Patents Assigned to Sulzer Brothers Limited
  • Pelton turbine
    Patent number: 4950130
    Abstract: The Pelton turbine includes a wheel disc with buckets mounted within a casing on a rotatable drive shaft. At least one nozzle is provided for expelling a fluid jet tangentially of the disc onto the buckets. A partition divides the interior of the housing into a spray fluid and outlet region and an upper ventilation region. The driving fluid falls from the buckets into a sump in the outlet region while residual fluid is wiped off the turbine wheel by the partition. The ventilation region allows ventilation of the casing and also produces a flow of gas for increasing the pressure in the sump to improve the outflow of fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 1989
    Date of Patent: August 21, 1990
    Assignee: Sulzer Brothers Limited
    Inventor: Josef Erlach
  • Locking arrangement for a machine part on a shaft
    Patent number: 4948288
    Abstract: The locking arrangement for the axle fixing of machine parts on shafts and axles as a pair of sleeves which can be telescopically threaded into each other. In addition, the internal clamping sleeve is threaded into an abutment with a stop ring provided in a groove of the shaft or axle. The locking arrangement avoids the need for threads on the shaft and leads to the simplified manufacturer of the shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 1989
    Date of Patent: August 14, 1990
    Assignee: Sulzer Brothers Limited
    Inventor: Stephen Medgvesy
  • Blade-like stem for a femoral head prosthesis
    Patent number: 4944761
    Abstract: The stem of the femoral head prothesis has a distal zone of cylindrical cross-section and a proximal zone of rectangular cross section which extends from the distal zone. The sides of the stem in the proximal zone are plane with outstanding parallel ribs which can be driven into the spongy tissue of a femur bone. The ribs on the anterior side of the stem are of a lower height than the ribs on the posterior side. The outermost ribs on each side provide for a resilient four-point bearing on the hard cortical shell of the fem>r bone. A pair of trochanter wings are provided on the narrow lateral side to penetrate into the cortical shell of the femur bone in order to preclude rotation of the stem within the bone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 1989
    Date of Patent: July 31, 1990
    Assignee: Sulzer Brothers Limited
    Inventors: Karl-Gerhart Stuhmer, Rudolf Koch
  • Fixing stem for a prosthesis
    Patent number: 4944763
    Abstract: The fixing stem is provided with a plurality of projections in the proximal region of the blade. Each projection is in the form of a pyramidal prism directed in a distal direction. The apex of each projection is sharp and is inclined at an acute angle to the surface of the blade. In addition, the projections are staggered along the length of the proximal region of the blade and are of decreasing height in the distal direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 1989
    Date of Patent: July 31, 1990
    Assignee: Sulzer Brothers Limited
    Inventors: Hans-Georg Willert, Rudolf Koch
  • Stem for a femoral head prosthesis
    Patent number: 4938770
    Abstract: The cavity of the stem of the tumor or re-operation prosthesis is subdivided by support elements into sub-cavities filled with bony material. The support elements are formed with central apertures through which the bony material can be supplied and re-vascularized from the living bone tissue of the femur stump. Wire mesh may cover over the apertures in the support elements as well as the slots between the circumferentially disposed webs which define the cavity of the stem.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 1989
    Date of Patent: July 3, 1990
    Assignee: Sulzer Brothers Limited
    Inventors: Otto Frey, Rudolf Koch
  • Femoral prosthesis
    Patent number: 4938772
    Abstract: The prosthesis stem is provided with a recess on each side having boundary walls concentric to a common center of curvature. Each recess receives a molding which carries a wire mesh structure for the invasion of bone tissue after implantation. Bending of the proximal zone of the stem occurs without movement of the molding so that shear stresses are not imposed upon the bone tissue invading the wire mesh. A peg-like projection on each molding fits with a clearance in a further recess in the metal stem to avoid accidential sliding out of each recess.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 1989
    Date of Patent: July 3, 1990
    Assignee: Sulzer Brothers Limited
    Inventors: Otto Frey, Rudolf Kock
  • Method and apparatus for deoxidation of chlorinated water
    Patent number: 4937004
    Abstract: The method for the deoxidation of chlorinated water, more particularly sea water, by means of a low oxygen content stripping gas, comprises a closed circuit in which a liquid absorbent circulates. For dechlorination, the liquid absorbent is brought into contact in an absorption column with the stripping gas charged with oxygen and chlorine. The absorbent is of a nature not to absorb at least one of the components comprising carbon dioxide, oxygen and hydrocarbons, and is fed to the absorption column by a pump from a reservoir in the circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 1989
    Date of Patent: June 26, 1990
    Assignee: Sulzer Brothers Limited
    Inventors: Charles Mandrin, Rene Keller
  • Valve arrangement
    Patent number: 4936327
    Abstract: The valve arrangement comprises a disc engageable with a valve seat without attachment and a resilient diaphragm engageable with the disc without attachment. The disc completely covers a passage surrounded by the valve seat and flowed through by a fluid. On the side remote from the valve seat, the disc has a central protuberance which cooperates with a central thrust surface of the diaphragm. The disc and the diaphragm are freely movable in a recess adapted to be flowed through by the fluid, the recess being present in a guide member extending around the valve seat. The recess has an inwardly projecting step with which the diaphragm edge part is urged into engagement. This arrangement leads to a flat compact valve with minimum dead space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 1989
    Date of Patent: June 26, 1990
    Assignee: Sulzer Brothers Limited
    Inventor: Heinz Baumann
  • Reinforcement for anchoring a prosthesis stem
    Patent number: 4936859
    Abstract: The reinforcement is formed of a peg from which a plurality of flaps extend with slots formed between adjacent flaps. The flaps serve to separate a bone cement bed within the interior of the reinforcement from a layer of a compacted spongy tissue externally of the reinforcement. The slots between the flaps extend over the entire height of the reinforcement and permit substantial spreading or widening of the flaps radially in order to adapt to the individual operation cavity and to anchoring stems of different cross-sectional sizes and shapes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 1988
    Date of Patent: June 26, 1990
    Assignees: Sulzer Brothers Limited, Protek AG
    Inventors: Erwin W. Morscher, Otto Frey
  • Acetabular cup prosthesis
    Patent number: 4936861
    Abstract: The plastic cup-comprising member and the hemispherical shell of the two-part acetabular cup prosthesis are secured relative to one another in snap-fitted manner. The plastic member is centered and guided during pressing-in via a centering pin and concentric annular web on the plastic member. The annular web is also locally deformable so as to deform against a screw head during pressing-in without the annular web losing its centering guiding action.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 1988
    Date of Patent: June 26, 1990
    Assignees: Sulzer Brothers Limited, Protek AG
    Inventors: Maurice E. Muller, Otto Frey, Roland Willi
  • Weft mixer for a loom
    Patent number: 4936355
    Abstract: The weft change motion employs a connecting link between a reciprocating mixer lever and a pivotally mounted mixer segment. During normal alternating weft changing, the link moves from one end position through a neutral position and, under the inertia forces moves towards a second end position. The oscillating movement of the link permits the change motion to alternately feed weft yarns. In order to permit picking of the same weft yarn, a locking device is provided to prevent the oscillating link from moving past the neutral position. The locking device also serves to return the link to the same end position so that the same weft yarn can be picked. Various forms of locking devices can be used including an electromagnet, a movably mounted slide block with an appropriately shaped slot and a slide block employing a rotating disk having an appropriately shaped opening to receive a slide pin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 1989
    Date of Patent: June 26, 1990
    Assignee: Sulzer Brothers Limited
    Inventor: Frantisek Jankovsky
  • Joint endoprosthesis
    Patent number: 4932969
    Abstract: The joint endoprosthesis is formed of a compressible elastic hollow body which is disposed between two anchoring elements. The hollow body defines a closed cavity which is filled with an incompressible fluid medium. Compressive loadings near the edges of the endoprosthesis cause a displacement of the liquid into relieved regions of the prosthesis so as to avoid tensile forces from occurring in the anchoring of the prosthesis to the bones.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 1987
    Date of Patent: June 12, 1990
    Assignee: Sulzer Brothers Limited
    Inventors: Otto Frey, Rudolf Koch, Heinrich M. F. Planck
  • Artificial body for a prosthesis
    Patent number: 4932964
    Abstract: A prosthesis wall for an artificial organ, e.g. an artificial arterial blood vessel, to be coated without gaps on one side with biologically active epithelial, e.g. endothelial cells is provided with a structure of open continuous micropores a few microns in size. The pore size is limited to between 0.1 and 3 microns, at least on the surface to be coated with cells with the thickness of the partitions between the pores being not more than 3 microns to permit a continuous layer of endothelial cells with prolonged and firm adhesion to the prosthesis to be subsequently formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 1988
    Date of Patent: June 12, 1990
    Assignees: Sulzer Brothers Limited, IMS-Biopur AG
    Inventors: Peter Bittmann, Peter Dittes, Werner Muller
  • Method and apparatus for removal of fiber flocks from fiber bales
    Patent number: 4928354
    Abstract: The fiber flock removal apparatus has a pair of removal rolls which may be adjusted in height relative to each other to obtain different depths of penetration into the fiber bales. The removal rolls may rotate codirectionally with the direction of travel or may operate in contra-direction with respect to the direction of travel. The rolls may be mounted individually for vertical movement relative to each other or may be mounted in a common removal means which is pivotal about a horizontal axis to achieve adjustability in the relative heights of the removal rolls. In one embodiment, the rolls are maintained in a common horizontal plane while grid bars are angularly adjusted to obtain different depths of penetration of the removal rolls into the fiber bales.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 1989
    Date of Patent: May 29, 1990
    Assignee: Sulzer Brothers Limited
    Inventors: Daniel Hanselmann, Walter Schlepfer
  • Method and installation for cooling an apparatus
    Patent number: 4924677
    Abstract: The cooling circuit for cooling a computer in a room employs a work-performing expansion. The heat generated by the expansion is supplied to the back flowing coolant in the coolant circuit via a second closed coolant circuit. The second circuit may employ a cooler outside the room to withdraw the heat added to the second circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 1989
    Date of Patent: May 15, 1990
    Assignee: Sulzer Brothers Limited
    Inventor: Hans Quack
  • Firing device for a projectile weaving machine and projectile therefor
    Patent number: 4922967
    Abstract: The torsion bar firing device is provided with a striking lever having an end piece at the distal end which acts directly on the abutment face of a projectile on firing. The striking face of the end piece of the striking lever and/or the abutment face of a projectile may be formed as inclined planes or as convex, concave, or concave-convex surfaces. The direct drive of the projectile by the striking lever reduces the masses to be accelerated and braked. This advantageously influences the energy consumption and the weaving efficiency of the projectile weaving loom. The end piece may be integral with the distal end of the striking lever or may be in the form of a rotatably mounted roller of a trapezium shaped element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 1989
    Date of Patent: May 8, 1990
    Assignee: Sulzer Brothers Limited
    Inventors: Erwin Pfarrwaller, Danilo Vezzu, Oskar Hubner
  • Hemispherical acetabulum
    Patent number: 4923473
    Abstract: The hemispherical acetabulum has a pin which projects from the cup of the acetabulum on an angle of 45.degree. relative to the polar axis. A sleeve which closes over the pin is rotatably mounted on the pin to facilitate twisting of the cup into a correct position when implanted in a pelvis. The sleeve is made of metal to preclude direct contact between the pin which may be made of plastic and the pelvis bone tissue.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 1989
    Date of Patent: May 8, 1990
    Assignee: Sulzer Brothers Limited
    Inventors: Peter Griss, Rudolf Koch
  • Stem for a prosthetic femoral head
    Patent number: 4921501
    Abstract: The stem is formed in the distal zone with a hollow and a longitudinal slot. The hollow is increasingly offset medially from the stem axis in the proximal direction while the slot is disposed in a plane defined by the longitudinal axis of the stem and neck axis. The stem has a resilience which increases distally within the distal zone to accommodate re-operation procedures while resisting lateral loadings imposed via the femoral head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 1989
    Date of Patent: May 1, 1990
    Assignee: Sulzer Brothers Limited
    Inventor: Roberto Giacometti
  • Apparatus and process for storing hydrate-forming gaseous hydrocarbons
    Patent number: 4920752
    Abstract: The apparatus for storing a frozen hydrate includes a reservoir which is filled with frozen granulated hydrate. Heat for decomposing the hydrate is obtained from water contained in a water tank. In one embodiment, the process is carried out in such a way that one chamber of a reservoir may be charged while another chamber is being evacuated by the decomposition of the frozen hydrate into gas and ice.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 1988
    Date of Patent: May 1, 1990
    Assignee: Sulzer Brothers LImited
    Inventor: Christian Ehrsam
  • Gas-liquid mass transfer apparatus and method
    Patent number: 4919541
    Abstract: A gas-liquid mass transfer apparatus and method, such as for the rapid heating of a liquid stream by a heated gas stream, such as steam, or the rapid dissolving of a gas stream into a liquid stream, which apparatus comprises: a housing having an axial flow path; static or motionless mixing elements disposed in the axial flow path; and passages in the housing to provide for the direct introduction of the gas stream into and about the liquid stream in the axial flow path and substantially along the length of the static mixing elements to provide a mixed product stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 1986
    Date of Patent: April 24, 1990
    Assignee: Sulzer Brothers Limited
    Inventors: Friedrick Grosz-Roell, Michael Mutsakis, Robert G. Rader