Abstract: A cultivator point assembly includes an adaptor having a front and a rear end, and intended to be mounted to a cultivator machine at an upper end and having a foot projecting from a lower end. A cultivator point is adapted to be engaged with the adaptor and has a mounting section and a forward ground-working edge. An aperture in the mounting section is adapted to receive the foot of the adaptor in a first reversed position, whereafter the cultivator point is rotated 180° relative to the adaptor into an intermediate position in which the ground working edge is in a forward facing position relative to the adaptor, and is then moved rearwardly relative to the adaptor into a working position. A stop in use prevents unintentional detachment of the cultivator point from the adaptor.

Abstract: In a mould forming machine comprising a moulding chamber, a movable squeeze plate and a pattern, the filling of selected parts of the pattern with compressible mould material is improved by applying vacuum to said selected parts. By applying the vacuum separately to different parts of the pattern at different periods, of time during the filling step, the vacuum application can be applied during shorter periods only when needed, thereby reducing the drying out of the mould material and reducing the amounts of air to be removed by the vacuum system.

Abstract: A positioning structure for motor's pole includes a housing provided with a pivot portion having a periphery provided with multiple wall plates and a pair of insertion seats. Each of the insertion seats is formed with an insertion groove for insertion of a circuit board. The housing is provided with multiple combination posts. The pole includes a magnetically conducting material, and an insulating material. The magnetically conducting material is enclosed by the insulating material, and is partially exposed outward from the insulating material. The magnetically conducting material is wound with a conducting wire.

Abstract: Diving mask with compensation consisting of an outer frame, suitably shaped, and of an inner face connected to said outer frame. The frame is formed by a body shaped so as to house the diver's nose and provided on the side of at least one nostril of the diver's nose with structure for the compression of said nostril, and on the side of the other nostril with at least one abutment for said nostril. The compression structure is secured to the body and can be operated by the diver from the outside of the mask.

Abstract: An electronic pressure sensing device includes a pressure sensing/transmitter module including at least one pressure sensor having a pair of opposed sensing elements, and a pair of inlet port on the module to supply fluid under pressure to the sensing elements. A plurality of adapters, each having a pair of outlet ports for connection to the inlet ports on the module, whereby each adapter can be selectively coupled to the module. Each adapter is capable of being connected to a different configuration of pressurized fluid supply to feed the associated supply to at least one of the inlet ports on the module. The module further includes an electronic device for interpreting and transmitting the values of pressure sensed by the sensing elements.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus for collecting urine from a female quadruped, the apparatus comprising a urine collector having: a urine receptacle having a urine inlet for receiving urine; a support member for supporting the receptacle, the support member locatable to bridge the buttocks of the quadruped adjacent to and below the vulva thereof and generally conforming to the shape of the rump to thereby resist lateral displacement; wherein the receptacle is supported by the support member so that the urine inlet is proximate to and substantially surrounds the periphery of the urethra.

Abstract: A hand-propelled truck is provided which includes a frame and a pair of wheels for supporting the frame above a floor. For each wheel of the pair of wheels, a wheel support is connected to the frame and mounts the associated wheel for rotation about an axis of rotation. The wheel support is rotatable relative to the frame about an indexing axis between a first indexed position, in which the axis of rotation of the wheel is oriented in a first direction, and a second indexed position, in which the axis of rotation of the wheel is orientated in a second direction. A wheel indexing and latching device includes a first latching member on the wheel support and a co-operating second latching member on the frame.

Abstract: A gyroscopic sensor comprising: a sensing element (1) associated with detection and excitation electrodes (8); conductive rods (6) connected in particular to said electrodes (8); a protective housing (3, 4) enclosing the sensing element (1) and the electrode (8) and having insulating feed-throughs (7) for the conductive rods (6); and support means interposed between the housing (3, 4) and the sensing element (1) with the electrodes (8); the sensor being characterized in that said support means are constituted by the conductive rods (6) themselves, which are made so as to be elastically deformable.

Abstract: The present invention provides a catalyst for preparing a fluorine-containing alcohol compound, the catalyst having at least one component selected from elements in Group 1B, Group 2B, Group 6A, Group 7A and Group 8 of the periodic table, ions of these elements, oxides containing these elements, hydroxides containing these elements and salts containing these elements, said component being supported on at least one complex oxide selected from Si—Al complex oxides, Al—P complex oxides and Si—Al—P complex oxides; and a method for preparing a fluorine-containing alcohol compound, the method comprising reacting a halogenated fluorine compound with water in the presence of the catalyst. According to the present invention, a fluorine-containing alcohol compound can be prepared at a relatively low reaction temperature and in a high yield.

Abstract: An electrophoretic focusing apparatus and method is provided for obtaining a preparative-scale, free-fluid electrophoretic separator with high resolution and an analytical capability commensurate with capillary zone electrophoresis. The present invention combines features of electrophoresis and isoelectric focusing to accomplish large scale purifications and fractionations not previously possible, and features a separation chamber bounded by precision-pore insulated screens, a plurality of purge chambers, a plurality of electrode chambers, and a plurality of pump means. The device of the invention is capable of high speed of separation through the use of high voltage gradients produced by low voltages applied across the narrow chamber.

Abstract: A process is provided for chemically modifying a dual-layer hollow fibre, wherein the fibre comprises a first layer consisting essentially of a polyimide and a second layer consisting essentially of a polymer which is substantially unaffected by the chemical modification process. The process comprises contacting the polyimide layer with a polyamine. In addition, a process is provided for chemically modifying a polyimide membrane in general, using a process which comprises contacting the membrane with an alcoholic solution of an aliphatic-aromatic polyamine.

Abstract: A bedsheet device (10) configured to overlay a mattress (12), the bedsheet device (10) comprising: a slide sheet (14, 16) being constructed of a pliable material and having a lower surface (14) which is of a relatively low friction material designed to slide relative to an upper surface of the mattress (12) under the weight of a patient; and reinforcing means (20) affixed to the slide sheet (14, 16) to provide sufficient reinforcement to permit suspension and/or turning of the patient upon the slide sheet (14, 16), said reinforcing means (20) being capable of being manipulated independent of the slide sheet (14, 16) to effect said suspension and/or turning of the patient.

Abstract: An oven glove is provided with a gripping element affixed to a thumb piece of the glove so as to enable a wearer or user to handle or grasp hot dishes, pots, pans or like items. The gripping element extends outwardly from the thumb piece so as to permit the gripping element to be positioned a sufficient amount over an edge of a hot item so as to enable the user to move the item. Heat retardant pads are also provided on the glove.

Abstract: The object of this invention is a pharmaceutical composition with a synthetic natural progesterone and oestradiol base coming in the form of a tablet, characterised by the fact that it has a disintegration time of less than 15 minutes, preferably less than 10 minutes, and more preferably still less than 5 minutes.

Abstract: Multilayer piezoelectric fabrication methods are used to produce nD (e.g., 1.5D and 2D) ultrasonic transducer arrays. One embodiment concerns a 1.5 linear transducer in which impedance compensation is provided between the elemental transducers forming the array by varying the number of layers in each row of transducers. In another embodiment, a 2D transducer array is provided wherein elemental transducers are produced by dicing a conventional multilayer actuator to form equal sized elements which are embedded in a polymer matrix.

Abstract: A billing method is provided for billing for medical treatments and other services. The method includes capturing a treatment event by electronically scanning, at the time of the treatment event, a machine readable patient identifier (e.g., a bar code) carried by a patient treatment chart. The chart has entered thereon a prescribed treatment schedule. Capture of treatment event is entered into a computerized billing system along with the corresponding patient identifier. The patient treatment chart is used to validate charges entered into the system. All treatment events that are entered into the billing system for a particular patient identifier are collected and an invoice is generated for all of the collected treatment events entered into the billing system for the specific patient identifier. A method is also provided for tracking the patient treatment chart as an alerting device in checking on charge capture.