Abstract: A centrifugal pump having a rotatably driven impeller for drawing liquid into the center of a pump housing through an inlet port and for forcing the liquid to the periphery of the pump housing and out an outlet port. The centrifugal pump is adapted to prevent the liquid that has been forced to the periphery of the pump housing from "short circuiting" back to the center of the pump housing.

Abstract: A device for use in evacuating waste fluid from a closed wound or the like in a patient's body. The evacuation device includes an expansible member enclosed within a substantially collapsible pouch having walls formed of an air- and liquid-impermeable material. At least one hollow tube is attached to the pouch in operative communication with the interior of the pouch so that when the end of the hollow tube opposite the pouch is positioned within a closed wound or the like and when the expansible member is compressed and subsequently released, suction is applied to the wound through the hollow tube as the expansible member and the pouch expand thereby drawing any waste fluid in the wound into the interior of the pouch. The expansible member may consist of a hydrophylic sponge so that when waste fluid is drawn into the interior of the pouch, the expansible member will swell as a result of the contact between it and the waste fluid.

Abstract: A protective device for preventing the development of postoperative adhesions between a patient's dura and spinal nerves and other anatomic structures after spinal surgery. Preferably, the protective device provides an intervening barrier between portions of the patient's dura and spinal nerves in the patient's spinal canal following intervertebral disc surgery in which a portion of one of the patient's intervertebral discs and a portion of the patient's vertebra adjacent the disc are removed.

Abstract: A device for use in removing an individual cutting tooth from the reciprocating drive bar of a sickle mower. A substantially U-shaped guide is positioned on the two adjacent guard members of the sickle mower that are located on either side of the individual cutting tooth that is to be removed. A handle is pivotally attached to the guide. A hook member is pivotally attached to the handle at a location above the location where the handle is pivotally attached to the guide. The hook member is positioned so as to grasp a portion of the individual cutting tooth that is to be removed. A strut member is pivotally attached to the handle at a location below the location where the handle is pivotally attached to the guide. The strut member is positioned so as to engage a portion of the reciprocating drive bar adjacent the individual cutting tooth that is to be removed.

Abstract: A seat for movement from an open, usable position to a closed, stored position including a stationary frame mounted on a vertical support and a movable seat assembly having bearings to coact with the stationary frame and having foldable legs that rest on a horizontal support when the seat assembly is in the open position.

Abstract: A diaphragm type stethoscope for conveying sounds from within a patient's body to the ears of a medical examiner. A heating element is mounted within the hollow head of the stethoscope substantially adjacent the diaphragm member thereof for selectively heating the diaphragm member. A source of electrical power is preferably fixedly attached to the head of the stethoscope in electrical communication with the heating element to selectively activate the heating element.

Abstract: A machine for punching a series of aligned holes in suitable stock, e.g., for forming binding holes in a stack of sheet material such as paper. The machine is electrically operated and generally includes a pressure bar which is guidingly constrained for movement along a vertical plane. A plurality of punches and coating dies are included and are arranged in a row and suitably attached to base structure directly beneath the pressure bar. Downward movement of the pressure bar is effective to drive the lower portions of selected ones of the punches into the respective dies and upward movement of the pressure bar is effective to return those driven punches, thus constituting one cycle thereof. A pair of lever arms are provided, having one of the ends thereof coupled to the pressure bar and being pivotally attached to the base and are suitably power driven by structure including a clutch which is operably coupled to the other ends of the lever arms for causing reciprocating movement thereof.

Abstract: A device for use with a kickstand of a two-wheeled vehicle to substantially increase the load bearing area of the kickstand. A platelike member is pivotally mounted to the kickstand and is urged by a spring to a first position substantially aligned with the kickstand to prevent it from interfering with the operation of the vehicle when the kickstand is in a stored position and wherein the supporting surface of the vehicle will cause it to pivot about the kickstand from the first position to a second position substantially aligned with the supporting surface of the vehicle when the kickstand is moved from the stored position to an in-use position.

Abstract: A sewing cabinet which includes provisions for electrically carrying a typical sewing machine head between a concealed/stowed position and at least one working position. The structure includes a carriage assembly having a platform which restingly supports the head. Peculiar structure is included for stabilizing the platform in various positions and for driving the carriage assembly therebetween. In one embodiment the carriage assembly is stabilized by a plurality of fixed upright rods which are slidably engaged by sleeve structure affixed to the carriage assembly. In this embodiment the carriage assembly is driven by a single upright externally threaded shaft protruding directly upward from a motor with internally threaded structure being affixed to the carriage assembly and threadedly engaging the shaft to selectively drive the carriage assembly up or down. In another embodiment the carriage assembly is stabilized by a plurality of externally threaded power driven mandrels.

Abstract: A holding device for detachably holding a garbage can to a link fence at any desired height. The garbage can is firmly held to the holding device by a wedge-like portion of the holding device which extends between a handle of the garbage can and the garbage can. A projecting member of the holding device projects through any one link of the link fence and coacts with the upper and lower parts of that link to bind the holding device thereto. Radially extending arm members of the holding device coact with the link fence to maintain the holding device in a substantially parallel position to the link fence. The garbage can is partially encircled by a portion of the holding device so as to prevent any wavering of the garbage can while it is secured to the holding device.

Abstract: A prosthetic ligament for replacing one of the collateral ligaments of the knee joint. The prosthetic ligament includes a bridge member for extending across the knee joint, a first connector member for securing the first end of the bridge member to the lower end of the femur, and a second connector member for securing the second end of the bridge member to the upper end of the tibia.

Abstract: An apparatus for removing trash from seed cotton. The comingled seed cotton/trash are conveyed by air velocity into the housing of the apparatus wherein they are made to follow the outer curve of the top panel until arrested by a spiked rotating beater cylinder having a first grid section disposed thereabout for expelling the rushing air and the entrained minute pieces of trash. As the beater directs the remaining portion of cotton/trash toward a rotating primary saw drum, the larger pieces of trash gravitate into a bypass hopper from which certain structure reclaims the seed cotton which may be comingled therewith. The reclaimed seed cotton is redirected onto the primary saw drum which also engages and holds the seed cotton being thrown thereon by the beater cylinder. A portion of the seed cotton impaled upon the primary saw drum has considerable intermediate size pieces of trash comingled therewith.

Abstract: A bathtub which has specific advantages for certain physically handicapped or infirm persons. The bathtub includes a circular well which is recessed below the floor level. A crescent-shaped bench is included which supports the user in a comfortable sitting position and provides a step, also below the floor level, to accommodate the ingress and egress of the user. A pair of remotely disposed showerheads are included which may selectively be turned on or off in unison and/or individually. A hand railing having a gate portion is disposed a distance above the floor and extends circumferentially around the well to provide a safety barrier and to assist the user into and out of the bathtub.

Abstract: A device for controlling the amount of resistance in an electric circuit. A variable resistor is fixedly attached to a carriage slidably mounted on a pair of spaced apart guide rods within a hollow frame. A pinion gear is fixedly attached to a shaft of the variable resistor for allowing the resistance of the variable resistor to be varied by rotation thereof. A rack gear is fixedly attached to the frame in engagement with the pinion gear whereby manual lineal movement of the carriage back and forth upon the guide rods will cause rotary movement of the shaft of the variable resistor thereby varying the resistance of the variable resistor.

Abstract: A device for silencing the exhaust of an internal combustion engine. The interior of a hollow body member is divided into first, second and third chambers by first and second baffle members. An inlet port allows the exhaust from the engine to enter the first chamber. The body member is adapted to cause the exhaust entering the first chamber through the inlet port to rotate in a first direction. A plurality of ports in the first baffle member allows the exhaust to pass from the first chamber into the second chamber. The plurality of ports in the first baffle member are adapted to cause the exhaust entering the second chamber through the plurality of ports to rotate in a second direction substantially opposite the direction of rotation of the exhaust in the first chamber. A plurality of ports are provided in the second baffle member to allow the exhaust to pass from the second chamber into the third chamber.

Abstract: A paddle for manually propelling a canoe or the like. The paddle includes the usual grip member establishing the upper end thereof and the usual blade member establishing the lower end thereof. An intermediate member is included which interconnects the grip member and the blade member with the major axis of the grip member angularly aligned with the plane of the blade member. Certain elements of the intermediate member may be rotatably connected one to the other by a longitudinally extending pivot pin. Accordingly, relative rotational movement of these elements may be effective to vary the pitch of the blade member with respect to the grip member. Quick release locking structure may also be included for selectively locking the blade member to the grip member in any one of several discrete predetermined positions.

Abstract: An autopsy apparatus having a portion that holds and restrains brain tissue to allow an autopsy knife to be easily passed through the brain tissue and having a portion that guides the autopsy knife through the brain tissue as the brain tissue is restrained. The portion that holds the brain tissue is preferably movable relative to the portion that guides the autopsy knife to allow the autopsy knife to be guided through any selected area of the brain tissue.

Abstract: A cotton ginning apparatus having a rotating ginning saw drum for engaging and holding the fibers of the seed cotton. A cylinder-like serrated kicker device extends across the path of the seed cotton being admitted for directing the seed cotton onto the ginning saw cylinder. The seed cotton, being held upon the ginning saw cylinder, is brought into engagement with a rotating spiral shaped gin roller. The gin roller has several spiral conveyor-like vanes which respectively have left and right-hand twists thereto that terminate midway between the outer ends thereof. The gin roller rotates with a greater surface velocity than that of the ginning saw cylinder, thus a lateral wiping action acts upon the seed cotton while the teeth of the ginning saw cylinder have a continuous pull on the fibers. The wiping action of the gin roller and the ever present pull on the fibers separates the seeds from the fiber, i.e., the removed seeds being carried inwardly to the center of the gin roller for discharge therefrom.