Abstract: Apparatus and method for continuous freeze drying in which a slurry of material to be freeze dried is provided. The slurry is advanced along a predetermined path having a freezing area in which one or more plugs of frozen slurry are provided to afford a pressure drop. Heat is applied to the frozen slurry as it exits into an area of reduced pressure. The heat and reduced pressure cause the frozen slurry to sublime.

Abstract: A female anesthesiology connector is provided for connecting a tube supplying anesthesiology gases to an endotracheal tube. The female connector is provided with a longitudinally extending finger having a bevelled locking tooth thereon for providing a positive securement of the male connector of an endotracheal tube with the present female anesthesiology connector. The finger in on a ring inserted into the body of the female connector and secured in place by means of sonic or solvent welding, or a suitable adhesive. The ring and the body together provide an internal groove receiving an O-ring which makes a positive seal with the male connector of the endotracheal tube.

Abstract: A cart on casters is provided for dispensing medication to patients as in a nursing home. The cart is provided with a plurality of drawers, each of which is divided into a plurality of storage areas or compartments. Slide members are mounted on top of the partitions, and are provided with recesses for holding medicine cups and with cross slots for holding patient identification cards. Patient medication cards and blister pack medication cards are stored in an adjacent storage area or compartment in the same order as and in close contiguous relation with the cups and patient cards. Each slide member can be pulled forwardly of its respective drawer for more ready access for dispensing of medication from the cups. An additional dispensing area is provided for medicines that are dispensed as needed including pivotable plastic cups which are turned as soon as the medication has been dispensed so that it is apparent that dispensing has taken place.

Abstract: A bridoon bit with curb arms is provided with a thickened center portion having a curved lateral axis, and with end portions outwardly thereof having an opposite curvature in order that the bit may best conform to the anatomy of a horse's mouth, avoiding pressure points and preventing the horse's mouth from becoming insensitive.

Abstract: A message aggregation system employs a coder. Each message or piece of information to be recorded is accompanied by an audio or digital code. The messages or information are recorded or originated in operation serially. This information is aggregated in that all messages accompanied by one code are stored in a first memory or record/playback unit, with all messages following a second code being similarly stored etc., so that messages are aggregated. All of the messages relating to one particular code thus can be transcribed or accessed without the necessity of referring to other messages that are irrelevant thereto.

Abstract: A unit case housing apparatus for storing a unit case in a housing in the fashion of a drawer has an operating member provided on the face of the housing, which when operated causes the unit case to be pushed out from the front of the housing so that it can be removed therefrom.

Abstract: Vacuum printing apparatus is provided including a light box having an upwardly facing ground glass illuminated surface. A manually movable vacuum box is movable independently of the light box and is operated face down with a vacuum chamber above the photosensitive printing material and a transparency, the vacuum box resting on the light box for exposure.

Abstract: Cutting filament metering apparatus for a flexible filament vegetation cutting device in which a flexible filament cutting element is coiled on a filament holder rotatably driven about a substantially vertical axis with a free end of the driven filament defining a cutting plane. The cutting filament metering apparatus includes a driver element rotatably driven about a substantially vertical axis and an engagement member carried by the filament holder for driving engagement with the driver element. An escapement device is also secured to the filament holder and allows limited rotational movement of the holder with respect to the driver element to release a predetermined length of cutting filament. The filament holder is axially biased into a first position in which the driver element engages the engagement device. In one embodiment, the engagement and escapement devices are annular each having teeth circumferentially disposed and projecting radially inward toward the driver axis of rotation.

Abstract: A bioelectric electrode arrangement is comprised of an electrode piece consisting of a metal and/or an electrically conductive carbon containing material whereby one side of the electrode piece to be intended for the skin-contact contains an ionic-conductive contact-electrolyte layer. The contact-electrolyte layer contains an iodine ions-forming salt of a metal which is the same as also present at least in the interfacial regions of the electrode immediately adjacent to the contact-electrolyte layer.

Abstract: A measurement apparatus is provided for use with a moisture tester of the type wherein the moisture content of a sample is determined as a function of the change in capacitance of a sample-receiving test cell when a sample is present therein from the capacitance of said test cell when empty. The tester also includes a reference oscillator and a test cell oscillator in circuit with the test cell, and a variable capacitor coupled in circuit with the test cell and the oscillators for bringing respective outputs of the two oscillators into a balanced condition both with the test cell empty and with a sample present in the test cell. The variable capacitor comprises a fixed member and a movable member which is rotatable through 360 degrees relative to the fixed member.

Abstract: A speed governing mechanism is provided utilizing plano-centric gearing and centrifugal braking. An outer cylindrical member serves as a cable drum and is rotated by playing out of the cable. A central shaft is fixedly mounted for supporting the assembly. Plano-centric gearing within the outer cylindrical member turns an inner rotary member on the fixed shaft at an increased speed, while a centrifugal brake assembly is fixed on the inner member and has brake shoes that fly outwardly under centrifugal force to bear against an inner cylindrical reaction surface on the outer cylinder, and thereby to limit the speed of rotation of the outer cylinder. Guides are provided coacting with the brake shoes to cause them to move rearwardly relative to the direction of rotation, and thereby to provide a wedging action with the reaction surface.

Abstract: A method for intensifying brightness of a predetermined pattern in a video display comprises detecting the duration of predetermined portions of said video signal; detecting the predetermined pattern in these predetermined portions of said video signal; and producing an output control signal in response to each detection of the predetermined pattern of at least a predetermined duration. Apparatus is provided for carrying out the method.

Abstract: Apparatus for de-palletizing and de-bagging stacks of articles such as can ends is disclosed. The de-palletizing apparatus discharges single bags of articles in seriatim order to a tilt tray comprising part of the de-bagging apparatus. The tilt tray delivers the bagged articles to a movable vertically oriented de-bagger pocket at a first or loading station. Opposed clamps engage the bottom of the bag and a pin below the bag is forced upwardly, thereby pushing the articles in the bag upwardly so as to form a void within the bag at the bag bottom. The movable pocket is then swung past a slitter station, where the bag bottom is severed and discarded. The now-severed bag and articles move to a second or de-bagging station, the bottom clamps are released, and a second set of clamps gently engages the bag. These clamps are moved upwardly to push and drag the bag upwardly from the stack of articles. As the bag moves upwardly, it is engaged in the nip of opposed rollers and drawn off and discarded.

Abstract: Disclosed is a valve for preventing fuel from flowing from the vent of an automobile fuel tank comprising a valve compartment and a float vertically movable in the valve compartment, said float having a longitudinal hole communicating with vent holes made in the ceiling of the flat body or in the seat of a head fixed to the ceiling of the float body, thereby allowing the vapor of the fuel to ascend through the longitudinal hole of the float body and fill the upper space defined by the inner surface of the valve compartment and the outer surface of the head of the float thus to maintain the same pressure in the upper space as in the fuel tank at all times. Thus, the float can descend immediately when the automobile returns from an inclined position to the horizontal position.

Abstract: A sterilization indicator device comprises a receptacle for containing a spore disc and a sealed ampule of culture medium. A closure is threaded onto the receptacle and cooperates with the receptacle to provide a passageway for the sterilization gases to reach the spore disc. Upon completion of the sterilization, the closure is threaded further onto the receptacle to fracture the ampule and cause the nutrient to come into contact with the spore disc. At the same time an indicator flag is moved from an initial position to a second position to indicate that the device has been activated. Also, a seal is provided between the closure and the receptacle to seal off the spore disc from exposure to ambient air during incubation of the spore strip.

Abstract: A fixing device for joining two sheet parts as separated by a prescribed space from each other is disclosed which comprises a hinge part adapted to be bent perpendicularly, a base plate part connected to one end side of the hinge part and provided with a projecting fitting shank, and an engaging part connected to the other end side of the hinge part and provided with a pair of legs possessing engaging claws at the leading ends thereof and a retainer claw possessing an upwardly urged free end.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method for harvesting tobacco are disclosed. Tobacco stalks are cut on the afternoon of one day and are left to lie transversely of the tobacco field. The next day, a harvesting apparatus is moved through the field and includes an elevating conveyor on which the felled tobacco plants are loaded as by a person sitting in a low seat immediately forwardly of the conveyor. The conveyor and the seat comprise a part of a trailer pulled behind the tractor, and the trailer further includes behind the conveyor a platform on which workers may stand to remove tobacco plants from the conveyor and to impale them on conventional tobacco sticks. The tobacco plants, having been lying overnight in the field, are well wilted and of much reduced weight. A wagon is towed by the trailer in close proximity thereto, and when the sticks are loaded with tobacco they are tipped toward the wagon to a position where they may be picked up by a work person on the wagon for stacking of the sticks of tobacco on the wagon.

Abstract: A button collet for a tufting button comprises a one piece resilient plastic body having a projecting stem that includes a shank and a hook for receiving a tufting loop. The stem has shoulders on its opposite sides in the region of juncture of the shank and the hook. When tension is applied to the loop the forces tending to open the hook are resisted by counter forces applied against the shoulders by the loop, thereby effectively increasing the tensile strength of the collet.

Abstract: A puzzle comprises a cube having translucent faces with a light source behind each face. Gravity-sensitive or orientation-sensitive switches such as mercury switches, are connected to an electronic circuit acting to compare the switching states and switching movements of the switches with a programmed sequence held in a memory to determine whether and which of the light sources to illuminate. In use of the puzzle the faces will light up when a predetermined sequence of rotations about three orthogonal axes are performed correctly to match the switching sequences with the stored sequence.

Abstract: A waiting time display system comprises a plurality of remote stations each including a waiting time display unit comprising a display portion for producing a visual display corresponding to waiting time and a control unit comprising control means selectively actuatable for producing predetermined output signals corresponding to a selected waiting time. A centralized monitoring unit is also provided and is responsive to the output signals from each control unit for monitoring the waiting time displayed on each display unit. A plurality of transmission lines coupled intermediate each of the control units and its associated display unit and intermediate each of the control units and the centralized monitoring unit for transmitting the output signals from each control unit to its associated display unit and to the centralized monitoring unit, respectively.