Abstract: A housing has a hollow interior with coupling components for releasably coupling the housing to a bow. A shaft has an interior segment and an exterior segment. The interior segment is rotatably supported within the housing. A generally Y-shaped launcher has a downwardly extending arm and two laterally spaced upwardly extending arms. The downwardly extending arm has an aperture receiving the exterior segment of the shaft for the rotation of the launcher. A thumbwheel is mounted on the interior component of the shaft for rotation by the user to rotate the shaft and launcher to an intermediate orientation. A cord has a first end. The first end is secured to the thumbwheel for rotating the thumbwheel. A second end is coupled to the string. Pulling the string will rotate the shaft and launcher to an essentially vertical orientation.

Abstract: Disclosed is a new bow nock device for use with a conventional release aid for extending the useful life of a bowstring by eliminating wear caused by the release aid and additionally for improving accuracy by aligning an arrow directly in front of the release aid to maintain the arrow at a 90 degree angle relative the longitudinal axis of the bow during the entire arrow release process. The bow nock device comprises a U-shaped member attachable to the bowstring for gripping by the release aid and for positioning a nocked end of the arrow between the ends thereof. The U-shaped member has a bowstring receiving groove formed on each end, each groove having a flared mouth for preventing bowstring chafing, and internal facing protrusions co-pending with the end of the arrow for stabilizing the same. Two fastening plates, attached to the U-shaped member with flat head machine screws, hold the bowstring within the bowstring receiving grooves whereby clampedly retaining the bowstring within the grooves.

Abstract: An arrow nock system for use with an arrow. The arrow may include cylindrical shaft with a frusto-conical projection at the rear. A butt piece with a complementary frusto-conical interior bore is secured to the projection. The butt piece includes a proximal half, closer to the arrow, with a cylindrical outer surface equal to the diameter of the arrow shaft, and a distal half with a frusto-conical outer surface. Near the outer end of the distal half is an annular indentation. A nock piece includes a frusto-conical interior bore complementary with the distal half of the butt piece. The bore includes an annular protrusion engageable with the indentation in a rotatable snap-fit. The nock includes a cylindrical outer surface, and a groove at the rear to receive a string of a bow.

Abstract: Disclosed is a new bow nock device for use with a conventional release aid for extending the useful life of a bowstring by eliminating wear caused by the release aid and additionally for improving accuracy by aligning an arrow directly in front of the release aid to maintain the arrow at a 90.degree. angle relative the longitudinal axis of the bow during the entire arrow release process. The bow nock device comprises a U-shaped member attachable to the bowstring for gripping by the release aid and for positioning a nocked end of the arrow between the ends thereof. The U-shaped member has a bowstring receiving groove formed on each end, each groove having a flared mouth for preventing bowstring chafing, and internal facing protrusions co-pending with the end of the arrow for stabilizing the same. Two fastening plates, attached to the U-shaped member with flat head machine screws, hold the bowstring within the bowstring receiving grooves whereby clampedly retaining the bowstring within the grooves.

Abstract: Disclosed is a lavage valve apparatus and a method of using the valve. The valve comprises a valve body having three apertures and a bypass passageway. A movable valve member with truncated end portions moves linearly within the valve body by means of hydraulic pressure or mechanical (or magnetic) bias. Application of hydraulic pressure via a syringe pumps irrigation fluid through the valve into the patient. Termination of hydraulic pressure allows mechanical re-seating of the movable valve member and vacuum withdrawal of the fluid.

Abstract: Disclosed is a paracentesis valve apparatus and method of using the valve. The valve comprises a valve body having three apertures and a bypass passageway. A movable valve member with truncated end portions moves linearly within the valve body by means of hydraulic pressure alone. Application of negative hydraulic pressure via a syringe withdraws fluid from a body cavity through the valve into the syringe. Application of positive hydraulic pressure to the syringe pumps the fluid through the valve into a receptacle.

Abstract: A cyclone separator for separating fine particles or dust from a gas stream comprising a main separator chamber 11 having a tangential gas inlet 10 to form a circulating gas vortex about an axis 12, and a gas outlet opening 19 aligned with the vortex axis at one end of the chamber and communicating with a main gas outlet duct 20. Within the main separator chamber 11 there are positioned baffles or vanes 14,15 which separate off the heavier solid particles into a hopper 13 below the chamber. Adjacent the outlet aperture 19 is an annular opening 21 which communicates with a subsidiary casing 22 having a tangential outlet 23. Fine particles are therefore flung outwards by centrifugal force into the casing 22 and are then separated in a further cyclone separator 25.