Abstract: A cable attachment arrangement for attaching a cable to a surgical instrument component. In various embodiments, the cable attachment arrangement comprises a wedge-shaped slug that is attached to a portion of the cable and shaped to be received in a complementary shaped pocket in the surgical instrument component. In various embodiments, the slug may be wedge-shaped or conical in shape. In other embodiments, an end portion of the cable is folded over adjacent another portion of the cable and attached thereto by clamps or adhesive to form a loop sized to receive a portion of a surgical instrument component therein. Other embodiments comprise an endless cable formed from woven material wherein the ends of the cable are woven together.

Abstract: A cable driven surgical instrument that has an elongate channel assembly that is constructed to operably support a staple cartridge assembly therein. The instrument may have a knife assembly that is oriented for travel within the elongate channel assembly and at least one cable transition support that is operably mounted to at least one of the elongate channel assembly and the knife assembly. A drive cable operably extends around at least a portion of the cable transition support and interfaces with a cable drive system to drive the knife assembly within the elongate channel. A cable retention arrangement may be included for retaining the drive cable around at least a portion of the cable transition support.

Abstract: The present invention is a self-contained hydraulic hammer which is mounted on a hydraulically mobile frame. The hydraulic hammer is capable of travelling in either forward or reverse directions and is provided with liftable weights to which a tool for digging or breaking up a surface is attached. The hydraulic hammer is equipped with time delay controls which: 1) momentarily stop the travel of the hydraulic hammer as the weights and the attached digging tool free fall from a raised position until the digging tool impacts the surface to be busted up, and 2) cause the hydraulic hammer to resume travel as the weights are again raised in preparation for another impact. The hydraulic hammer rapidly repeats these cycles of impact and travel to break up a surface. Adjustments are provided on the hydraulic hammer for regulating the force of the impact and the distance travelled between impacts in order to match the hydraulic hammer's impact and travel cycles to the break characteristics of the surface to be removed.

Abstract: Pile-driving apparatus comprises a drop hammer for imparting blows; a winch for lifting the drop hammer between successive blows, the winch comprising a winch drive, a winch drum, a clutch for disengageably engaging the winch drive with the winch drum, and a rope or cable connecting the drop hammer to the winch drum; a sensor comprising a mercury containing container mounted on the driven object or the hammer and having electrical terminals, for sensing the delivery of a blow by the drop hammer; and a timer. Upon sensing of the delivery of a blow by the drop hammer, the sensor causes the clutch to engage and the timer to be triggered. Upon engagement of the clutch the winch lifts the drop hammer. At the end of a predetermined time interval, determined by the timer, the clutch disengages again, thereby allowing the drop hammer to fall. This process repeats itself automatically.

Abstract: A pickup is connected to a system of sheaves of a mobile hydraulic hammer for providing a signal proportional to velocity of a hammer weight. The pickup is connected to the input of a differentiating circuit, and the output of the differentiating circuit is connected to the starting input of an electronic timer. Two-level output of the timer is connected to hydraulic valves that control the lifting and dropping of a hammer weight. The signal applied to the starting input of the timer has two states, one state resulting from any noticeable acceleration of the hammer weight and the other state resulting from zero acceleration. The timer starts in response to zero acceleration at the time of impact of the hammer weight and provides a signal to cause the hammer weight to be lifted without delay to a predetermined height according to a predetermined timing period, the height always being with reference to the level at which impact occurred.