Abstract: An exhaust gas silencing assembly or unit of the wet-type receives the exhaust gases from a water cooled internal combustion engine used to power a water-going vehicle, such as a speed boat, and the coolant water from the water jacket of the engine. The exhaust gas and water mixture may be expelled through a downwardly directed combined exhaust gas and water outlet of the silencing unit, or in response to opening a valve in an exhaust flow tube of the unit, exhaust gases and some of the water may be expelled directly out an outlet opening of the silencing unit. When the water and exhaust gases are expelled downwardly into the turbulent waters and foam of the wake of the boat the level of sound emanating from the silencing unit is substantially minimized. Upon opening of the valve at an outlet end of the silencing unit to provide straight through fluid flow the sound level of the engine is at a maximum, but the back pressure imposed on an engine is at a minimum for providing maximum engine performance.

Abstract: Fluorescence ligand binding assay of a sample containing an unknown amount of ligand may be performed by making direct intensity measurements. In an immunoassay, for example, the sample may be added to a solution containing fluorescein labeled analyte and then is added an antibody specific to the analyte. Sodium dodecyl sulfate, a surfactant, added to the solution in an amount sufficient to form micelles provides markedly different fluorescent intensity from bound and unbound labeled analyte.

Abstract: A ballcock is constructed with upper and lower housing members which are joined by a bayonet-type fitting. The juncture of the upper and lower members defines a valve chamber which sits atop the orifice of a vertical inflow tube carrying water from below the lower housing member. A valve in the valve chamber controls the flow of water out of the orifice. The valve includes separate, spaced upper and lower resilient valving members that provide a pressure chamber. Pressure in the chamber is controlled by a spherical-head metering pin passing through apertures in the upper and lower members. A slip-on silencer telescopes over the orifice and defines, with the exterior of the inflow tube, a quieting passage. The quieting passage has an annular intake at the top and terminates below in a pair of downward directed nozzles. The spherical-head metering pin makes a ball-and-socket connection with a lever. The lever is resiliently connected to the upper housing member and operated by a metal rod connected to a float.

Abstract: A device for holding the corner of a sheet and/or cover in place on the surface of a water bed mattress is provided by a corner structure insertable under each corner of the mattress, to be supported and confined by the bottom support for the mattress and the upright side walls of the mattress confining frame. Each corner structure includes a diagonal brace member with mitered ends adapted to abut a pair of transverse side walls of the mattress confining frame, and to define a generally triangular space between the brace member and the adjacent frame corner. A mattress lifter, that is part of the device and is smaller than said triangular space, is hingedly mounted to the brace member and positioned in the triangular space. A handle means is secured to the mattress lifter and provides manual means for pivoting the mattress lifter about its hinge so as to raise the corner of the water bed mattress that is positioned thereabove.

Abstract: In heating and cooling assemblages, that use a thermoelectric module of the Peltier type held tightly between heating and cooling members, an improvement, for avoiding fracture of the frangible components of the Peltier type thermoelectric module, is provided by using a clamping means, that acts against the members clamped against the thermoelectric module, that employs spring means that exert the assembly pressure against the thermoelectric module's substrates. The spring means desirably apply force in line with the central portion of the module's substrates, where the hottest portion of the module's substrate is located. The spring means employ one or more elongated leaf springs whose center is offset from the ends of the springs that are engaged by selectively actuatable clamping means. In one specific form a cooling box for use in the field is equipped with assemblages, as disclosed, provided at the corners of the box.

Abstract: A pressure operated speed indicating system for a vehicle operating in a fluid, such as a speed boat, has a mounting bracket which enables a pressure sensing or pitot tube having a pressure sensing opening to be placed in an optimum position with respect to the boat. The mounting bracket grips the strongest portion of the tube to minimize tube deformation or breakage in use. The mounting bracket also assures that the pressure sensing opening of the pitot tube will remain in a forward facing position substantially transverse to the longitudinal axis of the boat. An improved connection fitting for connecting the pitot tube to a resilient conduit placing the tube in fluid pressure transmitting communication with a pressure operated speedometer is also provided. This fitting facilitates installation or replacement of a pitot tube in the system.

Abstract: An apparatus and process are disclosed for the contactless measurement of the volume of a layer of wet, electrically resistive material that is deposited on a rigid substrate support, where the deposit of said electrically resistive material has a known length and width. The apparatus measures the topological thickness of the deposit of electrically resistive material by means of a pneumatic gas system that has an outlet, positioned above the deposit on the substrate, through which a jet of gas under pressure is directed downwardly against the deposit and the substrate. The outlet for the pneumatic gas jet is constructed to be homothetic to the width and length of the deposit.

Abstract: A monitor system is provided for a device used in the treatment of sleep apnea. The device engages the user's tongue in a socket. The tongue is thereby held in a forward position, increasing the size of the air passageway, while at the same time flow of air through the mouth is blocked. The monitor is responsive to the position of the tongue in the socket and activates an alarm when the tongue slips out of the socket. One example of such a monitor includes circuitry with a thermistor. Thermistor temperature changes are used to generate a voltage that enables alarm and recording circuitry.

Abstract: There is disclosed a new, useful and simple apparatus, and surgical method, for implantation of same, for selective control of evacuating the urinary bladder in mammals by electrical stimulation of the motor innervations of the bladder's detrusor urinae muscle. Contractions of this muscle occur by timed electrical pulses conducted by electrodes placed in the fluid of the sacral canal, to conduct electrical stimulus through the fluid in the sacral region of the spinal cord. Nerve roots located in this region of the sacral canal, and which innervate the bladder, are stimulated by the electricity conducted by the fluid, causing contraction of the bladder's detrusor muscle, and results in micturition. In preferred form, the apparatus may be used on paraplegic or quadriplegic humans and could be selectively controllable by a paraplegic human. The apparatus may also be used to evacuate the bladder in paraplegic mammals such as dogs and cats.

Abstract: A ballcock is constructed with upper and lower housing members which are joined by a bayonet-type fitting. The juncture of the upper and lower members defines a valve chamber which sits atop the orifice of a vertical inflow tube carrying water from below the lower housing member. A valve in the valve chamber controls the flow of water out of the orifice. The valve includes separate, spaced upper and lower resilient valving members that provide a pressure chamber. Pressure in the chamber is controlled by a spherical-head metering pin passing through apertures in the upper and lower members. A slip-on silencer telescopes over the orifice and defines, with the exterior of the inflow tube, a quieting passage. The quieting passage has an annular intake at the top and terminates below in a pair of downward directed nozzles. The spherical-head metering pin makes a ball-and-socket connection with a lever. The lever is resiliently connected to the upper housing member and operated by a metal rod connected to a float.

Abstract: An improved apparatus for on-line inspection of an intermediate-stage, headed, non-threaded blank for a threaded fastener is disclosed. If the blank fails to meet specifications, the production of blanks is terminated. Improvement features include a roll-sorter for testing all blanks to see if certain dimensional parameters of the blank's head are satisfied. Then, random chosen acceptable blanks are fed to a rotatable table which is constructed to receive a sample blank for movement of the blank to a test station where the blank is tested for other failures to meet dimensional specifications. The rotatable table is constructed to provide interchangeable elements thereof that will accept blanks of different head and stem sizes. Multiple adjustability is provided in the means for transferring blanks, that are first acceptable to the roll-sorter test, on to the rotatable table for further testing.