Abstract: Systems and methods for providing and using a bone cement mixer are described. While the systems can include any suitable component, in some cases, they include a container that is configured to hold an amount of bone cement, a drive shaft coupled to the container, a mixing arm that is coupled to the container and configured to mix the bone cement when the bone cement is disposed within the container, and a vacuum pump configured to draw gas from within the container to form at least a partial vacuum within the container. In some cases, the drive shaft is mechanically coupled to the mixing arm and the vacuum pump such that rotation of the drive shaft forces the mixing arm to move and the vacuum pump to be actuated. Other implementations are also described.

Abstract: The present invention provides improved methods of drying pipelines containing water which are to transport hydrate forming gaseous fluids. The methods basically comprise flowing a liquid which forms an azeotrope mixture with water into contact with water in a pipeline, the amount of the azeotropic liquid being sufficient to form an azeotrope mixture with the water whereby as the mixture is evaporated in the pipeline, the water concentration in the remaining mixture does not reach that concentration which will form hydrates with the hydrate forming gaseous fluid.

Abstract: An impact tool useful for performing a number of different surgical and industrial functions is provided. The invented tool can perform such surgical functions as freeing cement, implanting pins, and setting guides and industrial functions such as installing various fasteners. The tool comprises a body having a quick disconnect assembly coupled to a second end for quickly attaching and detaching different desired surgical and industrial implements to the tool. The quick disconnect assembly communicates with an impact inducing assembly is retained in a channel in the body. The impact inducing assembly causes an implement retained in the quick disconnect assembly to deliver an impact with a calibrated force to a desired object. The orientation of the components of the impact inducing assembly can be inverted so that the tool is actuated to apply an instantaneous extraction force to the desired fastener or surgical aid.

Abstract: An impact tool useful for performing a number of different surgical and industrial functions is provided. The invented tool can perform such surgical functions as freeing cement, implanting pins, and setting guides and industrial functions such as installing various fasteners. The tool comprises a body having a quick disconnect assembly coupled to a second end for quickly attaching and detaching different desired surgical and industrial implements to the tool. The quick disconnect assembly communicates with an impact inducing assembly is retained in a channel in the body. The impact inducing assembly causes an implement retained in the quick disconnect assembly to deliver an impact with a calibrated force to a desired object. The orientation of the components of the impact inducing assembly can be inverted so that the tool is actuated to apply an instantaneous extraction force to the desired fastener or surgical aid.

Abstract: An impact tool for use in surgical procedures is provided. The invented tool is useful for performing such surgical functions as freeing cement, implanting pins, setting guides, and inserting surgical staples. The tool comprises a body that has an impact force calibrating member coupled to a first end and a chuck in a second end. The chuck includes a rod that extends into a channel in the body. An impact inducing assembly is retained in the channel. The assembly causes a surgical implement retained in the chuck to deliver an impact with a calibrated force to a desired object. The impact inducing assembly comprises a piston, a spring interposed between the piston and calibrating member, and an actuation mechanism to engage the rod. An antirotation assembly may optionally be provided to prevent the implement from rotating relative to the body, as the rod is propelled along the channel. An object is impacted by applying pressure to the implement with the tool.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method to remove heavy metals from amino-carboxylic acid chelate solutions comprising adding nitrous acid to lower the pH of the aqueous solution sufficient to destroy the chelate bonds and release the metal ions and thereafter adding an appropriate strong base and optionally a sulfide salt to precipitate the liberated heavy metals.

Abstract: An improved patty forming apparatus (20) is provided with a removable piston face plate assembly (150) adapted to be removably coupled to each piston associated with a cavity head (78) and adapted to move between a retracted meat-filling position wherein respective patty forming cavities (90) are filled with patty material to an extended patty-discharging position wherein formed meat patties are ejected; the piston face plate assembly (150) includes three concentrically nested planar plate members (154, 158, 162) having mating sidewalls (170, 178, 230, 250) with air passageways (270-279) formed between the sidewalls for delivery of air from an aperture through the piston center to the patty material-engaging face of the face plate assembly; interference zones (284) formed between the air passageways (270-279) are provided for releasably securing the assembly members (154, 158, 162) together for permitting disassembly for quick cleaning.

Abstract: Method of forming openings in structural substrates, especially oil and gas well casings, by providing a supply of a preselected liquid and providing a supply of preselected abrasive particles which are soluble in the liquid. The liquid and abrasive particles are combined to form an abrasive particle laden saturated solution having a predetermined concentration ratio exceeding the saturation point of the base liquid. The abrasive particle laden saturated solution is then pressurized to a predetermined delivery pressure and is routed to at least one jetting nozzle capable of expelling the abrasive particle laden saturated solution. The substrate, in which an opening is to be formed, is subjected to a directed expulsion of the abrasive particle laden saturated solution at a distance and for a period of time necessary to form an opening therethrough. Such abrasive particle laden saturated solution used and needed to form the opening is then considered to be residual.

Abstract: A process for removing elemental copper and copper oxide deposits from a metal surface without first removing iron containing deposits therefrom. The process comprises the step of contacting the surface with an aqueous cleaning solution comprising gaseous oxygen present in an amount sufficient to oxidize at least a substantial portion of the elemental copper deposits present on the surface to copper oxide deposits and sufficient amounts of ammonia and an inorganic ammonium salt to dissolve at least a substantial portion of the copper oxide deposits present on the surface.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for the high speed reshaping of round wire as it exits a drawing machine, but prior to its being collected on a bobbin or a stempack. The shape imparted to individual wires is such that as the preshaped wires are applied to a core by a stranding machine, a cable results in which there is substantially no interstitial space between the wires which add excessive bulk.

Abstract: A method of removing iron and copper containing scale from a metal surface by contacting the scale with a composition comprising an admixture of an aminopolycarboxylic acid, such as ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), or the alkali metal salts or ammonium salts or amine salts of the aminopolycarboxylic acid and a phosphonic acid such as aminotrimethylenephosphonic acid (ATMP), or an alkali metal salt or amine salt or ammonium salt of the phosphonic acid. The aminopolycarboxylic acid or salt thereof and phosphonic acid of salt thereof are present in the composition in an amount sufficient to provide a molar ratio of aminopolycarboxylic acid to phosphonic acid in the range of from about 1:9 to about 39:1.

Abstract: Methods and compositions for removing copper and copper oxide deposits from metal surfaces including surfaces formed of austenitic, nickel-chromium and other similar alloys without adversely affecting such surfaces are provided. The copper and copper oxide deposits are dissolved in an aqueous ammoniacal cleaning solution which includes one or more alkali metal or ammonium perborate oxidizing agents.

Abstract: An improved apparatus and method for the recycling accumulation of at least one moving continuous band in a continuous molten metal casting machine of the type having continuously advancing mold parts, at least one of which is formed by said band and wherein at a station located in a spaced relationship to said casting machine, the elongated continuous band, belt, or strip is accumulated from the mold end and simultaneously fed out or supplied to the mold beginning. In combination therewith are the use of means to properly tension said band or bands, and means to join the ends thereof to new lengths of band, belt, or strip so as to connect a substantially unlimited number of individual elongated belts to the one in use.

Abstract: A method of removing copper and copper oxide from a ferrous metal surface comprising contacting said metal and said copper oxide with an aqueous composition having a pH from about 3.0 to about 6.0 and comprising an oxidizing agent, a compound selected from the group consisting of oxalic acid, the alkali metal, and ammonium salts of oxalic acid and mixtures thereof, and an ingredient selected from the group consisting of citric acid, polyaminocarboxylic acids, the ammonium and alkali metal salts of citric acid and polyaminocarboxylic acids and mixtures thereof.