Abstract: A container-contents discharging station may include a guard in sealing engagement with a container prior to inverting the container to discharge its contents. A container-contents discharging station may also include an air bellows to seal an open top of a container to a guard prior to inverting the container to discharge its contents. A method for retrofitting an existing container-contents discharging system removes an existing enclosure and replaces it with a modified enclosure having a sealing guard and a container lifting mechanism.

Abstract: A tracheo-oesophageal fistula catheter (1) comprises an elongate conduit (2) having a proximal and a distal end, the conduit (2) comprising a plurality of lumens commencing adjacent to the proximal end; means (8, 9) for substantially sealing a tracheo-oesophageal fistula, the means being attached to the conduit (2) adjacent to the proximal end and comprising two elements (8, 9) to be placed on either side of the fistula; and at least one expandable balloon (7) attached to the conduit (2) adjacent to the distal end, and in fluid connection with at least one of said lumens; wherein at least one lumen is a gastric lumen, the gastric lumen extending along the full length of the conduit and having an outlet (6) at the distal end of the conduit (2), and wherein at least one element of the means for sealing the fistula comprises an expandable balloon in fluid connection with at least one of said lumens.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for molding a flip chip semiconductor device are disclosed herein. A substrate having at least one air hole is provided. A chip is mounted on the substrate by multiple solder balls such that the air hole is beneath the chip and surrounded by the multiple solder balls. The substrate mounted with the chip is placed in a mold apparatus which defines at least one air channel aligning with the air hole, such that air can be exhausted via the air hole and the air channel when encapsulation material is filling the mold apparatus.

Abstract: A modular construction system that provides structures utilizable in the manufacture of bases for pavements, pavements, slopes, canals, walls, arches, and bridges. A flexible structure is obtained formed by the articulated and indissoluble union of a multiplicity of identical modular units that have articulated, unbreakable joints, although there are free spaces between the units, in such a way that when a weight is placed in any area of the flexible structure, a part of the load is immediately distributed to the adjacent areas, the structure thus resulting in a stress distribution system, being flexible, articulated, and indissoluble. The distribution of stresses occurs both in the horizontal and the vertical direction. Two or more structures can even be placed one on top of the other, duly articulated between each other, with a separating layer between each one of them, by means of latch pins such as to allow the structure to be flexible, functioning in a manner similar to how a single structure functions.

Abstract: A centrifugal pump having a two member casing in which a first member with a circular peripheral inner wall incorporates a discharge branch and the other member is shaped in such a way as to determine the shape of the volute of the pump when the two members are brought together. The first casing member has a flange extending transversely from the peripheral wall. The second casing has a flat surface for abutment against the flange to seal the two members. The second casing member has a centrally raised section in which the radius of the section varies circumferentially so that the flow area of the volute of the pump varies circumferentially within the pump.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for hanging off a coiled tubing velocity string in an existing, active gas production well. The method allows for the "hot" tapping into a charged coiled tubing run thereby eliminating the need for an end plug and blow out equipment on site. A sealed cutter assembly is connected to the hangoff assembly, the charged coiled tube is cut, and back pressure leakage is avoided by the use of a hangoff head which seals in two directions. The cutter assembly is removed and the coiled tubing velocity string is piped to a new sales line.

Abstract: A remotely controllable position indicator system arranged to determine the relative position of two bodies and their relative orientation. A movable remote control device is controllable to transmit command radiation signals. A fixed reference station executes commands represented by the command radiation signals. The remote control device has a transmitter while the reference station has a receiver or receivers which monitors the intensity of the radiation received and distinguishes the source of the radiation. A computer is programmed to determine the direction of the reference station from the remote control device using a comparison of monitored intensity of radiation received from the transmitter to give the direction of the receiver from the directional transmitter. One or more of the transmitters is controllable to transmit command signals and the receiver is arranged to receive the command signal.

Abstract: An aseptic storage tank includes a draught tube into which food product enters in use. By increasing and decreasing relative pressure in the headpiece of the tube the contents in the tube are forced into and out of the tank to keep the food product therein in motion.

Abstract: An illuminated aerial marker for a high voltage transmission line using a spherical colored opaque capacitor with gas filled lamps electrically connected, exterior to the capacitor with one electrode of the lamps connected to the high voltage source and the other to the conductive area of the capacitor or capacitors. The lamps are spaced and sized to provide illumination with nighttime conspicuity of at least 4,000 feet when the lamps are activated.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for registering a point of impact of a ball against a surface of a hitting implement. A multilayered impact indicator is releasably affixed to the striking surface of the implement. Each of the layers of the indicator have identical indicia on them. The top and bottom layers of the indicator cooperate in a carbonless fashion such that when the ball impacts on the top layer, the impact is communicated to and registered on at least the second layer. The indicia on the top layers is arranged to be in corresponding alignment with the same indicia on the bottom layer. The indicia includes a centrally outlined or dispositioned target area or portion. The target is surrounded by other indicia indicating the closeness of the impact to the target.

Abstract: A fluid spraying system having a spray gun capable of alternatively selecting a low pressure aerated cleaning or high pressure non-aerated rinsing mode. The system further has an improved interchangeable and disposable fluid cartridge with a combination metering and check valve. The cartridge is sealingly engagable with the gun by use of a bellows fitment. The system utilizes the principle of increased or decreased flow volume to alternatively draw fluid from the cartridge or bypass the cartridge.

Abstract: A load is supplied by a transformer supplied via a voltage regulator and thyristor network. The thyristor network and regulator are simultaneously controlled to respond to changes in the load and in practice the thryistors respond rapidly and are re-adjusted as the regulator is inherently more slowly adjusted. The result is that the thyristors produce minimum reflected harmonics overall in the mains and an optimum power factor can be achieved for each power setting.

Abstract: An orthopedic restraint apparatus having lower leg brace members, a contoured foot support, an adjustable ankle joint articulation system, and a hingedly mounted toe member. The ankle joint articulation system is easily adjustable to a multiplicity of discrete flexion angles by the appropriate placement of limit pins in the ankle joint. The limit pins are removable in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the leg brace members.