A music stand is constructed from a tripodal base unit having three legs which are pivotally coupled to a base coupling. Slidably located within the base coupling is a telescopic column assembly consisting of a lower telescoping member, a middle telescoping member and an upper telescoping member. Each telescoping member has a keyway cut into the internal profile to prevent rotation and so increase stability. With each member there is associated a rotatable locking element by which one member may...

In a process of fabricating a stent composed primarily of niobium alloyed with a trace amount of zirconium, tantalum, or titanium for hardening, the stent is annealed under vacuum in a substantially oxygen-free environment. The vacuum is preferably maintained at pressure less than 10.sup.-4 millibars, oxygen-content less than about 80 parts per million, and the annealing temperature exceeds 400.degree. C. for at least one hour, and is preferably kept in a range from about 1100-1200.degree. C. fo...

A pressure seal is provided as an alternative to the normal gland or labyrinth seal between two relatively rotatable members 10, 11. In this seal an annular jet of seal fluid is directed from a first duct 15 defined in one of the members 10, 11 towards the other member so as to form a moving curtain of seal fluid therebetween, and means 19 is provided for forming an annular mass of seal fluid on the higher pressure side of the moving curtain whereby to prevent entrainment of fluid from the regio...

In a process of fabricating a stent composed primarily of niobium alloyed with a trace amount of zirconium, tantalum, or titanium for hardening, the stent is annealed under vacuum in a substantially oxygen-free environment. The vacuum is preferably maintained at pressure less than 10.sup.-4 millibars, oxygen-content less than about 80 parts per million, and the annealing temperature exceeds 400.degree. C. for at least one hour, and is preferably kept in a range from about 1100 1200.degree. C. fo...

A bracelet primarily for a watch incorporates at least one link which can be disconnected from a neighbouring link to allow a unit to be added to or removed from the bracelet to alter its length. The unit consists of a link and a pivot element which is pivotally attached by one end to one end of the link and the other end of which has a pair of pivot projections for attachment to another link, e.g. of a similar unit. The said one link has at one end a pair of sockets facing opposite sides of the...

A clip system is described for use in suspending lightweight articles from a T-bar or other support member forming part of a ceiling. The system employs a plurality of clips and associated elements. Clips of different lengths based on a standard-length module are described. Each clip is of relatively thin sheet form and is generally V-shaped in cross-section. Inwardly-directed flanges are provided at the upper ends of the sides of the clip and the clip is deformable to allow the flanges to be en...

Conventional golf balls are engineered according to aerodynamic specifications, basically to perform in flight. These balls are not suitable for the terrain of the grass. No consideration has been given to make conventional golf balls putting compatible. Conventional balls are aerodynamic and the improved golf ball for putting, presented in this invention, is a "Terradynamic Ball". This invention provides a ball engineered primarily for putting and is accomplished by giving the ball more inertia...

A system for measuring the points on a vehicle includes reference emitters fixed relative to the vehicle, electromagnetic radiation-emitting probes, a camera, and a computer. The camera senses the direction of the emitter from three different locations so the computer can triangulate to determine the position of the emitter. The position is then put onto a standard coordinate system and is compared to standard data for the type of vehicle to determine the extent of deviation of the measured poin...

The invention relates to a thermistor, primarily intended for temperature measurement. The thermistor comprises at least two thermistor plates (14-17) on a carrier (10), adjacent to each other and connected in series. The plates are separated from each other by a preferably elongated gap (18) and the upper surfaces of said plates are largely covered by upper electrode surfaces (24-26). The thermistor plates (14-17) are arranged within a limited area of the carrier (10) so that the maximum aggreg...

Apparatus is provided for thawing frozen pipes or for cleaning pipes, for use with a source of warm thawing water or cleaning water, a source of compressed air, and a flexible tube suitable for being inserted into the end of a pipe through guide means to feed the water into the pipe while the tube is being advanced into the pipe. The apparatus comprises a valved water conduit having an inlet for connection to the source of water and an outlet for connection to the flexible tube, this conduit hav...