Abstract: A magnetic strip of material formed into a loop which is placed around two pulleys. The pulleys rotate, thereby moving the magnetic strip. Skiers have skis which are attracted to the magnetic strip and are thereby moved with the loop as the loop is pulled around the pulleys. As the skier reaches the top of the upper pulley, the ski is lifted off the magnetic strip and onto the ski jump ramp. At the top of this ramp, the skier is held by a magnet located beneath the top of the ramp. Rotating with the upper pulley is a cam which moves the magnet at the top of the ramp between two positions. The first positions holds the magnet against or adjacent to the underside of the ramp holding the skier at the top of the ramp and the second position holds the magnet rotated slightly away from the ramp which releases the figure to descend the ramp and perform its ski jump. Optionally there is a flag that drops when the magnet releases the skier.

Abstract: A thermochromic drawing device is disclosed which can be marked and erased by selectively changing the temperature of its drawing surface. The drawing surface of the drawing device consists of a flexible substrate printed with thermochromic inks having at least two color states. The flexible substrate has low thermal mass thereby enabling it to readily assimilate temperatures induced by a user and, consequently, facilitating the transition of the thermochromic inks from one color state to another. The drawing surface is further provided with an insulating layer which isolates the flexible substrate from unwanted heat sinks and heat sources thereby preventing unwanted color transitions of the thermochromic inks. Thus, a user can selectively change the color state of portions of the drawing surface to create distinctive markings.

Abstract: An improved cuvette array for a centrifugal analyzer is disclosed. The array is conventionally formed from upper and lower discs of flexible thermoplastic material, in which the lower disc is formed with a plurality of compartments circumferentially spaced about a first central hub, and the upper disc is bonded to the outer periphery of the lower disc and closes an outer peripheral portion of the compartments. The array is improved by forming the upper disc with a central portion that includes a second central hub positioned above the first central hub, together with an intermediate web that bridges the second central hub to the outer peripheral portion of the upper disc so as to close off the inner peripheral portion of the compartments. The intermediate web portion may be joined to the outer peripheral portion of the upper disc by a tearible score line to permit the central portion of the upper disc to be entirely removed.

Abstract: A system for the detection of a biological analyte of interest is disclosed which comprises a microencapsulated fluorescer material which has been conjugated to an immunological specie specific to the biological analyte of interest, a means of disrupting the capsule containing the fluorescer and an energy source other than electro-magnetic radiation which is capable of activating the fluorescer.

Abstract: A system for automatically processing liquids in open-ended containers. The containers are moved past a plurality of operating stations that carry out the following operations: washing, reagent-adding, incubation, detection, and storage. The operating stations for washing and reagent-addition include vertically and horizontally movable assemblies for operating upon the containers. The containers are carried in groups in individual carrying blocks which are moved throughout the system.