Abstract: There are provided torque limiting mechanisms for use in tissue clamping surgical instruments. The torque limiting mechanisms generally include a driven member, engageable with an approximating mechanism of the surgical instruments, and having a driven surface and a driving member having a driving surface engageable with the driven surface of the driven member. The driving member is rotatable relative to the driven member such that the driving surface of the driving member slips relative to or dissengages from the driven surface of the driven member at a predetermined engagement pressure.

Abstract: An ergonomically enhanced electric power tool is disclosed that incorporates a new type of user grip and control system. This grip and control system is housed in a substantially rigid control-housing sheath, which provides enhanced leverage and control over the drilling process while reducing stress on the user's hand, wrist, and arm. The tool motor is disposed substantially in parallel with the user's wrist, but on a different plane, and eliminates the traditional “pistol” type of power-tool grip. The control-housing sheath contains a grip-controller assembly that allows the user to control most major drill operations within the gauntlet-like control-housing sheath. The inventive concepts described can be applied to myriad hand-held power tools, and a detailed example for a power drill is provided.

Abstract: A closure device for an arteriotomy includes an elongate tube having a distal opening, a staple disposed within the tube, and a frangible cap mounted across the distal opening to guard the staple tips against contact with the tissue track. The frangible cap is pierced, fractured or torn when the staple is advanced through the distal opening. A portion of the torn frangible cap may be implanted with the staple as a pledget. The staple may be carried within the elongate tube by a stapler comprising an elongate hollow shaft and an elongate driver slidably disposed therein. A pair of opposing actuation tips is disposed at a distal end of the hollow shaft to define an open-sided staple chamber there between. An anvil is fixedly disposed within the staple chamber, which holds at least a proximal portion of the staple.

Abstract: A stapler comprises a removable cassette, which contains a strip of staple blanks, and an advancing mechanism, which is arranged to advance the strip and which, to this end, has a feeding plate, which engages one flat side of the strip. The advancing mechanism comprises elements, which are arranged to interact with the removable cassette to move the feeding plate, during an initial phase of the cassette's removal from the stapler, to a neutral position, in which it has been disengaged from the strip, and to move the feeding plate, during a final phase of the reinsertion of the cassette or the insertion of a similar cassette into the stapler, to an engagement position, in which it engages the strip.

Abstract: A power tool system has detachable and interchangeable implements and driving sources. The interchangeable implements and driving sources use a housing having common mating interface to selectively assemble a power tool having the desired characteristics. A latch is used to hold a selected implement and driving source in functional engagement. An adjustable bale handle provides a comfortable and safe handhold for various configurations of the interchangeable implements.

Abstract: The present invention relates an impact tool with a twin lobed anvil, and the separate anvil, timing shaft and mating dog hammer. The impact transmission is configured in such a way so as to maintain contact between the anvil and dog hammer. As a result, the components of the present invention provide a harder blow to the anvil of an impact tool due to a larger strike surface area, provide greater torque due to increased mass at engagement, and increase the durability of the impact tool.

Abstract: An improved magazine for a fastener driving tool having a two piece back plate allowing easy access to the drive track for removing jammed fasteners from the tool. The magazine consists of a first fixed rail having a back plate section perpendicular to the rail, and a second rail slidable with respect to the fixed rail, having a second back plate section perpendicular to the rail. When the magazine is in the fastener driving position, the back plate sections provide extra support for the drive track.

Abstract: A tool reach extender is usable with a variety of different hand tools, and has grip handle portion fitting into a saddle member slidably adjustable on a guide structure at one end of the reach extender. The guide structure front end is connected to a cradle which has a clamp screw engageable against the undersurface of a tool body. The cradle has a U-shaped bridging bar to overlie the upper surface of the tool body so that the nose portion of the tool is clamped in the cradle. The saddle member and cradle cooperatively grip and support the tool. Various tool sizes are accommodated.

Abstract: A drill rig which is equipped with one or more safety mechanisms designed to prevent injuries to rig operators. In a first embodiment, the safety mechanism includes a barrier which is shiftably mounted to the rig and surrounds the drilling tool when the barrier is in the closed position. The barrier includes a key member which must be fitted into a sensor-equipped keyhole in the rig for the drilling tools to operate. A brake may also be connected to the drill spindle to stop rotation until the barrier is closed. In a second embodiment, a sensor is connected to a delay timer. The sensor is also connected to the clutch and transmission and alerts the operator that the clutch is disengaged but the transmission is not in neutral by sounding a warning buzzer after a predetermined time. If the operator fails to actuate a disconnect switch by shifting to a neutral position within a second predetermined time, a second delay timer activates to shut off the engine.

Abstract: A pneumatic hammer is provided with an adjusting piston (37) dependent on the supply pressure, which adjusts the stroke length of the working piston (16). Thereby, the same pneumatic hammer may be operated both at low and high supply pressures. With high supply pressures, either the early ending of the acceleration phase or the early start of the compression phase or the shortening of the working cylinder shortens the stroke length. Thereby, the pneumatic hammer performs impacts with a substantially constant single-impact energy, regardless of the supply pressure. High supply pressures increase the impact frequency. This results in a considerably improved efficiency at a high drill capacity, a reduced wear and a reduced risk of ruptures of the components of the hammer.

Abstract: An air impact tool has an air motor driving a rotary impact mechanism which has a drive shaft which is coupled to a coaxial load shaft through a torque-limiting clutch mechanism which includes a rigid torque member coupled to one of the shafts and having a peripheral drive surface with drive surface portions, and a yieldable torque member coupled to the other shaft. A plurality of flexible and resilient arms on the yieldable torque member are equiangularly spaced apart around the axis of rotation parallel thereto and are cantilevered from a support yoke, the distal ends of the arms being respectively engaged with the drive surface portions of the torque receiving member. A retaining cylinder encircles the arms and holds them against the drive surface, the retaining cylinder being threadedly engaged with an adjusting member which is rotatable but axially fixed to effect axial movement of the retaining cylinder to vary the retaining force on the torque transmitting arms.

Abstract: An electric stapler is provided including a body frame; a magazine fixedly secured to the body frame; a cartridge housing a plurality of staple sheets, each of the staple sheets including straight staples conjoined together in stacked state, the cartridge being coupled to the magazine. A driver is provided for driving a staple out of one of the staple sheets; the driver being supported by the magazine so that the driver can be rectilinearly reciprocated. A clinching member is provided for clinching the staple driven out by the driver. The clinching member is supported by the body frame so that the clinching member is located to face the driver and can be reciprocated. A member is provided for repeatedly moving the driver and clinching member toward and away from each other in mutually opposite directions nearly simultaneously, so that as the driver is moved downwardly to drive the staple into material to be stapled, the clinching member moves upwardly in supporting relation with the material.

Abstract: A fret-saw machine comprises a base unit having a table on which a workpiece to be cut is placed, a frame member disposed in the base unit and secured to the table, an arm member having one end portion secured to the frame member and another end portion disposed above the table, a blade holder assembly having first and second slide holder units and first and second blade holder units, the first slide holder unit and the first blade holder units being disposed in the base unit and secured to the frame member and the second slide holder unit and the second blade holder unit being secured to another end portion of the arm member, blade supported at its both ends by the first and second blade holder units and a drive unit supported in the base unit by the frame member and connected to the first slide holder unit to drive the blade. The blade holder unit has a blade nipping member for firmly nipping the blade.

Abstract: A ratchet assembly for a medical instrument having a handle and a trigger member for operating the medical instrument, the trigger member being movable relative to the handle between a first position and a second position and being biased by a biasing member toward the first position, the ratchet assembly comprising a rack disposed in the handle, an engagement member for engaging the rack, slidably disposed in the handle relative to the rack and connected to the trigger member so that displacement of the trigger member slides the engagement member relative to the rack, the engagement member being biased into engagement with the rack so that, as the trigger is displaced from the first position to the second position, the engagement member engages the rack in a plurality of positions so as to hold the trigger member at a desired point between the first position and the second position against the biasing member, and a cam member, arranged in the handle, for disengaging the engagement member from the rack when t

Abstract: A rivet setting tool for use with double headed blind rivets comprises a collet assembly adapted to engage a pulling head of the rivet, and abutment members movable between an open position, in which the pulling head of the mandrel of the rivet may be passed through the abutment assembly to be engaged by the collet assembly, and a closed position in which the abutment members provide an abutment to engage the rivet head. The abutment members are mounted for generally axial movement and when a double headed blind rivet is presented axially to the tool, the head of the rivet engages the abutment members, and on the rivet being pushed into the tool so that the pulling head is engaged by the collet assembly, the abutment members are moved axially and are caused to close firmly about the mandrel.

Abstract: The tool includes a handle having a bore opening at its lower end and a hammer head at its opposite end. A weight is removably secured to the hammer head and has an aperture in one end. In use, the tool is applied to a ground rod such that the upper end of the rod is received within the bore of the handle. By repeated raising and lowering of the tool, as slide hammering action occurs driving the rod into the ground. After this initial penetration into the ground, the tool is removed from the rod and the weight is removed from the tool and placed on the end of the rod to provide a large impact surface. The tool may now be used as a sledge hammer striking the enlarged surface of the weight on the rod end to drive the rod into final position.

Abstract: In a stapling machine, an ejector blade can be moved to eject a staple through a staple ejection slot towards an anvil adapted to clinch the ends of the arms of the staple. The staple ejector blade is moved by an actuator element. A toggle is provided which maintains the actuator element in a first position until a predetermined force has been applied to the actuator element. The toggle then releases the actuator element permitting the actuator element to move the ejector blade to eject a staple through the staple ejection slot towards the anvil.

Abstract: A sealed surgical stapling instrument for performing a circular anastomosis stapling operation is provided. The surgical instrument includes a stapling head assembly mounted by a curved shaft to an actuator handle assembly and incorporates an improved actuator mechanism for transmitting the required operating forces and movements from the actuator handle assembly through the curved shaft to an anvil and staple driver of the stapling head assembly. Various mechanisms for sealing the instrument are disclosed.

Abstract: A pile driving apparatus and method includes a hammer assembly having a guide member extending therefrom. The guide member is engageable with the pile, and the hammer is connected to the end of a crane line or the like. A retainer chain is interconnected between the hammer and the pile. The hammer is lifted and lowered in response to operation of the crane, and the retainer chain functions to maintain the guide member in engagement with the pile during upward movement of the hammer. The pile thus functions to guide upward and downward movement of the hammer as it is raised and lowered in response to operation of the crane.

Abstract: A nailer device has a housing containing a motor and a striking device arranged in a compact manner. A transmission mechanism is mounted in the housing for translating the rotating motions of the motor into the periodic impact motions upon the striking device. The transmission mechanism includes an impact assembly which imparts the periodic impact motions upon the striking device.