Abstract: A blood sampling mechanism including a housing in which is inserted a magazine containing a plurality of test pads from which individual test pads are sequentially fed to a loading/testing station, each novel test pad being relatively thin and carrying a resilient dermis-piercing member having a pointed end directed toward a slit of a wicking membrane contiguous an exterior test strip, a transfer mechanism for transferring each test pad from the loading/testing station to a blood sampling station, a hammer at the blood sampling station for deflecting the dermis-piercing member with sufficient force to drive the pointed end through the slit and into the dermis causing blood to be wicked through the wicking membrane and into the test strip, the transfer mechanism subsequently transferring the test pad back to the loading/testing station, and optical or equivalent test systems at the loading/testing station for determining constituents of the blood sample.

Abstract: Method of and apparatus for use in drying materials in a dryer through which the material is conveyed and there subjected to heat which decreases from a maximum adjacent the infeed end of the dryer to a minimum adjacent the outfeed end thereof. A controlled small volume of air is forced towards the infeed end of the dryer from the outfeed end thereof and is repeatedly brought in contact with the conveyed material substantially without added air and with the percentage of moisture carried thereby increasing until, adjacent the infeed end, a high level of sensible heat is available to effect the heating of the material and the removal of its moisture which is carried through a heat exchanger in the exhaust. The heat is recovered from the moisture laden exhaust by the heat exchanger in a manner enabling the temperature of the air when exhausted, to be at a wanted level and the recovered heat used to increase drying efficiency.

Abstract: A conventional single spindle automatic screw machine, which includes a number of conventional operating machine mechanisms to perform the machine functions, is retrofitted with air cylinder/air solenoid combinations actuatable by electrical signals to control the operational sequence of the machine mechanisms, replacing the existing mechanical system of trip drums and trip dogs which perform that function. Also, the driving means which control the movement of the turret and the cross slides, and hence, the machine tool, relative to the work piece, is disconnected from the machine motor and made independently controllable by the addition of servo or stepping motors which are actuatable by external electrical signals. The electrical signals for control of the added motors and the air cylinder/air solenoid combinations are provided by a numerical control apparatus.