Abstract: Speculum apparatus for use in connection with gynecological endoscopy examination includes a first substantially L-shaped inner member defined by an elongate first handle portion, a first dilating portion extending angularly with respect to said first handle portion, and a first connecting portion integrally interconnecting the first handle and dilating portions, and a second substantially L-shaped outer member defined by an elongate second handle portion, a second dilating portion extending angularly with respect to said second handle portion, and a second connecting portion integrally interconnecting said second handle and dilating portions. The connecting portion of the outer member is received within the channel shaped interior of the first connecting portion and shoulders defined on the second dilating portion engagingly mate with terminal edges of wall portions provided on the first connecting portion so as to provide a detachable pivotal interconnection between the inner and outer members.

Abstract: A sorting apparatus for selectively sorting timber into different compartments. When a compartment is filled, it is emptied onto a conveyor for removing the timber from the apparatus. Each of the compartments includes a flexible support which can be lowered beneath the dividing wall of the compartment to form an opening through which the timber can empty onto the conveyor. The flexible support is then pulled tightly to ensure that all of the timber leaves the compartment.

Abstract: The pulsator for hydraulic systems controlling actuating mechanisms has a housing accommodating a pusher made in the form of a piston with a rod, a delivery valve, a pneumatic piston displacing in the cavity connected to the pneumatic control system. Above the pusher piston there is an upper cavity communicating with a high-pressure main, and under the piston there is a lower cavity communicating with the actuating mechanism via a non-return valve. A stem is provided between the rod and the piston. Also made above the pusher piston is an auxiliary cavity which is an extension of the upper cavity, defined by a leading edge and connected to the actuating mechanism. Above the lower cavity of the pusher piston there is an annular cavity disposed coaxially with said cavity, separated from said cavity by the leading edge, connected to the valve controlling resetting of the pusher.

Abstract: A surgical instrument for stitching up soft tissues with lengths of spiked suture material comprises a hollow body which houses a tubular needle having a through bore adapted to accommodate said length of suture material to be introduced into the tissue being sutured along with the needle, and a stop stationary with respect to the body and accommodated inside the through bore of the needle. Both the needle and the stop are shaped as coils having the same diameter and lead, and the needle is mounted slidably along the stop so as to retain the length of suture material in the tissue being sutured while extracting the needle therefrom.

Abstract: A method for extrusion of a highly viscous thermosetting or a thermoplastic material comprising extrusion of said material in the presence of substances diminishing external friction of the melt, at a ratio between internal and external friction values of the material melt within the range of from 1.5 to 4.0; the thermosetting material melt viscosity being ranged from 50.times.10.sup.6 to 300.times.10.sup.6 poises, while the thermoplastic material melt index being varied from 0.01 to 0.1 g/10 min.The ratio between internal and external friction values of the material melt is maintained within the above-specified range by way of incorporation, into the starting thermosetting or thermoplastic material, of certain compounds. For thermosetting materials, use is made of, e.g. zinc dialkyldithiophosphate, and for thermoplastic materials barium sulphonate is used as such a compound.

Abstract: A method of removing concretions from the ureter which comprises passing a concretion from the ureter into the bladder by means of an extractor having a guiding rod at the end of wire arms, crushing the concretion in the bladder by means of a disintegrating instrument, inserting a catheter into the ureter, and removing concretion fragments after the catheterization is over. The method makes it possible to carry out catheterization after the concretion has been removed and practically allows for elimination of inflammatory diseases caused by damaging the mucous membrance of the urinary tracts.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for directly measuring percentile values of a time varying analogue signal by recursively estimating a predetermined percentile level from said analogue signal. In particular, the apparatus continuously estimates the percentile sound levels from the analogue output of a sound level meter so as to monitor sound pollution levels in a particular locality during a specified time period.

Abstract: The apparatus may be used for growing large-sized single crystals, such as optical and scintillation alkali halide single crystals, as well as semiconductor single crystals, from melt.The apparatus comprises means for pulling a single crystal from melt and a crucible made of two containers mounted coaxially in each other to define an annular space therebetween to which a charge is fed. The inner container protrudes downwards relative to the outer container, and melt is contained in the protruding portion thereof.Apertures are provided in the side wall of the inner container at the level of the bottom wall of the outer container for overflow of melt from the annular space to the inner container. Independent heaters are provided under the inner and outer container, respectively.

Abstract: This invention relates to primary processing of animal hides and more particularly to methods for cleansing cattle hides and to apparatus for carrying out same. According to the proposed method, washing, soaking and removal of dung from the surface of the hides are carried out simultaneously and continuously under copious irrigation of the moving hides with water and the hides are then clamped in position essentially along the axis of movement, while the removal of dung is effected by carding their hair covering and subsequent removal of surface moisture.

Abstract: Quick connect apparatus for headbox components in a paper making machine, e.g., apparatus to quickly connect and disconnect the equalizing chamber portion of the air cushion damper from associated distribution header and turbulence sections of the machine, include an elongate locking rod extending over a substantial portion of the end region of the components to be attached, the locking rod being mounted for longitudinal movement. The locking rod is provided with spaced locking portions adapted to lockingly engage correspondingly spaced portions of adjacent components to which said component is to be attached. The components are quickly connected in one embodiment by the longitudinal movement of the elongate locking rod or, in another embodiment, by the rotational movement thereof, whereby the locking portions on the rod are moved into and out of locking engagement with the corresponding spaced locking portions of the other component.

Abstract: A paper machine drying section and method for operating the same are provided for reliably maintaining a web in engagement with a drying fabric at locations where the fabric is situated between the web and drying cylinders. Those drying cylinders which are directly contacted by the drying fabric, so that the web is separated therefrom by the drying fabric, are formed with recessed outer surfaces having voids across which the fabric extends. The pressure in these voids is maintained at a magnitude less than the pressure at the outer surface of the web where it travels around those cylinders from which it is separated by the fabric, so that in this way the web is urged by the pressure differential toward the fabric so as to be incapable of becoming detached therefrom.

Abstract: The instrument is characterized in that provision is made therein for a means preventing the staple semibushes from being disjoined in the course of operation and fixing the position of the center of the hole of said staple semibushses with respect to the position of the center of the hole of the supporting semibushes so as to provide a uniform suturing of the tubular organ, whereas the magazines are so mounted as to be replaced after the operation, for which purpose the magazine and staple semirings have through curvilinear grooves and are detachable with respect to said staple semibushes, the outer walls of the latter having recesses for said magazines to reload, said recesses being arranged along the radius coinciding with the radius of the radial slots in said staple semibushes. In addition, provision is made in the instrument for an automatic restrictor of synchronous radial movement of said magazines and said ejectors towards the center.

Abstract: In the proposed apparatus for winding a weft thread onto spools of carriers, there is provided a disk rotatable in the horizontal plane on which are mounted constantly meshed satellite gears and winding members rotated by these satellite gears which engage, in a zone of winding of the weft thread, a stationary toothed sector arranged coaxially with the rotatable disk. In addition, provided in the apparatus are also a device for retaining the winding members in a preset position after the satellite gears disengage from the toothed sector and a device for gradual starting of the winding members and for stopping them in a predetermined position which precludes impacts and breakage of teeth at the engagement of the satellite gears with the toothed sector. This arrangement makes it possible to increase the speed of winding of the weft thread onto the spools of the carriers and to wind a required amount of the weft thread onto the spools of the carriers.

Abstract: In a lumber stacking method and apparatus a layer of lumber is conveyed to a lifting location where a pair of arms beneath the layer of lumber are tilted respectively about horizontal axes parallel to a horizontal plane in which the layer is located to engage beneath and raise the layer at the lifting location above the latter horizontal plane, with these arms then being advanced forwardly while supporting the raised layer. The arms are advanced forwardly to become situated over that part of the stack which has already been formed, and at this latter stacking location the arms are lowered by being tilted in a reverse direction so as to situate the transported layer at the top of the stack which is being formed, the arms then being retracted back to the position beneath the lifting location while the transported layer remains at the top of the stack.

Abstract: A method of oil recovery by thermal mining from oil deposit sections into which the mine field is divided, according to which a plurality of underground workings are provided ensuring a successive recovery of oil from the mine field sections. The plurality of underground workings include intake and development wells. Thereupon, an overall mine ventilation system is set up ensuring the ventilation of the workings. Prior to the supply of heating medium to the development wells, the flow of heating medium is throttled. Then, the throttled heating medium flow is force-fed via pipes into the development wells for heating the oil bed to the temperature at which oil assumes the required fluidity in the oil bed. A fluid medium is then force-fed to the intake wells to force oil from the oil bed into the development wells and pump it up to the surface.

Abstract: A method for the measurement of the aggregation rate of particles suspended in a liquid, particularly of red blood corpuscles in the blood by measuring the intensity of a light beam impinging on the blood sample and leaving the sample again, wherein said blood sample is arranged in a disc cuvette in the horizontal beam path of a light source and is subjected to a shear movement during the course of the measurement of the light beam leaving the sample, and an apparatus for carrying out this measurement.

Abstract: A device for switching a plurality of electrical circuits, each including a group of electrodes separated by insulators and a duct formed by coaxial holes made in the electrodes and insulators and filled partially with a conducting liquid wetting the surface of the electrodes within the duct. An element controls the flow of conducting liquid within the duct so as to close the electrodes. The element is linked mechanically with a duct sealing element in common with the ducts of all the groups. The sealing element has a cavity filled with a dielectric liquid communicating with the ducts of all the groups.

Abstract: The invention relates to a thermally insulating composite wall for any kind of tank on ships or on land. The wall comprises a self-supporting external wall, a bed of thermally insulating elements secured to said wall at least partially by means of a hardened packing material and a fluid-tight internal lining; said material may notably be a cellular material in contact with all the external surface of this bed and obtained by in situ expansion and subsequent hardening of a deformable product capable of spontaneous expansion which has been previously placed according to a discontinuous distribution.

Abstract: A device for coupling and uncoupling an emerging articulated column to or from its base installed on the bottom of a body of water, the said column and the said base being provided with piping portions, wherein quick operated connecting-disconnecting means are provided for rapidly interconnecting corresponding portions of the said base pipings and column pipings, respectively, connectable and disconnectable concomitantly with the use or operation of the means of connection and disconnection of the said column to or from the said base.According to one aspect of the invention, the column is provided with a connecting pedestal substantially cylindrical in shape and adapted to be fitted into an annular socket of the pedestal, and the bundle of pipes pertaining to the column can be connected by screwing to corresponding piping portions converging towards the center of the socket.