Abstract: An improved, easily installable intraocular lens is provided which makes use of a single, specially configured fixation haptic so as to ease the rotational installation of the lens in the restricted area of the patient's eye, while assuring that the haptic remains in place during use to avoid lens tilting. In preferred forms, the lens includes a central optic with a single haptic secured thereto. Both ends of the haptic are secured to the optic at circumferentially spaced points, and the haptic is oriented in an arcuate fashion about a substantially portion of the periphery of the optic and includes a hairpin-type U-shaped section between the haptic ends. By virtue of this design, the surgeon can initially place the U-shaped leading haptic section within a desired eye chamber or bag and rotate the lens to readily place the entire device therein.

Abstract: The dispensing pump has an actuator button which is depressible immediately alongside of the stationary discharge spout of the pump so that, when the button is fully extended in its standby position, its upper surface is approximately flush with the upper end extremity of the spout. A locking cover on the button may be slid into a closed position at this time covering the open end of the spout to both seal the latter and securely lock the button against accidental depression. An alternative embodiment provides a discharge passage within the button itself which may be opened and closed by appropriate positioning of a slide cover carried by the button.

Abstract: A pressure sensing piston connected to a valve of a leak detector senses leakage of gasoline from underground piping and restricts the flow of gasoline through the piping whenever any leakage exceeds a certain, predetermined rate of flow. The piston is shiftably received in a piston chamber and carries an inner cylindrical wall that is sealingly engageable with a mating cylindrical seal of structure connected to the piston chamber whenever the valve of the detector is in a leak sensing position to enhance movement of the valve in accordance with relatively small changes in the volume of fluid within the region.

Abstract: A powerful, highly maneuverable, man-lifting crane has three vertically articulating sections which swivel on a common turret for horizontal positioning, the third or outer section of the group comprising three telescoping, tubular booms wherein the outermost boom is constructed of a dielectric material such as fiberglass for carrying an electrically insulated man-lifting bucket at its outer end. A pair of hydraulic extension and retraction cylinders for the telescoping booms of the third section are both housed internally of the section and are mechanically interconnected and hydraulically coupled in such a way that, upon extension of the third section, the fiberglass boom always extends first and, upon retraction of the third section, the fiberglass boom always retracts last.

Abstract: A float assembly for use in tanks, sumps or other liquid-containing vessels includes an elongated, upright, extruded support which maintains individual float switches at preselected heights. The support includes upright, elongated, recess-defining walls with a pair of flat, spaced, parallel sidewall portions that are configured to grippingly engage an outer, deformable insulative covering of a cord connected to the float switch. The cord may be grasped and pulled to an appropriate height, and is thereafter secured by the sidewall portions without the use of tools, fasteners or other components. In preferred forms, the recess-defining walls have a transverse, generally U-shaped configuration with an internal passageway for housing an upper portion of the cord between the float switch and an overlying junction box.

Abstract: A tank mounted discharge conduit assembly for use with a submersible pump unit comprises a base member connected to the tank as well as an upright body having a fluid conduit therein. The base member has an upwardly extending portion which is complementally received within a lower portion of the upright body, in order to provide support against lateral deflection of the body as well as to prohibit the flow of fluids through a lower end of the conduit. The body also integrally includes a pair of upright, spaced, elongated, U-shaped guides which are configured to slidably receive an outlet flange of the pump and shift the latter toward a position of fluid communication between the pump and an opening in the body communicating with the fluid conduit therein.

Abstract: The metering device is adapted to be installed on the neck of a liquid product container so that, when the container is upended or otherwise oriented to supply the device with liquid, actuation of the device results in the release of a pre-sized dose of the product by gravity. Several different embodiments of the invention are disclosed, all but one of which adapt the device for filling its dosage accumulation chamber when the device is in a standby condition ready for dispensing. The other embodiment adapts the device to maintain its dosage accumulation chamber normally empty and to fill such chamber only upon temporary actuation.

Abstract: Quick attachment of crop handling headers to harvesters employs one or more wedge locks, utilizing the mechanical forces thereof to, in turn, tightly and firmly wedge an elongated tongue portion of the header into mating relationship with a header-supporting channel member on the harvester. For fast and easy attachment and release, reciprocable wedge-like latches are jammed into corresponding keepers with progressively increased tightness through use of reciprocable latch shifters readily accessible to the operator at ground level exteriorly of the ends of the header support. An exceptionally strong joint is effected as the latches and their keepers jam the tongue into the channel member.

Abstract: A pair of elongated, generally transversely triangular deflector members are attachable to opposite, upstanding sidewalls of the foraminous, platform-like cleaning shoe of a combine for the purpose of preventing disproportionate accumulation and build-up of crop materials on the downhill side of the cleaning shoe when the combine is performing harvesting operations on sidehill slopes. The deflector members are fixed to such sidewalls for reciprocation with the shoe during agitation thereof and are provided with upwardly and inwardly extending baffle surfaces having the ability to redirect crop materials and air currents back toward the central portion of the shoe to counteract the effective gravity tending to cause the disproportionate accumulation of materials against the downhill sidewall.

Abstract: In a harvester wherein the frame is raised relative to ground wheels for roading purposes and such elevation of the frame stretches flotation springs to thereby lift the harvesting header off the ground, the amount of flotation force exerted by the springs on the header can be quickly and easily adjusted by only partially raising the frame and then inserting mechanical stops which prevent retraction of hydraulic lifting cylinders when pressure is relieved therein. By inserting a variable number of such stops in a stack, the flotation force can likewise be adjustably varied.

Abstract: An improved extracorporeal liver assist device and method is provided which employs a blood perfusion membrane cultured with initially transformed hepatocytes until a confluent monolayer is developed, whereupon the hepatocytes are reverted to the somatic phenotype for perfusion purposes. Use of transformed hepatocytes permits serial subculturing to maintain a clinical supply of cells for the patient, while the in vitro proliferation characteristics and loss of contact inhibition of the transformed hepatocytes ensures rapid cell division and layer formation on the perfusion membranes. Virally transformed, temperature sensitive hepatocytes are preferred so that reversion of the cells can be accomplished by temperature change. The transformed hepatocytes may be cultured on the exterior surfaces of multiple capillary membrane cartridges, and subsequently reverted by elevating the temperature thereof.

Abstract: An improved heating, packaging and sterilization system for pumpable particulate food product (e.g., soups, stews, fruits) is provided which makes use of an upstream pump and an automated packaging chamber maintained at superatmospheric pressure to achieve precise processing control without deleterious overcooking or flashing of the food product. The upstream pump is coupled to the chamber via a constant diameter conduit, and the open delivery end of the latter is in direct communication with the pressurized interior of the packaging chamber; in this way the easily controllable chamber pressure provides back pressure within the product conduit, so that a substantially uniform decreasing pressure gradient and essentially plug product flow are established throughout the length of the conduit from the pump to the chamber. Moreover, the chamber pressure is of sufficient magnitude to prevent flashing throughout the system.

Abstract: Improved therapy members useful for treating of sprains, muscle aches, orthopedic and skin injuries such as burns and other wounds are provided which make use of a pliable, self-sustaining, moisture sorbing gel including a humectant such as glycerin entrapped within a synthetic resin polymer matrix (e.g., a matrix containing acrylic acid or acrylamide monomer moieties). In one preferred embodiment, a body of the gel is encased within heat and moisture-permeable stretch fabric, and securing ties or the like are provided to permit the composite to be conformed to a body part and held in place. In use, such therapy wraps are either heated (as in a microwave oven) or refrigerated, so as to provide appropriate thermal treatment; it has been found that the preferred gel of the invention retains its pliability and other physical properties over a very broad temperature range, such as -20.degree. to 305.degree. F., and therefore the wraps of the invention can be used in many treatment contexts.

Abstract: A belt filter device mounted on a frame carrying an endless conveyor belt has a casing arranged below an upper run of the belt, and application of subatmospheric pressure to interior regions of the casing causes liquid to be withdrawn from material lying on the conveyor belt through drainage holes provided in the belt. The casing is pivotal with respect to the frame between a first, operational position and a second, cleaning position, and a separating means shifts the casing away from a cover or support means simultaneously with movement of the casing from its operational position toward its position for cleaning.

Abstract: A personal sauna has a horizontally extending bed for supporting an individual in a recumbent position, and combines the benefits of heat and vibration by means of a transversely recirculating air system and a motive means which simultaneously moves the bed with both relatively fast vibrations and relatively slow, longitudinally oscillating rocking motions. The air recirculation system comprises a chamber extending longitudinally beneath the bed supporting the individual, and two elongated heating elements disposed below opposite side regions of the bed heat air which is then directed upwardly to a compartment surrounding the body at substantially equal airflow rates along the entire length of the bed. Transverse airflow through the compartment minimizes the face velocity of the flowing air, and thereby reduces the likelihood of drafts while substantially eliminating the occurrence of localized relatively hot regions within the compartment.

Abstract: Micro-scale chemical process simulation apparatus is disclosed which is useful for design of full-scale processes and associated equipment as well as emergency relief systems. A thin-walled vessel for receiving a quantity of the material to be evaluated is supportd within and thermally insulated from the walls of a surrounding containment unit. A guard heater is provided around the vessel and temperature thermocouples and pressure transducers are strategically located to monitor the temperature conditions existing in the material in the vessel as well as the pressure within the vessel and the containment unit respectively. Fluid may be selectively introduced into or exhausted from the containment unit to maintain a required pressure balance between the interior of the vessel and that of the containment unit.

Abstract: With manual labor reduced to but two loaders for a high output, cut-up machine for lowering labor costs in poultry processing plants, a series of equally spaced, bird-receiving, block-like heads, swingable on elongated, upright carriers, and advanced continuously along an elliptical path by a conveyor past seven, spaced-apart, constantly rotating blades to automatically and consistently provide successive, precision severances of the keel, the wings and the legs, as well as split and quarter the broilers into at least nine high quality pieces ready for packaging of the fast food product into one or more chickens per bag. The carriers span the distance between the arc connected to upper and lower, power driven conveyor chains. Swinging of the roller-equipped heads and actuation of components on the heads for supporting and stretching the birds thereon are effected solely, and throughout each cycle of advancement, by a number of elongated, stationary, roller-engaging, rod-like controllers.

Abstract: A point of purchase advertising system is provided which senses the presence of a person in the vicinity of an advertising display and thereupon renders an appropriate advertisement such as a recorded verbal message or a visual or aural demonstration. In preferred forms, the overall apparatus includes an ultrasonic sensing circuit for detecting the approach of a potential customer, an advertisement giving device, typically an endless tape playback unit and a coupled speaker, and a controller for operation of the playback unit in response to detection of a customer. A voice operated relay circuit is advantageously coupled with the audio output of the playback unit and the playback controller, so that operation of the playback unit is maintained until the entire recorded advertisement has been given.

Abstract: A method of lining the hot face of the wall of a heated enclosure, such as a furnace, boiler or the like, comprising the steps of compressing a plurality of substantially cylindrical modules of ceramic fiber material inwardly from the perimeter thereof; attaching the individual, compressed modules to the hot face of the wall in predetermined relationship whereby to define certain openings therebetween, inspecting the attaching means by virtue of the access thereto provided by the openings; filling the openings with a plug of ceramic fiber material; and then releasing the compression upon the modules to permit radial expansion thereof in all directions whereby to create a lining over the entire wall.

Abstract: A reciprocating electrode scrubber is provided which cleans the surfaces of an electrodic liquid treater having an elongated electrode mounted within a cylinderical container and having a second electrode attached to the interior surface thereof. The scrubber includes a ring-shaped body having a U-shaped cross section and includes first and second, spaced-apart, circumscribing wiping structures sized to fit in the space between the first and second electrodes; means coupled with the body for selectively, axially, and reciprocally moving the body; and means yieldably biasing the structures outwardly to hold them in contact with the electrode surfaces to be cleaned. In operation, the body reciprocates along the surfaces of the electrodes to keep them free of accumulated particles which may inhibit the electrodic action of the liquid cleaner.