Abstract: A heating element for sterilely melt-cutting and welding together a pair of thermoplastic tubes transversely of the axis of the tubes includes an outer folded metal sheet, such as copper, aluminum, silver or gold, an electric resistance heating element of stainless steel or the like disposed inside the fold of the sheet and a dielectric adhesive disposed between the inner surfaces of the sheet and the resistor to insulate the resistor from the sheet and bond the structure together. The folded edge of the sheet forms the melting edge of the heating element. Vent channels within the adhesive and along at least one unfolded edge of the metal sheet are provided to vent entrapped gas from the element during heating.

Abstract: A surgical knife includes a handle supporting a diamond blade. An Nd/YAG laser is optically coupled by a bundle of optical fibres to the blade. The arrangement enables the blade to cauterize tissue being incised by the knife. The selection of the material of the blade and the laser provides a laser knife of extended useful life. The heating of the diamond blade by the laser provides the blade with an unexpectedly increased cutting and cauterizing performance.

Abstract: The cutting instrument of this invention is made by threading a heater assembly through a hollow cutting instrument body. A blade having a shank and a blade body including a cutting edge is secured within the hollow cutting instrument body at its shank portion such that the blade body extends from the hollow cutting instrument body. The heating assembly is secured to the blade body and to the cutting instrument body. The blade body is coated with a non-stick means.

Abstract: The apparatus serves for cutting sheets from soft material, such as plastic-foam sheets or sheets of glass wool or rock wool, including a casing of rectangular cross-section and having guide rollers. At one end of the casing there is a guillotine-like guided cutting device which, depending on the material of the sheet to be cut, may be an electrically heated wire or a blade. The device finding particular use in construction, where internal walls, facades, or flat roofs are sheathed with thermally insulating insulation sheets.

Abstract: An apparatus for removing a flexible cover from a bale of material, such as compressed peat moss, including a pusher member adapted to move the bale lengthwise against a plurality of knives adapted to cut across the front end of the cover as well as along the sides to slit the cover and separate it from the material. The pusher member is provided with spike devices for retaining the separated cover as the material is discharged from a discharge station, to remove the split separated cover to a cover removal station. In a preferred form of the invention, a stripper mechanism is included for stripping the split cover from the pusher member.

Abstract: An apparatus for forming a line of separation in a plastic work surface includes a tool having a tool holder of thermally conductive material, an electric heating element and a tool member having a separating point. The holder is surrounded by an insulating member and includes a sleeve portion in which the tool member is releasably secured, the tool member projecting from the body in freely exposed manner with the separating point remote from the holder whereby the work surface may be engaged solely by the separating point which comprises a tip from which a surrounding surface extends in divergent manner. The holder is arranged to conduct heat from the heating element to the tip and suitable control means are provided for regulating the heating element temperature to a desired value.

Abstract: An electric emasculator for castrating a bull calf or the like having a first scissor member pivotally connected to a second scissor member. The second scissor member has a structure defining a bifurcated fork with a pair of parallel upper edges. A heating element is positioned along one of the parallel upper edges to cauterize as an incident to the severing operation and assists in the blood coagulation to prevent the flow of blood and closure of blood vessels in the area of amputation. A method for castrating the bull calf includes registering the end of an arcuate-L shaped hook of the first scissor member with the bottom structure of the bifurcated fork simultaneously to lodging a crushing block, that is integrally bound to the first scissor member, against the top of a second cutting edge.

Abstract: A battery operated cautery includes a cylindrical housing configured to retain a voltage source, such as a plurality of batteries, and an electrically heated cautery tip carried by the front end of the housing and adapted to be selectively energized from the power source by a manually operable switch on the housing. The switch includes a contact element having rear end connected to a terminal of the power source and a front end movable into and out of engagement with a terminal electrode of the electrically heated tip to make and break the circuit between the tip and the power source by a operation of a depressible switch actuator on housing. A removable safety cover configured to mount on the front of the housing encloses the switch actuator and heating tip to prevent inadvertent switch actuation and to protect the tip when the cautery is being stored or transported.

Abstract: An electrically heated excising or cutting tool for cutting rubber, plastic, and the like includes a handle carrying at one end a cutting blade of flat resistive material through which current flows to produce heat. The blade is substantially U-shaped with limbs having free ends clamped to contact pieces on the handle connected to the poles of a power supply. The blade is bent at right angles to the plane of the flat material in the region between the free ends of the limbs and the bight portion of the U-shaped blade to define a cutting region having a first limb disposed in a cutting direction from the second limb. The first limb is reduced in cross-sectional area at the bend to increase the production and concentration of heat in the cutting region to counteract the increased heat dissipation in the cutting region caused by the accumulation of excised material thereat.

Abstract: A hand-held optical fiber cleaving tool has a shaft for receiving a fiber which has had the end portion of the protective cover removed. A reduced diameter section in the shaft acts as an abutment, and the exposed end of the fiber is held in a V-block clamp. The clamp is spring-biased to place the fiber in tension during a circumferential scoring by a pointed scoring tool which is journaled about the shaft. The applied tension causes the fiber to break upon completion of the scoring. In an alternate embodiment which is not hand-held, support is provided for the fiber opposite the scoring tool.

Abstract: A veterinarian's tool for castrating animals with which all of the castrating operations can be performed with a single tool held in one hand of the operator, the tool operating to sever the spermatic cord by searing or cauterization and comprising a pair of arms pivotally connected together to operate in scissor-like manner, one arm having a cutting blade at its upper end for making an opening in an animal's scrotum, the other arm having a "V" or fork at its upper end for stripping back the covering of the spermatic cord after it has been pulled out of the animal's body, and a heating element on one of the arms, the arms cooperating upon closing to hold the animal's spermatic cord against the heating element until the cord is severed by searing or cauterization.

Abstract: An electric heating element for sterilely cutting and welding together a pair of thermoplastic tubes transversely of the axis of each tube includes as an outer layer a folded sheet of a metal, such as copper, aluminum, silver or gold, having a thermal conductivity of at least about 173 watts/m.degree.K at a thickness of 0.10 mm and a tensile yield strength of at least 34.times.104 kPa at a 0.10 mm thickness. A resistance heating element, preferably having a positive thermal coefficient of resistance (PTC), in the form of a resistor of stainless steel or the like is disposed inside the fold of the metal sheet and a layer of dielectric adhesive, such as an epoxy or acrylic adhesive, stable to about 260.degree. C., is disposed between the inner surfaces of the metal sheet and the resistor to insulate the resistor from the folded sheet and bond the resulting structure together. The folded edge of the metal sheet forms the melting edge of the heating element. The heating element has a thickness of from about 0.

Abstract: The cutting instrument of this invention is adapted to be heated to a predetermined temperature range and includes a steel substrate having a cutting edge, a copper composition having a yield strength of at least 25,000 p.s.i. laminated to the steel substrate and an electrical heater means secured to the copper composition laminate. The cutting edge of the cutting instrument and at least a part of the copper composition and heater means may be coated with a non-stick composition in order to prevent the cutting instrument from sticking to the subject upon which the cutting operation is performed with the cutting instrument.

Abstract: An apparatus for cutting thermoplastic foam material, such as polyethylene foam or rigid polystyrene foam, includes an electrically heated cutting element made from a steel band and having a sharpened front longitudinal edge and a rear longitudinal edge spaced from one another by a width dimension of the band which is many times greater than the thickness thereof. The opposite end portions of the cutting element are parallel and close to one another and are each releasably gripped by a separate set of jaws which engage the front and rear edges of each end portion to mechanically support and supply electric current to the respective end portions. Each set of jaws includes a stationary jaw and a movable jaw. The movable jaws are connected for operation by a single operating member for movement in unison relative to the stationary jaws to facilitate rapid insertion and removal of the cutting element from the jaws.

Abstract: The cutting instrument of this invention is made by threading a heater assembly through a hollow cutting instrument body. A blade having a shank and a blade body including a cutting edge is secured within the hollow cutting instrument body at its shank portion such that the blade body extends from the hollow cutting instrument body. The heating assembly is secured to the blade body and to the cutting instrument body. The blade body is coated with a non-stick means.

Abstract: A pyrographic iron for sculpting fine feather barbs on a realistic wooden bird carving uses interchangeable tips slide fitting on the irons. The tips have a head with a flat surface tapered toward one or two outer edges, the surface having from 3 to 100 serrations per inch extending outwardly on the head to the outward edge or edges. The serrations form crests and valleys, the crests charring the barb lines and the valleys limiting the depth of charring.

Abstract: The upper end of an elongate electrical resistance cutting element, extending upwardly from a workpiece supporting table, is movably positionable along an arcuate position of a support member to adjustably vary the cutting angle. A fence for guiding the workpiece during straight line cutting is detachably securable to the table. Alternately, the workpiece may be engaged by a circle guide for establishing a center of rotation for the cutting of cylindrical shapes. An auxiliary cutting unit, especially adapted for free hand cutting and sculpturing, is connectable to the integral electrical energy supply means.

Abstract: The cutting edge of a scalpel blade is heated to an elevated preselected constant operating temperature for cutting tissue with simultaneous hemostasis by dielectric heating of the internal structure of the blade in the region along the cutting edge. Selective heating of regions of the cutting edge that are locally cooled by contact with tissues during surgical cutting is provided for by constructing the heating elements of the blade of ferroelectric materials that have a Curie point in the operating temperature range and that provide large increases in loss factor (the product of relative dielectric constant times the ratio of loss current to charging current) for temperature decrements below the Curie point.

Abstract: In a preferred embodiment, there is provided a conductive non-stick electrode for use with a hemostatic tissue cutting scalpel wherein, a first layer of conductive material having a textured working surface for contacting tissue is adherently deposited along the cutting edge of the scalpel, and a second coating of non-stick material is deposited thereon at least partially filling the textured surface, so that portions of the conductive material are exposed and the electrode is thereby conductive along said working surface but non-sticking while in contact with tissue.

Abstract: A method and tool are disclosed for use in cleaving fiber optic elements preparatory to a splice for joining of two such fiber optic elements. The method comprises the steps of first moving a grooving tool about the entire circumference of a fiber optic element to form a circumferential groove therein, and then stressing the fiber optic element in the vicinity of the groove to provide a clean, mirror type end surface of the element which is suitable for subsequent splicing thereof with another suitably prepared element. The tool which is useful in cleaving a fiber optic element comprises support means having a longitudinal axis for supporting the fiber optic element therealong, grooving means for forming a groove in the surface of the fiber optic element, and mounting means for mounting the grooving means to revolve about the longitudinal axis of the support means to circumferentially groove a fiber optic element about its entire circumference.

Abstract: The shaver warmer of this invention includes a heat transfer portion which almost closely fits the shaver head of the electric shaver to be warmed. A heat supply portion is directly connected to the heat transfer portion and a temperature control portion controls the heating temperature by detecting the temperature of the heat transfer portion. The shaving head of the electric shaver can thereby be heated to a predetermined temperature in a relatively short time so that advantage may be taken of the relatively large thermal capacity of the shaving head of an electric shaver.

Abstract: A burn-in knife for furniture repair has an electrically heated blade and is provided with an adjustable edge guide assembly mounted on the knife handle for supporting the knife on a workpiece and maintaining the working edge of the blade at a predetermined distance from the workpiece. The guide assembly includes a heat-insulative guide means arranged in side-by-side relationship to the working edge of the blade and out of the working path thereof. The guide means lies in the same plane as the blade and has a straight edge adapted to engage the workpiece. The guide means is selectively adjustable both vertically and rotationally relative to the working edge of the blade.

Abstract: A surgical cutting instrument includes an electrically heated cutting edge and a power supply system for maintaining the cutting edge at a constant high temperature for sterilizing the blade, cutting tissue and cauterizing the incised tissue to reduce hemorrhage from the cut surfaces of the tissues (hemostasis).

Abstract: The cutting edge of a scalpel blade is heated to an elevated preselected constant operating temperature for cutting tissue with simultaneous hemostasis by radiant heating of the blade in the region along the cutting edge. Radiant energy is contained within the blade by a reflective coating over the transparent or translucent blade material. Heating along the cutting edge is provided by the disposition of a radiation-absorptive material beneath the reflective coating in the region along the cutting edge. Selective heating of regions of the cutting edge that are locally cooled by contact with tissues during surgical cutting is provided for by fabricating the radiation-absorptive element of the blade of a thermochromic material that exhibits a substantial increase in absorption coefficient for a temperature decrement within the operating temperature range.

Abstract: The cutting edge of a scalpel blade is heated to an elevated preselected constant operating temperature for cutting tissue with simultaneous hemostasis by dielectric heating of the internal structure of the blade in the region along the cutting edge. Selective heating of regions of the cutting edge that are locally cooled by contact with tissues during surgical cutting is provided for by constructing the heating elements of the blade of ferroelectric materials that have a Curie point in the operating temperature range and that provide large increases in loss factor (the product of relative dielectric constant times the ratio of loss current to charging current) for temperature decrements below the Curie point.

Abstract: The temperature of the cutting edge of a surgical cutting instrument is maintained within a preselected temperature range for surgical cutting and simultaneous hemostasis by conducting heat from a thermal distributing means that is disposed along the cutting edge of the instrument. The thermal distributing means selectively heats regions of the cutting edge that are locally cooled by the tissue contact of surgical cutting by condensation in the regions of the cooled edge of previously evaporated fluids, with concomitant release of the heat previously absorbed upon evaporation of the fluid.

Abstract: A surgical cutting instrument includes an electrically heated cutting edge and an automatic control system for maintaining the cutting edge at a constant high temperature for sterilizing the blade, cutting tissue, and cauterizing the incised tissue to reduce hemorrhage from the cut surfaces of the tissues (hemostasis).

Abstract: The cutting edge of a scalpel blade is resistively heated to a preselected constant temperature range by conduction of high frequency electrical currents within variable skin depths of a ferromagnetic conductor that is disposed on the blade in the region of the cutting edge.

Abstract: An electrically heated kitchen utensil has a thermally insulated handle provided with an internal electric heating unit adapted to releasably receive and heat a kitchen device, such as a knife, spoon, scoop, dipper or spatula. The heating unit comprises a pair of spaced parallel electric heating elements defining an channel which receives the shank of the kitchen device. The kitchen device is releasably secured in the channel by interengaged teeth on the shank and a spring biased pivoted member forming the bottom of the channel. The kitchen device is released by a release push button acting on the pivoted member to disengage the teeth. A rheostat is provided to regulate the heat output of the heating elements.

Abstract: A flexible, heat-controlled doctor knife has a flat, flexible, heat-generating element affixed to one side of the knife blade. Blade flexing means which can adjust the angle of the working edge of the knife are provided on one side of the blade, adjacent to the working edge. The heat-generating element provides uniform heating of the knife and is a laminate having an electrically-conducting layer with alternating layers of a synthetic resin insulator and aluminum foil. An edge of the heat-generating element extends adjacent to the blade flexing means. Temperature control means regulate the heating of the blade.

Abstract: The invention contemplates a disposable, self-contained, battery-operated cautery featuring a finger-grasping end which is of substantially reduced diameter as compared with the battery-containing body portion of the device. Such reduced finger-grasping proportions enable facile and precise manipulation of a cauterizing tip, and a switch actuator carried at the finger-grasping end further facilitates manipulation. The switch actuator is of such low profile as to be fully encased and protected when a protective cover is telescopically assembled over the tip end of the cautery.

Abstract: The cutting edge of a scalpel blade is heated to a preselected constant temperature range by conduction of high frequency current through the blade of ferromagnetic material in a region thereof which is in close proximity to a conductor positioned along the cutting edge. Selective heating of regions of the cutting edge that are locally cooled by the tissue contact during surgical cutting is provided by constructing the blade of ferromagnetic materials that have a Curie point in the operating temperature range and that provide large increases in magnetic permeability for temperature decrements below the Curie point.

Abstract: A surgical cutting instrument includes an electrically heated cutting edge and an automatic control system for maintaining the cutting edge at a constant high temperature for sterilizing the blade, cutting tissue, and cauterizing the incised tissue to reduce hemorrhage from the cut surfaces of the tissues (hemostasie).

Abstract: A hair curling iron is arranged to have a handle with a concave portion pivotally connected to a heatable hair curling assembly including a tubular member heated by an electrical heater means and a plug for conducting electrical current to the electrical heater means. The plug is pivotally mounted on the hair curling assembly to withdraw a cavity in the hair curling assembly. The hair curling assembly is arranged to fold into the concave portion of the curling iron handle to provide a convenient package for carrying in a pocket or purse.

Abstract: An electrically powered hand-held heating device having an electrical heating member with a sleeve member disposed thereabout for insulating the user's hand from localized heating of the heating member, a body member formed having an enlarged housing portion and a reduced neck portion. The neck portion releasably engages the heating member and the sleeve member and provides a thermal barrier between the heating member, and the enlarged housing portion while the enlarged housing portion has an electronic control circuit mounted therein for controlling the heating temperature of the heating member for various selected heating ranges.

Abstract: An electrically heated spreader assembly for spreading, smoothing and curing plastic filler material, as in automobile body dents, includes an elongated handle provided with an slide track along a longitudinal edge. A stiff elongated spreader blade made of a synthetic plastic, such as Teflon or nylon, has an electrical heating element embedded therein and is provided along a longitudinal edge with flanged slide means adapted to be slidably received in and interfit with the slide track to secure the handle and blade together. The blade and handle are provided with separable electrical contacts which cooperate to establish an electrical connection between the heating element in the blade and an electrical supply cord on the handle when the blade has been slidably mounted in operative position on the handle.

Abstract: The instrument includes a first handle and a first blade pivotally connected scissors-fashion with a second handle and a second blade. One of the blades is formed with a first notch for severing the tail of a pig and with a second notch for severing the navel cord of the pig. A heating unit heats the other blade in order to cauterize the tail or navel cord as an incident to the severing operation. The heating unit includes a handle which coacts with the other two handles to define a tripod for supporting the instrument in a standing position when the instrument is not in use.

Abstract: There is disclosed a hair cutter comb including a plurality of parallel spaced apart metallic comb teeth formed along one edge of their one sides with cutting edges. A cutter mechanism overlies such one side and includes a plurality of blade members formed on their respective one extremities with blades having one edge thereof defining blade edges. Such blade edges are mounted intermediately on pivot pins carried by the comb back to cause such blades to pivot outwardly about such pivot pins in a rotary path to pass into cutting engagement with the respective cutting edges.

Abstract: A gravy warming ladle has a bowl comprising a pair of concavo-convex shell-like upper and lower parts with the upper part received within and having its bottom spaced from the lower part to form a hollow cavity therebetween that tapers from a maximum size at the center to a minimum size at the edges and with the edges of the parts being united in a thin free edge. An electric heating element is disposed in a mass of asbestos heat storing insulation filling the cavity. A tubular handle is attached to a neck on the bowl formed by fitted-together semi-cylindrical projections on the upper and lower parts. Current supply wires extend through the handle and are connected to the heating element at the neck portion. Insulating blocks in the neck portion insure proper insulation of the connections between the wires and heating element.

Abstract: An apparatus for cutting arbitrary shapes in material, particularly in synthetic plastic foam material, is disclosed. The apparatus includes a bendable, shape-retaining, electrically conductive resitive wire which may be successively formed into any desired shape by selectively arranging either or both elements of a pair of independently movable wire positioning elements which are respectively attached to end portions of the resistive wire. The resistive wire is also connected to an electrical current source provided on said elements for heating the wire to a predetermined temperature which is sufficiently high so that the wire may cut the desired shape into the workpiece by heat.

Abstract: An electrically heated dispenser for serving frozen desserts, such as ice cream, includes a handle having an electric heating element projecting from the forward end thereof. A removable protective shield at least coextensive in length with the heating element is carried by the forward end of the handle and surrounds the heating element in spaced relation thereto. The shield is made of a material sufficiently transparent to permit visual inspection of the sanitary condition of the area within the shield including the inner surface thereof. A variety of serving implements, such as a dipper, scoop, knife, etc., are adapted to have an end selectively inserted through a front opening on the shield into heat exchange coupled relationship with the heating element.

Abstract: An electrically heated parting tool for removing windshields and other uses has a holder in the form of a long slender housing mounting a blade-like parting element at one end. The parting element is constructed of thin flat sheet metal and has a generally U-shape including a pair of thin flat leg portions disposed in coplanar relation and joined by a thin flat connecting portion defining a tip end. The free ends of the element leg portions are secured to a high temperature resistant ceramic-like support member recessed into one side of the holder. The parting element extends longitudinally from the holder and has a right angle bend between the holder and tip end whereby the tip end extends laterally of and toward the opposite side of the holder in spaced relation to the holder end. The holder includes a housing at the opposite end in which is located a step-down transformer connected to the leg portions of the parting element by leads extending through the holder.

Abstract: An apparatus for cutting arbitrary shapes in material, particularly in synthetic plastic foam material, comprises a bendable, shape-retaining, electrically conductive resistive wire. The wire may be successively formed into any desired form factor by selectively arranging either or both elements of a pair of independently movable electrically non-conductive wire-positioning elements which are respectively connected to end portions of the wire. The wire cuts the desired shape by the heat produced by connecting the wire to an electrical current source which heats the wire to a sufficiently high temperature. Securing portions are respectively provided on the movable wire-positioning elements so that the latter may be fixedly positioned and form an interlocked assembly, whereby the wire may be positioned into a narrow loop and thereby cut circular patterns into a series of workpieces.

Abstract: A miniature thermal wire stripper having a pair of heater elements in the form of hollow tubes each with a heater coil disposed therein and affixed to a pair of spring loaded handles for contacting and subsequently melting through thermal (e.g. thermoplastic) insulation about a wire from which insulation is to be stripped. A pair of wire stripping clamping members in the form of blades respectively attached to the hollow tubes have semi-circular recesses in the clamping edge thereof. In one embodiment, the circuit for the heater elements is completed through the blades so that the blades are heated only when held together in contact with each other or with the wire being stripped. In another embodiment the implement resembles a pair of tweezers having particularly shaped blades at the operative end which are configured to serve the purpose of the particular function for which the implement is designed.

Abstract: A variable temperature portable cautery includes a housing configured to retain a voltage source, such as a plurality of batteries, and an electrically heated cautery tip carried by the front end of the housing in operative relation with each other. A manually operable switch is provided on the housing to allow selective energization of the cautery tip from the voltage source. A rotatably adjustable variable resistor is mounted on the rear end of the housing and is connected in circuit between the voltage source and heated tip to allow the temperature of the tip to be selectively varied. The movable contact of the switch and the wiper contact of the variable resistor are provided by the respective ends of a common conductor member extending longitudinally in the housing.

Abstract: A combination waxing device and edge sharpener for skis having a combined file guide and waxing surface; the file being adjustably securable to a lateral side substantially perpendicular to the guide surface. A wax container is provided on the opposite side of the device from the guide and waxing surface and channels are provided through which the melted wax is delivered to the waxing surface to be applied to the skis. Two means of heating the device are provided to melt the wax placed in the container; one is an alcohol burner of predetermined proportions which heats the device through at least one flue extending through the device adjacent the wax container, and the second means of heating is an electric heating rod which may be placed within the flue so as to provide continuous heat to the device for extended use.

Abstract: A hand-held mechanized electrically heated windshield cleaner for removing snow, ice and other material from a motor vehicle windshield includes a hollow pistol-like housing having a gripping portion and a barrel portion extending at right angles thereto. A bearing member at the front of the barrel portion slidably supports an outwardly extending driving shaft. A scraper blade of resilient rubber-like material is secured to the outer end of the shaft. An electric motor in the gripping portion reciprocatingly drives the shaft through an arrangement including a disk rotated by the motor and eccentrically connected to the shaft by means of a connecting rod. An electric heating coil is provided in the blade adjacent the edge thereof. The heating coil and motor are energized by an electric cable adapted to be plugged into the vehicle cigarette lighter socket.

Abstract: Thin material such as hair or paper is severed by a singeing process using the heated and opposed edges of two thin strips of metal with the edges closely spaced apart to form a slot and with the edges heated by high frequency electrical current or currents flowing along such strips and exhibiting therewith and therebetween skin and proximity effects, and by moving such strips relative to such material so that the material to be singed or severed enters such slot and is therein singed to effect severance by such singeing.

Abstract: A surgical cutting instrument includes an electrically heated cutting edge and a power supply system for maintaining the cutting edge at a constant high temperature for sterilizing the blade, cutting tissue, and cauterizing the incised tissue to reduce hemorrhage from the cut surfaces of the tissues (hemostasis). .Iadd.