communicating with its balloon, and a guidewire lumen extending along the catheter. An aperture portion is defined in the catheter shaft between the guidewire lumen and the catheter exterior, the aperture portion being covered by a frangible wall that is typically thinner than the rest of the tubular catheter shaft wall. The catheter may be used in either the conventional over-the-wire technique or the "rapid exchange" technique of balloon angioplasty.

Abstract: A partition for forming fencing, or cages for warehouses, repair shops and the like, typically comprises a plurality of spaced, vertical posts and at least one mesh wall vertically positioned between the spaced, vertical posts and attached to them. The mesh wall defines a horizontally extending portion extending substantially the length of the mesh wall, with the horizontally extending portion being integral with the mesh wall but bent into transverse relation with the remainder of the vertically positioned mesh wall. The horizontally extending portion stiffens the mesh wall. Preferably the mesh wall defines a pair of such horizontally extending portions, one at the top and one at the bottom of the mesh wall. Also, by this invention a pair of mesh walls may be attached to the vertical posts in vertical relation to each other, being attached to each other by connectors through the horizontally extending portions.

Abstract: An airbrush which comprises a handle and a front body is provided. The handle and the front body together define a tubular cavity through which air may travel. The air brush defines a longitudinal axis. The front body is rotationally connected to the handle in such a way that the tubular cavity is in communication through the handle and the front body as the front body is rotated about the longitudinal axis of the airbrush.

Abstract: A new lubricant for addition to preferably two-cycle engine fuels is provided. The lubricant may be a solid lubricant in the form of a pellet having a diameter of at least 1 mm., which is readily dispersible when dropped into the fuel. Also, the lubricant of this invention preferably comprises from 25 to 75 percent of a saturated fatty acid having 12 to 22 carbon atoms; (2) from 5 to 25 weight percent of at least one of a polyisobutylene having a molecular weight of at least 800 or a polymerized, unsaturated fatty acid having an average of at least about 24 carbon atoms per polymerized molecule; and (3) from 0 to 50 weight percent of a polybasic ester of a polyol molecule and 2 to 4 fatty acid molecules, each fatty acid molecule having an average of 4 to 22 carbon atoms.

Abstract: A pinball machine which comprises a housing, a playfield, a motor assembly and a movable assembly is provided. The motor assembly is electronically adapted to respond to the actuation of the targets and is movably connected to the movable assembly. Mechanisms are provided to move the movable assembly from a first position to a second position. The moving mechanisms are operable to return the movable assembly to the first position in response to the actuation of one or more of the targets. In the illustrative embodiment the movable assembly resembles a woman tied to a log on a lumber mill saw table. The first position is the beginning of the saw table and the second position is near a saw blade. The player of the game is prompted to hit specific targets which will save the woman by returning the log to the first position away from the saw blade.