Abstract: This invention relates to an improved liquid soap dispenser of the type ones which are commonly located in public washrooms and the like. These kind of soap dispensers include a frame, a manually operable pump mounted on the frame and a reservoir operatively connected to the pump for supplying soap to be dispensed. The soap is generally dispensed when a tube, connected to the reservoir, is squeezed. The current invention provides simple and efficient ways for controlling the quantity of soap dispensed from such liquid soap dispenser. As such, the amount of pressure provided to the tube is varied, thereby varying the amount of soap dispensed. Preferably, the pump includes a handle and a wall portion facing each other on opposite sides of the tube. The wall member is pivotable about a pivot point, so that by increasing the angle between the wall member and the tube, the handle does not compress the tube as much and thus less soap is dispensed.

Abstract: A hockey stick handle having a pair of opposed narrow sides, a pair of opposed broad sides, a rear end, a forward end portion, and a longitudinal axis passing through said ends, the forward end portion being configured for engaging a blade. The handle has a longitudinally extending sandwich composite member. The sandwich member has three longitudinally extending substance zones. The substance zones has a rigid plastic foam spacer zone and two wood side zones. The side zones are spaced apart by the spacer zone. The three substance zones are configured and disposed such that each side zone individually faces a respective side of one of the pairs of opposed sides of the handle and such that together the two side zones and the spacer zone each face both of the sides of the other of the pairs of opposed sides of the handle.

Abstract: Cross-linked cellulose is an excellent binder disintegrant that can be used in the preparation of pharmaceutical tablets. The tablets that are so prepared are made of a compressed mixture of a powder of a pharmaceutically active ingredient with a powder of a pharmaceutical excipient including a pharmaceutically acceptable form of cross-linked cellulose in an amount up to 35% by weight with respect to the total weight of the tablet. The cross-linked cellulose is prepared by cross-linking microcrystalline or fibrous cellulose with a cross-linking agent such as epichlorhydrin in a relative amount of 2 to 50 g of cross-linking agent per 100 g of cellulose. Tests have proved that cross-linked cellulose is very easy to synthetise and has excellent binding/disintegrating properties that are function of the cross-linking degree. At low cross-linking degree, cross-linked cellulose is more a binder than a disintegrant whereas at high cross-linking degree, it is more a disintegrant than a binder.

Abstract: A method and a composition for the preventative treatment of osteoarthritis comprising the periodic administration to a mammal suffering of this disease of a composition comprising an amount of Human recombinant Interleukin-1 receptor antagonist effective for reducing the progression of lesions and cartilage degradation.

Abstract: A high-security fabric for use in high-security applications comprising an inner layer of nylon having top and bottom surfaces, two inner layers of polyester, one of the inner layers of polyester extending on the top surface of the inner layer of nylon, the other inner layer of polyester extending on the bottom surface of the inner layer of nylon, and two outer layers of a fireproof synthetic fabric, each outer layer of fireproof synthetic fabric extending on one of the inner layers of polyester opposite to the inner layer of nylon. All of the layers form a 5-ply assembly having a top and a bottom and in which the inner layer of nylon is centrally positioned. The assembly is stitched together with a nylon thread in a pattern.

Abstract: A floor hatch with a built-in security fence is described, where access to the understructure can only be provided wherein a pair of doors are pivoted outwardly to an open position and secured, forming two opposite sides of the security fence; a first gate is pivoted outwardly to an open position and secured to each of the doors, forming the rear of the security fence and a second gate, leaving a pivoting door, is pivoted outwardly and secured to each of the doors forming the front of the security fence. The pivoting door of the second gate pivots outwardly to permit access to the opening in the floor. The floor hatch may also include a security grate and telescoping extension on each of the doors. The floor hatch can be locked in the closed position and can be opened, automatically forming a security fence, to permit access to an understructure of a floor.

Abstract: A ground cover with an improved resistance to degradation by freezing and thawing, a kit for the manufacture of the ground cover and a method for manufacturing such a ground cover. The ground cover has a plurality of molds each having a bottom wall and side walls. The molds have their bottom walls laying flat onto the ground and are positioned with their side walls in close adjacent relationship with respect to each other so as to fully cover the ground. Connectors of given flexibility extend through the side walls of pairs of adjacent molds in order to connect the molds to each other. A filling material is poured and hardened into said molds. The filling material acts as a covering. Once installed, the ground cover forms a network that can easily be adapted to floor surfaces of different shapes. The cover is prepared by attaching together similar units made from a kit consisting of the molds and the connectors of given flexibility.

Abstract: A fully automatic device is provided for handling components-containing tubes and for feeding the components contained in these tubes into the input rail or "accumulator" of the loading area of a component processing equipment. Another fully automatic device which is very similar in structure to the above device is also provided for recovering the components from the output rail of the unloading area of the component processing equipment, and reinserting such components into their tubes. Both of these devices have a column holder mounted on a frame for receiving and holding a column of tubes stacked one above the other. A rotatable barrel having a conical shape and a horizontal axis supports a set of tube catching assemblies.