Abstract: A variable spaced conveyor belt includes a plurality of spaced tractive rods and a plurality of rows of wickets transversely disposed with respect to a direction of travel and interconnecting the plurality of spaced tractive rods, each of the rows of wickets including a plurality of first links and a plurality of second links, the plurality of first links have a first spacing and the plurality of second links have a second spacing, the first spacing being less than the second spacing.

Abstract: Plastic flat spiral units and plastic connecting rods are conventionally assembled with one another and secured to one another at respective ends, to provide a plastic woven spiral conveyor belt with rounds of turns nested in concave oblique crimp notches on the connecting rods.

Abstract: Photometric apparatus, for counting the particulate components in blood and for determining the degree of particulate agglutination is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a body provided with an absorbent well for holding the blood bearing solution. The body is further provided with a passage to allow communication between the well and a detector which is capable of detecting the response of the particulate material to stimulating radiation. The absorptive well has the characteristic of absorbing radiation at the wavelength which characterizes the response of the particulate material to stimulating radiation. The well advantageously prevents the detector from detecting radiation that would otherwise be reflected by the well, whereby the linearity of the response of the apparatus is greatly increased. Linearity is further enhanced by assuring full crenation of the cells with a specific reagent.