Abstract: A balloon catheter for insertion in a body passage includes an elongated coil spring which defines a lumen. This coil spring is covered by a silicone covering which includes an extensible sheath, a strain relief collar affixed to the sheath, and a balloon tip affixed to the strain relief collar. The extensible sheath and a portion of the elongated coil spring form in combination a support structure which perceptibly elongates when an excessive stretching force is applied to the support structure in pulling the balloon through a body passage. As this support structure elongates, the volume of the lumen of the coil spring increases. Preferably the balloon is in fluid communication with the lumen of the coil spring such that the volume of the balloon is reduced when the support structure elongates. The strain relief collar is adapted to extend away from the spring to receive fluid from the balloon to reduce fluid pressure within the balloon when fluid pressure within the balloon exceeds a predetermined value.

Abstract: A system for providing electrical stimulation to a heart muscle is especially characterized in that cardiac leads are passed through a surgically created opening in the wall of an atrium or the wall of a great vein adjacent an atrium into the interior of the heart. Procedures for placement of both atrial and ventricular cardiac leads are disclosed, which procedures can be used in connection with leads placed in both the left and right chambers of the heart. These procedures are especially suited for placing cardiac leads used with A-V sequential pacing, for they allow leads to be attached to both an atrium and a ventricle of a heart through a single small incision in the chest.Improved cardiac leads are disclosed in which a channel is formed in the lead for receiving a guide probe such as tip manipulator or a malleable probe as an aid in lead placement.

Abstract: A composite granular mixture of source materials, providing an NPK Fertilizer content of desired value, say 16-8-8, and a plastic binder composed of granular uncured urea-formaldehyde resin are compressed into a briquette of good "green strength" and then resinously bonded into a drivable spike by curing the resin either at room temperature or at a suitably elevated temperature. The resulting plant food spike, when driven into the ground, functions to fertilize the immediately surrounding area at a slow even rate.

Abstract: An automatic dispenser for injecting starting fluid into an internal combustion engine is disclosed. This dispenser includes a valve actuator which is adapted to receive a valved cannister containing a pressurized starting fluid and to pass starting fluid from the cannister through a conduit to an injector positioned in an air intake passage of the engine. The valve actuator is coupled to the starting system of the engine so that the cannister valve is continuously injected into the engine during operation of the engine's starter motor. In this way a continuous flow of starting fluid is automatically dispensed during engine cranking. The valve actuator is also provided with a reservoir which temporarily stores a predetermined volume of starting fluid while fluid is flowing through the actuator, and then supplies this fluid to the injector after the cranking has stopped, thereby providing starting fluid to the engine during the period immediately following termination of cranking.

Abstract: An improved low cost electrical switch has a two-piece housing comprising a base and an escutcheon. The escutcheon includes a frame and a face plate which is flexible, resilient and insulative. Application of downward finger pressure on the face plate causes the face plate to deform, thereby urging a snap action dome into a shorting position across a pair of electrical contacts.

Abstract: The invention relates to a push-button or key switch comprising at least one contact member stationary in a case and a switch blade whose contact tongue is resiliently pivotal from one switching position into another switching position by means of a key push member supported on a return spring.

Abstract: An improved modulator for an anti-skid brake control system generates a modulated brake control signal as a time integral function of the difference between an input signal indicative of a braking condition and a variable threshold signal. The preferred embodiment includes a computer which stores a number of rate values. An appropriate one of these values is selected depending on the magnitude of the difference between the input signal and the threshold signal. This rate value is then added to the previous modulated brake control signal to generate an updated modulated brake control signal.

Abstract: An improved telephone call inventorying and sequencing system includes a plurality of automatic telephone answering machines and associated message memory units; a plurality of transcribing stations; and a matrix interconnecting the transcribing stations and the message memory units. A computer controls the matrix to connect each requesting transcribing station with a selected one of the message memory units. In each case, the computer selects the available message memory unit having the oldest untranscribed recorded message. In this way, recorded messages are transcribed in substantially the order in which they are recorded, and callback delays are therefore kept more nearly constant.

Abstract: An initialization apparatus for an antiskid brake control system including a modulator which generates a brake control signal as a time integral function of an error signal operates to initialize the modulator to a preselected value of the brake control signal when excessive braking action is sensed after a period of antiskid inactivity. The initialization apparatus also operates to initialize a reference signal in the direction of more aggressive braking and to bias the reference signal toward more aggressive braking for a selected time period following initialization of the modulator.

Abstract: An improved modulator for an anti-skid brake control system generates a modulated brake control signal as a time integral function of the difference between an input signal indicative of a braking condition and a variable threshold signal. The preferred embodiment includes a computer which stores a number of threshold signals. An appropriate one of these threshold signals is selected depending on the magnitude of the velocity of the braked wheel.

Abstract: An inertia switch including a cone-shaped inertia mass element movable from a stable condition wherein it supports a movable switch plunger in a position for maintaining a pair of switch blades in an open condition, into a collapsed condition in response to an impact bringing about an abrupt change in movement. In the collapsed condition the inertia mass will be out of its plunger supporting position allowing the same to activate the switch by permitting the switch blades to close.

Abstract: An apparatus for making thermoplastic carrier bags (so-called T-shirt bags) comprises means for feeding a continuous tubular strip of thermoplastic film, either side of which comprises a gusset fold, said strip being advanced with a constant velocity to a cylindrical drum the housing of which comprises embedded heatsealing means, said apparatus further comprising a cutting member and a transverse cutting knife co-operating with the strip said member sequentially providing the tubular strip with a U-shape cut upstream of the drum and said cutting knife operating synchronously with the cutting member in co-operation with the drum for transversely cutting through the strip somewhat beyond the legs of said U-shape cut so as to produce strip portions, said drum further comprising folding means for said strip portions.

Abstract: A nozzle and method for generating foam is disclosed which includes a nozzle body, a nozzle inlet, an orifice, a gas inlet, an impingement pin and a nozzle outlet. The nozzle body has upstream and downstream ends and an inner wall defining a passage within the nozzle body. The nozzle inlet at the upstream end of the nozzle body permits introduction of a liquid foam producing agent into the passage. The foam producing agent then passes through the orifice, thereby forming a stream. This stream is directed past the gas inlets in the nozzle body to aspirate gas into the passage. The stream then impinges against the impingement pin which is disposed transversely across the passage. At least the upstream half of the cross-section of the impingement pin is annular so that the impingement pin disrupts the flow of the stream and splits it into secondary streams.

Abstract: In a numerically controlled machine tool including a scale, a scanning unit, and a programmable controller a switch is provided to designate the tool correction to be applied to compensate for variations in tool dimensions. This switch has a first position, in which the controller is directed to lengthen the tool path length by an amount corresponding to the tool correction, a second position, in which the controller is directed to shorten the tool path length by an amount corresponding to the tool correction, and a third position, in which the controller is directed to apply no tool corrections to the tool path length.

Abstract: A lamp support apparatus is disclosed for mounting an incandescent lamp to an electro-optical measuring device mountable on a machine tool. This apparatus includes a spring element for resiliently mounting the lamp to the measuring device and a damping element for damping the oscillations of the lamp. The spring element and the damping element cooperate to protect the lamp from damaging oscillations such as are often encountered in a machine tool environment.

Abstract: An improved cannister mounting bracket is disclosed which is adapted for use with a valve assembly. The bracket may be readily adjusted to accommodate cannisters of two differing sizes and to provide protection for the valve assembly when no cannister is mounted in place. Adjustment is made in large part through a pair of link members and a pivotable frame member which can be rotated in order to alter the configuration of the bracket.

Abstract: An improved starting fluid injection apparatus for an internal combustion engine includes a valved container of starting fluid, a valve actuator, an injector assembly, and a conduit interconnecting the actuator and the injector assembly. According to a first feature of the invention, a flow metering orifice is provided in either the actuator, or the conduit at a point spaced from the injector assembly, or the injector assembly. This orifice relieves constraints related to fluid metering from the injector orifice, and permits the use of a greater number of larger injector orifices than would otherwise be possible. Multiple flow metering orifices can be used upstream of the injector orifices. Additionally, in some applications it is possible to dispense with injector orifices entirely.

Abstract: An electronic weighing apparatus includes a switch mounted on a base surface thereof, actuated by an actuating member biased to support a portion of the base. When weight is applied to the apparatus, the actuating member is moved to a depressed position, thereby automatically energizing the apparatus. In addition, a tab is mounted to the base near the switch. Vertical forces can be applied to the tab to depress the actuating member without disturbing the zero position of the weighing apparatus.Furthermore, the apparatus includes an optical coded disc with a plurality of concentric code tracks. A light guide conducts light to a line on the disc which is parallel to but offset from a radius of the disc. Photosensors are positioned on the other side of the disc, opposed to the light guide.

Abstract: A retainer holds an endotracheal tube securely in a patient's mouth and prevents significant movement within the trachea. The retainer combines a member which is inserted in the patient's mouth and is adapted to receive and securely hold the tube within the tracheal lumen and a strap which encompasses the patient's head and fixes the member holding the tube securely within the patient's mouth.