Abstract: A compound electrode incorporating a lead substrate utilizes the lead as a support structure. This support structure provides a surface that engages a mesh member, e.g., a valve metal expanded metal mesh. The mesh member has a front and back surface with the back surface facing the lead support structure. At least the front surface of the mesh member is an active surface. Securing of the mesh member to the lead support structure in electrical connection permits the lead support structure to serve as a current distributor for the mesh member. The mesh member may engage the surface of the lead support structure as by pressing or rolling the mesh onto the lead. Other engagement means can include the use of fasteners, or welding and the like. The resulting structure can be particularly useful as an electrode assembly for use in an electrolytic cell that serves for the electrowinning of a metal.

Abstract: The power wheelchair includes an anti-tip assembly extending from the frame. The anti-tip assembly includes a plate secured to the frame via a dampening mechanism. A first arm extends from the plate and is mounted thereto for a limited amount of relative movement. A grounding engaging wheel disposed on a distal end of the arm is urged toward the ground surface by a biasing spring interposed between the arm and the plate. As the wheelchair begins to tip, anti-tip or resistive forces are generated initially by the biasing spring. This resisting force continues in a linear fashion until relative movement between the arm and the plate ceases. Thereafter, further resistive forces are provided by the dampener as movement of the plate toward the frame is resisted in a linear fashion by the dampener.

Abstract: In order to easily convert a lip rolling apparatus to different cup diameters, without involving a change of the phase relation of the roll feeds (1) relative to one another, two roll feed pairs are arranged oppositely, the roll feeds (1) of each pair being arranged at a fixed spacing (D1), individually, relative to one another, and the mutual spacing of the roll feed pairs is variable. The drive gears (10a,b, 11a,b) are adapted to be driven by a common drive belt (12) traveling over at least one deflection sheave (13a,b) arranged so as to be movable along the line of symmetry (40) between the drive gear pairs (10a,b, 11a,b). The drive gears (10a,b, 11a,b) have the same diameter as the deflection sheaves (13a, 13b) on a compensating knuckle (30a, 30b).

Abstract: A tilt seat of a wheelchair is operatively connected to a wheelchair frame through an archial support member and through a gear rack such that as the seat is tilted, the center of gravity of a person seated in the wheelchair is substantially maintained. A bracket which slides along the gear rack can be stopped at or released at any desired seat tilt inclination.

Abstract: A transfer bench facilitates assembly and allows for ease of reversibility. Particularly, a seat has a seat portion secured to a frame assembly. A seat back is removably connected to the seat and frame assembly depending on whether the bathtub is a right-hand or left-hand tub. A preferred arrangement is to use a pair of L-shaped members, one leg of which receives the seat back and the second leg of which extends through openings in the seat portion. Spring biased snap buttons snap fit in place and removably secure the seat back to the remainder of the transfer bench.

Abstract: A handle for a manually movable vehicle or other article, such as a stroller, is infinitely adjustable to enable the person or persons imparting motion to the vehicle to achieve the greatest leverage and/or comfort. A height-adjustment assembly is disposed between and interconnects each extension rod and handlebar of the handle. The height-adjustment assembly includes a plurality of clutch plates and a locking lever having a cam end. The locking lever is manually moved between a locked position in which the lever cam end causes abutment of and friction between the clutch plates thereby preventing relative movement of the plates and securing the handlebar at a selected height, and an unlocked position in which the lever cam end reduces friction between the clutch plates so that the plates are movable relative to one another to enable pivotal movement and height adjustment of the handlebar.

Abstract: A high shock absorbing rubber composition comprises a cured blend of a conjugated diene rubber such as natural rubber or nitrile rubber with an EPDM rubber, and significant amounts of silica and optionally clay. The cured composition has low pendulum rebound properties of 20% or less, and is suitable for use as sport grips such as tennis rackets or golf grips, hand tools, lawn equipment, and the like.

Abstract: Normally, repeated calibration measurements are necessary for the adjustment of the sample and ellipsometer. To achieve an automatic relative adjustment, a sample position detection system that can be adjusted in relation to the ellipsometer and locked in is assigned to the ellipsometer, and where the detection system is connected to an adjusting system that affects the sample table and/or the entire system detection system/ellipsometer. The method for automatic relative adjustment is provided for, that by initially using one sample, the system sample/ellipsometer is adjusted via the symmetry of the detector signal of the ellipsometer, and that the sample position detection system is adjusted and subsequently locked in with the ellipsometer. With all subsequent samples, a relative adjustment of sample and ellipsometer detection system is performed using the signals of the detection system.

Abstract: An integral snap button and anti-rattle member is provided for locking the length of and decreasing the play and rattle between inner and outer tubes of an adjustable-length telescoping tube assembly. The member fits into the inner and outer tubes and a button formed thereon passes through an opening in the inner tube and one of a plurality of openings in the outer tube to adjustably lock the length of the assembly. A collar formed on the member fits within the outer telescoping tube to decrease play and rattle between the tubes of the assembly. The member is easily manufactured as an integral or one-piece member and is easily installed in the assembly.

Abstract: A wheelchair includes a rigid upholstered seat removably mounted on a crossbrace-type chassis. The seat includes a generally square-shaped frame having a clevis assembly depending from each of the four corners of the frame. Each one of a first pair of the clevis assemblies disposed at diagonally opposed front and rear corners of the seat frame is formed with aligned generally pear-shaped openings. Each one of a second pair of the clevis assemblies disposed at the other diagonally opposed front and rear corners of the seat frame is formed with aligned generally horizontal elliptical-shaped openings. An inverted generally U-shaped mounting bracket formed with aligned openings is disposed on each end of each one of a pair of chassis sideframes. Each clevis assembly is engageable with a respective one of the U-shaped brackets so that the respective openings of the engaged brackets are aligned. A quick release pin is passed through each set of aligned openings to secure the seat to the chassis.

Abstract: A method of fastener identification for traceability of manufacturing information of an individual fastener, is achieved by applying a code to the fastener. The fasteners to be identified typically are formed of hardened materials such as steel. A die cast, forged or pressed roll stamp or forge stamp is thus used to apply the code and is formed with a raised stencil of one or more characters or indicia. Multiple lots of a certain fastener typically are manufactured in a given time period, such as a year, thus requiring a different code to identify each fastener lot. Numbers of lots and sizes of individual lots for a given time period are difficult to predict for a fastener producer, thus risking waste if multiple customized stamps are used to identify the lots. A universal stamp having a single indicia stencil is utilized to identify all lots of a certain fastener in a given time period, by removing selected ones of the stencil characters from the universal stamp for each different lot.

Abstract: A wheelchair provides a seat mounted to a base preferably through use of a universal joint to provide for selective orientation of the seat. A pair of actuators are interposed between the seat and base so that selective extension and retraction of the actuators orients the seat as desired. A level sensing device(s) provides suitable output signals to control the extension and retraction of the actuators, and thus the final orientation of the seat. This allows a wheelchair occupant to remain level while the chair traverses uneven ground or to selectively reposition the seat to relieve pressure points without the assistance of an attendant.

Abstract: The power wheelchair includes an anti-tip assembly extending from the frame. The anti-tip assembly includes a plate secured to the frame via a dampening mechanism. A first arm extends from the plate and is mounted thereto for a limited amount of relative movement. A grounding engaging wheel disposed on a distal end of the arm is urged toward the ground surface by a biasing spring interposed between the arm and the plate. As the wheelchair begins to tip, anti-tip or resistive forces are generated initially by the biasing spring. This resisting force continues in a linear fashion until relative movement between the arm and the plate ceases. Thereafter, further resistive forces are provided by the dampener as movement of the plate toward the frame is resisted in a linear fashion by the dampener.

Abstract: The wheel lock assembly includes a housing that is either integrally formed on a frame, or provided as a separate component for adjustable mounting on the frame. The housing includes a circular opening that receives a disk that rotates relative to the housing. A handle is either integrally formed with the disk or, alternately, secured to the disk as a separate component, to selectively rotate the disk relative to the housing. An actuating shoe is pivotally mounted to the housing and includes a cam opening that cooperates with a pin secured to the disk at a position spaced from the central axis of rotation of the disk to convert the rotational movement of the handle and disk into translational movement of the shoe. This allows the shoe to be moved between locked and unlocked positions relative to the wheel of a wheeled apparatus such as a wheelchair, patient transport, stroller, or the like. The cam opening may also adopt alternative configurations to vary the travel of the shoe as desired.

Abstract: A micromembrane pump is described which is self-priming and self-filling. For this, the pump chamber (14) is so configured that in a drained condition of the pump chamber (14), the pump membrane (4) adjoins the pump chamber wall (22), which causes the volume of the pump chamber (14) to be minimized. For this, the pump chamber wall (22) can be flat, so that the pump membrane (4) adjoins the flat pump chamber wall (22) in its unshifted rest position. Preferably, the pump includes membrane valves which consist of a valve membrane (3) situated between two halves of the housing (1, 2), and valve seats (10, 16). It also includes a heteromorphic piezoactuator (5) attached to the pump membrane (4). The compact pump is suited to deliver gases and liquids, and can be manufactured in cost-effective fashion from only a few components.

Abstract: Described is a heating apparatus which in case of need guarantees nonproblematic access to the objects to be heated, without incurring heat losses. Used in conjunction with lip rolling apparatuses, the heating apparatus features at least two movably arranged heating boxes (1) and (2), which via parallelogram linkages connected in swingable fashion to a stationary support element (13), such that in their inoperative position they are away from the object to be heated and have assumed closed position as well.

Abstract: An input command controller provides logic function selection signals and proportional signals. The signals are generated by movement of a ball member and socket member relative to two orthogonal axes. When the joystick is implanted a transmitter transmits the signals to a patient carried unit. The patient carried unit includes an amplitude modulation algorithm such as a look-up table, a pulse width modulation algorithm, and an interpulse interval modulation algorithm. The algorithms derive corresponding stimulus pulse train parameters from the proportional signal which parameters are transmitted to an implanted unit. The implanted unit has a power supply that is powered by the carrier frequency of the transmitted signal and stimulation pulse train parameter decoders. An output unit assembles pulse trains with the decoded parameters for application to implanted electrodes.

Abstract: A bed-rise support device is provided which comprises a series of spaced, parallel hand grips in a rounded frame attached to a vertical pole stabilized by a bed frame. The device further includes a curved, horizontal leveraging handle portion which extends from the pole. The device allows the user the ability to build momentum by pushing off the hand grip and allows the user to control momentum by regaining balance as well as readjusting posture by grabbing the curved handle. This function is necessary for the safe completion of rising from a bed. Also the user can push off the hand grip with one hand while simultaneously reaching for the curved handle during the rising movement which enables the user to steady him/herself as he/she climbs out of bed.