Abstract: A veress needle including a housing, a first optical insert for contact viewing, and a second optical insert for distance viewing. The housing including one or more insufflation conduits and an elongate member. The one or more insufflation conduits being adapted to permit the passage and reception of at least one fluid therethrough. The housing defines a passage therethrough. The first and second optical inserts are operably associated with the housing and removably positionable within the passage of the housing while the elongate member remains positioned within tissue. Each optical insert includes an optical assembly having one or more lenses and an ocular. The one or more lenses are adapted to receive an image and transmit the image to the ocular so that the image is perceptible through the ocular.

Abstract: A method of printing a string of characters includes receiving a sequence of character data codes. Each character data code corresponds to a respective character to be printed in the string of characters. The method also includes transcoding the sequence of character data codes to generate a sequence of glyph codes. Each glyph code corresponds to a respective glyph. Each glyph corresponds to at least part of a respective character. At least some of the glyphs correspond to less than a complete character. The method further includes using the sequence of glyph codes to generate print image data and printing an image on the basis of the print image data.

Abstract: A pneumatic rockdrill having a housing; a cylinder connected to a compressed air supply inlet by a set of air passages; an impact piston, at least part of which is reciprocable within the cylinder; and a controller for the supply of compressed air from the air supply inlet to the cylinder. At least one pair of contact surfaces are located at the interface between the piston and the cylinder, where those relatively moving parts contact one another. At least one water supply inlet and water paths connected to the water supply inlet(s) are configured so as in operation to convey water to a drilling tool to flush a hole being drilled, and to supply water to wet the contact surfaces.

Abstract: A device for holding a golf ball during printing of indicia thereon. The device includes a base, a stationary member attached to the base and having a surface for engaging a portion of the golf ball, a clamping member slidably mounted on the base and having a surface for engaging a portion of the golf ball, and positioning members having springs that urge the clamping member toward the stationary member.

Abstract: A device for holding a golf ball during printing of indicia thereon. The device includes a base, a stationary member attached to the base and having a surface for engaging a portion of the golf ball, a clamping member slidably mounted on the base and having a surface for engaging a portion of the golf ball, and positioning members having springs that urge the clamping member toward the stationary member.

Abstract: The hydraulic reciprocating mechanism has a housing and a piston located reciprocably in the housing. The piston and housing define a supply chamber and a return chamber. The return chamber has valve seats at either end. There is an inlet to the supply chamber for pressurized hydraulic fluid and an exhaust outlet from the return chamber. An interconnecting passage extends between the supply chamber and the return chamber. A single popper valve is located reciprocably in the return chamber and is moved by hydraulic forces between positions in which it seats on the respective valve seats. In one position of the popper valve it closes the exhaust outlet and opens the interconnecting passage to admit hydraulic fluid from the supply chamber to the return chamber. This has the result hydraulic fluid in the return chamber drives the piston in one direction.

Abstract: A process for the preparation and purification of a cobalt oxide hydroxide intermediate from a cobalt sulphate solution containing cationic and anionic impurities, including the successive steps of (i) contacting the cobalt sulphate solution with an organic reagent to extract iron and zinc cationic impurities from the sulphate solution; (ii) extracting the cobalt from the sulphate solution with an organic reagent to produce a cobalt loaded organic phase substantially free of all anionic impurities; (iii) stripping the cobalt loaded organic phase with a concentrated ammoniacal ammonium carbonate solution to produce an ammoniacal ammonium carbonate strip liquor rich in cobalt II ammines; (iv) oxidizing the cobalt II ammines in the ammoniacal ammonium carbonate strip liquor to cobalt III tetraammines; (v) extracting the majority of nickel impurity from the cobalt III tetraammine rich ammoniacal liquor with an organic reagent; and (vi) recovering the cobalt from the cobalt III tetraammine rich ammoniacal liquor.

Abstract: This invention relates to a cyclic hydraulic actuator, and more particularly to an actuator for a rock drill and includes: a housing; at least two chambers in the housing; a fluid passage between a first of the chambers and the outside of the housing for feeding a liquid at supply pressure to the chamber during operation of the actuator; a fluid passage between a second of the chambers and the outside of the housing for exhausting liquid from the second chamber during operation of the actuator; a piston reciprocable on an axis in at least the first and second chambers with the piston including an exposed piston area in each of the two chambers for causing, with the liquid at supply pressure, reciprocation of the piston; an inlet valve for opening and closing the second chamber to liquid at supply pressure in the first chamber; an exhaust valve for opening and closing the exhaust passage; the inlet and exhaust valves, chambers and exposed piston areas being so arranged that during cyclic operation of the actua