Abstract: A surgical accessory for imposing a controlled and appropriate stress to a surgical joint during arthroscopic surgery. The device is comprised of a substantially inelastic composition defining a sling adapted to be positioned about a selected location of the limb displaced from the joint on which surgery is to be conducted. A transverse handle is secured to the sling and enables the sling to be hand held and carefully manipulated to impose the required stress from the limb location to the joint. The device can be advantageously utilized during arthroscopic surgery of the knee joint. In one embodiment the sling is slit to embrace the ankle with the heel protruding through the slit. In a second embodiment, the sling is comprised of two juxtaposed sections at least one of which is adjustable. Forces provided to the handle by the holder of the device are transmitted from the handle to the sling for appropriate positioning of the ankle whereby proper stressing of the knee joint is achieved.

Abstract: A crutch having a telescoping section for adjusting its length. The length of the telescoping section is locked by a pair of detents on the inner telescoping tube popping through selected ones of many periodically recurring confronting holes formed in the outer telescoping tube. The upper and lower ends of the outer one of the telescoping tubes are riveted to spaced parallel upright members which form the weight carrying part of the crutch. The lower rivets to do not pass through the entire diameter of the telescoping section. Instead, heads of the rivets form bosses projecting radially inward from diagonally opposed points on the internal perimeter of the outer telescoping tube.

Abstract: A device for pinning bone fractures includes an integral metal pin having an elongated shaft and a head at one end of the pin comprising an arcuate hook having an inner radial surface and an outer radial surface and a closed loop formed at the inner radial surface of the hook.

Abstract: Apparatus for stimulating plant growth under controlled conditions comprises a housing having a lower portion, an upper portion, a hollow interior in which plants are grown and an exterior. Fluorescent lamps mounted within the interior stimulate growth of the plants. The housing is formed with vacuum-metalized walls or panels which, when illuminated by the lamps, reflect a major proportion of light into the interior. The housing is further formed with a lower vent and an upper vent to facilitate circulation of air through the interior. The lower vent substantially surrounds the lower portion of the housing and the upper vent substantially surrounds the upper portion of the housing to optimize the flow of air. The lower and upper vents are formed and located with respect to the lamps and walls so as substantially to block passage of light through the vents from the interior to the exterior.

Abstract: An apparatus for fastening an injection capsule having a fastening screw to a tree or woody plant comprising a rotatable shaft supported in a bearing member. The rotatable shaft extends through the bearing member into a cavity for holding and aligning an injection capsule where the shaft is formed into a driving member. The shaft is connected to a power source to rotate the shaft, whereby the driving member engages the fastening screw of the capsule and, upon rotation of the rotatable shaft, the fastening screw is rotatably driven into the tree or woody plant to fasten the injection capsule thereto.

Abstract: A method of absorbing secretions from urostomies or other body openings and a disposable mucoid absorbing dressing having a quantity of liquid absorbing material contained therein for absorbing mucus secretions from urostomies or other body openings is disclosed.

Abstract: A watering device for plants which comprises horizontal parallel pivot rods and a plant container which is balanced on one of the horizontal pivot rods by an adjusting weight member slidably disposed at the other horizontal pivot rod, and a water reservoir tank is operatively associated with the plant container so that as the plant container becomes lighter as to a loss of water. The adjusting weight member operatively associated with the plant container actuates a valve in the water reservoir tank through a transfer member mounted to third one of horizontal parallel pivot rods and transfer water from the water reservoir tank to the plant container until a balance is again achieved, and when the balance is reached, the valve in the water tank is again closed.

Abstract: A stowable crutch is disclosed which includes two parallel integrated tubes in a single body with a first tube to which a crutch tip is mounted and a second tube to which a rest support is attached, each slidably mounted within an integrated tube. The interior of the integrated tubes are fluted or polygonal in cross section to engage a ratchet or detent mounted on the end of the first and second tubes to effectuate a selection means. The first and second tubes are engaged by an external detent mounted at either end of the body. The first and second tubes are rotated individually to a desired selection and extended to that length whereupon they engage with the external detent. The handgrip is slidably mounted to the body to provide a wide range of adjustment. The external detents provide a means to signal when the first and second tubes are not securely engaged.

Abstract: An apparatus for supporting growing plants such as tomato plants, including radially arranged poles projecting from an annular base mounted on the top of a soil containing pot. The stems or branches of the plant are guided upwardly and within the space defined by the poles by means of strings tying the stems or branches securely around the poles.

Abstract: An intrauterine contraceptive device, comprising a strip with rounded-off ends, a rod connected to the strip to form a T-shaped element therewith, a fixing element for retaining the entire device in the uterine cavity, made as an elastic loop, and a coil fitted over the rod, the elastic loop of the fixing element having an arc-shaped base and two elastic arms connected to the base and secured to the strip at the base of the rod, which elastic loop is coplanar with the rod and strip and encompasses the rod.

Abstract: An improved axillary crutch is disclosed. The crutch has two inter-connected hollow-tube frame members. The bottom frame member is radially shaped at the end which comes in contact with the floor, the radial design of the bottom frame member being derived from the natural arching motion of the crutch. A radial crutch tip is fitted over the radial end of the bottom frame member. The bottom frame member telescopes into the top frame member. A bolt within the handle of the crutch passes through apertures in each frame member and is secured by a wing nut. The height of the crutch is changed by removing the bolt, telescoping the bottom frame member into or out of the top frame member and resecuring the bolt at the desired location. The handle can also be moved relative to the crutch by removing the bolt, changing the position of the handle, and securing the handle at the desired location by reinserting the bolt. Adjusting the crutch height and the handle height both can be accomplished in one step.

Abstract: A back support comprising a frame having a first end and a second end displaced from the first end, to define a gap, a resilient member attached adjacent the first end and arranged to resiliently support the frame with the first end disposed above the second end and a belt attached in spread manner to the frame, the gap in the frame being dimensioned to allow a user to pass through it into and out of the frame.

Abstract: An apparatus for collecting feces has a glove bag, a receiving container attached to the glove bag, the receiving container having a reinforcing rim and being shaped in one piece and disposed on a closed end of the glove bag.

Abstract: A foldable walker includes a pair of side walking legs pivotally mounted on a pair of T joints, a front transverse bar secured between the two T joints, a pair of foldable links each pivotally connected between each T joint and each side walking leg, and a pair of seesaw controllers each fixed on an outer tube of a link and seesawly biasing a locking button resiliently retained in an inner tube of the link, whereby upon the depressing of the button by the seesaw controller, the inner tube will be telescopically received within the outer tube when folding the side walking legs toward the front bar, thereby resulting in a simpler, quicker and more convenient folding operation of the walker.

Abstract: A surgical instrument is especially adapted for use in various surgical procedures, including use in removing disc material between vertebrae. The instrument has a handle and a flat, L-shaped working portion or body. The edges adjacent to the corners at the outer, forward end of the body are sharpened to provide the cutting edges. The instrument is placed between the vertebrae and rotated back and forth to remove disc material.

Abstract: A watering device for plants includes a plant container which is balanced on a vertical moving rod by a spring and a water reservoir tank is operatively associated with the plant container so that as the plant container becomes lighter due to a loss of water, the spring member disposed at the opposite end of the vertical moving rod from the plant container actuates a valve in the water reservoir tank and transfers water from the water reservoir tank to the plant container until a balance is again achieved, and when the balance is reached, the valve in the water tank is again closed.

Abstract: An appliance for inhibiting the intake of food is disclosed. The appliance comprises first and second spaced adhesive strips applied above and below the upper and lower lips of a user and interconnected by lines, which may be elastic, and which provide relatively normal movement of the mouth to permit normal speech, while at the same time inhibiting, but not totally preventing the intake of solids and liquids.

Abstract: A Christmas tree irrigation system for supplying water to a tree stand at the base of the Christmas tree. The system includes a tree stand and a spaced-apart reservoir having an electric pump therein which is connected to a conduit leading to a tree stand. The pump is adapted to be actuated by a power source when the water level in the tree stand diminishes to a predetermined level so as to close an electric switch operatively associated with the tree stand.

Abstract: A barrier type contraceptive is an umbrella-like device including a flexible, barrier member with a plurality of radially disposed resilient stiffening members associated therewith. The stiffening members bias the barrier member into a generally planar configuration while allowing for the device to be folded into a generally fusiform shape for insertion.

Abstract: An ankle-joint brace is formed as a tube of a heat-shapable synthetic resin formed along its full length on one side with a throughgoing entry slot. The tube is sufficiently deformable that the slot can be spread widely enough to accommodate a patient's ankle region. This slot allows the flexible brace to be opened up enough to be removed. The tube is further formed with a heel seat complementary to the patient's heel and a sole part extending forwardly from the heel seat and complementary to the distal surface of the patient's instep. In addition it is formed with an instep part complementary to the proximal surface of the patient's instep, bounding part of the slot, and joined on the side opposite the slot to the sole part. Opposite the slot the tube is formed with a window accommodating the respective prominence of the patient's calcaneous and the slot is widened similarly to accommodate the respective prominence of the patient's calcaneous.