Abstract: A method and apparatus for measuring and correlating a patient's heart activity with optical detection of the patient's blood flow. The method and apparatus permit more accurate determination of blood flow characteristics such as oxygen saturation and pulse rate. In a preferred embodiment, the heart activity is detected by monitoring the patient's EKG waveform, and the blood flow is detected by a non-invasive pulse oximeter. The occurrence of the R wave portion of the EKG signal is detected and the time delay by which an arterial pulse follows the R wave is determined to establish a time window in which an arterial is to be expected. The established time window provides the oximeter with a parameter enabling the oximeter to analyze the blood flow only when it is likely to present an arterial blood pulse for waveform analysis. The invention also includes adjusting the polarity of the detected EKG signal to have a preselected uniform upgoing or downgoing polarity.

Abstract: A catheter wire guide having an axially movable mandril with a tapered tip for permitting the flexibility of the distal tip of the wire guide to be varied. The mandril is coated with a lubricating material, such as Teflon, for facilitating the smooth movement of the mandril within the wire guide.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for collecting and/or growing anaerobic or aerobic biological specimens. A slidable inner rod and outer tube assembly is provided with rear, middle and front seals which define two coaxial sealed chambers of variable volume within the rod and tube assembly. The front chamber is controllably unsealed to receive a biological specimen. The front chamber is then resealed by manipulation of the tube and rod assembly which may also thereafter cause passage of a biological culture growth medium, transport materials, etc. from a rear chamber into the front chamber by reducing the volume of the rear chamber. The biological specimen is thus collected and may be transferred to a growth medium or the like in a completely protected environment immediately after its collection within an internal organ (for example) of a living body.

Abstract: A timing and control circuit for a wide spanning impact hammer used in a digital printer can be fabricated by using a phase lock loop oscillator driven by a character pulse clock to output a plurality of timing pulses during the character pulse width. Appropriate intervals are selected from the timing pulses to generate a plurality of shifted timing pulses to be used as inputs to logic circuitry. Combination of the shifted timing pulses and logic circuitry together with control commands from a printer controller, can be used to generate a hammer trigger and hammer reset pulse. The hammer trigger and reset pulses are used in a conventional hammer matrix to fire the multiple spanning hammers at the appropriate times.

Abstract: A hammer assembly comprising a housing having opposing open ends and an internal passage extending between the open ends. A hammer element is positioned in the housing for reciprocal movement in the passage between first and second positions. The hammer element has an opening formed therein in which a biasing member is positioned. When enabled, the biasing member is capable of biasing the hammer element in a desired direction relative to the first and second positions. Means are also included for enabling the biasing member when the hammer element is in at least its first position. The housing is desirably fabricated of a self-lubricating material with the area of the opening at one of its ends substantially larger than the cross-sectional area of the hammer element, taken along a plane perpendicular to the axis of motion of the hammer element at such one end in order for air to be freely vented from the passage during reciprocal movement of the hammer assembly.

Abstract: An improved print hammer actuator for dot matrix printers employs a substantially closed loop magnetic path including a resilient magnetic hammer, a number of such hammers being aligned in a hammer bank assembly which is shuttled back and forth along a printing line at a high rate of speed, while the hammers are individually actuated by energizing coils which overcome a permanent magnetic field normally maintaining the hammers in retracted position. Heat conducting elements are mounted in heat transfer relationship with each of the different ones of the coils in the hammer bank, and high surface area fins on the elements extend into an air flow directed across one side of the hammer bank. For this purpose the hammer bank assembly is configured to define an interior air channel along its length and includes a fixed top cover and spaced apart circuit board forming part of a plenum and directing air frontwardly from a rear mounted fan.

Abstract: A keyboard for a typewriter, teleprinter, calculator and similar office machines comprises a series of keys, a series of setting elements selectable by the keys and a group of code bars. A setting spring moves a common setting member which positions the selected setting element on the trajectory of the code-bars. A bridge controls the code-bars and is positioned, through a cam, by a driven part of a starting clutch for a setting cycle. An intermediate member connects the common setting member with a releasing member of the starting clutch, and when the key is depressed, the intermediate member activates the starting clutch after a predetermined path of the setting member. A series of flexible laminae are flexed by the selected setting element and successively arrest temporarily the returning at rest of the selected setting element avoiding the beginning of a new setting cycle in the case a key is kept depressed.

Abstract: In order to reduce the noise resulting from the act of printing in a typewriter or line printer, the hammer is oscillated at high frequency with low power pulses, and the oscillating hammer is moved into proximity to the inked ribbon whereby the hammer repetitively impacts the ribbon in order to print one character.

Abstract: A setting mechanism for sequentially setting the print wheels in a postage printing device. The setting mechanism is electrically controlled so as to interface the postage printing device with a computerized or electronic postage system. The setting mechanism comprises a main rotatable driving gear which is slidable upon a splined shaft so as to individually, operatively engage a plurality of print wheel driving racks in a sequential fashion. A setting linkage connected to the main driving gear positions the gear into individually engaging with a plurality of rotatable shafts individually driving each of the print wheel driving racks. A stepper motor is connected to the splined shaft which turns the splined shaft, and which in turn rotatably drives the main drive gear. The setting linkage is actuated by means of a pair of solenoids.