Engineering topics
Publications and source records attributed to Bright, C. W..
Flexible connector gives skin freedom needed to self-adjust to promote healing of flesh and to relieve skin stresses while maintaining skin seal surrounding implanted percutaneous sleeve used with bonefixation prosthetic connector.
A coupling for use in an apparatus for connecting a prosthesis to the bone of a stump of an amputated limb is described which permits a bio-compatible carbon sleeve forming a part of the prosthesis connector to float so as to prevent disturbing the skin seal around the carbon sleeve. The coupling includes a flexible member interposed between a socket that is inserted within an intermedullary cavity of the bone and the sleeve. A lock pin is carried by the prosthesis and has a stem portion which is adapted to be coaxially disposed and slideably within the tubular female socket for securing the prosthesis to the stump. The skin around the percutaneous carbon sleeve is able to move as a result of the flexing coupling so as to reduce stresses caused by changes in the stump shape and/or movement between the bone and the flesh portion of the stump.
Tris (2,30-dibromopropyl) phosphate was used to confer flame retardant properties on butyl rubber formulations used in protective clothing such as the self-contained atmospheric protective ensembles (SCAPE suits) worn at Kennedy Space Center in support of Apollo, Skylab, and Apollo-Soyuz missions since 1966. Because tris (2,3-dibromopropyl) phosphate is mutagenic, surface concentrations of the compound in SCAPE suits were investigated as were as potential methods of removing or isolating it. Analytical procedures for determining surface concentrations of the tris compound on non-porous materials are described. Soap-and-water washing is the most efficient method of removing the compound from fabricated SCAPE suits and unused material.
Polychloroprene rubber composition, using commercially available components, exhibits superior extrusion and durability and is highly flame and corrosion resistant. Material experiences major applications in fields of aeronautics and safety.
In the search for superior materials from which to make gaskets for pneumatic and hydraulic systems, promising materials were selected and tested. The testing was conducted in two phases. Those materials that passed the tests of Phase 1 were tested in Phase 2, and categorized in the order of preference.