Abstract: A surgical stapling instrument includes a staple cartridge that may be loaded with surgical staples, an anvil mounted to confront the staple cartridge for deforming staples driven theretoward, and advancer for advancing the staple cartridge from an open position toward the anvil to a closed position for clamping tissue to be sutured therebetween, and a driver for driving the staples from the cartridge toward the anvil through tissue clamped between the cartridge and the anvil. A trigger for operating the driver, and a safety mechanism linked to the advancer preventing the trigger from operating the driver when the cartridge is in the open position but permits the trigger to operate the driver only when the cartridge is in the closed position. In addition, a coupling mechanism can removably mount a head assembly and a handle assembly, with each assembly containing a portion of the advancer and driver.

Abstract: An improved continuous centrifugal machine includes a rigid base structure, a bearing housing, a normally vertical basket shaft journalled for rotation on bearings in the bearing housing, an upwardly open frusto-conical centrifugal basket secured to the upper end of the basket shaft for rotation therewith, a stationary curb wall mounted on the base structure and surrounding the basket, buffering assemblies for resiliently mounting the bearing housing on the base structure to permit gyration of the basket, and a motor mounted to one side of the curb wall and connected by an improved system to the lower end of the shaft for rotating the basket. The system for connecting the motor to the basket shaft comprises a support shaft mounted in a fixed position beneath and substantially aligned with the basket shaft. A belt pulley is supported for rotation on a bearing carried on the support shaft and a driving belt connects the belt pulley with a second pulley driven by the motor.

Abstract: An improved continuous centrifugal machine includes a rigid base structure, a bearing housing, a normally vertical basket shaft journalled for rotation on bearings in the bearing housing, an upwardly open frusto-conical centrifugal basket secured to the upper end of the basket shaft for rotation therewith, a stationary curb wall mounted on the base structure and surrounding the basket, buffering assemblies for resiliently mounting the bearing housing on the base structure to permit gyration of the basket, and a motor mounted to one side of the curb wall and connected by an improved system to the lower end of the shaft for rotating the basket. In accordance with improvements in the machine an annular support ring is mounted on the base structure within the curb wall and has an upwardly facing surface.

Abstract: Apparatus for transporting sheetlike originals past an exposure plate (10) of a copying apparatus, of the kind in which a flight of at least one endless belt (25) is driven over the exposure plate, is provided with a device (80) for applying a solid abherent material (85) to that surface of the belt (25) which comes into contact with the exposure plate (10).

Abstract: A centrifugal apparatus includes a centrifugal basket having a supporting base structure spaced below its bottom wall and fixed to the lower end of a vertical spindle to rotate the basket inside a casing surrounding the basket. The bottom wall of the basket has an opening therein about the spindle for discharge of centrifuged solids downwardly and then radially outwardly through the space between the base structure and the bottom wall. A basket valve member surrounds the spindle and is movable axially relative thereto between a position closing the basket opening and an open position spaced below the opening. A sleeve surrounds the spindle and is joined at its lower end with the valve member to position the valve member in its closed and open positions and further has an outwardly open annular channel at its upper end. A device for operating the valve includes a forked lever fulcrummed at one side of the spindle having arms straddling the spindle, each carrying on its end a roller confined in the channel.

Abstract: A method for determining the thickness of a charge wall being formed against the side wall of a rotating centrifugal basket by flow of charge material into the basket comprises the steps of establishing a capacitance across the charge space of the basket and sensing any change of capacitance which results as the charge wall thickness is increased by the flow. An apparatus for determining the thickness of the charge wall formed against the side wall of the centrifugal basket includes an electrically conductive plate disposed in the basket inwardly of the charge space and a source of voltage for establishing an electric field between the plate and the side wall. A capacitance sensor senses any change in the established capacitance resulting from the formation of a charge wall in the basket.

Abstract: An improved cyclical centrifugal machine includes a rigid support mounted above the basket of the machine, a bearing housing suspended from the support for gyratory motion, a basket-carrying spindle rotatable in fixed position relative to the housing on bearings therein, and an electric motor for bringing the spindle and basket to rotational speed. The improved centrifugal machine also comprises a system for controlling transmission of torque from the motor to the basket by means of a clutch having relatively rotatable clutch members adapted to transmit torque through liquid films between them. The clutch is operated to vary the torque transmitted from the motor to the basket so as to produce a maximum load to be placed on the motor for producing a desired basket speed.

Abstract: A heat exchanger includes a hollow shell that defines an elongate shell space for circulation of a first fluid therethrough, and a plurality of elongate tubes spaced apart inside the shell to conduct a second fluid therethrough in heat exchange relation with the first fluid in the shell space. The heat exchanger further includes an improved assembly for coupling an end of the shell with adjacent ends of the tubes and for conducting the respective fluids separately into and from the tubes and into and from the elongate shell space without leakage. This assembly comprises a socket member having forward and backward socket portions and an annular shoulder portion protruding inwardly between them. The forward portion is connected in fluid-tight relation to an end of the shell and has a passageway extending through it for conducting the first fluid into or from the elongate shell space.

Abstract: A loading gate assembly for a heavy cyclical centrifugal machine used for separating liquid from solids includes a hollow body forming a spout outlet, a face surrounding the end of the outlet and a gate slidable on the face between a fully closed position covering the outlet and a position opening the outlet to flow of material therethrough. A gate operating mechanism includes a power drive device secured between a relatively fixed support and a cross head, connected with the gate, for moving the gate between closed and open positions. The loading gate assembly further comprises a mount for the support normally positioning it in a fixed location relative to the outlet yet being operable to displace the support in the direction of closing movement of the gate. A secondary drive device operates the mount to move the gate to the closed position by displacement of the support in the event of failure of power supplied to the power drive device while the gate is open.

Abstract: A method of practicing and teaching golf comprises the step of projecting a golf ball into a ball hitting zone during a player's swing of a golf club, while the head of the club is approaching the hitting zone. The ball is projected to arrive in the hitting zone, in the path of the club head, immediately prior to sweep of the head into the zone. The apparatus for practicing and teaching golf comprises a station which provides a hitting zone through which the head of a golf club is swept by a player performing golf swings. A projection device is operable during the player's club swing, while the club head approaches the hitting zone, to strike a ball and thus pop it quickly into the zone in the path of the club head when the head sweeps into the zone.

Abstract: A liquid dispensing pump of the motor-driven flexible vane impeller type suitable for use in an automobile windshield washer system includes a housing that defines a motor chamber having a motor supporting end wall. A closure wall is fixed to the end wall and an impeller chamber having a peripheral surface is defined between the walls. An impeller is rotatable in the impeller chamber by a motor supported in the motor chamber, which has a shaft that extends through an opening in the end housing wall. Inlet and outlet passages respectively conduct liquid to and from the impeller chamber. This pump further comprises the improvement that the impeller chamber is constituted by confronting recesses, formed in the closure and end walls, that are circumferentially bounded by portions of the walls that have confronting surfaces meeting at a tight interface. The interface bounds the peripheral impeller chamber surface.

Abstract: A semi-transparent, tray-like container having a flat bottom and substantially vertical side and end walls defining a storage space has flange-like projections on each side wall inner surface in proximity to but spaced from the bottom to define, with the bottom, a retaining channel which slidably receives a removable panel assembly containing a plurality of hinged overlapping transparent envelopes which can be flipped like pages to display flat objects such as photography, stamps, recipes and the like contained therein. The retaining channel holds the panel assembly securely in place with little or no movement even when the envelope pages are turned with the result that the flat objects remain organized and in place in the container for safe storage and convenient display. The container bottom is constructed with supporting legs which may project into the opening of a like container for stacked alignment therewith to provide a system of a plurality of stacked tray-like containers.

Abstract: An apparatus for feeding record cards to and from a utilization station in a record card utilization machine comprises a support housing for a card origination hopper and a card collection hopper, which is mounted below the origination hopper. A transfer carriage is mounted for reciprocal, pivoted movement from a first position where it receives a card from the origination hopper, to a second position at the utilization station where the card is utilized, and back to the same first position where it returns the card to the collection hopper. A card feeding and returning mechanism is associated with the hoppers to feed cards to and remove cards from the carriage at different times in the sequence of operation of the apparatus, but nevetheless with the carriage at the same first position in its path of reciprocal, pivoted travel.