Abstract: A suction device for gripping an article has a sucker (1) with a suction lip (12). The sucker is movable between inner and outer positions in the inlet end (2) of a suction line and can be moved angularly. A reset element (3) moves the sucker to its outer position. In the inner position, the sucker forms a sealing connection with the inlet end. In its outer position, leakage air flow can pass around the outside of the sucker and into the suction line. When the sucker is in its outer position and the suction lip is closed by an article to be gripped, a pre-depression of pressure less than the maximum suction is caused because of the leakage flow. As the result of that pre-depression, the sucker is moved to its inner position, causing a sealing connection between the sucker and the inlet end of the suction line. The depression is then increased, increasing the suction grip on the article.

Abstract: An endoscopic instrument with an inner sheath carrying instrument optics and an outer sheath enclosing the inner sheath so as to form a gap between the sheaths, the outer sheath having apertures radially through its distal end zone to provide fluid communication between the gap and the surroundings of the outer sheath. The inner sheath acts as a supply duct and the gap between the inner and outer sheaths acts as an evacuation duct for the rinsing fluid. A hole connects the interior of the inner sheath to the gap at the distal end of the inner sheath, the clear cross-section of the hole being substantially less than the sum of the cross-sections of the apertures at the distal zone of the outer sheath.

Abstract: A piston machine usable as an expansion engine, suction pump or compressor for a compressible medium has a housing containing a working space with two parallel walls and an interconnecting peripheral wall perpendicular to the parallel walls, the peripheral wall having a first chamber surface. A piston has a second chamber surface cooperating with the first chamber surface to form a chamber of variable volume. Two identical crankshafts rotatably mounted in the housing have crank pins rotatable in and supporting the piston, the crankshafts being coupled together for angular synchronous rotation. A first sealing element is mounted on the piston and a second sealing element is mounted on the peripheral wall. Each of the first and second chamber surfaces is formed as a sliding surface to slidingly engage the sealing element of the other of said chamber surfaces during piston rotation.

Abstract: A method for interconnecting and operating in parallel a number of autonomous data processors each having a data memory, an instruction memory and a communication interface includes, before beginning a data processing sequence, loading memories of the autonomous data processors with individual algorithms, data sets and protocol instructions. A hardware communication system common to all of the autonomous data processors is connected to communicate with the communication interfaces of all of the data processors to regulate operation of the data processors. The communication system is programmed with an overriding body of execution sequence commands for the data processors to initiate and sequence autonomous processing of data in the data processors.

Abstract: A medical endoscope has a superelastic-alloy force-transmitting element having at least one recess in its surface at a coupling site and being positively connected to a load-receiving component, the recess being formed by sublimation removal of material.

Abstract: In a commissioning process, variable lines are produced from articles of a variable supply of goods wherein each line consists of a selected number of groups consisting of a variable number of articles of the same type. A dispenser arrangement with a dispenser (D.sub.xyz) with an inlet matrix (SE) and an outlet matrix (SA) and buffers (P) between the matrices is used. Articles assembled into transport units with auxiliary packaging and/or transport material are supplied to the dispenser arrangement. The articles are individualized from the transport units of goods, the individual articles are fed through the inlet matrix into the buffers and transported in the buffers to the outlet matrix. From the outlet matrix articles are removed to collect lines of a predetermined combination and the collected articles are assembled to form line units using auxiliary packaging and/or transport material. The auxiliary packaging and/or transport material is supplied from the individualization step to the line assembly step.

Abstract: In a method for bidirectional serial data transmission between an integrated memory circuit and a reading/writing circuit which are separated from each other, an integrated memory circuit having two electrical contact points and a reading/writing circuit with a connecting element having two contacts are provided. Data transmission is enabled by connecting the two-contact connecting element to the two electrical contact points of the integrated memory circuit. Data are transmitted from the reading/writing circuit to the integrated memory circuit by superimposing voltage pulses on the voltage supplied to the integrated memory circuit. Data are transmitted from the integrated memory circuit to the reading/writing circuit by modulating supply current consumed by the integrated memory circuit. The integrated memory circuit is driven with an internal clock output and signals corresponding with data to be transmitted to the reading/writing circuit.

Abstract: In the method according to the invention for the production of multilayer foil printed circuit board from preliminary products (A), with current paths (B) structured in electrical conductive layers (1,3) and with electrically conductive metal platings (C,D) from conductive layer (1) to conductive layer (3) through an insulating layer (2), or for producing semifinished products for such foil circuit boards, in first method steps a structuring means (7,7',13) is applied in controlled, local manner to the preliminary product (A) and resist layers (8,9) are coated with the preliminary product (A), the structuring means (7,7',13) being applied either to the resist layers (8,9) and the resist layer (8,9) is locally removed, or the resist layers (8,9) are applied to the structuring means (7,7',13) and in a further method step the applied structuring means (7,7',13) are removed, so that openings (10,10') are formed in the resist layers (8,9) and extend down to the insulating layer (2) and in a further method step thr

Abstract: A process for the production of printed circuit boards and film circuit boards includes providing a starting product with a layer of insulating material between layers of metal. Openings are formed at desired locations through the metal and, at selected ones of those openings, openings are formed through the insulating material by plasma etching or chemical etching. The result of this is back-etching leaving projecting webs of metal extending partly across the openings. The projecting edges are removed by subjecting all of the metal surfaces to etching or electrodeplating which also thins the metal layers. The resulting structure is then plated, adding reinforcing thickness to the thinned metal layers and coating the openings through the insulating material with metal, providing interracial connections between the metal layers. The resulting intermediate can then be formed into a circuit board by forming circuit patterns in the metal layers.

Abstract: The invention concerns a piston internal-combustion engine with separate compression (K) and expansion (E) chambers and a compressed-gas transfer device (7) which feeds compressed gas from the compression chambers to the expansion chambers at the beginning of ignition. A control unit (7) is provided which, depending on the mode of operation, feeds the compressed gas either to the expansion chambers or to a pressure accumulator (10) from which the expansion chambers can also be operated in a pure compressed-air mode.

Abstract: Tubular packs (P) containing a wound scaled formation of printed products and are held together by a protective/holding element (10) wound around the wound scaled formation. The protective/holding element is equipped with a feature to facilitate opening and for identification. The element is produced by guiding the protective/holding element (10), before or during winding, past at least one coating device which is moveable transversely to the conveying direction and coating the protective/holding element locally. At least one strip (20) is formed on the protective/holding elements (10) running from one transverse edge (12.1) to the other (12.2) and having a varying distance from the longitudinal edges (13) and therefore showing a discontinuity (14) in an overlap area of the transverse edge (12.2) on the outside of the pack. The discontinuity allows the edge to be easily recognizable.

Abstract: A thumb ring for an endoscopic instrument is rotatably mounted at an affixation site to be rotatable about an axis parallel to the instrument longitudinal axis. A thumb insertion aperture has a concave rest surface in the ring opposite the affixation site. The rest surface is substantially shaped like a cylinder segment of which the axis, as seen in the direction of thumb insertion, forms an acute angle with the ring axis.

Abstract: Apparatus for preventing formation of a sediment layer at the bottom of a tank containing a liquid mixture such as crude oil, refinery products and petrochemical products which tends to form a precursor in the form of a thickening precipitation zone above the bottom. The deposit of sediment is prevented by disturbance of the precipitation zone. The disturbance is created in the form of an overall disturbance pattern with local disturbance regions with vibrating bodies such as strings or bells strings excitable to vibrate and immersed in the liquid mixture. Exciting elements including push and pull units cause the strings or bells to vibrate in fundamental and harmonic overtones and deflect components of the mixture as a function of the amplitude of said sound wave components.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for preventing the deposit of sediments from multi-material mixtures, such as crude oil (4), refinery products and petrochemical products, at the bottom of a tank (T), in which the sediments form a precursor in the form of a thickening precipitation zone (4.2). The deposit of sediments is prevented by disturbing the formation of the precipitation zone (4.2). The disturbance is created in an overall disturbance patterns (S) with local disturbance regions (L) according to a disturbance pattern (S) and is brought about by disturbance apparatus (V) in a disturbance zone hydro-kinetically by the supply or removal of crude oil (4) in the disturbance zone through a pipe system (7).

Abstract: The control process according to the invention is usable with high performance production processes for producing printed products by collecting, inserting and/or collating, e.g. with the aid of a drum (10). It comprises recording an image of the products being formed following each addition of a further component with a camera (K), comparison of the recorded image with a corresponding, stored calibration image, and using the results of the comparison for generating control signals, e.g. for discharging faulty products or activating alarm means. Instead of stationary image recording means such as cameras, movable reading heads can be used in the inventive process also.

Abstract: A fastening mechanism for a needle system with the liquid system being a cartridge ampoule (4) and with a needle holder (3). The needle holder (3) is snapped onto the cartridge ampoule (4) or a cartridge ampoule holder containing the cartridge ampoule (4) by means of a snap-in closure means. The fastening mechanism of the invention allows sanitary application of injected medicines.

Abstract: A disposable splint for holding a broken leg of a patient in traction is made of layered, corrugated cardboard or the like and has central, side and end panels. The panels at a proximal end are foldable to form an open end to engage the ischia of the patient. The side panels are foldable to be perpendicular to the central panel. At the distal end, a panel is foldable to form a foot plate having a central opening through which a tension strap can be passed from the patient's ankle to a tension rod. On the outer surface of the foot plate, laterally extending flaps are foldable to form supports with central slots to receive the tension rod. When applied to a patient, the leg is placed in traction manually, the splint is applied and the tension strap and rod are used to maintain the leg in traction so that the patient can be safely transported for further medical care.

Abstract: A method for improving seismic sections includes generating seismic signals at source stations, recording seismic traces at receiver stations and gathering the seismic traces as a first gather at a common point as a function of the offsets between the source stations and the receiver stations. A common point (MMOCMP) is selected, a half-offset between source and receiver stations is redefined as a function of the distance between the selected common point MMOCMP and the RAWCMP, and the seismic traces are sorted as a function of the redefined half-offset, constituting a second gather of traces. The method permits one to obtain true located subsurface information at any desired point for velocity analysis.

Abstract: A variable ride height vehicle suspension system in which the energy input is from ground impact includes a telescopic hydropneumatic strut with a liquid chamber separated from a gas chamber by a free piston. A reservoir external of the strut is connected to one of the chambers via a valve arrangement also external of the chambers. The valve arrangement is selectively operable to permit unidirectional fluid flow in one or the other direction between the reservoir and the strut chamber to which it is connected, the flow direction being selected to enable lengthening or shortening of the strut in response to pressure oscillations in the gas chamber.

Abstract: A shaft for an articulation endoprosthesis has a metallic core (1), a proximally connected neck part (10) and an envelope (2) made of a non-metallic, elastic material that distally surrounds the core. Adherence between the core (1) and the envelope is ensured by a form fit and/or by a frictional connection. The non-metallic material of the envelope has a modulus of elasticity between 500 and 10,000 N/mm.sup.2. The envelope is provided with an additional superficial layer (3) made of biocompatible material having thickness of less that 600 .mu.m and a higher surface hardness than the envelope (2).