Abstract: A medical vacuum aspiration device includes an aspiration cylinder and a valve. The valve includes a removable fluid conduit, a valve housing having at least first and second housing portions, means for removably attaching the first housing portion to the second housing portion, and an actuator. The removable fluid conduit has a first end for attaching to a cannula and a second end for attaching to the aspiration cylinder. The first and second housing portions may define a cavity for removably holding at least a portion of the fluid conduit. The actuator is coupled to the valve housing and selectively compresses a portion of the fluid conduit to open and close a fluid path defined by the fluid conduit.

Abstract: A device and method of guidance equipping a sewing machine provided with a work carrier plate, and a presser foot (5) for driving the material to be sewn, associated with at least one needle comprising at least one member (10) for adjusting the transverse position of the material, applied in contact with the material at a point of contact (12): offset laterally from a driving straight line (18); situated in operation at least substantially in line with the presser foot (5) and oriented with a fixed non-zero angle with respect to the driving straight line. A machine equipped with this device is also disclosed.

Abstract: A process and device are disclosed for automatic sewing of a piece of fabric along its edges. The process is of the type in which a rolling element (12) orientable by pivoting around a vertical axis YY' bears against the fabric in front of the presser-foot in order to guide and entrain the fabric in front of the sewing zone. The rolling element (12) is driven into rotational movement by a cylinder (16) bearing against that element in its upper zone traversed by the pivoting axis YY' in such a manner that the contact of the cylinder against the rolling element leaves this latter free to pivot, especially at high frequency, about the axis YY' independently of the value of the friction coefficient between the cylinder and the rolling element.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process and an apparatus for superimposing at least two flexible sheets, in particular a back panel and a front panel of an article such as a slip. The process comprises forming a stack of each type of sheets and arranging said stacks on a plate (1), then for each of these stacks: gripping at least one sheet by means of a gripping assembly (12, 14) arranged above the plate (1) and relatively displacing said plate and said gripping assembly between a rest position and a sheet gripping position, displacing the gripping assembly (12, 14) so as to bring it above a deposit member (15) and actuating the assembly so as to release the sheet and spread it on the deposit member, returning the gripping assembly (12, 14) above the plate (1) and causing the plate to rotate a portion of a revolution to position a second stack directly below the gripping assembly.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process and an apparatus for pairing up at least two flexible sheets, in particular the front and rear panels of an article such as a T-shirt. The process comprises forming a stack of each type of sheets and arranging these stacks on two plates (2, 3), picking up along a line, at least one sheet of each stack by means of two gripper assemblies (7, 8) displaceable above the plates (2, 3) between a lower sheet gripping position and an upper position in which the gripped sheets are suspended above the plates, moving a deposit member (15) above the plates (2, 3) along a trajectory in which the deposit member comes into contact with the gripped sheets while sliding therealong to a position intermediate their height, and actuating the gripper assemblies (7, 8) so as to release the sheets on the deposit member (15).

Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus for gripping layers of flexible material, comprising a head (14) provided with a contact surface, a clearance (16) in the said surface, a needle (103) mobile with respect to the head, a thin groove (15) in the head and kinematic guide means for the needle in the plane of the groove (15). According to the present invention the contact surface is provided with a step (102) and has a recessed area (100) and a protruding area (101). Two contact pins (110, 111) are in a preferred embodiment located either side of the groove (15) level with the recessed area. These measures improve the superficial catching conditions of the upper layer of the flexible material to be seized and avoid the risk of seizing the layer below.

Abstract: A process for gripping flexible layers arranged in a stack of layers in order to separate one or more upper layers from the other layers of the stack makes use of a needle (23) moving with respect to a contact surface (14a) with a clearance (16). The motion of the needle (23) is implemented in such a manner that during the displacement of its end, said needle thrusts the upper flexible layer toward the clearance (16) to form a corrugation in said clearance; during the final stage of the motion, the needle crosses said corrugation.