Abstract: A label printing assembly (10) that effectively eliminates labeling errors caused by pharmacists placing the wrong prescription labels on medicine vials or packages. The label printing assembly is preferably configured for use with an automated medicament dispensing control workstation (11) and broadly includes a label print head (12), a label supply assembly (14), a label peeler assembly (16), and a control assembly (18).

Abstract: Testing methods are provided for determining whether given candidate compounds are effective for regulating NF-&kgr;B, JNK and apoptosis cell activities. The methods involve forming a mixture including a compound such as a proteinaceous specie containing two death effector domains (DEDs) or structural or functional homologs and analogs thereof, the candidate compound and a binding target capable of specifically binding to at least one of the DEDs. This mixture is incubated under conditions such that, but for the presence of the candidate compound, the cell activity takes place to a determinable extent. After incubation, the activity is determined and is compared with the determinable extent thereof in the absence of the candidate compound. The assays may be carried out intracellularly or in a cell-free assay.

Abstract: An auto-injection device is provided for mounting a standard medical syringe which enables the user to automatically inject the contents of the syringe to a desired penetration depth. The auto-injection device includes a barrel sized for receiving the syringe therein, a driver shiftably received in the barrel for moving the syringe and causing injection of its contents, and a trigger accessible from outside the syringe, the trigger requiring movement across the exterior surface of the barrel prior to depression for releasing the plunger as a safety against inadvertent needle exposure and discharge. The barrel may include a window for enabling the user to ascertain whether the device is cocked or not. The barrel may be provided in two separate sections with one of the sections receivable into the other to permit cocking. The barrel also may include a slot for receiving a button to permit exposure of the needle to remove a protective cap when the device is cocked and the syringe is withdrawn into the barrel.

Abstract: A self adjusting clock system operable to provide a uniform time display on clocks throughout a facility including a master time-keeper, a plurality of slave time-keepers, and a time-keeping correction apparatus for correcting time of the slave time-keepers in accordance with the master timekeeper. The master time-keeper keeps the correct time and is operable to generate a master signal representative of a time correction. This master signal is then received by the time-keeping correction apparatus and analyzed in combination with other applicable information. The time-keeping correction apparatus supplies a slave correction signal to the slave time-keepers. The slave time-keepers independently keep and display the slave time-keeper time and respond to the slave correction signal to correct their slave time-keeper time when it deviates from the correct time kept by the master time-keeper.

Abstract: A reinforcing member for receiving thereon a thermally expansible reinforcing material includes a tubular carrier and a fastener mechanically affixing the reinforcing material to the carrier. The tubular carrier preferably has a continuous arcuate wall with the reinforcing material received on the exterior thereof. The reinforcing material may be provided as a plurality of longitudinally spaced annular elements, an elongated sleeve, or a plurality of prism-shaped elements. Upon heating, the reinforcing material expands and bonds the carrier to the structural member to provide additional strength and stiffness.

Abstract: An air circulator fan has front and rear fan guard members, each of which have a grille forming a concave dish. A propeller is positioned between the fan guard members, and is attached to the rotary output of a motor. The motor is positioned centrally on the front fan guard member, in a location downstream from the propeller. When the propeller rotates during operation of the fan, air is drawn through the rear fan guard member and out the front fan guard member. Each grille has a first spacing at a major face portion thereof, and a second, lessor spacing proximate a periphery thereof. This arrangement allows debris (such as feathers in a poultry barn) to pass through the major face portion of each grille, but provides a safety feature near the periphery of the guard members. A three-point mount is provided for suspending the fan, with chains or cables, from an overhead surface.

Abstract: A preferred transmission filter (10) includes a first flange (18) transparent to a laser beam (58) and includes a second flange (20) opaque to the laser beam (58) and meltable upon exposure thereto. The flanges (18,20) are in registered, abutting relationship with a laser weld bead (62) at the juncture (44) between the flanges (18,20) to provide a fluid seal circumscribing the filter(10). The preferred filter manufacturing apparatus (12) includes a laser (54) coupled to a robot arm (50) controlled by a programmable logic controller (52). The controller (52) operates the robot arm (50) in order to direct the laser beam(58) through the first flange (18) onto the second flange (20) and along the juncture (44) to form the laser weld bead (62).

Abstract: A bottom feed newspaper hopper utilizes a shuttle plate that reciprocates across the bottom of a stack of the papers to partially eject each successive lowermost newspaper from the stack during each feed stroke and present it to high speed nip rollers. The rollers grasp the leading edge of the partially ejected newspaper and quickly withdraw it the rest of the way from the stack. The stack of newspapers rests upon a fore-and-aft narrow rail on the shuttle plate so that a stiffening ridge is created in the body of the lowermost paper and at least several papers thereabove. During each feed stroke, a stop at the front of the hopper permits the lowermost paper to exit from the hopper but blocks similar movement of the second paper and all those above it. The stop is offset laterally from the path of travel of the rail so that the area immediately above the rail is open and unrestricted, allowing the peak of the ridge to pass out of the hopper even if the paper has an accidentally rolled up, fat leading edge.

Abstract: A method of rotationally molding a part to include a platform therein is provided. The method includes providing a mold and mounting the platform adjacent to, and preferably connected to the wall of the mold. Resin is deposited in the mold and the mold is closed. The mold is heated and rotated around at least two axes. The molten resin substantially covers the interior wall of the mold and the portion of the platform exposed therein. Rotation continues as the mold is cooled whereby the resin solidifies into a self-sustaining configuration. The resulting part is removed with the platform receiving resin thereon incorporated in the part resulting in a reinforcement oriented in spanning relationship to an interval defined by spaced-apart regions on the mold wall. The placement of the platform may be selected, whereby the resin and platform provide structural reinforcements for the part, lifting points incorporated into the part, or electrical grounding sites which are formed during molding.

Abstract: A conveyor belt lifting device is configured to shift the belt away from the conveyor frame, which facilitates cleaning of the undersurface of the belt and the portions of the frame covered by the belt. The device includes a support bar rotatably mounted to the conveyor frame and at least one arm projecting from the bar, such that rotation of the bar corresponds with swinging of the arm. The arm is configured to engage the undersurface of the belt and shift the belt away from the frame as it swings from a standby position to an operating position.

Abstract: An apparatus for and a method of performing an animal-related action regarding at least a part of the body of an animal is proposed. The apparatus includes a cleaning tool (15), adapted to be brought into contact with the part of the body, a support (16, 17) provided to support the cleaning tool (15), and a drive element (18, 24) provided to move the cleaning tool (15) along the contour of the part of the body. A sensor (34) is provided to sense the contact of the cleaning tool (15) and the animal. Furthermore, a processor (36) is provided to determine the position of the part in response to the sensor.

Abstract: An armrest (1) for providing wrist and forearm support during keyboard and mouse operations is provided. The armrest (1) is placed at the front edge of the keyboard and supports most of the forearm from the elbow to the wrist so that the operator can operate the keyboard and handle the mouse, with the forearm supported close to the keyboard. The armrest (1) includes an enlarged support area (12, 22), an elbow protrusion area (13) at the longitudinal ends of the armrest (1), and two mouse pads (2: 21, 22) on the same surface running from the center area (11, 21) to one of the longitudinal ends. The armrest is positioned so that the center area (11, 21) of the mouse pad (2) faces the space bar (4), and the enlarged support area (12, 22) faces the number keypad (5) and projects out to the right of the number keypad.

Abstract: Improved water cooling towers are provided which include pultruded fiberglass reinforced plastic (FRP) structural components and assemblies. To this end, integrally formed, pultruded channels (26, 26a) are provided having central web sections (28, 28a), endmost flanges (30, 30a, 32, 32a), and obliquely oriented, reinforcing legs (34, 34a, 36, 36a). Pultruded tubular columns or beams (68) are also provided having thickened central wall sections (94, 96, 98, 100) and relatively thin corner sections (102, 104, 106, 108). In order to connect the beams (68) and channels (26, 26a), use is made of connectors (110) having pultruded FRP sleeves (118) and an associated bolt and nut assembly (112, 114). The sleeve (118) is designed to pass through aligned apertures (120, 124, 122, 126) in the beam walls and channel member sections to provide greater strength and shear capacity.

Abstract: An aquatic vegetation shredder includes a double hull watercraft, with a space being defined between the hulls. The machine also includes an aquatic vegetation shredding assembly mounted to the watercraft adjacent the bow end, and a pair of propellers rotatably mounted to the watercraft adjacent the stem end. The propellers are configured to propel the watercraft through the water and draw water through the space defined between the hulls. Such a design causes the vegetation to be drawn toward the vegetation shredding assembly, while preventing the shredded vegetation from accumulating at the assembly; thereby eliminating the need for feeding devices for feeding the vegetation to the shredding assembly and discharge chutes for discharging the shredded vegetation away from the assembly. In addition, the propellers are operable to shred vegetation, thereby ensuring destruction of vegetation below the water surface and further commination of vegetation received from the shredding assembly.

Abstract: A pressure responsive valve assembly is disclosed as having a frangible burst disk that largely controls actuation of the valve. The valve assembly includes a housing having an inlet and an outlet and a valve seat therein. An actuating unit includes a collapsible fluid chamber and a moveable pressure responsive valve member. The valve member is engageable with the valve seat, positioned to experience the pressure conditions at the inlet, and operably coupled with the mechanism to cause collapsing of the fluid chamber when the valve member moves relative to the valve seat to establish or close communication between the inlet and outlet. The rupture disk normally blocks fluid flow from the chamber and thereby prevents collapsing of the chamber and corresponding movement of the valve member until the valve member experiences a predetermined maximum pressure at the inlet.

Abstract: A fenestration product includes a door assembly having a door shiftable into and out of a closed position, at least one generally flat door jamb presenting an inner face that faces inwardly toward the door when the door is in the closed position and a generally oppositely facing outer face, and door hardware positioned along the inner face of the door jamb and configured to associate the door with the door jamb. The product further includes a substantially flat reinforcement plate secured flatly against the outer face of the door jamb. Moreover, the door hardware has at least a portion thereof that is securely fastened to the reinforcement plate so that movement of the hardware relative to the door jamb and reinforcement plate is prevented. A method of reinforcing a fenestration product in this manner is also disclosed.

Abstract: The push-pull spout assembly (10) is configured to dispense fluid materials from a container (12). The spout assembly (10) includes a pair of generally tubular, telescopically interfitted first (20) and second members (54) defining a fluid passageway (22). Each member includes a complemental closure wall (30,58) projecting into the fluid passageway (22). In a blocking position the complemental walls (30,58) are aligned and block fluid flow through the passageway (22) and in an offset position the members (20,54) are shifted axially relative to one another to allow fluid flow through the passageway.

Abstract: A business form is provided which is particularly useful in shipping products where certain preprinted information can be provided and then individualized information is printed before the form is applied to a substrate. The form includes a face ply which has a pattern of adhesive applied to at least a portion of the inner face, and a release liner which includes a pattern of adhesive which exposes a portion of the release liner to direct adhesive contact to the face ply without intervening release coating to permanently adhere a part of the release liner to the face ply. The release liner has a surrounding protective border provided with release coating on the release face thereof and which is removed prior to application to the substrate, and a slip which remains with the form as applied to the substrate. The face ply includes lines of perforation defining a central portion.