Abstract: Apparatus for safely lifting a roll of material having a horizontal eye is disclosed. The apparatus consists of a tong having horizontally relatively movable lifting legs which each include lifting decks to engage the roll's eye. Sliding members are provided to yieldingly address the roll ends and to move horizontally and vertically during closing of the lifting leg under the control of a dampening means. Additionally, the sliding members are maintained stationary with the roll during movement of the tong to engage the eye with the lifting decks to avoid scraping of the roll ends. A spring means is provided to return the sliding member to its rest position following the release of the displaced rolls.

Abstract: A linkage for transmitting torque includes a stationary member, a movable member rotatably mounted to the stationary member, an input link having one end rotatably mounted to the stationary member and a second end connected to a linear actuator and a coupler link. The coupler link is connected to the second end of an output link, preferably integral to the movable member. The moment applied to the input link by the linear actuator is transferred through the coupler link to the output link, or movable member. The angle of rotation of the output link is greater than the angle of rotation of the input link.

Abstract: A material handling vehicle is provided which includes a lower truck chassis and an upper material handling structure pivotally supported by the lower chassis, all functions of which vehicle are driven by a single engine. The material handling vehicle is controllable from a main truck cab on the truck chassis or from an upper operator's cab mounted on the upper structure. The single engine provides highway travel power and power to all excavator functions, while the vehicle, including remote travel and implement manipulation capabilities, may be controlled from the upper operator cab. The main engine, when used for over the highway travel, powers the driven wheels through a power shift transmission in a conventional manner.

Abstract: Apparatus for pneumatically stamping identifying impressions on a workpiece is provided. The apparatus includes a double-acting air cylinder having a hollow piston rod. An impact piston is provided inside the barrel formed inside the piston rod to, alternatively, seal an aperture in the piston or to travel inside the barrel in order to strike a plunger mounted in a plunger housing slidably supported by the leading end of the piston rod. A stamping head having an anvil adjacent to the stamping characters is provided to be mounted on the end of the plunger housing. In operation, compressed air is injected behind the piston rod thereby extending it toward the workpiece while compressed air is provided ahead of the impact piston to retain it in seated position on an aperture in the piston of the piston rod. When the stamping characters engage the workpiece, further advancement of the piston rod closes the source of compressed air ahead of the impact piston and opens venting apertures.

Abstract: A phase controlled regulator for selectively connecting a load to an AC source voltage such that substantially constant power is delivered to the load despite fluctuations in the magnitude of the source voltage is comprised of a circuit for detecting the zero crossings of the AC source voltage. A circuit produces a reference signal representative of a periodically increasing value in response to the zero crossings of the AC source voltage. A sensor produces a first signal representative of the instantaneous value of the AC source voltage. A comparator compares the reference signal with the first signal and produces an output signal when a predetermined relationship exists therebetween. A switch is responsive to the output signal for selectively connecting the load to the AC source voltage.

Abstract: An apparatus for simultaneously transporting a plurality of wheeled carriers is provided. First and second end frames are interconnected by central spine elements from which extend a plurality of arms which define discrete cells configured to accept the individual carriers. Straps between the end frames and arms or between arms are provided to secure the carriers to the transportation apparatus. In use, the wheeled carriers may be moved as a group while allowing a carrier to be removed from or inserted into any cell without disrupting the other carriers and without necessitating the carriers themselves being placed on a larger wheeled carrier for transport.

Abstract: A variable height column having a base, a midsection and an upper section. The base includes at least one upwardly extending guide shaft and the upper section includes at least one downwardly extending guide shaft. The midsection includes guide paths and bearings dimensioned for sliding engagement with the guide shaft. Hydraulic actuating means are provided to move the midsection vertically relative to the base and to move the upper section vertically relative to the midsection at the same rate to permit the uniform straightline extension and retraction of the column.

Abstract: A steam sterilization cycle having a conditioning stage, a sterilizing stage, a drying stage and an air admission stage which provides maximum removal of entrapped air from full or partial porous loads. The conditioning stage includes a plurality of pressure/vacuum pulses. The final vacuum pulses are deeper than the initial pulses. The sterilizing stage includes a diffusion dwell come-up which gradually increases the temperature and pressure of the chamber to the predetermined sterilization temperature by a sequence of pressure rises followed by pressure plateaus which permit substantially complete steam penetration of the load and substantial equalization of the actual load temperature and the temperature sensed by the sterilizer controls and substantially eliminates superheating the chamber. The cycle may also include a step for detecting and reacting to unacceptable levels of noncondensable gas present in the chamber during the sterilization stage.

Abstract: A movable member mounted in an opening in the back support section of a multisectioned surgical table. The movable member is so pivotally connected to a portion of the perimeter of the opening that the movable member can assume a range of articulated positions relative to the back section for lifting portions of the patient's body. The movable member has contoured edges for providing a smooth, preferably padded surface against which the portions of the patient's body can be supported and restrained against lateral rolling. The edges of the movable member are preferably also contoured to define a perineal cutout. Means are provided for locking the movable member into selective positions within the range of articulated positions.

Abstract: Means are provided for the monitoring of a sterilization procedure employing alkylene oxide, particularly ethylene oxide, to sterilize medical equipment, especially heat-sensitive equipment, and especially for monitoring the aeration of the so-sterilized goods and articles to desorb the retained alkylene oxide, which means employ interaction of the alkylene oxide with a cation-exchange resin and subsequent aeration of the cation exchange resin coupled with pH indicator means sensitive to changes in the ion exchange resin effected by the alkylene oxide employed in the sterilization and subsequently by the air employed in the desorption step.

Abstract: Protectors are provided for both internally and externally threaded ends of a tubular member. Each protector includes a plastic and a metal member. The plastic member of each protector defines threads which are adapted to threadedly engage threads of the tubular member. Each metal member defines a projection that is adapted to be received by a recess formed in the plastic member. Each plastic member defines a channel that guides the metal projection to the recess as the metal and plastic members are joined together.

Abstract: Process and apparatus for pyrometallurgically treating finely divided ores, concentrates, residues, slags and like materials. The process utilizes a reactor having two co-axially extending, vertical reaction chambers. The process comprises forming within the upper chamber of the reactor hot fuel-rich reaction gases; passing the hot fuel-rich reaction gases by dump flow into a second vertically extending chamber; introducing into the second chamber the finely divided materials to be treated; and reacting the finely divided materials with the hot fuel-rich reaction gases. The dump flow of hot fuel-rich reaction gases passing into the second chamber is produced by providing a zone of sudden expansion in the flow passage between the first and second chambers.

Abstract: Apparatus is provided for allowing the draining of a liquid containing an entrained gas from a discharge tube, the separation of the gas from the liquid and the directing of the liquid to a drain pipe. The apparatus includes a vertical elongated conduit member having venting apertures formed therein and first and second vertically inclined arms extending therefrom. An elongated directing conduit is coaxially supported within the elongated conduit at a distance beneath the discharge tube to form an air gap therebetween. In operation, a source of suction is connected to the first arm and draws atmospheric air into the system through the venting apertures and through the second arm. The discharge tube is then opened allowing the liquid/gas mixture to enter the drain apparatus in which the gaseous constituent is drawn from the liquid via the air gap and the liquid constituent is conducted past the venting apertures by the directing conduit thereby avoiding any splashing and escape of the liquid.

Abstract: Imaging apparatus including an image intensifier and first and second assemblies for filtering or color encoding incident light before it is received by the image intensifier, and produced light emitted from the image intensifier, respectively. An objective lens and an eyepiece are provided for passing the incident light to the first filtering assembly and for passing the produced light to a predetermined location, preferably to an observer. The first and second filtering or encoding assemblies remove from the light, components falling within at least one predetermined range of frequencies. The filtering assemblies may be two disks, an input disk and an output disk, positioned on opposing sides of the image intensifier. Each disk may have one or more filters. Each filter is adapted for removing from the light all components except those having a wavelength falling within a predetermined range of wavelengths.

Abstract: A lighting fixture having a plurality of light source means arranged circumferentially around the axis of symmetry of the lighting fixture and a reflector system for folding and mixing the light emitted from the light source means to provide a single beam to simulate the light emitted from a single light source means. The light rays converge at an acute angle relative to the axis of symmetry to provide the single beam. The reflector system includes a plurality of source reflectors, each being operatively associated with one light source means, a second reflector positioned beneath the plurality of source reflectors to receive light therefrom in an overlapping fashion, and a third reflector radially spaced and partially circumscribing the source reflectors and the second reflector to receive light from the second reflector and to project that light to form the single beam.

Abstract: An improvement in a process for sterilizing goods comprising a method for substantially reducing condensate on the processed goods. The method includes producing an exothermic reaction during the process between effective amounts of at least two reactants to release at least a sufficient quantity of heat proximate the goods to substantially reduce condensate on the goods at the conclusion of the process. Hydratable salts may be housed in a liner which is permeable to a condensate vapor present in the process. Contact between the vapor, or condensate, and the salt produces the exothermic reaction during the process.

Abstract: A process for sterilizing and depyrogenating a pretreated solution, such as water, by adding an oxidant selected from the group consisting of hydrogen peroxide and ozone and heating the solution and the oxidant to a temperature sufficient to sterilize and depyrogenate the solution for a period of time, preferably less than 5 minutes. The oxidant is thereafter removed and the sterilized, depyrogenated solution is cooled for dispensing.

Abstract: A method for playing draw poker in which cards used in previous hands are retired from play and a time limit is imposed for completing a predetermined number of hands.

Abstract: A method of vaporizing a multicomponent liquid, such as a hydrogen peroxide and water solution, for injection into a vacuum chamber including the steps of metering successive predetermined increments of the liquid at a predetermined rate onto a heated surface in a vaporization chamber. Upon exposure to the heated surface, each liquid increment is substantially instantaneously vaporized before the next succeeding liquid increment is metered onto the heated surface to produce a multicomponent vapor increment having substantially the same weight percent composition as the multicomponent liquid increment. Each vapor increment is passed into the vacuum chamber.

Abstract: The present invention provides apparatus which can be incorporated into a powered instrument that rotates a tool at varying rotational speeds and torques. The invention includes at least two drive plates, each of which rotates at a different speed and which exerts a different magnitude of torque. A movable member within the instrument selectively engages one of the two drive plates to couple that drive plate to the output shaft of the instrument. The apparatus can include a torque limiter which couples the input shaft to the output shaft only when the resistance to rotation offered by a drive plate is less than a predetermined value.