A plug for use in minimally invasive surgery which includes recesses for facilitating suturing of a trocar insertion site. The plug may be inserted in an axial bore of a separate gripper housing, and fixed in place by the gripping structure of the housing or a first end of the plug may be inserted directly into the trocar insertion site after a trocar is removed. The plug is provided with a pair of opposed, longitudinally extending recesses formed in the outer surface thereof. Each recess extend...

The novel gasification reactor comprises a vertically oriented chamber with an upper pyrolysis section, a lower feed opening, and a primary combustion section. A lateral passage on each side and near the top of said primary combustion section each communicates with a separate secondary reaction chamber where a partially reacted feed is further reacted to form the product gas. In each passageway is a venturi nozzle or preferably a plurality of nozzles which accelerates the gas carrying entrained ...

A concrete dock section has a polyfoam billet coating having sides and bottom coated with a fiberglass-cement mixture, and a top surface having a plurality of transverse channels. A concrete dock surface is poured over the channels which have a steel through rod centered in each. The top surface of the billet extends slightly over the billet sides and the concrete deck edges extend downward to engage the extended top surface. The deck section is made by coating the billet in an inverted position...

A set of profiled sanding pads for doing bodywork on vehicles and the like where specific areas require sanding attachments that conform to the unique contours encountered. The set of profiled sanding pads includes a plurality of elongate members, each having a distinctive configuration with a padded sanding side, and a side mountable to an existing sander.

There is provided an improved heating apparatus of the multiple condensing-vapor substantially air-free type used for uniformly heating moving threadlines of yarn up to 350.degree. C. and which includes a pressurized boiler containing a vaporizable liquid, means for heating the liquid in the boiler to generate hot vapor, means for distributing the hot vapor to the inside of multiple plates where the vapor condenses and thereby heats threadlines of yarn separately moved in frictional contact witn...

A cold forging apparatus for forming complex shapes at a single station includes a pair of confronting multiple function punch assemblies disposed on a common axis. Each of the multiple function punch assemblies includes an inner or a center punch and an outer or ring-shaped punch surrounding and in sliding contact with the inner punch. The apparatus also includes a die holder for positioning a mass or slug of metal between the punches. A computer system controls movement of the punches and is p...

A vehicle tailgate of the type which is hinged along a bottom edge for pivotal movement about a horizontal axis. Specifically, the invention concerns a torque rod type counterbalancing spring for the tailgate which exerts both an outward opening bias on the tailgate and a lifting or closing force on the tailgate opposing opening movement so as to counterbalance gravitational forces thereon. The torque rod is mounted and connected so that the rod is continuously stressed in a torsional manner in ...

A vehicle spare tire carrier and stowage assembly for supporting a tire beneath the floor and to the rear of the axle. The tire is supported in a generally box-like structure having a bottom, side walls, a front end wall but with an open top and rear ends. The support structure is hinge-mounted at the top edge of the forward end wall for selective lowering of the rear portion by a handled actuator which is attached at a rearward portion of the tire support and projects through an opening in the ...

A mat structure and method of matting is disclosed, wherein a front mat is formed having a first opening. A second mat is formed having an opening smaller than the first opening in the front mat. A well mat is formed having an opening corresponding to the outer dimensions of the second mat and corresponding to the dimensions of a picture to be matted. A backing member is also provided. In a first configuration, the well mat is secured to the backing member. In a second configuration, the well ma...

A vacuum gripper for suctioning work pieces, having a vacuum connection, a flexible suction body and a suction body holder, where the side of the suction body facing the work piece has a sealing lip bounding a vacuum chamber, and the vacuum chamber is connected to the vacuum connection. The suction body has a contact surface abutting the work pieces with prevailing vacuum in the vacuum chamber. The contact surface is provided with elements, where the elements are have a rod or pin-shaped configu...