Abstract: A method and device are provided for producing a double roll fabric construction useful as a receptacle for, e.g., eyeglasses. The construction is comprised of adjacent rolled up portions disposed in side by side relation so as to be unrollable to form a receiving space therebetween. The rolling device includes a pair of spindles disposed in parallel relation and adapted to respectively receive opposite ends of a stretchable fabric so that rotation of the spindles causes rolling up of the fabric around the spindles. Respective pinion gears are mounted on the spindles and are disposed in engagement with, and ride along, a rack member. A drive unit produces movement of the pinion gears toward each other along the rack member so as to produce rotation of the second spindles and resultant wrapping of the fabric around the respective spindles to produce respective fabric rolls of the double roll fabric construction. After the construction is removed from the spindles, the ends are sewn to produce the receptacle.

Abstract: An apparatus for golf putting practice including a golf ball return sheet with a trough running from a lower first end of the sheet to an upper second end of the sheet and along a center line. The first end is for locating on a putting surface and a support supports the sheet inclined to the putting surface. The support has an upwardly extending wall to stop a ball, and the ball will then roll back down the trough of the sheet. The upwardly extending wall can also have a small target aperture and semi-circular tongue. The apparatus can be returned to a flat condition for storage purposes.

Abstract: A method of preparing a trace element solution includes the steps of providing at least one EDTA-complex, providing a sodium selenite solution, and combining the EDTA-complex(es) and the sodium selenite solution to form a trace element solution. An EDTA complex is prepared by using disodium EDTA or EDTA acid, selenium, and any other suitable mineral.

Abstract: A door closer comprises a cylinder and a piston rod mounted in the cylinder and having an exposed section outside the cylinder. A retainer plate, an elastic element, and an end cap are mounted around the exposed section of the piston rod. The retainer plate has a hole through which the exposed section of the piston rod extends. The retainer plate further has a push member extending beyond the end cap through a slot in the end cap. The elastic element is attached between the sleeve and the retainer plate. The push member is pushable toward the sleeve to cause an inner periphery defining the hole of the retainer plate engage with the piston rod such that a side of the retainer plate presses against the pressing rod to stop movement of the piston rod during closing of a door to which the door closer is attached.

Abstract: Fuel system for a vehicle with a heat enigine, comprising a hollow body made of plastic, designed to contain or to transport fuel, and means of covering this hollow body by means of a rigid jacket surrounding the hollow body. The covering means form, with the surface of the hollow body, a confined space fitted with a device for flushing by means of air. The air which entrains any emitted vapours is purified before being discharged into the atmosphere or is mixed with the air blown out by the engine. The invention is applicable to a double jacket for a fuel tank made of plastic or to a fuel pipe fitted with a concentric channel.

Abstract: Isolated proteins, designated SdrF, SdrG and SdrH, and their corresponding amino acid and nucleic acid sequences are provided which are useful in the prevention and treatment of infection caused by coagulase-negative staphylococcal bacteria such as S. epidermidis. The SdrF, SdrG and SdrH proteins are cell-wall associated proteins that specifically bind host proteins and which each have a highly conserved motif of which the consensus sequence is TYTFTDYVD (SEQ ID NO:16). The proteins, antigenic portions thereof and anti-SdrF, SdrG and SdrH antibodies are also useful for the identification and diagnosis of coagulase-negative staphylococcal infections. In particular, the proteins are advantageous because they may be used as vaccine components or antibodies thereof, and they may be administered to wounds or used to coat biomaterials to act as blocking agents to prevent or inhibit the binding of coagulase-negative staphylococci to wounds or biomaterials.

Abstract: A process for producing a rigid polyurethane foam provides a rigid polyurethane foam having a closed-cell size of about 80-130 &mgr;m and thus, improved heat insulating properties.

Abstract: Apparatus for heat treating a cutting tool comprises a furnace and a tool holder within the furnace adapted to receive therein a first portion of the tool, a second portion of the tool projecting from the tool holder, the second portion of the tool being directly exposed to radiant heat from at least one radiant heating element within the furnace with the first portion of the tool being shielded from the radiant heat.

Abstract: A storage system (10) is described in which one or more receptacles (14) for storing articles are pivotally supported on a support shaft (12). Each receptacle (14) is provided with a bracket (16) arranged to support the receptacle and coupled to the shaft (12) in a manner to allow the bracket (16) to pivot about the shaft (12). In this way, each receptacle (14) can be individually pivoted about a shaft (12) to allow access to that receptacle and any article stored therein. The storage system (10) makes more efficient use of space and can be accessed more easily than a conventional chest of drawers or cupboard.

Abstract: A ground-cover for protecting the ground and crops growing thereon and a method for making the ground-cover is provided. The ground-cover is formed by an opaque layer matching the shape of the ground, comprising natural, vegetable or animal fibers, opaque to light, optionally with at least an opacifier, and a biodegradable binder with an aqueous base to agglomerate the fibers and the opacifier.

Abstract: A refueling nozzle 100 comprising a housing 102 which is of a “dry breaks” construction. The rear end of the nozzle housing 102 includes a rear chamber 104 in which a piston 106 is housed for axial reciprocation. The refueling nozzle 100 is provided with a spring 118 which operatively cooperates with the piston head 106 so as to urge the valve into the “on” position wherein the refueling nozzle 100 is open. An end cap 109 is fitted to the rear end of the nozzle housing 102 wherein the rear chamber is enclosed. The end cap 109 includes a plurality of spaced apart and coaxial annular grooves such as 122 each being adapted to removably receive a locking element in the form of a C-clip 124 which bears against the flange of a spring retaining element 120 so as to compress the spring 118 against the piston head 106 at the required force. Thus, a user can adjust the biasing force in the spring 118.

Abstract: The wind turbine (1) comprises a rotor (2) with a number of blades mounted for rotation about a mainly horizontal axis, and the pitch of the blades of the wind turbine is controlled dependence on measured parameters to optimize the operation of the wind turbine with respect to produced energy under varying weather and wind conditions. By measuring mechanical loads on the blades (7, 8), and controlling the pitch of the blades of the wind turbine in such a way, that the measured mechanical loads are maintained below certain limits during operation, the control can be performed closer to the mechanical load limits of the blades without risk of exceeding these limits.

Abstract: The multilumen catheter (2) is provided at one end with a needle system (9, 9′) formed by two or more single-lumen needles which are provided with respective discharge openings (110, 111) and which, via their longitudinal lumina (10, 11), are connected to corresponding lumina (3, 4) of the catheter for separate release of a tracer fluid for external image diagnostics systems and therapeutic fluids, for example DNA plasmids. The needles may be both straight or both helical or one of these needles may be straight and the other needle may be helical.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for a simplified and rapid preparation of sterile culture media using microwave ovens. The sterile media of the invention are usable for the selection and identification of microorganisms transformed by viral or plasmid DNA.

Abstract: The sputter ion pump includes a vacuum chamber that includes an inner wall having a cylindrical section which is rugged in cross section. The rugged cylindrical section has outer recesses each of which is provided with a permanent magnets, each magnet having a same shape and a same characteristic so that a magnetic pole is directed to a same direction. The rugged cylindrical section has also inner recesses each of which is provided with a cylindrical anode electrode member spaced from the vacuum chamber wall. The rugged cylindrical section of the vacuum chamber wall is formed as a cathode electrode. A cylindrical shield member having a peripheral portion provided with evacuating bores is provided coaxially to the permanent magnets and anode electrodes. The permanent magnets and anode electrode members are arranged with equal spacing in an axis symmetrical configuration.

Abstract: Apparatus for mixing liquid in a container, comprises a hollow sleeve member for location in the lower regions of the container, a plurality of circumferentially spaced outlets being provided in the upper regions of the sleeve member, pump means for creating a reciprocating flow of liquid applied to the lower regions of the sleeve member, and in the flow path of liquid from the pump means to the sleeve member, a transducer mechanism cooperating with the sleeve member and subjected to the reciprocating flow of liquid such as to rotate the sleeve member about its central longitudinal axis in dependence upon said reciprocating flow.

Abstract: The proposed brake disk consists of steel of a composition of 0.1 to 0.4% of carbon, up to 1.0% of silicon, up to 2.0% of manganese, up to 0.02% of sulfur, 11 to 16% of chromium, up to 1.0% of nickel and 0.5 to 1.5% of molybdenum, the remainder being iron and production-related impurities.

Abstract: Distributor for underwater breathing apparatus, including: a box-shaped body housing a device for regulating the air flow coming from a source of pressurized air; a tube connected to said box-shaped body and communicating with a mouthpiece; an air intake duct connected to said box-shaped body by an intake valve; and one or more discharge ducts connected to said box-shaped body. The air intake duct includes a structure which induces rotation of the air flow coming from the source of pressurized air, thus reducing its intake speed into the tube connected to the mouthpiece.

Abstract: The bird vaccinating device comprises a frame, a drum or carosel rotatable on a vertical axis or this frame, schackle means for attaching birds, and being angularly spaced on said drum, motor means to rotate said drum, to present the bird successively to different operating stations, wherein said drum has a polygonal shape, preferably octagonal, each lateral side of the polygon providing a flat surface, said schackle means protruding from said surface so that an attached bird can be backed on to this flat surface by the vaccinator for proper vaccination. Preferably means are provided to cause the drum to stop if grasped by a vaccinator and to release automatically the vaccinated bird, preferably on a slide, as well as to count the vaccinated birds.