Abstract: For the purpose of automatically drawing a liquid from a sealed glass ampoule the latter is held in a support in upright position with the ampoule bottom facing upwards, and the bottom is destroyed mechanically by inserting a withdrawing element. The liquid content of the ampoule is then sucked from a splinter-free zone of the glass ampoule.

Abstract: A semiconductor laser device, and method for making such, having higher operating temperatures than previously available. A semiconductor epitaxial layer is bonding to a cleaving assembly which allows the epitaxial layer to be manipulated without use of traditional substrate forms. The resulting semiconductor laser is bonded to a metal portion which serves as a heat sink for dissipating heat from the active lasing region. The resulting semiconductor lasers can be cooled by thermoelectric cooling modules, thus eliminating the necessity of using more bulky cryogenic systems.

Abstract: A sterile method of simultaneously breaking a number of ampules (22) containing medication and transferring the liquid drug into syringes (58), which include cutting the ampule shipping container (20) in half and enclosing the ampules in a holder (26). Further, cleaning the ampules and breaking the ampule necks (30) with a shear plate (40) struck by a mallet (44). Finally, transferring the medication with a filtered needle (50) to a sterile container (56) and filling the syringes from the container. The method utilizes apparatus which has a holder (26) of the same configuration as the shipping container (20) and a shear plate (40) that fits over the ampule necks (30). The mallet (44) is used to strike the shear plate breaking all of the necks simultaneously. A tray (34) collects the necks and debris and a sweep (46) clears the debris away into a bio-hazard container (62), or the like.

Abstract: A method of removing a flash portion from a container molded from an elastomer in which the flash portion is held stationary and the container is either inflated or deflated to increase or decrease the size of the container by moving the container walls whereby the stationary flash portions are torn or at least partially torn from the container walls.

Abstract: Apparatus for fracturing a powder metal bearing support having stress risers to initiate cracking along a cracking plane. The apparatus has (a) a fixture assembly for holding one internal side of the bearing stationary, and (b) structure for fracturingly pulling a second internal side of the bearing away from the one internal side along a track in a direction substantially perpendicular to the cracking plane.

Abstract: To assure that a plate-shaped brittle material is exactly cut into two plate pieces, a jig having a thread-shaped projection secured thereto in conformity with a predetermined pattern positionally coincident with a cut groove formed in the plate-shaped brittle material, an elastic member located on the cut groove side of the plate-shaped brittle material, and a plate-shaped brittle material to be cut into two plate pieces are placed on a table of a press machine one above another, and subsequently, a predetermined intensity of pressing power is applied to the jig from above by operating a pressing machine. Alternatively, a jig having a thread-shaped projection secured thereto, an elastic member located on the opposite side relative to the cut groove side of the plate-shaped brittle material, and a plate-shaped brittle material to be cut into two plate pieces may be placed on the press table one above another.

Abstract: A band severing method and tool having a band severing head made entirely in one piece from a unitary high strength body of metal. The body of the head has a continuous slot formed transversely therethrough and open at the laterally opposite ends thereof and at an end opening whereby the tool body can be receivingly engaged with a band run by entry of the band run edgewise through the slot. Slot band engaging edges on the head body are oriented at a convergent taper angle in the direction to the body axis and have a plurality of band run engaging teeth arranged in a serrated tooth pattern therealong. With the band run held so engaged with a portion of the run trapped in the body slot, the slot edges impart a band severing rupture in the band run at its engagement along the passageway slot edges transversely of the band in response to application of torque to the head operable to cause bodily rotation of the head body in one continuous direction of rotation.

Abstract: An air bag apparatus for impact protection in motor vehicles comprises a unit, which is adapted to be installed so as to be concealed behind an exit opening provided in the front part of the passenger compartment and comprises an air bag, a gas generator, and a housing, which accommodates the air bag and the gas generator. To protect the air bag the opening in the housing is closed by a film which is attached to the outside surface of the housing.

Abstract: A machine for slicing bakery products such as rolls and buns. Buns that are arranged in clusters having at least four buns each have their two outside buns sliced from the outer edges and the interior buns sliced from a location between them. A vertical disk with a dull edge is arranged to engage the weak line between the two interior buns to create a break from the bottom that provides access for the shaft of the slicing blade to pass through the bun cluster without disfiguring the buns. The disks and the slicing blades for the interior buns are carried on a lower slicing mechanism which underlies the conveyor system for the buns. The lower slicing mechanism can be slid out to one side of the machine for servicing. The disks can be lowered to an inoperative position by an actuating linkage, and the lower slicing blades are automatically released when the disks are lowered.

Abstract: A solder ball removal tool uses ultrasonic vibrations to remove specific solder balls from high density chips, substrate solder ball terminal connections, card or board solder ball connections, or other solder ball array for the purpose of customizing the electrical functionality of a module. The tool also allows for the removal of damaged or defective solder balls for the purpose of replacement with defect free solder balls.

Abstract: A tape dispenser holds a stock roll of tape (3) which has adhesive on one or both sides. A section of tape (4) is played out around an idle roller (7), which at times also translates to form a surplus tape loop (16), and around two or more cutter bars (2) mounted in a drum (1) which is powered to turn by a gearmotor (55). The cutter bars can also rotate individually in their bearings (61), and are powered to do so by a cam action inside the drum. When the drum advances, the differential rotation of the cutter bars creates tension in a section of tape, thus tearing it into a segment (5). The length of the tape segment may be preselected by means of an adjustment disk (100).The object of the invention is to sequentially cut and then present each tape segment to a convenient dispensing position. When a user grasps and lifts the tape segment from the cutter bar, the gearmotor automatically restarts to cut and present a new tape segment.

Abstract: Apparatus for removing flash from a flexible molded part includes a support for supporting the part being deflashed in underlying relation with first and second pinch rollers which are located at opposite ends of the part, and first and second conveyor assemblies associated with the first and second pinch rollers, respectively, are adapted to move the flash at both ends of the part into engagement with the pinch rollers which are driven in opposite directions and have knurled surfaces, causing the flash to be pinched between the pinch rollers and the associated conveyor assemblies, pulling the flash from said part, the conveyor assemblies conveying the flash away from part.

Abstract: A web bursting machine is disclosed in which a pair of webs of indefinite length having individual sheets thereon delineated by transverse lines of weakening in the webs are separated therefrom by applying a mementary tension in the webs while drawing the webs over bursting elements while the webs are traveling longitudinally. The webs are fed simultaneously and continuously, but with the sheets of one web offset by one half pitch or sheet length from the sheets of the other so that a sheet is burst from one web or the other with each half pitch of travel of the two webs together, thereby eliminating any down time which would otherwise result from feeding the webs intermittently and stopping one web while the other is being burst.

Abstract: An apparatus for splitting medicinal tablets which consists of a ridge 12 fused onto or stamped into the surface of card shaped materials. The card 14 can be made of any material with sufficient hardness to permit use of the ridge 12 as a fulcrum to fracture the tablet.A tablet is split using a tablet splitting card by placing a tablet 18 on the ridge 12. Pressure is then applied to the edges of the tablet with two fingers 20. The tablet will split along a line corresponding to the position of the ridge on the card.

Abstract: A bale debanding method and apparatus comprising a band breaking blade, a band winding mandrel and a mandrel cleaning plate are mounted to a frame. A support table is attached to the frame for receiving a waste paper bale that is held together by banding material. As the bale is moved past the band breaking blade, a band retention notch engages a band and by stretching it breaks the band. Once a band is broken, an extensible band catch extending out of the mandrel contacts the band and facilitates the band in being wound around the mandrel. Once all of the bands have been removed from the bale, the band catch is retracted to a position within the mandrel and a cleaning plate is moved axially along the mandrel sweeping the bands off a free end of the mandrel. This process is repeated to remove bands from other surfaces of the bale, thereby releasing the waste paper in preparation of processing.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for forming and gripping a beginning of a web of a replacement roll. At least one suction ledge is placed on an outer layer of the roll in a position in which the suction ledge extends parallel to the axis of the roll. The outer layer is raised by the suction ledge so that the outer layer is tensioned. The tensioned outer layer is cut parallel to and on the waste paper side of the suction ledge. Finally, the web beginning is lifted off by the suction ledge.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for cleanly and consistently cutting certain nonwoven fabrics, specifically spunlaced fabrics. The apparatus comprises a pin bar doff knife having one or more rows of closely-spaced, pointed, parallel pins attached perpendicularly to a bar. When the pin bar doff knife is tensioned against a spunlaced fabric to be cut, the pins act to disentangle individual fibers making up the fabric. The result is a very clean fabric cut when used on either lightweight or heavyweight spunlaced fabrics. In particular, the pin bar doff knife produces consistent cuts in heavyweight spunlaced fabrics made of polyester fibers and/or aramid fibers having very high fiber stiffness.

Abstract: A hand-held breaker tool for adjusting the length of the side rails of frames that support hanging file folders in a drawer. The tool is used to break off an unwanted excess length portion of the side rails. A method of adjusting and assembling a frame for holding and supporting hanging file folders and inserting the frame into a drawer of a desk or file cabinet.

Abstract: A heavy duty bead remover for vehicle passenger and heavy duty tires wherein the bead is hooked at a circumferential point and drawn through a narrow transversely slotted aperture, thereby to tear the bead from the tire and pull it through the aperture. Adjustable pressure jaws are provided to clamp the bead to the hook, and further a curved guide adjacent the slotted aperture is provided to reduce draw and tear forces. The tire is preferably specially cut prior to tear removal of the bead.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for removing wires bonded between chip contact pads and substrate contact pads using an alternating fluid flow is described. The fluid flow is preferably air. A nozzle having a plurality of air jets within a chip accommodating cavity is disposed over the chip to enclose the chip contact pads, the substrate contact pads and the wires bonded therebetween. Air is forced through the plurality of jets to cause an alternating clockwise and counter clockwise air flow which bends the plurality of wires back and forth until they fatigue at the contact points to the chip contact pads in a substrate contact pads which results in the wires being substantially simultaneously severed therefrom. The nozzle has an aperture out through which the air escapes carrying the severed wires therewith for collection in a filter.

Abstract: A bale debanding method and apparatus comprising a band breaking blade, a band winding mandrel and a mandrel cleaning plate are mounted to a frame. A support table is attached to the frame for receiving a waste paper bale that is held together by banding material. As the bale is moved past the band breaking blade, a band retention notch engages a band and by stretching it breaks the band. Once a band is broken, an extensible band catch extending out of the mandrel contacts the band and facilitates the band in being wound around the mandrel. Once all of the bands have been removed from the bale, the band catch is retracted to a position within the mandrel and a cleaning plate is moved axially along the mandrel sweeping the bands off a free end of the mandrel. This process is repeated to remove bands from other surfaces of the bale, thereby releasing the waste paper in preparation of processing.

Abstract: An apparatus device for ripping woven textile goods has a table having an upper surface, near and far longitudinal edges, and a transversely elongated slot extending between the edges and having transversely spaced near and far slot ends, the goods normally lying on the table extending across the slot. At least one outer rail extends transversely along the slot and at least one inner rail riding on the outer rail is displaceable therealong between a far end position projecting past the far slot end and a near end position projecting past the near slot end. A carriage displaceable substantially the full length of the inner rail is also displaceable between a far end position past the far slot end and a near end position past the near slot end. A ripping element on the carriage can be displaced on displacement of the carriage and inner rail between their end positions fully across the goods lying on the table across the slot to tear them weftwise.

Abstract: Apparatus for removing break-out portions and in particular waste pieces from a sheet of material which contains blanks or the like and which rests on a break-out surface in such a way that the break-out portion extends over an aperture in the break-out surface and is pressed downwardly through the aperture under the pressure of at least one break-out member, in particular a break-out pin. Associated with the break-out member beneath the break-out portion is a support which is guided in the direction of movement of the break-out member. The support is a surface which is springy and/or movable within the aperture at least partially into a position at a spacing relative to the break-out surface and which in its rest position engages beneath the waste piece in the sheet of material and which is adapted to be transferred into an inclined position relative to the sheet of material upon movement of the waste piece by the break-out member, in particular upon downward movement of the waste piece.

Abstract: A wire breaker blade and a wire puller member are provided for an automatic kraft paper bale dewiring machine for respectively breaking and removing a plurality of baling wires from a bale of kraft paper pulp. The wire breaker blade includes a hook-shaped wire cutting notch having an arcuate cutting edge with an inwardly extending protrusion formed therein for engaging and retaining a plurality of baling wires until fracture of the baling wires occurs. The wire puller member includes a hook-shaped wire pulling notch having an arcuate pulling edge with a radially inwardly extending protrusion form therein for engaging and retaining a plurality of fractured baling wires until the baling wires are completely removed from the kraft paper bale.

Abstract: The magnetized punch of the tool breaks off the tang and holds the tang until the punch is withdrawn into an opening in a vacuum conduit. The tang is thereby removed from the punch and it becomes entrained in a vacuum flow, detected and accounted for before passing into a collection chamber.

Abstract: The method relates to breaking glass sheets (5) with a line scored on one side, the glass sheet (5) being first raised at one end of the scored line and thereupon, in the remaining areas, it is progressively raised beginning with the initially lifted end. To carry out this breaking method, a breaking table (1) is provided of which the lifting strip (7) or roller can be raised on one side (I) first and then gradually lifted into the position II parallel to the table support surface (4). The glass sheet (5) is depressed on both sides of the lifting strip (7) or roller by suction heads (20) under partial vacuum or by boreholes (13) communicating with a source of partial vacuum.

Abstract: A roller conveyor supports a bale at a cutting and removing station. Side compactors and a top compactor compress the bale slightly for positioning it. The bale is pushed against a wire cutting channel in which a blade having a surface that protrudes into and forms a groove in the bottom surface of the bale is passed diagonally across the bale, with the wires springing into a recess in the blade. The blade continues to move, pulling the wire against the back wall of the recess until the wire exceeds its tensile strength and breaks. The bale is then lifted on pins so that a wire pulling blade can be moved also diagonally across the top of the bale. The pulling blade also has a forwardly inclined surface that pushes the bale down while allowing the wires to be captured in a recess in the blade. The blade is moved across the bale, capturing all of the wires and removing them from the bale. Another embodiment uses a turner to rotate the bale to cut and remove wires from adjacent sides of the bale.

Abstract: An ampoule holder comprises a body part 1 and a head part 2 which are connected together by a pair of hinge strips 3 and a breakage link 4. A glass ampoule 7 is inserted, stem first, through an opening 6 in the base of the body portion 1. The body of the ampoule is forced past inwardly extending projections 8 until the lower end of the ampoule snaps past these projections and the shoulder at the top of the body of the ampoule 7 abuts against the curved hinge parts 3. The base of the ampoule will then be raised above the projections 8. The stem 10 of the ampoule is gripped within the head portion 2 of the holder by internal ribs or spines 11, so that the neck 9 of the ampoule is aligned with the breakage link 4.

Abstract: A coin roll opening device for opening a roll of coins safely, quickly and conveniently includes a horizontal body member coupled at substantially a right angle to a vertical body member extending downward from the horizontal body member. At least one of the horizontal and vertical body members defines a curved receiving surface for receiving a roll of coins. A blade is inserted in the curved receiving surface, and when a wrapped roll of coins is struck up against the blade and the curved receiving surface, the wrapper is pierced and easy access to the coins is gained.

Abstract: Curl management device for assisting in the uncurling and proper alignment of fax sheets on photocopier glass surfaces comprising a rigid sheet of plastic or other material (preferably not metal), having a weight on the order of from about 1 to about 5 ounces and a thickness of 1/16 to 1/8 inch and dimensions of approximately 81/2 by 11 is disclosed. The plate has one or more specially configured cut-outs leading to an adjacent edge which permits viewing the edge of the fax sheet being held down and provides access for several fingers of the user to position the sheet properly with respect to the stop margins adjacent the edges of the photocopier glass. One or more holes or a notch in the cut-outs may be provided to permit hanging the plate next to the photocopier. One edge may be tapered to permit ease of tearing a continuous fax into individual sheets. One or more upturned ridges, handles or knobs may be provided to permit grasping for ease of manipulation of the plate.

Abstract: A device for breaking open cylindrically packaged rolls of coins, has a base and an anvil centrally located on the upper surface of the base. The anvil includes a lower portion affixed to the base and an upper portion against which the roll of coins are struck to break open the same.

Abstract: A burglar bar breaking tool comprises a solid block or tool head of relatively heavy metal having at least one slot extending lengthwise along part of its peripheral edge for receiving the end of a prying tool, and a recess extending inwardly from the peripheral edge of the block for engagement transversely over a burglar bar so that a prying tool or handle shaft engaged in the slot can be used to apply twisting force to the burglar bar. In one embodiment, the block periphery is four-sided and has sleeves welded to each of its four sides each defining a slot for receiving a prying tool. In another embodiment, the tool head is permanently secured to one end of a handle shaft.

Abstract: A roller conveyor supports a bale at a cutting and removing station. Side compactors and a top compactor compress the bale slightly for positioning it. The bale is pushed against a wire cutting channel in which a blade having a surface that protrudes into and forms a groove in the bottom surface of the bale is passed diagonally across the bale, with the wires springing into a recess in the blade. The blade continues to move, pulling the wire against the back wall of the recess until the wire exceeds its tensile strength and breaks. The bale is then lifted on pins so that a wire pulling blade can be moved also diagonally across the top of the bale. The pulling blade also has a forwardly inclined surface that pushes the bale down while allowing the wires to be captured in a recess in the blade. The blade is moved across the bale, capturing all of the wires and removing them from the bale. Another embodiment uses a turner to rotate the bale to cut and remove wires from adjacent sides of the bale.

Abstract: The computer paper tab stripper has an elongated preferably generally rectangular block with a flat bottom, preferably with a non-slip rubber tread or the like, a flat top spaced above the bottom and interconnecting two opposite sidewalls and two opposite endwalls. Preferably, the length of stripper is slightly less than that of a computer paper to be stripped of its tab so that the tab ends stick out of opposite ends of the stripper and are easy to grip. One of the sidewalls is sloped to form a side ramp of preferably about incline 45.degree. to enable the computer paper to be slid up the ramp easily and over a spaced array of vertical pins in the top, which pins are adapted to fit through openings in the computer paper tab. The pins preferably include a truncated cone portion. An elongated preferably rectangular top lid is hinged to the top of the block on the side opposite the ramp and is adapted to move between a lid-up position and a lid-down position.

Abstract: Apparatus for sizing a mix of randomly sized food pieces into chunks of a predetermined maximum length. The apparatus includes a carrier drum and a cutting drum mounted on parallel shafts which are interconnected for rotation in opposing directions. The carrier drum has a plurality of parallel longitudinal bars mounted equidistant around the periphery of the drum, spaced apart a distance equal to the desired maximum length of the food chunks. The cutting drum carries a plurality of elongated cutting blades mounted parallel to the longitudinal bars on the carrier drum and spaced apart the same distance as the longitudinal bars. The drums are aligned so that upon rotation of the drums the blades cooperate with the longitudinal bars to cut elongated food pieces carried on the surface of the bars into the nip between the drums, without striking against the bars.

Abstract: A telescopic tool used for stripping waste from a cut sheet of material in a waste stripping station comprises a hollow cylindrical body which receives a pin having a portion extending out of a bore of the body with a tip for engaging the waste material. The tip is formed of a deformable material, while the remaining portion of the pin is of a rigid, hardened material. The pin has a collar received in the interior of the body which engages an internal shoulder and to absorb noise, the pin is provided with an elastic element adjacent to the collar to be interposed between the collar and shoulder.

Abstract: An apparatus to apply reinforcing slips provided with a glue coating to a web which has transverse perforation lines, comprising means for tearing from the web the sections which are joined at the transverse perforation lines.

Abstract: Apparatus having two spaced rolls with a plurality of intermeshed disc-like teeth. The rolls form a nip into which an absorbent board is fed for partial slitting. The board is comprised of both long and short fibers. The apparatus separates the short fibers at each slit while leaving a number of long fibers intact to maintain a unitary structure. Advantageously, the teeth of one roll form gaps slightly wider than the thickness of the long fibers with the teeth of the other roll to permit passage of the long fibers.

Abstract: A manually operable clamp for removing the sprocket feed margin strips from continuous computer print-out paper when the strips are removably attached along perforated tear lines. In the preferred form, the jaws of the clamp are integrally connected by a live hinge and have elongated rectangular mating clamping surfaces which are provided by U-shaped channel portions of the jaws. The clamping surface of one jaw has a plurality of pin-receiving openings therein while a plurality of pins project from the other clamping surface. The size and spacing of the sprocket tooth receiving openings in the margin strips. The inner side of the U-shaped channel portion of the jaw having the clamping surface with pin-receiving openings serves as a fence against which the elongated edges of margin strip abut when the openings in the margin strips are in alignment with the pin-receiving openings.

Abstract: An elongated tool (10) includes an elongated recess (32) which extends along the full length of the tool (10). A feed strip (12) on a side of a sheet of computer paper (14) is received within the recess (32). The user moves the tool (10) to lower a grip means (38, 40) carried by the roof of the recess (32) into clamping engagement with the feed strip (12). One hand of the user is used for manipulating the tool (10) as described while the opposite hand of the user is used for applying an upward and rearwardly tearing force on the sheet (14). This causes tearing along a line of perforations (20) which is contiguous a side edge (34) of the tool (10) when the feed strip (12) is within the recess (32).

Abstract: A device for removing a ring closed and locked by a fastener containing a protruding fastener lock, the device includes a fastener engagement member having a wall and a floor which define a recess adapted to receive the fastener therein. Attached to an outer surface of the fastener engagement member is a lever member adapted to exert force on the fastener when the lever member is moved, thereby breaking the ring locked to the fastener.

Abstract: The invention deals with an apparatus and method for cutting laminated glass. The glass is delivered from a rack to a two-part table on which the glass is to be cut. The glass is partially cut and then flipped over by the movement of part of the table with the aid of means which may be a hydraulically operated ram. The other part of the table is fixed. The glass once flipped can be cut in a similar manner to the original uppermost sheet. The table may also be equipped with air flotation means which aids in the movement of the glass once on the table. The thin plastics layer sandwiched between the two sheets is cut in the usual manner for example, by applying heat thereto.

Abstract: Apparatus is provided for making a cookie preform from a continuous cookie dough rope by inserting finger means into said rope in a direction generally transverse to a longitudinal axis of said rope and displacing at least selected ones of said finger means at a velocity relative to the velocity of said rope sufficient to stretch said rope to the breaking point to separate said portion from said rope, whereby said portion has at least one surface formed by said stretching action to have a coarse appearance.

Abstract: A conventional closure or cap for a tablet-container is formed to have a recess of predetermined depth and shape to loosely receive therein a tablet preferably provided on at least one side with a stress-raising notch or score mark, so that the application of a lateral force on an upper portion of the tablet by a finger or thumb of the user will cause the tablet to break approximately along a plane extending across the tablet from the bottom of the stress-raising notch. In another aspect of the invention, the tablet preferably provided on at least one side with a stress-raising notch or score mark is laid with the notch downward into a recess provided with a partial movable base so that the application of force on the exposed surface of the tablet by a finger or thumb of the user causes the tablet to be supported close to its ends to thereby experience a break at the notch.

Abstract: In an apparatus for the breaking of glass sheets (2) scored on one side, especially provided with a metallic coating on one side, a breaking bar (7) or a rotationally driven breaking roller (28) that can be lifted from below against the glass sheet (2) are provided, and two abutments (9 and 10) acting from above against the glass sheet (2) are likewise included. The abutments (9 and 10) are not in physical contact with the topside of the glass sheet (2) but rather hold down the latter by an air cushion produced between these abutments and the topside of the glass sheet (2), this air cushion being formed by compressed air exiting from nozzles (14). In this way, friction movements that could damage the coating (3) of the glass sheet (2) during the breaking step are precluded.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for severing a perforated web involves clamping the web (4) by two clamping members (6, 7) extending essentially transversely over the web (4) against an anvil (1) placed on the opposite side of the web (4) so as to leave a perforated line (5) of the web aligned between the clamping members (6,7). The clamped web is then tensioned by allowing a tensioning member (2) located between the clamping members (6,7) to expand toward a backing bight (20, 21) formed behind the web (4) thus causing the web (4) to be severed at the perforation (5) with the help of tensile stress.

Abstract: A multi-purpose device is disclosed for opening a variety of containers, such as plastic milk jugs, soda cans and soda bottles. A cup-like guide member is received over the tamper-resistance cap of a plastic milk jug and has cleaving lugs projecting downward into the spaces between rupturable connector elements, which join the threaded cap to a fixed locking collar. By twisting the guide member, the cleaving lugs are caused to rupture the connector elements and free the cap for easy removal. A handle provides leverage to facilitate application of the necessary twisting torque. A smaller cup-like section, co-axial with the cup-like guide member but of smaller diameter, is provided with ribbed side walls for engagement with the flutes of a standard twist-off bottle cap to facilitate its removal by twisting.

Abstract: A conventional closure or cap for a tablet-container is formed to have a recess of predetermined depth and shape to loosely receive therein a tablet preferably provided on at least one side with a stress-raising notch or score mark, so that the application of a lateral force on an upper portion of the tablet by a finger or thumb of the user will cause the tablet to break approximately along a plane extending across the tablet from the bottom of the stress-raising notch. In another aspect of the invention, the tablet preferably provided on at least one side with a stress-raising notch or score mark is laid with the notch downward into a recess provided with a partial movable base so that the application of force on the exposed surface of the tablet by a finger or thumb of the user causes the tablet to be supported close to its ends to thereby experience a break at the notch.

Abstract: A prehensile container is provided for demounting and storing used hypodermic needles and/or surgical blades pending their ultimate disposal. The same hand that holds the container can actuate the closure blade by finger force to clear an orifice for passage of a used hypodermic needle. When the end of the syringe to which the needle is affixed abuts the mouthpiece of the orifice, the finger force can be released to hold the needle between the edge of an aperture of the shutter blade and an edge of the orifice, so that the needle can be separated by withdrawal of the syringe with one hand while holding the container with the other. Another exertion of finger force will let the used needle drop into the container and a second release will restore the closed condition of the container. Internal baffles obstruct the exit of stored needles, to prevent an unauthorized person from extracting a needle from the container by opening the access orifice.

Abstract: A dispenser for the insertion of spacers between the strings of tennis, squash and badminton rackets includes a body having a delivery groove formed therein. The delivery groove is adapted to receive an interconnected strip of spacers and dispense the spacers individually between intersecting strings of a racket. The delivery groove may include a raised portion to allow the strip of spacers to be manually advanced within the device and a pair of prong-like projections for separating a pair of intersecting racket strings. The prong-like projections may have an abutment edge for positioning the interconnected strip of spacers.