Abstract: Ultra high purity materials, particularly metallic materials such as magnesium and similarly high volatility materials, are produced by a vacuum distillation method and apparatus to increase purity by approximately five hundred times in a single step. For example, magnesium purity, exclusive of zinc content, is increased from 99.95% to greater than 99.9999%. A distillation column is formed of a high purity (less than 10 ppm ash) graphite, and includes a crucible, a vertical condenser in which horizontal high purity graphite baffles are selectively located at a plurality of levels, for example at nine levels. The column is contained in a three-zone resistance furnace that is controlled to heat the crucible to evaporate the material, maintain the condenser immediately above the crucible to above the boiling point of the material, and maintain the portion of the column thereabove at below the boiling point of the material, preferably with the temperature gradually decreasing with the height of the column.

Abstract: An endotracheal device to facilitate joining an endotracheal tube to an adaptor connected to a suction or gas source is disclosed. The device is a tubular connector having opposed ends, one end of which has a locking means for temporarily locking the connector to the adaptor and another end for receiving and securing the tube to the connector.

Abstract: A spring interior forming method and apparatus provides a spring interior assembler and a coil row transfer station upstream of the assembler having at least one conveyer extending therethrough. A coil former is provided at an upstream end of the conveyor and is operated through a plurality of cycles, each to feed one spring coil onto the conveyor. In one embodiment, a single former is provided with a single conveyor extending therefrom through the transfer station. In a second embodiment, two such coiler-conveyor combinations is provided. In a third embodiment, one conveyor through the transfer station is provided with two coilers, each having a feeder preferably in the form of a conveyor, that selectively feed spring coils, which may be of different types, to a cross-over station for feed onto the transfer station conveyor. In a fourth embodiment, each coiler accumulates springs at its output while awaiting queing by the cross-over station.

Abstract: A side-mountable liquid level sensor utilizes a rubber sealing grommet to temporarily hold the buoyant member within the cylinder of the liquid container opening to facilitate assembly. The buoyant member has an open slot with cooperating limit structure on the buoyant member and sensor rod to facilitate manufacture.

Abstract: A method for cleaning industrial parts includes sequentially and alternately exposing the parts to direct free-air impingement spray and immersion cleaning. Contaminated or dirty industrial parts stored or contained in a tote are cleaned by placing them in a rotating wash drum which includes a compartment for securing the tote within the wash drum. During the cleaning cycle, the wash drum rotates about a generally horizontal axis thereby tumbling the parts from the tote secured in the wash drum to a perforate wall section of the wash drum and then back into the tote. The parts are sprayed by a number of specially designed nozzles which are positioned within the wash drum and directed radially downward. The parts are alternately exposed to direct free-air impingement spraying when they are disposed on the perforate wall section of the drum and then to immersion cleaning when they are contained within the tote.

Abstract: The gravity feed shelf design can be supported in either the cantilever configuration or upon a warehouse-style rack and includes an upper slip surface layer. The shelf design includes dividers which can be selectively positioned on the upper slip surface layer of the shelf to provide for adjustable width channels to arrange the merchandise in a gravity feed configuration upon the shelf. The shelf design includes an open frame configuration which supports a plurality of inverted box-shaped channels coupled together to provide a stable, rigid surface to support the merchandise thereon. A slip surface layer is then positioned atop the channels and open frame for the gravity feed advance of the merchandise on the shelf.

Abstract: A medical site (10) includes a slit septum environmental barrier (12) held across the inlet opening (76) of housing (16). Site (10) includes a disc anti-reflux valve (14) below the inlet (76) of housing (16).

Abstract: A ring binder mechanism having two carrier rails which are arranged in a resilient casing member and which bear against each other, the angle formed between said carrier rails changing from an obtuse to an acute angle and vice versa during opening and closing of pairs of half rings associated with said carrier rails, wherein the casing member has a connection point in at least one end of the casing for connecting the casing to a support and the casing member is strengthened by at least one channel or bead extending from within a recess about the connection point to a point between the recess and the pair of half rings closest to the recess.

Abstract: An extension spring overhead door system in which the spring may be quickly and easily placed in tension with the door in a closed position. A spring tensioning device is provided which eliminates the need for multiple installers to lift the full weight of the door and then clamp or otherwise prop the door in an open position. An extension spring containment tube is also provided which surrounds the entire periphery of the spring to fully contain the entire length of the extension spring.

Abstract: A pet therapeutic glove for use with a power-operated massager is disclosed for grooming and/or massaging a pet. The glove is thumbless and has finger extensions with opened ends. The glove may be used with a power-operated massager which is inserted into a pocket on the back side of the glove.

Abstract: A constant torque joint utilizes joint elements extending respectively between brace attachments for use in an anatomical brace. The brace has a range of motion dependent upon the particular application and in one embodiment from about 65.degree. to about 215.degree. with an included angle of motion of approximately 150.degree.. A constant torque in the joint is provided by a spring-loaded cable wherein a cam driven cable anchor pin is utilized to compensate for variations in the spring cable joint system to produce a constant torque within the joint throughout the full range of motion of the joint.

Abstract: This invention is directed to a device and method for enabling a person to fill a sandbag quickly and efficiently without the assistance of another person.The inventive sandbag shovel preferably includes a scoop for scooping up the sand, a chute flexibly connected to the scoop for directing sand from the scoop into a sandbag, a sandbag gripper mounted to the chute for releasable connection to the mouth of a sandbag to maintain the sandbag mouth in sand-receiving relationship to the chute, and a pair of handles connected to the scoop.

Abstract: A floating conveyor system includes a number of serially interconnected conveyor units for transferring sand, gravel and other material from a floating dredge to a land based station for processing. Each conveyor unit is supported by pontoons or floats over substantially the entire length of the unit. Furthermore, the individual conveyor units are joined by a unique coupling system which provides a universal-type cardan joint to permit movement of the respective units without capsizing or disconnecting. As a result, the floating conveyor system provides a more stable transfer, offers a safer catwalk for personnel passage, and can be easily lengthened or shortened by adding or subtracting additional conveyor units without pulling the entire system ashore.

Abstract: The plasma processing system comprises a processing chamber with a processing space therein to contain a substrate. An electrical element is operable to couple electrical energy into the processing space to generate a plasma and is further operable to interrupt the power to the processing space to extinguish the plasma upon completion of the processing. An electrode positioned inside the chamber is electrically coupled to the substrate and to a DC bias power supply which selectively supplies DC power to the electrode to bias the substrate.

Abstract: A chair seat tilting mechanism comprises a support for mounting to a chair spindle and a lever arm pivotally mounted at a pivot to the support, which lever arm is for mounting to a chair seat. A link arm is pivotally mounted at a pivot to the support and has a cam with a camming end positioned between the lever arm pivot mount and the link arm pivot mount. An extension of the link arm mounts to a chair back such that when a chair occupant leaning back on the chair back, the link arm pivots about the link arm pivot causing the cam to cam lever arm so that it pivots about its own pivot with the support. This results in the chair seat tilting forwardly.

Abstract: This invention is directed to an improved mattress and mattress core which provide increased firmness along the edges and transverse center section. The mattress includes a mattress core, padding over at least one side of the core, and an upholstered covering encasing the mattress core and padding. The improved mattress core has a rectangular coil spring assembly and a pair of rectangular outer border rods surrounding the assembly in the top and bottom planes of the mattress core. The improved core also includes means for increasing the firmness of the edges and the transverse center portion of the mattress, including a pair of rectangular inner border rods spaced inwardly from an outer border rod in at least one of the top and bottom planes of the rectangular coil spring assembly. A preferred embodiment has one pair of inner border rods in the top plane and a second pair in the bottom plane substantially underlying the first pair.

Abstract: An automated printing press (10) is provided with a plurality of printing stations (13), each having a printing mechanism (60) which prints at least one component image at spaced apart locations along a web (11). Each printing mechanism (60) is positionable to one side of the press for servicing. The print roller (61) is driven through a swingable gear assembly (268) that maintains gear spacing as the print roller to impression roller spacing varies and that engages and disengages tangentially to improve meshing. Microprocessor based computer controllers (400, 405) at each station (13) precisely and repeatably control positions of the printing mechanism (60) and precisely register the component images being printed at the stations (13).

Abstract: A culture slide kit for use in growing or differentiating various cell and tissue cultures, wherein the kit comprises a slide, a compartment and a bonding element. The compartment has sidewalls with an upper extremity and a lower margin, and is adapted to be operatively positioned on the upper surface of the slide. The bonding element is adapted to seal and releasably adhere the lower margin of the compartment sidewalls to the upper surface of the slide. Furthermore, the bonding element exhibits a greater bond strength with the compartment sidewall lower margin than with the upper surface of the slide, so that when the compartment is separated from the slide, substantially all of the adhesive is effectively removed from the slide.