Abstract: Blood pressure measurements are performed on subjects disposed in hyperbaric chambers. The measurements are made by an automatic blood pressure monitoring instrument having a differential pressure transducer component. The pressure on the reference side of the pressure transducer is equal to the pressure in the hyperbaric chamber. The reference pressure is derived from a pressure source which equals the pressure in the hyperbaric chamber, but which pressure source does not contain the high purity oxygen gas in the hyperbaric chamber.

Abstract: The step axle of an escalator is made with an inner, higher strength core piece and an outer, lower strength sleeve. The core is telescoped into the sleeve with opposite ends of the core projecting beyond corresponding outer ends of the sleeve. The step chains and step chain rollers are mounted on the harder outer ends of the core. The higher strength of the core prevents deformation of the composite axle from stresses imparted to the ends of the axle by the chains and rollers. The sleeve with its reinforcement of the core prevents the axle from bending in its center section when loads from the escalator steps are transmitted to the step axle from passengers on the escalator.

Abstract: The skirt and deck panels of an escalator or moving walkway are edge-lapped, and are detachably secured together by a plurality of screws and quarter turn locking nuts. The deck panels are provided with a series of round, spaced-apart screw holes, and the skirt panels are provided with a plurality of elongated slots which allow flexible alignment with the screw holes. Position stops are mounted on the ends of the screws to ensure that the locking nuts will repeatedly swing to their locking positions when the panels are secured together. The panels can thus easily be disassembled and reassembled in the field by service personnel.

Abstract: A spring loaded tensioning assembly is mounted on the truss of a moving walkway or escalator to apply pressure and tension to a moving handrail drive belt. The assembly includes a roller which is biased against the inside surface of the drive belt to urge the drive belt against the inside surface of the handrail. The tensioning assembly is an adjunct to the original equipment drive belt tensioner and can be retrofitted onto existing equipment in the field to extend the service life of the drive belt.

Abstract: Movement of an elevator cab drive sheave is controlled by a multiple disc brake assembly which is operably connected to the output shaft and sheave of the elevator drive machine. The disc brake assembly can act as an upward or downward safety brake, and can also serve as the operating brake for normal operation of the elevator. The brake assembly can be fitted onto a substantially conventional existing elevator system, and its operation is not affected by any gear degradation in the machine drive gears.

Abstract: A retainer assembly is provided having a clasp section and at least one collar. The clasp section has an axially extending aperture and cutout section. The cutout section, which exposes the aperture, allows the member of a stiffening assembly to pass through to and be received by the aperture. Once received by the aperture, the member is fixed within the aperture of the clasp section by the collar.

Abstract: An elevator cab is supported in a frame by a plurality of substantially oval supports which have circular, in section, ends engaging planar surfaces on cab and frame. The sides of the supports are cylindrical and include an annular tooth surrounding each of the circular ends. An annular valley is interposed between the end and tooth on both ends of the support. The planar surfaces on the cab frame are formed by cup-shaped members having flat basins surrounded by an annular tooth. The rounded end of each support rolls in the basin of cup-shaped member, and the annular tooth on the cup-shaped member limits the extent of shifting of the supports by selectively entering the annular valley on the end of the support. Controlled pendulum type movement of the cab in the frame is thus achieved.

Abstract: An elevator pit buffer assembly includes a pair of pistons which are mounted in the pit outboard of each side of the cab and counterweight. Each of the buffer pistons is equipped with a sheave joined at the upper end thereof. Ropes are reeved about each buffer sheave pair and extend between the sheaves in each pair beneath the bottom of the cab and counterweight. The ends of each of the buffer ropes are dead-hitched to the floor or wall of the pit.

Abstract: The moving handrail on an escalator or moving walkway is first tightened on its guide rail to the extent necessary to eliminate substantially all handrail slack in the handrail loop. Thereafter, the handrail is loosened so as to impart optimum slack thereto whereby handrail friction and heat is minimized during operation of the escalator or moving walkway.

Abstract: The step skirts and inner deck panels are fixed against outward deflection by a series of spacer pins which abut the balustrade mounting assembly beneath the deck panels, and which are secured to the skirt and deck panels. When the escalator is erected, the skirt and deck panels will be set relative to the sides of the steps so as to obtain the appropriate gap between the steps and the skirts. An overlapping portion of the deck and skirt panels is formed with an aperture, and a guide sleeve is fixed to the inner surface of the skirt panels in registry with the aperture. A pin is then pushed through the aperture and sleeve until it comes in contact with the balustrade mount assembly. The pin is then secured to the deck and skirts, and prevents deflection of the deck and skirts toward the balustrade mount assembly.

Abstract: The escalator step has a frame made from metal, and a tread board of metal carried on the frame. The tread board is completely isolated from vibrations imparted to the frame by means of an elastomeric vibration damping material such as rubber which prevents the tread board from directly contacting the frame. The exposed riding surface of the tread board on which passengers stand is metal and is preferably cleated for safety purposes.

Abstract: A locking cartridge (20) is supported on the carriage of a linear movement unit, which carriage is movable and positionable on at least one guide rod (8). The locking cartridge (20) contains two clamping members (34r, 34l) of identical construction which are oriented symmetrically to each other with respect to a plane perpendicular to the guide rod and which have head pieces (38r, 38l) seated on the guide rod (8), as well as cam surfaces (501) facing away from said head pieces and serving for spreading the clamping members apart by means of a spreading pin (48), so that the head pieces are clamped to the guide rod (8). The spreading pin (48) is held by an annular sleeve (46) surrounding the clamping members and acted upon by a pressure member (54) against the bias of a coil spring (44). The pressure member is located at the bottom of a cylindrical casing into which a fluid line opens.

Abstract: The governor ropes on an elevator are actuated by an emergency tripping system when motion away from a landing zone of the car is detected while the car doors remain open. If the elevator controller receives a "door open" signal and a "car moving out of landing zone" signal concurrently, a solenoid tripper is actuated which causes the governor rope blocks to set on the governor ropes thereby activating the car's emergency brakes. Conventional governor actuation systems can be retrofitted with the solenoid tripper of this invention.

Abstract: The governor rope on an elevator is provided with an auxiliary brake which is a fail-safe brake and which operates to stop movement of the governor rope when the elevator car moves away from a landing with its doors open. The brake includes two rope gripper jaws in the machine room beneath the governor sheave, which jaws are held away from the governor rope by a solenoid so long as power is supplied to energize the solenoid. When the power supply to the solenoid is interrupted, the jaws are released to fall by gravity toward each other to grip the governor rope. The car emergency brakes are thus tripped and movement of the car stops. The brake may also be provided to control the counterweight governor rope.

Abstract: An elevator cable hitch plate is isolated for the cab frame crosshead by an elastomeric pad and a mounting plate bolted to the crosshead is disposed between the pad and the crosshead. A stabilizer bracket is fixed to the mounting plate and to the hitch plate. The bracket allows limited vertical movement of the mounting plate and hitch plate relative to each other, but prevents lateral sliding movement therebetween. The bracket thus prevents the hoist cable thimble rods from contacting the edges of the holes in the plates through which the thimble rods pass. Minimal cable-induced vibration and noise is thus produced during operation of the elevator.

Abstract: An escalator or moving walkway handrail is guided along its path of travel over the curved newels of the escalator or walkway balustrades by a series of guide rollers mounted on a channel member which is fitted onto the balustrade newels. The channel member is generally U-shaped in cross section, and includes a bottom wall from which depend opposed side walls. The side walls are provided with a plurality of spaced slits which impart flexibility to the channel member. Sheet metal formed roller-mounting yokes are spot welded to the outside of the bottom wall, and the handrail guide rollers are mounted in the yokes. The channel member has straps on each end for fastening to handrail guides which lead to and from the balustrade newels. The guide assembly can be preassembled and bent around the newels on site when the escalator or walkway is installed.

Abstract: A polyurethane coated nylon sheet is folded medially to form the pressure cuff. The urethane coated surface forms the inner surface of the inflation chamber of the cuff. A hook and loop fastener assembly for securing the cuff about the patient's limb is secured to the cuff. The hook and loop sheets are both provided with fusable polymer back coatings. The hook and loop sheets are fused to the polyurethane coated surfaces on the cuff. The hooks and loops are accessible on opposite sides of the cuff. An inflation fitting is also fused to the interior of the pressure chamber and projects through an opening in the cuff.

Abstract: Patients in hospitals are pvovided with identification bracelets which display the patient identity number in a machine-readable form, such as a bar code. Blood or other samples are taken from patients by a technician, nurse, or the like who carries a microprocessor-operated device for optically scanning the identification bracelet-coded patient identifications. When the patient ID is read, the device automatically prints out a label for securement to the specimen tube. The label includes the patient's name; ID number; tests to be performed on the specimen sample; and the time and date the sample was drawn. The device is preferably housed in the tray which carries the sample tubes and sampling needles. A connection can be made between a mainframe computer and the device's microprocessor so that the device can confirm to the mainframe computer that all of the samples were drawn, and so that the mainframe computer can preprogram the device to prepare for the next round of specimen samples.

Abstract: Patients in hospitals are provided with identification bracelets which display a patient identity number in a machine-readable form, such as a bar code. Blood or other samples are taken at bedside from patients by a technician, nurse, or the like who carries a microprocessor-operated device which optically scans the coded patient identification bracelet. When the patient ID bracelet is read, the device lists the different blood tubes that are to be filled on a display screen. The device has a fixedly mounted onboard scanner which scans a preprinted bar code on the specimen tube which bar code identifies the type of tube being used. Just before, or after, the specimen is drawn, the tube is read by the onboard scanner, and a label is printed and placed on the tube, which label includes the patient's name; the patient's I.D. number; the tests to be performed on the specimen sample; the time and date the specimen was drawn; and the size and type of tube.

Abstract: The handrail reentry guard housing on a moving walkway or an escalator is provided with a retrofittable shield which is attached to the underside of the guard housing, and which fills the space between the moving handrail and the guard housing. The shield is formed from complimentary halves which are made from formed plastic sheets. The shield halves are somewhat flexible so as not to form a rigid counterpart to the moving handrail. Hook and loop components are secured to the guard housing and to the shield halves to allow for retrofit securement of the shield to the guard housing.