Other

Melco Industries, Inc.

Robert G Lowry

Ronald C Rockwell

Deborah Silva

Disclosed is a base plate assembly for use in mounting a die-stone dental replica, the assembly including a base plate that has a configuration commensurate with at least one dental quadrant, and having a planar upper surface characterized by an array of transverse elongate rectangular sockets. A plurality of mounting blocks are assembled in side-by-side relationship along the plate planar surface, each block having a downward projection adapted to frictionally and releasably hold the block on the base plate, and extending from the tops of the blocks are anchoring tabs designed to be embedded in the wet positive mold of a dental impression and affixed therein when the mold material cures. In a preferred embodiment, the base plate has a modular configuration and is interconnectable with an identical modular unit to form a combined base plate having a configuration commensurate with full bilateral upper or lower dental quadrants.

Method and apparatus for fabricating dental models

A chenille type embroidery machine (10) has an apparatus for rotational steering and height adjustment of a needle (22). An actuator (24) locks or unlocks a locking clip (92) to allow the needle (22) to rotate with a needle height adjuster assembly (46) or to be moved vertically up or down. The needle assembly (46) comprises the needle (22), a needle bar 23, a bar clamp (70), a height adjuster locking block (84), an internal needle height adjuster (88), the locking clip (92) and springs (108a-d). When the actuator (24) is in its 'unactuated' condition, the height adjuster locking block (84) is locked to the internal needle height adjuster (88) by the locking clip (92) for rotation therewith. In the unactuated condition, the needle (22) is rotationally steered with the assembly (46). In the 'actuated' condition, the actuator (24) extends a shaft (126) to move the locking clip ( 92) and disengage the locking block (84) from the internal adjuster (88). In the actuated condition, the internal adjuster (88) is free to turn while the locking block (84) remains stationary and the needle (22) moves vertically up or down.

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Highlands Ranch, CO, United States of America

Robert G Lowry