Abstract: A bone grafting and/or shaping instrument includes a handle portion, a collection chamber and a blade. Features on the blade cooperate with features on the collection chamber to secure the blade to the collection chamber. A flexible joint between the collection chamber and the handle portion allows the user to orient the cutting edge of the blade in any desired position relative to the handle portion.

Abstract: A bone grafting and/or shaping instrument includes a handle portion, a collection chamber and a blade. Features on the blade cooperate with features on the collection chamber to secure the blade to the collection chamber. A flexible joint between the collection chamber and the handle portion allows the user to orient the cutting edge of the blade in any desired position relative to the handle portion.

Abstract: A bone grafting and/or shaping instrument includes a blade assembly formed from a section of tubing and shaped to form a truncated cone.

Abstract: A bone graft material which comprises an expanded volume of a biocompatible material in convoluted form. Typically, the material has a volume increase of at least two fold, preferably five to fifteen fold.

Abstract: An instrument for harvesting bone comprises an elongate body having a hollow, and a proximal end and a distal end communicating with one another through the hollow. A blade having a curved cutting edge for cutting or abrading bone is mounted adjacent an aperture in the distal end. The cut or abraded bone moves through the aperture and into the hollow.

Abstract: An instrument for harvesting bone comprises an elongate body having a hollow, and a proximal end and a distal end communicating with one another through the hollow. A blade having a cutting edge for cutting or abrading bone is mounted adjacent an aperture in the distal end. The cut or abraded bone moves through the aperture and into the hollow.

Abstract: Wire for repairing or changing circuit elements such as printed circuits, has heat-resistant insulation surrounded by a hot-melt adhesive. The wire is attached to the surface of printed circuit boards easily by applying a hot iron to the adhesive layer on the wire and melting the adhesive which then adheres to the board surface. The coating is applied by passing insulated wire vertically through a length of molten adhesive and then through a die. Printed circuit board modifications can be made quickly and easily and at a relatively low cost.

Abstract: Wire for repairing or changing circuit elements such as printed circuits has heat-resistant insulation surrounded by a hot-melt adhesive. The wire is attached to the surfaces of printed circuit boards easily by applying a hot iron to the adhesive layer on the wire and melting the adhesive which then adheres to the board surface. The hot iron has a tip with a groove in it so that when the iron tip is pressed onto the wire, the tip embraces the wire to melt the adhesive quickly and to make the bond relatively quickly. The coating is applied by passing insulated wire vertically through a length of molten adhesive and then through a die. A cleaner/holder device is used for cleaning the tip of a hot iron used for melting adhesive, or a soldering iron, and for holding the hot iron when it is not in use. The preferred cleaner is anti-combustion treated absorbent cotton string wound on a spool which is mounted in the holder, or adhesive tape with a soft clutch backing.

Abstract: In a flexible, fiber optic belt 16 for the coherent transmission of light from an LED light source 22 a planar array of fiber optic filaments 34 extend along the length of the belt 16 and are positioned by transverse elements 79 along the major neutral plane of the belt. The fiber optic belt 16 is restrained to movement only in the direction normal to the major neutral plane by means of one or more rigid flat strips 25 parallel to the major neutral plane and the light source 22 is thermoelectrically cooled to improve the availability of light supplied by the diodes. In a method for producing the fiber optic cable, transverse positioning elements 79 are layered on a cable mold 56, one or more fiber optic filaments 34 are placed upon the transverse positioning elements 79. Fiber optic filaments 34 are pressed onto an adhesive layer adjacent to the LED's 48 and bonded by the melting of the adhesive.

Abstract: A light-weight print head having an array of LED light emitting elements positioned adjacent an apertured mask is employed to photographically record at very high speeds characters having high resolution so that they are suitable for phototypesetting. The light transmitting apertures have a cross-sectional area substantially smaller than the cross-sectional area of the LEDs and since the apertures may be very accurately positioned with respect to each other, high character resolutions are obtainable despite misalignment between the mask and the array of LEDs. A flat, lightweight, flexible ribbon of conductors is coupled between the moving scanning head and a stationary source of electrical signals. An electrically insulating, opaque filler may advantageously be employed between the LEDs.

Abstract: A relatively narrow printing head scans across photosensitive material and in one scan generates a line of characters thereon. Digital control signals selectively illuminate the LEDs formed within a matrix thereof. A flexible loop of flat fiber optic filaments having their input ends coupled to the LEDs and having their output ends positioned within the print head, enables the use of a relatively small number of fiber optic filaments and yet provides for extremely high-speed recordation of the characters upon the film which contacts the print head. After a line has been photographically recorded, the film is stepped in a direction perpendicular to the direction of scanning of the print head and another line is recorded. An inexpensive and highly accurate print head carriage is disclosed, along with a unique belt drive for driving the carriage without inducing torque therein, owing to possible misalignment of the drive belt.

Abstract: A moveable carriage bearing an optical element, such as a font segment track select mirror, is supported upon a flat elongated plateway by means of rollers mounted upon the carriage which is translated along the plateway so that the carriage assumes only a first or second discrete position after it comes to rest. A single spring is employed to cause first and second detent members to be maintained in firm contact with each other to cause the carriage to assume either a first discrete position or a second discrete position while simultaneously maintaining the carriage mounted rollers in firm contact with the plateway.

Abstract: A brake mounted upon a moveable phototypesetter lens carriage is in continuous braking contact with a stationary flat elongated way member positioned along the path of motion of the carriage. A central portion of a brake shoe member is rigidly affixed to the moveable carriage and has first and second flexible arm members spring biased against the way member, and the entire brake shoe member consists of a single homogeneous mass of material.

Abstract: A plurality of circuit boards having male pin connectors are connected to a mother board having female pin receptor connectors, each circuit board being supported by a pair of grooved edge guide means. After the circuit boards are inserted into the device, a cover having a resilient foam pad on the inside surface thereof is closed wherein the foam pad resiliently presses against the upper edges of the circuit boards to hold them into position and maintain good electrical integrity with respect to the aforesaid connectors at the bottom portions of the circuit boards. Edge connectors may be plugged into the sides of the boards for further electrical access, and the heights of the edge guide means are high enough so that lower portions of the edge connectors are blocked and held in position by upper portions of the edge guides to prevent the edge connectors from being dislodged or loosened from the sides of the circuit boards.

Abstract: A lens carriage is mounted upon a cylindrical way at a left-hand portion thereof, and is supported at a right-hand portion thereof by a single roller which rolls over a flat plate way during translation of the carriage parallel to the optical axis of the phototypesetter. A brake shoe coupled to the carriage is spring biased against the lower surface of the flat plate way, and as a result, there is no play or looseness in the arrangement and yet imprecise positioning of the way elements in space, to save manufacturing costs, results in modest and repeatable shifts of the lens element mounted upon the carriage in directions transverse to the optical axis.

Abstract: A plurality of outwardly and radially extending font segment support arms are coupled to a central hub which is rotated to sequentially present the letters formed upon the segments to an optical imaging station which selectively projects optical images of the letters upon a photosensitive medium. Vertical shoulder portions are precision machined upon outer portions of the radially extending support members for precisely positioning the arcuate character tracks on the segments with respect to the imaging station. Horizontal plates are affixed to the radially extending support members to support the segments against gravity and centrifugal force is employed to precisely seat the segments against the vertically oriented shoulder portions upon rotation of the hub.

Abstract: A protective container for font disc segments. The container includes a housing portion for supporting the segment and a cap portion for closing the housing portion and, at the same time, for locking the segment against movement within the housing portion. More particularly, the housing portion includes an inner casing supported within an outer casing with the inner casing being of relatively flexible material and having side wall portions extending beyond the top opening in said outer casing. After insertion of the segment into the inner casing, the cap portion is placed around the extended wall portions of said inner casing and, in doing so, will not only close the container, but will also force the walls of the inner casing inwardly against the segment to positively lock it against movement. Upon removal of the cap portion, the side walls of the inner casing will spring outwardly to release the segment for easy removal from the housing.

Abstract: A plurality of outwardly and radially extending font segment support arms are coupled to a central hub which is rotated to sequentially present the letters formed upon the segments to an optical imaging station which selectively projects optical images of the letters upon a photosensitive medium. Vertical shoulder portions are precision machined upon outer portions of the radially extending support members for precisely positioning the arcuate character tracks on the segments with respect to the imaging station. Horizontal plates are affixed to the radially extending support members to support the segments against gravity and centrifugal force is employed to precisely seat the segments against the vertically oriented shoulder portions upon rotation of the hub. A stationary stage plate together with a ramp element provide for easy and rapid insertion and removal of font segments from the front of the phototypesetter.

Abstract: A phototypesetter is disclosed having a stepping motor which actuates an escapement carriage coupled to an elongated carriage driving member. A projection lens carriage and a collimating lens carriage are selectively electromagnetically coupled to the elongated driving member, thereby to project images of varying character sizes through a focusing lens coupled to the escapement carriage, which sequentially projects focused character images across a photosensitive film on a line by line basis. A track select mirror is also selectively electromagnetically coupled to the elongated driving member for selectively projecting one of a plurality of tracks bearing characters of differing fonts carried by a rotatable font carrier element.