Abstract: A bottle retaining mechanism holds a culture bottle in place in a cell in an incubating apparatus which agitates the culture bottle and detects the growth of microorganisms in the culture bottle. When a bottle is not present in the cell of the apparatus, the retaining mechanism moves to a position which reflects light from the light emitter to the light detector in an amount greater than the amount of light reflected off of a bottle when present, so as to indicate when a bottle is not present in a cavity of the bottle holder. The retaining mechanism/reflectance flag also is capable of providing a reference signal for auto-calibration purposes. The amount of light reflected from the retaining mechanism/reflectance flag to the light detector in a cell when no bottle is present can be monitored in order to detect changes in the cell. By monitoring such changes in the empty cell, drift from the original cell calibration can be monitored.

Abstract: A support attachment for use with a holding unit having at least two adjacent cavities with longitudinally axes provides sufficient pressure to squarely hold and stabilize bottles within the cavities. The support attachment has a central axis and includes a plate adapted to be fitted to the holding unit and a pair of elongated legs in symmetrically spaced relationship with respect to the central axis for supporting bottles held in two adjacent cavities in the holding unit. Each leg extends, in the same direction, from opposite ends of the plate and has first and second ends. The first ends are joined at substantially right angles to the plate and the second ends are normally biased toward one another so that when the plate is fitted onto the holding unit, one of the legs extends longitudinally into one of the adjacent cavities while the other leg extends into another adjacent cavity.

Abstract: An apparatus for indicating critical torque load in a drill string of a propeller shaft driven rotary drilling machine comprising an input and an output section in axial alignment and drivingly connected so as to rotate conjointly; the input section has an input shaft and a spiral spline affixed thereto; the output section has a tube shaft assembly and an output shaft affixed thereto; an input bearing is provided for rotatably supporting the input shaft and allowing for longitudinal movement of the input shaft toward the output section under conditions of increased torque load; an input housing for receiving the input bearing is affixed to a base; a receiver nut having a complementary female spiral spline is a companion for the spiral spline and is operatively connected to the spiral spline to permit longitudinal movement of the input shaft toward the output section under conditions of increased torque load; a compression spring prevents longitudinal movement of the input shaft under conditions of constant to

Abstract: A tension indicator used on a guy line system of an inclined oilwell derrick, comprising a hydraulic compression load cell, a pair of interlocking U-shaped yokes housing the load cell between the bases of the U-shaped portions, a plunger connected to the load cell bearing against the base of one interlocking yoke, the load cell bearing against the base of the other interlocking yoke, a walking load binder mounted on the outer end of a first interlocking yoke and providing an initial tension load to the guy line system, a threaded nut and screw adjustment assembly affixed to the outer end of a second interlocking yoke and providing a finer adjustment of the tension provided by the walking load binder, a pair of attachment hooks rotatably mounted on the outer ends of the tension indicator device for inserting the tension indicator device between a set of intermediate chains connected in a guy line, and a calibrated pressure gauge directly attached to the load cell; whereby the interlocking yokes transfer a line