The invention relates to a pressure vessel comprising a two-piece shell with a flexible sealing separator dividing the internal volume of the shell into two chambers. Each shell portion is provided with a substantially cylindrical mating portion of increased internal diameter extending around its mating edge, with the mating edges of the two shells being united with one another and wherein the peripheral edge of the flexible sealing separator is trapped between two mating edges and between an in...

A closed heating system for heating vessel comprising a water reservoir located underneath the bottom of the vessel, a narrow conduit extending upwardly along the sides of the vessel to create a capillary action on the rising steam and prevent air-steam mixing in the conduit, a steam-air separation chamber connected to the top of the conduit for trapping air in the system and condensing the steam, and a condensate return conduit for returning condensed steam to the reservoir.

A fluid swivel permitting a large number of revolutions, such as 20, and permitting a large number of fluid, power, and signal paths. The swivel is leak proof and capable of resisting large internal pressures in the conveyed fluid such as 70 MPa. The pipes of the swivel are spooled between two cones in such a manner that the pipe on one cone is spooled from the top down and on the other cone from the bottom up. This method of spooling ensures a constant distance between the unwinding point on on...

A prosthesis for large blood vessels includes a main conduit. At least one tract of the main conduit is subdivided into a plurality of smaller conduits located parallel to one another.

An anastomosis device is a one piece device for connecting a graft vessel to a target vessel without the use of conventional sutures. The anastomosis device includes an expandable tube configured to have a graft vessel secured to the tube. The device has an expandable linkage positioned at one end of the device and expansion of this linkage causes a first radially extending flange to fold outward. This first flange abuts an interior wall of a target vessel and a second flange is formed which abu...

Ocean-going vessels having a load carrying module supported from a pair of spaced apart hulls by legs. The legs may be articulated in two places to provide control of the spacing of the two hulls and to control the elevation of the module off the water. Dynamic control of the articulation may control the response of the vessel, such as to sea conditions. The legs may include aerodynamic surfaces, fixed or controllable, that may be used to aide buoyancy and/or enhance stability, such as by assuri...

Described is an insulation module (1) for a vessel (2) used in a chemical plant. The module may take the form of a panel having an outer surface layer (3) and an insulation layer (5) secured to the outer surface layer (3). Mounting means (10) extends from the panel (1) and enables mounting of the insulation module (1) on an outer wall (2) of the vessel. An air gap (15) is provided between the insulation layer (3) and the outer vessel wall (2) when the insulation module is mounted (1) on the vess...

A device (10) for location at an opening to a receptacle comprises a projection in the form of a hingedly movable cutter (32) which is located on a sleeve (38) which is adapted for location at the opening of the receptacle. The device (10) also comprises a lid (12) for location at the opening including a sealed compartment (20) in the lid (12) that is positionable at the opening and a longitudinal rib (24) located inside the lid (12). In use when the lid (12) and its compartment (20) are positio...

A stent for supporting part of a blood vessel includes a supporting portion around which or within which part of an intact blood vessel, other than a graft, can be placed so that the stent internally or externally supports that part of the blood vessel. The supporting portion of the stent is of a shape and/or orientation whereby flow within the vessel is caused to follow a non-planar curve. By maintaining a non-planar curvature in the vessel itself, favorable blood flow velocity patterns can be ...

A catamaran-type sailboat with a steering mechanism preferably located at the level of the catamaran deck. This steering mechanism may include a rotatable or generally linearly moveable pad or element. The pad is usually actuated by foot, leaving the users hands free to operate a sail, but it can also be actuated by hand. The movement of the pad is generally simultaneously transferred to rudders at the rear of each catamaran hull by a push-pull cable unit, thereby steering the sailboat. An elast...