Abstract: Surgical and dental apparatus may be sterilized after implantation in the patient and caused to provide bactericidal effects in the tissue proximate to the apparatus. The apparatus contains silver or is silver coated. A positive current is applied to the apparatus which releases atomic silver into the volume surrounding the apparatus.

Abstract: The efficiency of a sewage settling tank is improved by providing the tank with a plurality of submerged, vertically spaced decks which divide the tank into a plurality of horizontal settling layers. This improves the settling rate in that solids travel a relatively short vertical distance before coming to rest on one or another of the decks. A floating siphon system having inlets at each deck level removes the settled sludge from each of the decks.

Abstract: A control circuit forelectrosurgical units establishes a particular output signal to patient electrodes in response to condition of the patient electrodes. The duty cycle of the output signal is reduced when the patient electrodes are not in contact with the patient so as to prevent unwanted cutting and the duty cycle is increased when both patient electrodes are in contact with the patient so as to maximize the coagulation effect.The invention includes method of adjusting coagulation power by varying the duty cycle and not the amplitude of the output signal.

Abstract: An X-ray film processor having a double tank construction wherein the drive rollers for transporting the film in a straight line horizontally through the processor are disposed in an upper film processing tank and above the normal level of the processing liquid in a lower, reservoir tank. A pump is used to artificially raise the level of the liquid in the upper tank to a level above the drive rollers so as to submerge both the drive rollers and the film being transported in the processing liquid.

Abstract: A method for treating skin ulcers, infections and the like by eletrotherapy. Therapeutic low intensity direct current is applied to a patient by electrodes, at least one of which contains silver. The polarity of the direct current is reversed from time to time to prevent the accumulation of unwanted material upon the silver bearing electrode due to electrochemical action.

Abstract: An infrared generator wherein an ellipsoidal reflector has a source rich in infrared radiation at one focus thereof. The end of the reflector at the other focus merges with a paraboloidal reflector positioned so that the focus of the latter reflector coincides with the said other focus of the former. The axes of the reflectors intersect at right angles to each other.

Abstract: A scum removal system for sewage settling tanks and the like employs a floating skimmer system which is lowered onto the surface of the liquid at one end of the tank and then moved toward the opposite end where floating materials collected by the skimmer are passed into a scum trough. At the trough end of the tank, the skimmer is raised from the surface of the liquid and returned to the first end while being held above the liquid surface. Continuous flow into the scum trough is prevented by a floating beach hinged to the scum trough. The beach is submerged as the skimmer approaches so that flow over the submerged beach carries the collected materials into the scum trough. Flow over the submerged beach is controlled by the depth as well as the length of time that the beach is held beneath the surface.

Abstract: A sewage settling tank is provided with two or more banks of tube settlers to improve the settling rate. The tube settlers are spaced above the bottom of the settling tank and upstanding from about the periphery of each bank is a baffle member which defines a clear water zone directly above each bank. The baffle is provided with an opening which extends below the water level to permit the carriage of a floating siphon system to pass into the clear water zone, the inlet of the siphon extending down to the bottom of the settling tank in order to remove the sludge immediately beneath each bank of tube settlers. The opening in the baffle is provided with an air gate to permit the passage of the floating carriage through the opening while preventing the untreated water from flowing through the opening into the clear water zone.

Abstract: The coils of an electromagnetic flowmeter are driven by a current waveform which is the equivalent of a composite of a sine wave and a square wave. The induced voltage is perferably sampled during steady state conditions but is at all times free of transient voltage spikes or error signals.

Abstract: In a double shell sterilizer vessel of the type having spaced-apart inner and outer shells, the improvement of an eccentric relationship between the inner and outer shells with the bottom walls of each shell in contact with each other. The eccentric double shell vessel of this invention can be: (1) pit-mounted in the floors of existing buildings with the sterilizing chamber floor level with the building floor (previous double shell vessels often could not be pit-mounted in existing buildings), and (2) floor-mounted and used with a small ramp (rather than a hydraulic lift) for sterilizer carts.

Abstract: A monitoring device for use in ethylene oxide sterilizing systems consists of an envelope containing an indicator coated with a dye, which besides showing a color change on completion of sterilizing cycle also indicates the completion of the subsequent aeration cycle.

Abstract: A valve for dental syringes and the like has its actuator provided with a cam. When the actuator is moved axially it engages a valve seal member and rocks the member on the valve seat so that initially only a portion of the valve about the periphery of the valve seal member is open. Moving the actuator further causes the entire valve seal member to move off of the valve seat so that the full circumference about the seal member is opened. The rocking of the valve seal member on the seat and then moving it axially from the valve seat provides substantially linear volume control from zero flow to the designed maximum flow of the valve.

Abstract: A surgical implant is produced by coating a metallic substrate with enamel. The metallic substrate provides structural strength and the enamel provides chemical stability, resistance to wear, tissue compatibility, progressive ingrowth and electrical insulating properties. The implant may be produced by coating a portion of the metallic substrate with a partially crystallized enamel, and then positioning the implant on a firing support with the partially crystallized enamel in contact with the support and coating the remaining non-enamelled surface.

Abstract: A dental amalgam producing machine having a rotatable arm adapted to receive an amalgam mulling container at one end and having a counter weight at the other end, the arm being inclined with respect to the horizontal. A belt disposed about a non-rotating pulley is also looped about the container to hold the container on the arm against centrifugal force and to spin it on its own axis as the container is carried about the arm axis of rotation. Centrifugal force alone holds the cup on to the arm and no other mechanical locks or restraints are needed.

Abstract: A dental amalgam which comprises about 40 to 50 weight percent mercury and about 50 to 60 weight percent of an alloy which comprises 24 to 45 weight percent silver, 28 to 42 weight percent copper and 29 to 34 weight percent tin, and where the atomic percentage of the total amount of silver plus copper is about 3 times greater than the atomic percentage of tin.

Abstract: The adhesive properties of vinyl resins are substantially improved by adding thereto or mixing therewith polyfunctional carboxylic aziridinyl esters, either in the pure form or dissolved in inert organic liquid media. The aziridinyl ester may be added to vinyl resin which are in solution, to vinyl resins which are in the form of organosols or plastisols, or to vinyl resins which are in the form of solids (powders). The process of this invention has found particular utility in the coating of vinyl resin upon non-porous surfaces.

Abstract: A signal generating and transmitting device is disclosed which can be placed within a load to be sterilized to continuously monitor sterilization affecting conditions at the center of the load. Radio signals representing the sensed conditions are transmitted by the device to an antenna in the sterilizing chamber, the antenna in turn being directly wired to a receiver outside the device which adapts these signals for controlling the operation of the sterilizer.

Abstract: An electromagnetic flowmeter having its field coils inside a flow tube through which conductive fluid passes. The tube has a lining of material which is appropriate to the nature of the fluid. The coils are contained within boxes which are fixed to the inner wall of the flow tube, and embedded in or under the lining material.

Abstract: Cantilevered accessories for vessels in which a liquid is agitated by a centrally located rotary agitator are provided with vibration suppressing stabilizer plates. The plates are mounted near the free end of the accessories, within the liquid in the vessel, and extend generally parallel to the direction of circulation of the liquid in the vessel.