Abstract: A surgical instrument includes a body, an ultrasonic blade, a clamp arm, and a resilient member. The body includes an electrical conductor and defines a longitudinal axis. The clamp arm is pivotably coupled with the body at a pivot assembly. The clamp arm is operable to compress tissue against the ultrasonic blade. The clamp arm includes an electrode operable to apply RF energy to tissue, wherein the clamp arm is configured to be loaded onto and removed from the body at the pivot assembly along a path that is transverse to the longitudinal axis defined by the body. The resilient member is located within the pivot assembly. The resilient member is configured to provide electrical continuity between the electrode of the clamp arm and the electrical conductor of the body.

Abstract: The extruder head assembly comprises of a drive shaft connected to a troweling cylinder. A plurality of rollers are spaced around the drive shaft and above the troweling cylinder and intermittently contact an inside surface as the troweling cylinder is rotated and pulled upward. The rollers are either elliptically shaped or round positioned on an eccentric axis for intermittent contact against an inside surface of the concrete pipe. The rollers compact the concrete mixture to form the outer surface and the troweling cylinder follows the compaction by smoothing the surface. The troweling cylinder comprises a plurality of removable sections. Each section is composed of a plurality of removable and replaceable tile segments. When a tile segment breaks, the section containing the broken tile segment can be removed so that the broken tile segment can be replaced.

Abstract: A sushi making apparatus has a board member including a flat top surface, a pair of parallel elongated side walls, and an elongated cradle formed upon a first end portion perpendicular to the side walls. An elongated mat roller adapted to be placed within the cradle and having a length greater than the distance between the side walls. A mat member adapted to be placed upon the top surface of the board member in between the parallel side walls, one end of the mat member being removably attached to the mat roller along a length of the roller that is adapted to fit in between the parallel side walls, and an opposite end being removably attached to a second end portion of the board member that is opposite the first end portion and that is perpendicular to and in between the side walls.

Abstract: Composite material and plunger-cast pipe manufacturing method and system wherein the composite material includes waste, chemically unmodified PET material, one or more waste filler materials (e.g. rock crusher fines, lime sludge or waste coal combustion by-products), and fiber reinforcement (e.g. glass, metal, ceramic, carbon, organic, and polymer fibers) and wherein the PET material is melted and mixed in a container to disperse filler material and fiber reinforcement in the PET material. The resulting mixture can be formed into a tubular pipe shape using the plunger-cast manufacturing method and system wherein a plunger piston and inner collapsible mold are pushed into the melted composite material contained in an outer mold. When cooled and solidified in the mold, a composite material having a matrix comprising PET with filler material and fiber reinforcement distributed in the matrix is formed in the shape of a tubular body.

Abstract: A sushi making apparatus has a board, a sushi receptacles, a mat, a plurality of frames. The board has a three sided perimeter which has sharp edges; the fourth side of the perimeter is made with one of the frames.

Abstract: A molding apparatus is configured by a first, a second sliding die, a first, a second fixed die, and a sliding film forming chamber. The first, the second sliding dies are moved in directions reverse to each other to take a primary molding position, a film forming position and a secondary molding position. The sliding film forming chamber includes a first, a second masking plate and are arranged to be remote from the first, the second fixed dies. Further, the sliding film forming chamber is slid in an up and down direction. The first, the second sliding dies are respectively formed with recess portions and cores, the first, the second fixed dies are respectively formed with cores and recess portions.

Abstract: A molding method involves a first and a second sliding die, a first and a second fixed die, and a sliding film forming chamber. The first, the second sliding dies are moved in directions reverse to each other to take a primary molding position, a film forming position and a secondary molding position. The sliding film forming chamber includes a first, a second masking plate and are arranged to be remote from the first, the second fixed dies. Further, the sliding film forming chamber is slid in an up and down direction. The first, the second sliding dies are respectively formed with recess portions and cores, the first, the second fixed dies are respectively formed with cores and recess portions.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for fabricating a reinforced concrete cylinder, and more specifically to a method for centering a reinforcing frame within a form used during the placement of a concrete slurry. One embodiment of the present invention includes a plurality of centering arms that are adapted for selective engagement with the reinforcing frame, thus maintaining it in the predetermined radial location during the fabrication process.

Abstract: A device, for forming a vessel body, which has an open top negative mold, a ring-like lid member for the negative mold with an inside diameter which is smaller than an open top diameter of the mold, a cylindrical rotary trowel which is mechanically fixed to move against an inner surface of the mold within a predetermined range and is at least longer in length than a height of an inner wall surface of the vessel body to be formed, and a trowel drive for rotating the rotary trowel.

Abstract: A concrete pipe making machine having a packerhead consisting of a rollerhead and a longbottom in which the rollerhead and longbottom are quickly assembleable and disassembleable as a unit from the packerhead drive means with one connector and brought into final adjustment off the machine, said drive means providing no obstruction to the flow of wet concrete toward the compaction area, the speed ratios between the rollerhead and longbottom being infinitely variable, and easily replaceable protective wear rings for precluding erosive deformation of the permanent parts of the machine due to undesired penetration of wet concrete into the longbottom.

Abstract: A spiral conveyor for a concrete extrusion machine has a first spiral conveyor section with a first external diameter. There is a second spiral conveyor section having a second external diameter which is greater than the first diameter. The second section is spaced apart from the second section. A third spiral conveyor section is between the first section and the second section. The first end of the third section is connected to the first section and the second end is adjacent to the second section. The second spiral conveyor section may be mounted on a hollow shaft of the third section. The second section has two longitudinally divided components, each having a recess therein. Connectors interconnect the two components and a locking device is between the hollow shaft and the second section.

Abstract: A new and improved rollerhead for packerhead assemblies employed in concrete pipe making machines utilizing the packerhead method of pipe formation wherein the rollerhead includes a roller shaft having an upper end and a lower end, a hollow cylindrical roller body rotatably disposed around the roller shaft, a first bearing coaxially mounted about the upper end of the roller shaft and contacting an inside surface of the roller body, a second bearing coaxially mounted about the lower end of the roller shaft and contacting an inside surface of the roller body. The improvement comprises a roller body including a radially inwardly directed flange, an annular body mounted coaxially about the roller shaft, and an annular seal coaxially disposed about the annular body.

Abstract: The invention concerns a procedure for the production of tubes from concrete mix, whereby the concrete mix is filled into a shaping device, for the purpose of shaping, where it is condensed with a tool. The invention should enable an effective and fast production of concrete tubes with high quality regarding the uniformity of the material characteristics. In such a procedure the concrete mix is condensed in an interspace between two parts of a tool that rotate relative to each other.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for producing tubular molded products from molding material includes a mold casing and a mold core having a common longitudinal central axis which is vertically disposed. The mold casing and mold core are spaced from one another to define a molding space therebetween. A supply device supplies molding material from above the molding space into the molding space. Treatment apparatus is disposed at treatment zones on the mold core for treating the molding material in the molding space, the treatment including treating the molding material by shaking the molding material or treating the molding material by heating the molding material, or both.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for making concrete pipe with a packerhead concrete pipe making machine having a lift operable to selectively raise and lower the packerhead during the forming of a concrete pipe in a mold while a conveyor delivers a constant supply of concrete to the mold. The operating speed of the conveyor only increases or decreases when the motor load signal which is proportional to the load on the motor that turns the packerhead falls below or goes above lower and upper motor load reference limits. The lift speed of the packerhead varies with the vertical positions of the packerhead relative to the mold.

Abstract: A concrete pipe manufacturing machine movable in a mold for receiving a concrete mixture to form a tubular concrete wall includes a troweling cylinder assembly having a head plate. A vertically movable and rotatable drive shaft is fixed to the head plate for moving the troweling cylinder assembly in a vertical direction and in one rotational direction. A series of roller assemblies are rotatably mounted on the head plate and are adapted to be rotated by frictional contact with the concrete mixture in a direction counter to the one rotational direction of the drive shaft. A drive arrangement interconnects and collectively drives the roller assemblies together for preventing jamming of the roller assemblies due to material in the concrete mixture.

Abstract: A method and a slide casting apparatus for casting concrete products. Concrete is fed into a mold through a feeding hopper (9) fitted above the mould. The feeding hopper (9) is moved so that the vertical component of the path of motion of the hopper's bottom part is equal to or exceeds the vertical component of the path of motion of the top part, which >0 or =0.

Abstract: A production system for automatically casting hollow bodies, in particular of concrete, in a casting mold, which comprises an inner mold (2), an outer mold (1), a bottom ring (3), and a top ring (4). Separate top rings (4) are used for the production, which remain on the top end of the pipe until the concrete has set sufficiently, to ensure that the shape and tolerances of the top end of the pipe are retained after casting. The system moreover includes a clamping chuck (15) for retaining the top ring during casting. The clamping chuck is equipped with a clamping device that includes a ring-shaped flexible hose and a slotted spring ring. When the hose is filled with compressed air from a compressed air source, it clamps the spring ring together around a gripping ring on the top ring.

Abstract: A compaction head of a production machine for reinforced concrete pipes has a smoothing cylinder, non-rotatably mounted on its drive shaft, for smoothing the inside of the concrete mixture that has been filled into a vertical mold. On a covering wall of the smoothing cylinder, the rolls, for the radial compaction of a concrete mixture, are mounted axis-parallel and orbiting on a circular path around and driven by the drive shaft at a specified orbiting speed about the axis of the drive shaft and about their own axis, such that the direction of rotation of each of the rolls about its own axis is opposite to that of the covering wall also driven by the drive shaft.

Abstract: A pipe paver finishing machine is disclosed for applying and finishing concrete lining onto the interior surface of a lower segment portion of a drainage pipe. The machine includes a chassis member adapted for movement longitudinally along the interior of the drainage pipe and a surfacing unit suspended from the chassis member and adapted for a pendulum-type pivotal movement substantially about the center point of drainage pipe to apply and to finish a concrete liner onto the bottom interior surface of the drainage pipe.

Abstract: A dialysis catheter clamp and method according to the invention provide first and second arms pivotally connected. Each arm has a terminal end with a concave clamping surface. The arms pivot about the pivot connection between an open position in which the concave clamping surfaces are space apart and a closed position in which the concave clamping surfaces abut one another and define a closed cylindrical passage between the concave clamping surfaces.

Abstract: A counter-rotating compaction head for manufacturing a concrete pipe is vertically positioned in a vertical mold within the longitudinal axis of the mold so as to be rotatable about and axially slidable along the longitudinal axis of the mold. The counter-rotating compaction head has a distributing head with distributing devices for distributing concrete and a cylindrical mantle. A first drive shaft rotates the distributing head. A smoothing piston with a smoothing mantle is rotatably driven by a second drive shaft counter to the distributing head. At least one vibrator for compacting and smoothing an inner wall surface of the concrete pipe to be manufactured is operatively connected to at least one of the cylindrical mantle of the distributing head and the smoothing mantle of the first smoothing piston so as to vibrate the respective mantle.

Abstract: A machine serves to cast pipes of concrete or a similar material substantially vertically. The machine includes an inner mould part (2) and an outer mould part (12). These mould parts are displaced axially with respect to each other during the casting process. A vibrator is preferably provided upwardly in the inner mould part (2), and an axially journalled distributor wheel (1) is rotatably mounted on the top of the mould part (2) the distributor wheel (1) having a plurality of blades (4) for distributing the material in the ring gap between the two mould parts (2, 12). The distributor wheel (1) and its mount are constructed so stiffly that the vibrations generated by the vibrator are transmitted to the material through the blades of the wheel. This ensures, when a firm profile ring is used for the casting of the spigot end, that area of difficult access below said ring is filled completely with concrete, and that the concrete obtains the prescribed quality.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing concrete panels by continuously pressing and an apparatus for carrying out the method. The concrete panels are successively manufactured by continuously feeding pallets onto a conveyor, feeding a concrete material onto the pallets, continuously pressure frames against the concrete material from the upper side and both lateral sides of the concrete material while imparting vibrations to the pressure frames, forming hollows in the concrete material by thrusting a rotary screw-type core rod therethrough to provide a panel shape hollow molding, and cutting the molded concrete material into a length corresponding to the length of each pallet. In the manufacture process, an organic or inorganic fiber material may be incorporated into the concrete material for the purpose of reinforcement of the finished products.

Abstract: An improved combination counter rotating packerhead and vibrator assembly is provided. A counter rotating packerhead including counter rotating roller assemblies, longbottom assemblies or a combination thereof is disposed directly over an annular pneumatic vibrator. The coaxial drive shaft for the counter rotating packerhead passes through the vibrator thereby permitting the power transmission means to be located below, and isolated from, the vibrator. The vibrator is disposed below, but adjacent to, the counter rotating packerhead for faster pipe production.

Abstract: A concrete pipe making machine having a pair of combined roller head and vibrating core assemblies are used with two molds to prepack and vibrate concrete within the molds to simultaneously produce two concrete pipes. A controller is programmed in response to packing forces of the packerheads to control conveyors that discharge concrete into the molds and the lift speed of the packerhead and core assemblies to produce concrete pipes having uniform density throughout the length of the concrete pipes.

Abstract: A concrete pipe making machine having a pair of combined roller head and vibrating core assemblies used with two molds to prepack and vibrate concrete within the molds to simultaneously produce two concrete pipes. A controller is programmed in response to packing forces of the packerheads to control conveyors that discharge concrete into the molds and the lift speed of the packerhead and core assemblies to produce concrete pipes having uniform density throughout the length of the concrete pipes.

Abstract: A concrete pipe making machine having a pair of combined roller head and vibrating core assemblies are used with two molds to prepack and vibrate concrete within the molds to simultaneously produce two concrete pipes. A controller is programmed in response to packing forces of the packerheads to control conveyors that discharge concrete into the molds and the lift speed of the packerhead and core assemblies to produce concrete pipes having uniform density throughout the length of the concrete pipes.

Abstract: A reblow former for use in the manufacture of moulded construction products from dry particulate materials is proposed which includes an elongate body part (11) and an inflatable elastomeric sleeve (14) disposed about the body part, the body part having ribs (12) thereon to provide an indented transverse profile and the sleeve (14) having a transverse perimeter length which corresponds to that of the body part (11) and lying in intimate surface contact with the body part (11) in the non-inflated condition thereof. The transvere perimeter length of the sleeve (14) in the unstretched state thereof approximates to the transverse perimeter length of a core void (15) into which the reblow former is inserted such that, on inflation, the sleeve (14) is brought into contact with the core void surface of the core with not material stretching of the material of the sleeve.

Abstract: An apparatus for packing a permanent magnet powder wherein a solenoid coil is provided near the opening of a cylindrical molding space of a mold in such a manner that the direction of the central axis of the solenoid coil substantially coincides with the central axis of the molding space, and an alternating current magnetic field is applied, so that a permanent magnet powder above the opening is packed into the molding space. A magnetic pole may be provided in the center of the solenoid coil. The method of the present invention can be applied to not only a powder for a sintered magnet and cast magnet, but also a powder for a bonded magnet.

Abstract: An extrusion machine for making hollow elongated articles of concrete has an eccentric compaction disc that reciprocates and rotates to compact and release air from zero slump concrete. The machine avoids having to have a high frequency converter which is both expensive and noisy. At least one extruder screw is provided in the machine to feed concrete and form the elongated article. The screw has a die former at the outlet end to form a cavity in the elongated article. An eccentric compaction disc is positioned between the outlet end of the extruder screw and an input end of the die former, the input end of the die former is eccentric and coplanar with an eccentric disc face mounted for movement in a circular orbital path about the extruder screw axis. The output end of the die former is concentric with the extruder screw axis.

Abstract: A packerhead assembly for use in making concrete pipes. The packerhead assembly includes a rollerplate with rollers mounted thereto, and a long segmented longbottom assembly comprised of two substantially identical troweling members, one of which is inverted with respect to the other. The two troweling members combine to form an elongated troweling surface which allows the use of concrete mixes having high fluidity. The longbottom assembly also utilizes removable wear bands which limit the ingress of concrete material to the interior of the longbottom assembly. The wear bands are of particular value when utilizing highly fluid concrete mixes.

Abstract: A concrete pipe is produced by introducing a wet concrete mass into a pipe form to produce a cylindrical mass having an inner wall, compacting the cylindrical concrete mass by applying pressing rollers to the inner wall, smoothing the inner wall of the compacted cylindrical concrete mass, and applying a liquid impregnation medium to the inner wall under pressure after the concrete mass has been compacted, the inner wall has been partially smoothed and the concrete mass is still damp. The pressure is sufficient to cause the impregnation medium to permeate the damp concrete mass to a depth of at least 10 mm.

Abstract: A device for manufacturing concrete parts, particularly concrete pipes, and based on the principle of sinking mold whereby a molding bottom ring together with a jacket are continuously lowered relative to a stationary mold core while concrete mixture is poured from above and distributed into the emerging molding space by a radial pressing device mounted on the top end of the mold core. Simultaneously with the lowering of the mold jacket and the molding bottom ring a supply device for delivering the concrete material is also lowered such as to keep a constant distance from the open top end of the mold jacekt. The radial pressing device is designed to compact the incoming concrete material in radial direction without imparting any torque thereto. In this manner any stress in the finished part, particularly between the concrete and reinforcing wire mesh is effectively avoided.

Abstract: A method for casting of one concrete product or of several concrete products placed side by side at the same time by means of one casting machine as sliding casting out of high-consistency concrete mix. The concrete mix is fed by means of one feed member (2) or by means of several feed members placed side by side into one or several separate cross sections of a concrete product to be cast. The compacting of the concrete product or products to be cast is monitored by measuring the pressure of the concrete mix or the force arising from the pressure against a part (2; 9,7) of the casting machine in at least two points of the cross section and by separately regulating the operating values of at least two parallel feed member (2) or of the compacting movements of at least two parallel compacting members (3) on the basis of the measurement values obtained.

Abstract: A casting containing toxic waste is made by centrifugally casting toxic waste in a pre-formed cage having heat conducting means therein. The casting is formed with suitable shielding materials selected as a function of the waste being cast. The finished casting may contain passageways through which heat is removed. These passageways are oriented such that when two or more castings are stacked in abutment, the passageways of adjacent castings interconnect. Also disclosed is a method and apparatus for forming castings of polygonal exterior cross section having a contaminant barrier wall of substantially uniform thickness so that the waste storage volume of the castings is maximized and so that the castings may be stacked and stored in honeycomb fashion in a respository to minimize dead storage space.

Abstract: Auxiliary or stub augers are used in conjunction with a convention auger machine that is used to form reinforced hollow cored slabs. They can be used to ensure consolidation of concrete above the cores particularly and relatively in large diameter slabs or can be substituted for one or more of the conventional core forming augers if a core or bore is not required in the slab at that location. The stub auger consists of a first portion having a non tapering shaft and a non tapering flight thereon. The second or downstream portion has a gradually reducing diameter shaft with the flight which continues from the flight around the first portion, decreasing in diameter to substantially zero at the extreme downstream end of the shaft.

Abstract: A concrete pipe making machine having a combined vibrating core and counter rotating packerhead assembly is used with a mold to prepack and vibrate concrete within the mold to produce concrete pipe. A controller is programmed in response to packing force of the packerhead assembly to control the discharge of concrete into the mold and the lift speed of the core and packerhead assembly to produce concrete pipe having uniform density through out the length of the pipe.

Abstract: The invention concerns a slip-form casting machine for fabrication of elongated concrete products. The slip-form casting machine comprises a feed hooper (1), an auger (6) for exerting pressure onto a concrete mix to be cast, and a casting mold (10, 11). According to the invention, the casting mold (10, 11) is a tubular construction plugged at one end, and the auger (6) is connected to a casting machine body (18) which is substantially complementary with the cross section of the casting mold (10) and is movable with respect to the mold (10) in order to facilitate slip-form casting of a product (7) with an elongated shape in the axial direction of the casting mold. The slip-form casting machine in accordance with the invention produces smooth and high-quality surfaces in concrete products.

Abstract: The invention is concerned with an hydration means for wetting the exposed surface of a core void formed on the withdrawal of a core former from a construction panel comprising compacted gypsum or like particulate materials, and proposes the free suspension of a reciprocable spray head by a flexible small-bore tube through which a setting liquid is applied to the spray head from a cross-head with which the tube is connected in fluid flow relationship. If necessary, the spray head may be weighted, while an apertured guide plate through which the tube passes may be provided above the upper limit of movement of the spray head.

Abstract: A casting apparatus for casting a hollow slab out of concrete includes a feeder member having an axis extending between first and second ends thereof and a forming member supported on the apparatus adjacent the second end of the feeder member. A central longitudinal axis of the feeder member is moved at a first end thereof along a path of movement of a set shape and a point of the axis of the forming member is maintained in a stationary position relative to the axis of the feeder member.

Abstract: Disclosed is an improved packerhead or drycast concrete product forming apparatus and method for making a concrete product therewith. The apparatus typically includes a mold having a lower curing pallet, a platform for supporting said mold at the pallet, and a vibrator table having a vibrator ring for association with said curing pallet. The improved apparatus of the present invention preferably comprises a vibrator ring having selectively engageable (and disengageable) means to rigidly connect the vibrator ring to the curing pallet when said vibration means is activated. The preferred vibrator ring selectively engageable means comprises electromagnet means and the preferred product of the process comprises concrete pipe.

Abstract: Method and slide-casting machine for the casting of hollow precast units of concrete by means of slide-casting. Concrete mix is extruded onto a base by using one or several shaping members that form a cavity and the mix is compacted by moving the shaping members. The outer face of the shaping members is provided with a projection or projections, or a projection or projections are formed at the outer face of the shaping members from time to time. The locations of the projections are changed to the longitudinal axis of the shaping members. Thereby the shaping members produce forces compressing the mix in the surrounding mix, i.e. forces that compact the concrete. It is possible to use shaping members in which the shape of the mantle portion can be changed so that the distances of the different points at the outer face of the shaping member from the longitudinal axis of the shaping member vary.

Abstract: A packerhead concrete pipe making machine having a rotatable packerhead operable to form a concrete pipe in an upright cylindrical mold about a wire cage. The packerhead has a plurality of rollers rotatably mounted on a circular plate operable to pack concrete into a cylindrical shape in the mold. Each roller has an outer sleeve of elastic rubber material. A cylindrical wall secured to the plate supports an annular troweling member operable to finish the inside surface of the concrete pipe.

Abstract: Method and device for the casting of concrete products either by means of a periodic method or by means of a continuous slide casting method. Into the product, one or several cavities are formed by means of a cavity mandrel (4). The mix is compacted by rotating the cavity mandrel (4) back and forth around its longitudinal axis.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for making concrete pipe having substantially uniform density throughout the length of the pipe has a packerhead which is rotated and lifted within a mold, and a conveyor for feeding concrete into the mold. A combined conveyor speed and packerhead lift control operates in response to the amount of power used to rotate the packerhead to slow the speed of the conveyor to a desired speed and change the lift speed of the packerhead when the load on the motor for rotating the packerhead exceeds a selected upper load limit or falls below a selected lower load limit.

Abstract: Method for the casting of hollow slabs out of concrete by slide-casting. Concrete mix is extruded onto a base (18) preferably by means of a conical screw spiral (2). Thereinafter the mix is compacted by moving a cavity mandrel (3) fitted after the screw sprial. The end of the cavity mandrel (3) is moved along a path of movement of desired shape. The final end of the mandrel may be attached to the machine by means of a ball joint.

Abstract: A packerhead, a concrete pipe making machine having said packerhead, and a method of making concrete pipe are disclosed in which twist forces on the reinforcing wire cage of the pipe and concrete voids are eliminated by rotation of the longbottom and rollerhead portions of the packerhead in opposite directions. The peripheral speed of the system is also increased over conventional systems.

Abstract: An apparatus for manufacturing concrete pipes having a molding flask provided with a specially formed end ring on the bell end side. The apparatus further includes a device for detaching this end ring and another device disposed at the spigot end side and allotted for thrusting a hardened concrete pipe out of the molding flask.

Abstract: In order to form concrete pipe of uniform density in apparatus where a packer head packs concrete into a mold to form the pipe, the horsepower of the drive motor driving the packer is sensed and used to adjust the rate of concrete supply such as to insure a constant horsepower as the packer is moved from one end of the pipe mold to the other.