Abstract: A brace and hinge apparatus having upper and lower brace members and a hinge, with a female half and a male half, attached to these upper and lower brace members. The female half contains an inner bearing surface and the male half contains a locking device for locking dowels against the inner bearing surface of the female half and, thereby, the brace members in one, locked, direction and allowing unlimited movement in another, free, direction. A lock release is provided for allowing movement in the locked direction when desired. Further, a tensioner is provided for providing constant tension to the upper and lower brace members in the free moving direction thereby providing constant therapeutic affect when in use. Additionally, a brake is provided to lock the device against movement in the free direction and to relieve the tension from the tensioner when so desired.

Abstract: A variable occlusion device includes a device housing having an occlusion track adapted to receive one or more loops of flexible tubing and having an arcuate reactive surface. The device also includes a rotor member mounted for rotation within the housing about a device axis. The rotor includes a number of carriage passageways or tracks, each passageway or track with an occluding member carriage and occluding member assembly movably mounted therein. The carriage and occluding member assemblies are each adapted to move between an extended position in which the occluding member bears against and collapses the tubing received in the occlusion track, and a retracted position in which the occlusion member is drawn away from and out of contact with the tubing in the occlusion track. The peristaltic device also includes a fluid distribution system for providing an operating fluid from a remote fluid supply under a desired pressure to the carriage passageways of the rotor.