Abstract: A tire pressure indicating apparatus has a plurality of interconnected concentric cylindrical parts including, a base, a flexible diaphragm providing an annular U-shaped wall, a valve body, an indicator sleeve, a cover and a spring, the spring compressively engaged between the cover and the indicator sleeve, such that a pressure differential across the diaphragm acts in opposition to the spring to move the indicator sleeve axially so as to display a colored surface of the sleeve through a window in the cover, or an alternate color uncovered by sleeve movement.

Abstract: An apparatus for cutting an indefinite length suture strand to uniform lengths for subsequent threading and swaging to a surgical needle includes a drawing tower having at least one guide member defining a drawing axis parallel thereto. First and second gripping devices are provided to grip the indefinite length suture strand and draw it along the drawing axis; each gripping device mounted for reciprocal movement on at least one guide member. A retractable cutter for cutting the indefinite length suture strand is also provided for cutting the strand at a start position along the drawing axis. The indefinite length suture strand is fed to the drawing axis and drawn a predetermined distance beyond the location of the retractable cutter for positioning within a suture receiving opening formed in the surgical needle, while the second gripping device reciprocates to a start position along the drawing axis.

Abstract: An apparatus for cutting an indefinite length suture strand to uniform lengths for subsequent threading and swaging to a surgical needle includes a drawing tower having at least one guide member defining a drawing axis parallel thereto. First and second gripping devices are provided to grip the indefinite length suture strand and draw it along the drawing axis; each gripping device mounted for reciprocal movement on at least one guide member. A retractable cutter for cutting the indefinite length suture strand is also provided for cutting the strand at a start position along the drawing axis. The indefinite length suture strand is fed to the drawing axis and drawn a predetermined distance beyond the location of the retractable cutter for positioning within a suture receiving opening formed in the surgical needle, while the second gripping device reciprocates to a start position along the drawing axis.

Abstract: An automated machine for attaching a suture to a surgical needle having a suture receiving opening formed therein, and for packaging the same in a package tray comprises a first workstation including a device for sorting a plurality of needles and orienting each needle for automatic feeding to a second swaging workstation, a second workstation including a device for automatically cutting an indefinite length of suture material to a definite length and a device for automatically swaging the needle to close the suture receiving opening about a free end of the suture to secure the suture thereto and form a needle-suture assembly, a needle packaging station including a device for sequentially receiving at least one of the needle-suture assemblies in a package tray in synchronism with the second workstation, the needle packaging station having a device for automatically winding the depending suture portion of the needle-suture assembly into the package tray, a first indexing device for sequentially receiving indiv

Abstract: A swaging station incorporates a drawing tower that automatically draws, cuts, and inserts an indefinite length strand of suture material within the suture receiving end of a surgical needle for swaging thereof. The suture receiving end of the surgical needle is positioned within a swaging assembly located at the top of the drawing tower that comprises a first fixed swage die and a second movable swage die forming a swage die opening for positively gripping the suture receiving end of the needle positioned therein. A first suture alignment die and a second suture alignment die are precisely registered below and adjacent the respective first and second swage dies to form a lower funnel guide that is axial with the swage die opening for positioning the tip of the suture strand therein. The lower funnel guide has an exit diameter that is larger than the diameter of the suture tip and smaller than the diameter of the suture receiving end of the needle for easy placement of the suture tip therein.

Abstract: A swaging station incorporates a drawing tower that automatically draws, cuts, and inserts an indefinite length strand of suture material within the suture receiving end of a surgical needle for swaging thereof. The suture receiving end of the surgical needle is positioned within a swaging assembly located at the top of the drawing tower that comprises a first fixed swage die and a second movable swage die forming a swage die opening for positively gripping the suture receiving end of the needle positioned therein. A first suture alignment die and a second suture alignment die are precisely registered below and adjacent the respective first and second swage dies to form a lower funnel guide that is axial with the swage die opening for positioning the tip of the suture strand therein. The lower funnel guide has an exit diameter that is larger than the diameter of the suture tip and smaller than the diameter of the suture receiving end of the needle for easy placement of the suture tip therein.

Abstract: An automated machine for attaching a suture to a surgical needle having a suture receiving opening formed therein, and for packaging the same in a package tray comprises a first workstation including a device for sorting a plurality of needles and orienting each needle for automatic feeding to a second swaging workstation, a second workstation including a device for automatically cutting an indefinite length of suture material to a definite length and a device for automatically swaging the needle to close the suture receiving opening about a free end of the suture to secure the suture thereto and form a needle-suture assembly, a needle packaging station including a device for sequentially receiving at least one of the needle-suture assemblies in a package tray in synchronism with the second workstation, the needle packaging station having a device for automatically winding the depending suture portion of the needle-suture assembly into the package tray, a first indexing device for sequentially receiving indiv

Abstract: An automated machine for the high-speed packaging of multiple surgical needles each with an attached suture into a tray and detachable cover structure providing a suture package utilized for the packaging of the needles and attached sutures. Additionally, the automated packaging machine incorporates operative mechanism adapted to wind the sutures into a peripheral channel of the tray and facilitating the attachment of the cover to the tray which contains the needles and attached wound sutures, and from which cover there is concurrently formed a separate product-identifying label as a component of the tray upon removal of the cover to gain access to the contents of the tray.

Abstract: An automated machine for the high-speed packaging of multiple surgical needles each with an attached suture into a tray and detachable cover structure providing a suture package utilized for the packaging of the needles and attached sutures. Additionally, the automated packaging machine incorporates operative mechanism adapted to wind the sutures into a peripheral channel of the tray and facilitating the attachment of the cover to the tray which contains the needles and attached wound sutures, and from which cover there is concurrently formed a separate product-identifying label as a component of the tray upon removal of the cover to gain access to the contents of the tray.

Abstract: A retractable cutter for cutting an indefinite length strand of suture material to a definite length while the strand is suspended under tension along a first axis, comprises a cutting blade mounted for at least reciprocal movement transverse to the first axis, from a first retracted position to a second cutting position. A support block is actuated to position the indefinite length strand for cutting thereof, and to support the strand as the cutting blade traverses the first axis as it reciprocates from the retracted position to the cutting position. The cutting blade is angled with respect to its reciprocating motion to effect a slice ratio of at least 1:1 as the blade cuts the supported suture strand at the cutting position to obtain a clean, broom-free cut.