Abstract: A hand operated orbital sander having a hand grip portion provided with a fluid supply inlet connected to a source of pressurized fluid and a fluid discharge; a base portion for mounting a sanding pad and having a chamber, a fluid inlet for directing fluid into the chamber and a fluid outlet for discharging fluid from the chamber; a resiliently deformable sleeve portion for connecting the base portion to depend from the hand grip portion and defining a conduit for placing the fluid outlet in flow communication with the fluid discharge; a fluid operated rotor rotatably supported by the base portion within the chamber and mounting an eccentric weight for imparting orbital movement to the base portion; and a flexible conduit for connecting the supply inlet to the fluid inlet to apply pressurized fluid to the rotor to effect rotation thereof.

Abstract: The present invention provides efficient, selective and economical methods for producing cereal suspensions having the aroma and/or flavor of natural cereals and for modifying the viscosity and/or sugar kind of cereal suspensions. The methods include treating a cereal substrate suspension with an enzyme preparation which comprises at least one hydrolase having the ability to hydrolyze &agr;-glycosidic bonds and having no glucanase and proteinase effect. The hydrolase may be selected from the group consisting of &bgr;-amylase, &agr;-amylase, amyloglucosidase and pullulanase, with the proviso that when the enzyme preparation comprises &bgr;-amylase or (&agr;-amylase there is always a mixture of at least one other of the &agr;-glycosidic hydrolases. In addition to the above-identified hydrolases, the enzyme preparations of the present invention may further comprise an isomerase, such as glucose isomerase.

Abstract: A piezoelectric illumination control circuit for a microscope comprising a tunable frequency source of alternating current, a piezoelectric crystal having an impedance dependent on operating frequency, driven by the tunable frequency source of alternating current, and a load driven by the piezoelectric crystal. A second embodiment comprises a piezoelectric illumination control circuit for a microscope, comprising a constant frequency source of alternating current, a piezoelectric crystal coupled to a tunable dummy reactive load for the purpose of varying the impedance of the crystal and dummy load, the piezoelectric crystal driven by the constant frequency source of alternating current, and a load driven by the piezoelectric crystal.

Abstract: A measurement and marking tool comprising a horizontal member having attachment means for securing a tape measure thereto, and a vertical member emanating from and arranged perpendicularly to the horizontal member. The tool is especially useful in measuring and marking stud placement in carpentry.

Abstract: Disclosed is an optical device with at least one lens and at least one swiveling observation tube, exhibiting the following characteristics: The observation tube comprises a base section fixedly connected to the optical device, and an eyepiece carrier which rolls along an arc of a circle so that swiveling can occur on the base section; a first rotatable deflecting mirror whose rotational axis orthogonally intersects the optical axis of an objective lens of the optical device and which is forcibly rotated by the movement of the eyepiece carrier on the base section; a second rotatable deflecting mirror is arranged in the eyepiece carrier and whose rotational axis orthogonally intersects the optical axis as deflected by the first deflecting mirror and which is forcibly rotated by the movement of the eyepiece carrier on the base section.

Abstract: A transmitted light refractometer comprises an optical system having a movable mirror for redirecting light transmitted through a light-refracting sample to a beam splitter for dividing the light between first and second detection paths. The first detection path leads to an eyepiece whereby an operator may view an illumination boundary shadowline brought into the field of view of the eyepiece by adjusting the position of the movable mirror. The second detection path leads to a light-sensitive detector, preferably a linear scanned array, for generating signal information indicative of the location of the shadowline on the detector. An optical position sensor associated with the movable mirror includes a position detector providing signal information indicative of the position of the movable mirror.

Abstract: “A security window assembly comprising a frame having four members and a pane member securable within the frame. The bottom member of the frame contains a milled groove. The top member of the frame contains a stepped groove having a first groove of a first depth and a second groove of a second and deeper depth. The pane is installed by sliding it into the second depth groove to allow it clearance to then be installed in the bottom member groove. The pane can only be removed by sliding it into the second depth groove which removes the pane from the bottom member groove. When in place in the window, the pane is positioned within the bottom member groove and within the first depth groove of the top member. Clamps hold the pane in place.

Abstract: A wrist/hand/finger orthosis comprises a pliable splint member elongated in a direction from forearm to fingertips, a cover enclosing the splint member, and a plurality of releasable straps connected to the cover. Proximal to distal, the splint member includes forearm, wrist, hand, and finger portions. A thumb peninsula extends from the hand portion of the splint member, and a circular cut out region is provided adjacent thereto for increasing pivotal freedom of the thumb peninsula. The straps have free ends which attach to respective attachment locations on the cover such that the straps cross over the patient's limb in diagonal or oblique orientation, and the strap attachment locations are preferably color-coded with the straps for ease of use.

Abstract: The invention concerns a novel support which has at least one bearing unit (1,2,4,16,40) made from a fiber-reinforced synthetic material and which is therefore light and stable and has positive optical characteristics. In a further embodiment, the invention is provided with vibration damping means between adjacent bearing elements (1,2,4,16,40) or parts of the bearing elements.

Abstract: A multi-ply business form, comprising a chain of custody form having a first section for recording information required by federal drug testing regulations, and a second section containing one or more adhesive labels for labeling containers of body fluid specimens to be tested, and, an airbill form detachably secured to the chain of custody form, the airbill form containing a first part for recording information about sender and recipient of the container, and a second part containing an adhesive label containing information about sender and recipient, the adhesive label arranged to be secured to the container.

Abstract: A non-contact tonometer having a fluid pulse generating system for causing corneal applanation is improved by changing the pressure versus time characteristics of the fluid pulse from a linearly increasing relationship of the prior art to a non-linearly increasing relationship which reduces the impulse energy delivered to the eye during testing for purposes of patient comfort. In a preferred embodiment, an automatically driven piston for producing an air pulse is provided with a linearly increasing current source for driving the piston mechanism, whereby the pressure ramp of the air pulse increases as a squared function of time to reduce impulse energy delivered to the eye.

Abstract: A composite molded plastic brake piston which comprises a phenolic resin body that is co-molded to a skin which comprises a phenolic sheet molding compound. The skin adheres to at least one surface of the article. The phenolic resins of the two compounds are cross-linked into a molded product which resists separation by mechanical, chemical or thermal methods.

Abstract: A contact lens manufacturing method by electronic matching the corneal shape. The corneal shape is reproduced in the back surface of a contact lens via electronic corneal topography, according to morphological conditions imposed by functional optimization of said lens and a numerical definition of a tear film layer covering the cornea surface. The invention provides electronic corneal topography and numerical optimization techniques to define the lens geometry in order to achieve a corneal fit congruent with the fitter choice. The contact lens specialist who examines the cornea may configure the numerical processing according to the kind of corneal fit he chooses, without having to define lens geometrical parameters. The method provides a numerical description of the lens geometry, that is translated into a suitable format for Computer Numerical Controlled (CNC) machining.

Abstract: A fine-focusing stage for microscopes, with an object carrier (1) , a holder (2) for the object carrier (1) and a positioning mechanism (3) adjusting the support in its horizontal position. In order to achieve parallel vertical displacement of the object carrier (1) using simple methods of construction the invention is so designed that the holder (2) comprises a mounting portion (4) preferably for mounting on an object stage or on the microscope and a connecting portion (5) with the object carrier, and articulated parallel arms (8,9) through bending elements (6,7) extend between the mounting portion (4) and the connecting portion (5).

Abstract: Hygienic mat which can be used standing steadily on it to wipe the feet after a shower or a bath and which at the same time can be folded, as well as being light and portable. Its characteristic is to comprise a first and a second pad (2a, 2b) hinged on adjacent borders (3) in a folding relationship between an open flat position and a closed book-like position. Each pad (2a, 2b) preferably engages with a flat stiff support (4a, 4b) in a recesses (5a, 5b) defined by a boundary rim (6) raised from a stiff bottom (4). Preferably, the pads (2a, 2b) have a permeable spongy towel-like absorbing cloth (9) attached to a resilient base sheet (10) and are hinged by means of either a a flexible strip (7) or a plurality of joints (8). Gripping means (13) fixed to the boundary of said pads or supports are advantageously provided for.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed for use in weighing products having circular or oval footprint or an outwardly projecting flange. A conveyor having a pair of parallel conveyor elements arranged to underengage the footprint or flange only adjacent the periphery thereof transports the products one at a time across a weigh pan or scale device, whose length in the direction of conveyor movement is selected as the lowest value required to achieve a desired settle time for the weigh pan. Preferably, the length of the weigh pan is chosen to be essentially equal to the diameter of products to be weighed.

Abstract: The invention concerns a microscope, in particular an operating microscope with a remote controlled adjustment system (32) for an ocular (8); the adjustment system preferably facilitates automatic adjustment of the ocular to match the optical characteristics of the user's eye (1). A further development also facilitates automatic adjustment of the separation of the eyepiece tubes in a stereomicroscope.

Abstract: An athletic equipment drying rack comprises a leg assembly which is operable between an open freestanding condition and a relatively more compact closed condition, and a torso assembly adjustably connected to the leg assembly. The torso assembly includes a transversely extending shoulder member, a pair of foldable arms, and a helmet member vertically extendable from the shoulder member. In a first embodiment, the torso assembly is pivotally connected to the leg assembly by a hinge for folding along a transversely extending axis between a drying position and a storage position. In a second embodiment, the torso assembly is connected to the leg assembly by a pair of vertical side rails engaging a transversely extending upper member of the leg assembly, whereby the torso assembly may be moved vertically relative to the leg assembly between a drying position and a storage position.