Abstract: A vacuum operated system for individually dispensing items of oral solid medicine from bulk storage to a user, where the medicine is dispensed under computer control, and the quantity and type of medicine is selected in advance by the user. The invention includes medicine dispensing equipment and a computer that provides a user interface. A plurality of storage containers arranged in a rotatable carousel or a rectilinear array may contain various pharmaceutical articles, or various types, dosages, ages, and lot numbers of medicines. The storage containers may be easily refilled by inserting modular refill cartridges into the storage containers. After a user enters certain data into the computer, the invention aligns a universal vacuum probe with the storage container that contains the desired items. The universal vacuum probe is lowered to the desired storage container and engaged with a container probe that is exclusive to that storage container.

Abstract: A vacuum operated system for individually dispensing items of oral solid medicine from bulk storage to a user, where the medicine is dispensed under computer control, and the quantity and type of medicine is selected in advance by the user. The invention includes medicine dispensing equipment and a computer that provides a user interface. A plurality of storage containers arranged in a rotatable carousel or a rectilinear array may contain various pharmaceutical articles, or various types, dosages, ages, and lot numbers of medicines. The storage containers may be easily refilled by inserting modular refill cartridges into the storage containers. After a user enters certain data into the computer, the invention aligns a universal vacuum probe with the storage container that contains the desired items. The universal vacuum probe is lowered to the desired storage container and engaged with a container probe that is exclusive to that storage container.

Abstract: A system is provided for optimizing the output power of an acoustic wavetrain emitted from a transducer rotatably mounted in a downhole borehole televiewer for scanning the sidewall of the borehole. The purpose is to prevent destructive interference between the caudal portion of the outgoing wave train and the returning echo signals from the borehole sidewall.

Abstract: A device for determining the stuck point of a drill pipe in a borehole consisting of two relatively movable sections, anchoring means for each section, a sensing means for detecting relative movement of the two sections and producing an inductance representative of the movement. The inductance is transformed into a frequency modulated signal which is transmitted to the surface and converted from a non-linear direct current voltage representation of relative movement to a linear direct current voltage.