Abstract: The invention concerns a hydrophilic cotton fleece made by a method of manufacture characterized in that during the operations of boiling and bleaching in an autoclave, treatment liquids are made to circulate radially through the turns of a coil in such a manner that a differential pressure is established between the liquid entering the coil and a liquid leaving the coil as a result of load losses due to the difficulty which the liquid experiences in passing through the coil, the resulting cotton fleece exhibiting improved cohesion, resistance to tearing and absorption properties.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method of making a hydrophilic cotton fleece. The method is characterized in that during the operations of boiling and bleaching in the autoclave, treatment liquids are made to circulate radially through the turns of the coil in such a manner that a differential pressure is established between the liquid entering the coil and the liquid leaving the coil as a result of load losses due to the difficulty which the liquid experiences in passing through the coil. The invention is applied to the manufacture of a cotton fleece with improved adherence.

Abstract: This invention concerns an apparatus for cutting out discs or another shape of material in fibre form, for example cotton, and for cutting out and closing small bags filled with said discs, by a cover of the same shape, the apparatus being provided with a punch member co-operating with a die receiving a first sheet of cotton to be cut out, which is entrained with a translatory stepping movement.

Abstract: An improved apparatus for cutting out discs from a sheet of cotton or other flexible material employs a reciprocating punch assembly having a punch whose stem is held in a housing that aligns the punch with an aperture in a die. The punch carries a protruding spherical segment that presses the interposed sheet material against the rim of the aperture in the die. To adjust for misalignment of the punch with the die aperture, the punch is resiliently supported in the housing in a manner permitting the punch sufficient movement to enable its spherical segment to enter the die aperture and force the flexible material against the entire circumference of that aperture in one stroke of the punch assembly.

Abstract: This invention concerns a sterilizable surgical pad comprising a flat core made from an absorbent material, e.g. absorbent cotton wool, held in shape by means of a sheet of a natural or artificial textile material, such as gauze or non-woven, which surrounds the inner and side surfaces of the core and is folded over its outer surface.