Abstract: A hot air sterilizer for medical instruments providing rapid sterilization cycle times includes a housing defining a sterilizing chamber. A fan is located in a heated air passage within the housing which extends around the sterilizing chamber from a bottom wall of the chamber to a top wall. The fan circulates air in a closed loop from the top to the bottom of the sterilizing chamber and through the passage. A heater is also located in the passage for heating the circulating air to a temperature sufficiently high for sterilization. Inlet and outlet cooling air passages, separate from the heated air passage, are provided extending through portions of the housing to the chamber. A separate fan, preferably in the inlet passage, circulates air through a portion of the housing along the inlet air passage and through the sterilizing chamber while bypassing the heated air passage and the heater and hot air circulating fan in that passage.

Abstract: A unitary punch and die assembly for tooling a powder material compacting apparatus, or press, the assembly comprising a die plate mounted in the press table, which removably holds a die bushing clamped in position by a retainer collet provided with a peripheral thread and an internal thread. The retainer collet has an internal shoulder engaging a shoulder at the base of the die bushing, and a clamping ring threads on the internal thread of the collet for holding the die bushing in position within the collet. The peripheral thread of the collet engages the corresponding internal thread of a die spacer on which the die plate is mounted. By means of the retainer collet and the clamping ring, the die bushing surface may be adjusted flush with the surface of the die plate, without requiring grinding or lapping of the die bushing after assembly of the die bushing in the die plate.

Abstract: This invention pertains to a direct bonding bracket positioning tool for orthodontists. A tweezer-type tool has the end of an outer jaw and an intermediate jaw configured and sized to receive and retain a cement-attached bracket as the bracket is directly bonded to the face of the tooth of the patient. For precise positioning of the bracket on the tooth there is provided a screw which is adjusted to position an extending jaw end, which is a third jaw, at a selected distance above the intermediate bracket retaining ends of the three jaw tweezer. This arrangement of jaw ends is depicted in two versions for the two most popular brackets in use. The adjustable top jaw is used to hold the gripped bracket in the selected position as and during the hardening of the bonding agent.