Abstract: A hand-operated punch is formed of molded parts which interfit for easy and rapid assembly and disassembly. This feature is particularly useful if there are paper jams. A handle hooks under a wall of the base. Depressing the handle forces downward a transverse bar recessed to accept the upper ends of the male punch elements, which are spring-biased to travel with the transverse bar. The punch elements reciprocate within a die bar detachably connected to the base. The die bar is formed with a throat for insertion of papers to be punched. The front edge of the base is formed with a transverse groove to accept a male binder element during assembly of a book comprised of the punched paper.

Abstract: A first plastic strip has longitudinally spaced studs each of which can be bent over at a 90.degree. angle, the studs being serrated. A second strip has holes through which the studs fit and grooves which receive and secure the bent over studs, the grooves being serrated. Paper punched to receive the studs is clamped between the two strips. The studs are then bent over into grooves in the second strip and held in bent position in part by said teeth intermeshing. The paper is thus securely bound.

Abstract: A cap for a wide-mouth container has a short inner skirt and a longer outer skirt. The outer skirt has upper and lower internal locking beads which are preferably interrupted with gaps between bead sections. Above the lower locking bead is a circumferential score line. A portion of the outer skirt below the score line is cut away to form a pull tab extending parallel to the score line. The cap has a peripheral flange the underside of which slants downward-inward. The container neck is thin walled, having an internal top flange terminating in a first sealing surface which bears against the top of the inner skirt, a groove below the last-mentioned surface and a second sealing surface below the groove which also bears against the inner skirt. The neck also has upper and lower external beads each having shoulders on their lower edges under which the upper and lower internal locking beads of the cap seat. The neck curves outward in a lower shoulder immediately below the bottom edge of the skirt.

Abstract: Heretofore, there have been two common systems of strip binding. One uses paper punched with rectangular holes and curled plastic combs having fingers passing through the holes. The other uses round holes in the paper and male and female strips, the studs of the male strips fitting through the holes in the paper and in the female strips. Excess stud length is cut off and rivet heads formed to make a permanent bind. The present invention uses rectangular punched paper similar to the first systems and strips generally similar to the second system. At least two studs and female strip holes are offset to prevent lateral displacement of the paper.

Abstract: Each of a pair of annular, especially non-circular, apertured flanges for vacuum joints are formed by machining an outer groove spaced in from the outer edge, an inner groove extending inward from the inner margin of the joint and an outward slanted side interconnecting the two grooves resulting in a sharp corner on the inner edge of the inner groove. A flange spacer, apertured to receive the bolts which draw the flanges together is positioned in the outer groove of both flanges. A soft metal (e.g., copper) gasket overlies the inner grooves. When the bolts are tightened, the gasket deforms outwardly under the pressure of the sharp corners to seal against both slanted surfaces to form an ultra-high vacuum joint which is "bakeable." For temporary testing of joints a portion of the gasket immediately overlying the corners may be replaced with an elastomeric ring.

Abstract: An artificial limb (e.g., leg) is provided with rigid members simulating the lower and upper halves of the lower leg, the knee joint and the upper leg. At each joint is a sensor-potentiometer similar to the joy-stick of a computer game arranged so that relative movement of rigid members cause movement of the joy-stick. Leads from the outputs of the sensors are connected to an analog-to-digital converter connected to a personal computer. In teaching first aid for fractured limbs, the student is taught to apply splints and move the patient to a stretcher with as little relative movement as possible. The training device indicates relative movement. The screen may display positions of the rigid members in two planes and/or numerical tallies.

Abstract: An insole for use as a replacement insole or for permanent installation in a shoe or other item of footwear is of sandwiched construction with a flexible, moldable nonsetting material inside, so that the upper surface of the insole molds and conforms to the bottom of the foot of the wearer. The insole is glued together, with an overlap of the top innersole piece folded under and adhered to the bottom of an upper subsole or shoe board immediately below. In specific areas at the tips of the toes and the heel, there is stitching through the thickness of the insole, spaced inwardly a short distance from the edge of the insole, to prevent excessive flow of the moldable material and consequent bottoming out of the foot in these areas.

Abstract: To prevent tampering with the contents of containers, the neck of the container is formed with external beads with grooves under the lower surfaces of the beads. The cap has an outer skirt formed with internal beads which lock under the shoulders of the neck beads. Preferably, the cap has an inner skirt which seals against the inside of the container neck. To remove the cap, a score-line is formed extending upward from the bottom edge of the skirt and merging with a horizontal scoreline located between the two internal beads, so that one may grip a tab on the lower edge of the skirt, pull upward on the substantially vertically section and thence horizontally around the horizontal scoreline. Unless the skirt is thus torn, it cannot be removed from the neck and tearing of the skirt indicates tampering with the contents of the container.

Abstract: A desoldering tool has a detachable solder collection tube interposed between the hollow tip of the tool and a source of vacuum. The tube is detached for removal of solder pellets. Within the tube is a filter preventing contaminants from being drawn into the vacuum pump. Within the tip is a cylindrical bore. Rotatable in the bore is a twisted stainless steel ribbon which allows solder to pass, but scrapes and cleans the bore.

Abstract: System for stereotaxic lateral extradural disc puncture has a frame fitting over the patient which provides for proper location of the cannula of the needle. The frame has a pair of right-angle members. A lower bridge frame extends horizontally and is clipped to the vertical legs of the right angle members by magnetic clips. A bridge clip fits onto the lower bridge frame and is longitudinally slidable thereon. The stem of the cannula guide slides vertically in the bridge clip. A half-channel on the top of the stem comprises the cannula guide and a bead chain fixed near the half-channel insures that the stem is vertical. Forward and rear heading guide supports are magnetically attached to the horizontal legs of the right-angle members. These supports hold magnetic strips by which a transverse disc overlay strip is held in place. A second bead chain depends from the forward end of the disc overlay strip to locate the proper alignment of the point of the cannula.

Abstract: Cases (covers) for binding books are made in a series of sizes which differ from each other in the width of the spine and each size accommodates a range of book cores. The gauge of the present invention indicates which size case is proper and further measures the precise thickness of the core. Simultaneously, the gauge moves an edge guide of a positioning guide so that the core is located accurately centered relative to the spine area of the case and the case is also located relative to the guide.

Abstract: Dispenser for liquids requiring use of one hand, particularly useful for motorists, has a collapsible plastic bag with a delivery spout enclosed in an insulated casing adapted for mounting on the ledge above the dashboard of a vehicle. Swivelled to the device is a cup holder which positions the cup under the spout for dispensing liquid and away from the spout for convenient removal and replacement of the cup. Only one hand is required to activate the spout, swivel the holder, and grasp the cup. The bag may be refilled as required either through the spout with the bag in the casing or by opening the casing and removing the bag.

Abstract: A wire rack has upward extending bent points and downward extending similar bent points. Preferably, the spacing between points at one end is greater than the spacing at the other end. The points at one end serve as prongs which may be forced between the leaves of an inverted artichoke. The bottom ends function as legs to support the rack upright on the bottom of a pan of water. Steam rising from the pan penetrates between the leaves, steaming, rather than boiling, the vegetable. Either end may be placed up, depending on size of the artichoke. Very small artichokes may be placed inside the upturned points. Eggs and other products may be supported by the rack for steaming. The rack is also usable when serving food since it may be placed on the diner's plate. Even uncooked products such as oranges may be "presented" in this way. In a preferred form, two identical lengths of wire are bent to provide two upward and two downward extending points.

Abstract: For pre-operative radiography preparatory to stereotaxic lateral extradural disc puncture (e.g. as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,941,127) the patient is placed on his side and a radiographic film is exposed from which the surgeon calculates position and angle of needle approach to the disc before the actual operation begins. An X-ray opaque marker device similar to a ruler is located parallel and adjacent to the patient at the level of the midsaggital plane. Markings and numbers on the marker device show on the exposed film. With prolonged X-ray exposure, the image of the marker may be "burned". The present device provides a series of radiopaque shields which may be interposed between the marker and the film to reduce burn-out of the image of the marker on the film. A convenient stand supports and stores the marker and one or more shields so that they may be individually and selectively raised and turned into operative position.

Abstract: The control is mounted on the turntable of a conventional motor grader or similar scraper, in a direction parallel to an axis through the points of attachment to the turntable of the rods of two rams which control the angle of the blade of the scraper to the horizontal. The control is used to hold the blade angle at a first angle when the scraper is moving in one direction and at a second angle when moving in another direction. In the control are two vials mounted side-by-side and adjustable by a motor to be centered at the aforesaid first and second angles. A control box on the cab enables the operator to selectively adjust the electric current of the device to respond to one vial or the other depending on the direction of movement of the scraper. If the blade is off the desired angle, a signal from the vial actuates a hydraulic valve control to energize one or both rams to raise or lower and thus restore the blade to the preselected angle.

Abstract: A vacuum nozzle draws off foam from the headspace of filled containers as they approach container closers. The nozzle has a substantially rectangular head at its lower end, preferably turned at an angle to the path of the containers. From the head depends a pair of parallel scraper-like blades of rubber-like material. Spaced slits extend upward from the bottom edges of the blades. The upper end of the nozzle leads to a source of vacuum which includes means for salvaging the liquid content of the foam for re-use.

Abstract: A card having two adjacent magnetic tracks is used as a substitute for coins in activating laundry machines and the like. The first track is a data track encoded with a security code and pulses indicating a number of future uses of the card. The second track is a timing track used for both reading and writing encoded with square wave signals having a rate greater than the data rate on the first track and having the assertive edge coinciding with the start of pulses on the first track to strobe the first track to determine whether pulses are a "1" or a "0". The system re-encodes on the first track as the card leaves the machine one less number of uses of the card than when the card entered the machine, energizes a relay to start the laundry machine, and punches the card to indicate one use. A noise suppressor prevents re-encoding noise from affecting reading second track signals. The system employs a counter which is disabled so that the re-encoding cannot occur when the card enters the machine.

Abstract: Pellicles such as those shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,131,363 are attached to photographic masks used in suitable exposure equipment to transfer a desired pattern on the mask to a photosensitive surface, such as an integrated circuit wafer coated with a photoresist. The pellicle removes impurities such as dust from the plane of the mask a sufficient distance so that the impurity is not focused on the photosensitive surface. The present invention provides a container in which a mask with a pellicle attached may be stored between uses in a dust-free atmosphere, with the fragile surface of the pellicle protected. Initially, the pellicle, before being attached to the mask, may be supported on a detachable tray positioned in the same container during transportation from its place of manufacture and storage to the place where it is applied to the mask.

Abstract: A cannula has a hub formed with a hollow upward projection on its top which communicates with a lumen having a bore in the hub and the cannula itself. On one side of the hub is a vane having converging sides and a rounded end. The vane has a horizontal opening extending inward and the portion above the opening is cut away so that it is about half the thickness of the portion below the opening. A stylet or an obturator fits through the hollow projection, bore and cannula, extending to the tip of the cannula. A hub on the stylet or obturator has a socket to receive the cannula hub projection and a vane formed with a cutout to receive the portion above the opening of the cannula hub, the portion of the stylet or obturator vane below the cutout locking in the opening in the cannula hub. A hollow needle also fits through the hollow projection, bore and cannula and has a hub formed with a socket to receive the hollow projection and a fitting for attachment to a syringe.