Abstract: The two-part surgical fastener is composed of an annular stapling part having projecting prongs and annular retaining board having an annular gap which receives the prongs. Barbs on the prongs serve to abutt against a retaining ring on the retaining part to maintain a fixed relationship between the parts for stapling purposes. The anvil assembly on which the retaining part of the fastener is mounted as fingers which can be collapsed radially inwardly after stapling to permit ease of removal.

Abstract: An adjustable staple to be used in bone surgery, comprising a horizontally laying U-shaped member having upper and lower arms wherein the lower arm is movable parallel to itself, and relative to the upper arm, and with the upper arm being fixed, a connecting segment between the arms, including means facilitating relative movement between the arms and means facilitating fastening of the lower arm in any selected position along said movement, said means facilitating movement including a dovetail joint between a first portion of the connecting segment orthogonal to the upper arm and a second portion of the connecting segment orthogonal to the lower arm.

Abstract: This invention relates to a surgical clip for cutaneous suture, wherein it successively comprises, starting from the centre of the clip and on each side of the plane of symmetry of the clip, a rectilinear branch, a first bend with concavity facing the skin into which the clip must be engaged, a second intermediate bend with convexity facing the skin and a third bend with concavity facing the skin, this third bend extending by an end leg terminating in the point of the clip and which is inclined by an angle of about 45.degree. with respect to the general direction of extension of the clip. The invention also relates to a tool for applying said clip.

Abstract: An adjustable surgical staple for use in joining together two pieces of human or animal tissue. The staple has a spine and two legs, with the spine being slotted along its length so as to divide the spine into two separate cross members. Bending the cross members towards or away from one another alters the distance between the leg portions of the staple, thereby allowing precise adjustment of the tension of the joinder between the tissues being joined.

Abstract: An unused open wire skin staple having a generally U-shaped central portion and outer portions terminating in sharp points that can be closed to a rectangular shape by straightening the central portion. The staple can be closed between an anvil having spaced support surfaces for spaced points along the outer curved surface of the central portion, and a ram with separable end parts that can apply both longitudinal and transverse forces to close the staple around the anvil.

Abstract: The fixing device comprises a body adapted to be secured directly onto a brittle wall or secured to the brittle wall with a member to be attached to the wall interposed therebetween. The body is formed with at least two guide holes passing therethrough from the top to the bottom thereof each for receiving therein a fixing member such as a set screw or a nail so that it is driven into the wall to thereby fixedly secure the body onto the wall. The guide holes are oriented in such an inclinded direction with respect to the normal to the wall that the fixing members do not intersect with each other and do not extend in parallel to each other when they are inserted into the body and driven into the wall, thereby permitting the body to be securely fixed to the wall. An engaging member having integrally formed therewith a supportng portion such as a hook or a hanger may be detachably engaged over the body.

Abstract: The agraffe is composed of a deformable metal plate having two projections, each of which is provided with a threaded eyelet. In addition, anchored pins are threaded into the respective eyelets and can be selected from a set of pins having different lengths. The deformable plate is arched between the projections and has a plurality of tacks fixably secured in place to increase adhesion of a ligament or tendon to a bone. The instrument for implanting or extracting the agraffe includes a pair of angular sector-shaped grooves of T-shaped cross-sections which are sized to engage with and under the heads of the pins in order to form a connection between the instrument and agraffe.

Abstract: An improved surgical instrument cartridge is described. The cartridge comprises a plurality of wound closure elements. Each element has a crown and two opposite side legs. The distal end of each leg of an element contacts the crown of the adjacent preceding element. Two opposite grooves (in the cartridge) contain at least each end of each crown and the proximal end of each leg. The cartridge is attached to a surgical instrument. To activate the plurality of closure elements, a spring acts only on the proximal element. The improvement comprises the distal ends of the legs of each element being in an essentially converging relationship. The plurality of elements are thus self-aligning in the grooves. The wound closure element can be a staple.

Abstract: A surgical instrument for joining tissue by means of a two piece fastener. The fastener is a shaped staple having a general shape of an M, and a receiver for engaging with the legs of the staple. The staple has an M-shape with the outer legs portions being non-parallel or parallel. The legs of the staple are connected by a compressibly resilient portion. The staple legs penetrate the tissue and engage and interlock with the openings in the receiver.

Abstract: A hanger adapted to be driven into a wooden frame member includes a one-piece stamped metal member having a head and a flat elongate symmetrical shank with a series of lands and grooves disposed on opposite sides of the longitudinal axis of the shank between its tip and a pair of laterally extending shoulders on its head. Inclined camming surfaces extend between the lands and grooves and cooperate therewith to compress the wood fibers laterally of the shank as it is driven into the wood. A lateral gripping surface behind each land surface engages the wood fibers which expand into the distally adjacent groove to provide a positive gripping action which resists disengagement.

Abstract: A surgical staple and method for its use in closing an opening in mammalian tissue are disclosed. The staple comprises a central portion of strong, ductile, non-absorbable material and lower leg portions of absorbable material positioned at opposite ends of the central portion. The staple when closed is bent in the central portion to form a crown portion, so that the lower leg portions are in positions which approximate one another. After engagement, the lower leg portions extend through the tissue on either side of a closed opening so as to hold the tissue firmly in the closed position. After sufficient tissue healing has occurred, the biodegradable lower leg portions will loosen from the central portion, thus allowing for facile removal of the central portion.

Abstract: The staple has a non-linear bright and two spaced-apart legs depending therefrom. Material weakening means, such as a pair of nicks, is in the regions of the bight adjacent to the legs. When the staple is applied, the legs are bent into a plane approximately parallel to the plane of the bight. When it is desired to remove the staple, the bight is gripped and rotated until it breaks away from the legs.

Abstract: A fastener is disclosed for affixing void-forming members to underlying concrete slabs for use in composite slab construction. Each fastener comprises a stem having a cross limb with a barbed end for insertion into a foam member, a stabilizer bar transversely projecting from one side of the stem intermediate its ends, and bottom barbs. Upon insertion of the barbs of the cross limb into a foam member and projection of the bottom barbs of the stem into a concrete slab, the foam member is thus secured thereto. Several fasteners spaced around the periphery of the member are employed. The concrete slab with void-forming members installed is then overlaid with a poured concrete cap, thereby forming a unitary composite construction.

Abstract: A fastener having pointed ends for penetrating a belt. The preferred fastener is a wire hook fastener for joining the ends of belting and it is formed with pointed wedge-shaped ends defined by inclined top surfaces and flat bottom surfaces and inwardly inclined sidewalls extending between the top and bottom surfaces. The pointed wedge-shaped ends penetrate the belting and in a plane which coincides with the surface of the belting to limit deflection to form a uniform and strong joint between the wire hook fastener and the belting.

Abstract: An assembly for connecting the wooden members of a truss is disclosed, characterized by the use of a combination of adhesive and a connecting plate. The connecting plate is formed of metal and includes a plurality of nail-like projections which extend from and normal to a planar portion of the plate. A layer of adhesive is applied to the extremities of all of the projections. The wooden members to be joined are arranged in a desired configuration and the adhesive-covered projections of the plate are driven into adjoining members. In addition to the nail-like bond between the plate and the truss members, an adhesive bond is formed between the metal projections and the wood. The resulting joint has increased resistance to tensile, shear, and rotational forces.

Abstract: An I-beam or joist is formed of a pair of horizontal, parallel wood chords connected together by a wood web. The lower chord is pre-stressed by holding it in compression during assembly of the chords and web. The chords are fastened to the web by U-shaped wire staples whose legs have bevels formed on their free ends which cause the legs to move towards each other and to cross the central axis of their respective staple as they longitudinally penetrate thewood during insertion through a chord and into the wood web. Further, plates are fastened upon the opposite faces of the web at the opposite ends of the web, thereby increasing the web thickness at the opposite ends of the beam to substantially increase the allowable shear stress limits of the beam.

Abstract: An attachment means for mounting decorative borders consisting of at least two identical nail-like parts, each part having an elongated section, one end of which gradually narrows and the other end of which forms a member having two trapezoidal-shaped heads. The trapezoidal head parts are separated by a V-shaped notch and are bent at an approximate right angle relative to the elongated section of the part so that the head forms two protruding teeth. The elongated section has a longitudinal bend and a slot which coincides with the bend. The bend, the width of the elongated section, and the width of the slot are mutually matched so that the elongated section of one part can be inserted with a friction fit into the slot of an identical other part. When using the attachment means the elongated section of one part is inserted with friction fit into a pre-bored hole and the teeth are pushed into a border which is then affixed.

Abstract: The staple comprises a top having four downwardly depending legs adjacent to its four corners. Two of the downwardly depending legs on the same side of the top are spaced inwardly from the corners relative to the remaining two legs so as to be transversely offset therefrom. The offset legs avoid the risk of splitting the bone when the staple bridges the bone "grain". In other words, the two legs will enter different cleavage planes of the bone rather than the same cleavage plane. Projections are provided on the underside of the top of the staple to aid in frictionally gripping and retaining a tendon or equivalent tie being held by the staple to a bone.

Abstract: This invention provides a device for closing a flexible container which comprises a body portion having first and second opposed gripping arms extending therefrom. The arms are each adapted to be folded about a fold line relative to the body portion so that the arms, with the body, are capable of at least partially encircling the flexible container for closure thereof. Each of the arms has at least one gripping and engaging means extending inwardly therefrom, and the body has a first gripping and engaging means adapted to fixedly engage the flexible container in one direction and a second gripping and engaging means adapted to fixedly engage the flexible container in a second opposed direction. Means are provided in at least one of the body or arm members for passage of a tie member operatively associated therewith. The device provides a tamperproof closure for a flexible container when used in combination with a tie and deformable sealing element.

Abstract: A cartridge and method used for joining living tissue such as fascia. A staple in the cartridge having pointed arcuate end portions flanking a central portion is bent to provide a generally oval shape for the central portion and adjacent parts of the closed staple, and to bring the terminal parts of the staple into side-by-side crossed relationship with the points on each of the end portions positioned adjacent the central portion of the staple so that each of the end portions of the staple can extend through the tissue on one side of the closed opening and project into the tissue on the other side of the closed opening.

Abstract: A tack system having at least two tack elements, each tack element including a body having upper and lower opposing faces, and a plurality of pins extending through the body and positioned in a predetermined pattern. Each pin includes a spike portion protruding from the lower face and a shank portion having a bore defining a hole for receiving a spike portion of another tack element. A first tack element may be mounted on a bulletin board or the like to attach a sheet of material thereto, and a second tack element attached to the first tack element in stacked relation to hold a sheet of material therebetween by inserting the spike portions of the second tack element into the bores of the first tack element. In order to secure the tack elements in stacked relation, the spike portions include serrations to grip the bores of associated tack elements.

Abstract: A surgical staple is disclosed comprising an arcuate central region which can be flattened by a stapling tool. Straight legs extend obliquely upwardly from the central region to which are connected downwardly extending side portions. The side portions are curved substantially in the form of an arc of a circle having a center at the center for the central region. When the central region is flattened, the side portions move about an arc of a circle so that automatic puncture channels are produced. Tearing of tissue is thereby prevented.

Abstract: A panel nail construction adapted to be assembled on a backing material used in making shaped, upholstered panels employed in the making of furniture, and the like. The panel nail construction is provided with backing material-retaining means which enable it to be attached on a backing material. The panel nail construction advantageously is used in the form of a strip comprised of panel nails integrally, but separably, interconnected along the adjacent transverse margins of the head portion of each of the panel nails. In this form, the panel nail construction can be rapidly, and selectively, assembled on a backing material with an automatic machine or tool.

Abstract: A one-piece, self-locking, molded plastic staple useful as a tissue fixation device in surgical procedures. The staple has opposed, pointed, L-shaped legs hinged to a horizontal bridging member having expanding cam surfaces on each end. Each leg has an extending cam follower which traverses the cam surface and engages the end of the bridging member when the staple is closed by rotating the legs 90 degrees. The staples may be extruded or molded of absorbable or nonabsorbable polymeric materials.

Abstract: A surgical staple of the type which is applied by being bent around an anvil in a surgical stapler has two spaced surfaces transverse to the longitudinal axis of the staple and located so that when the staple is bent around the anvil, the transverse surfaces cooperate with the anvil to prevent the staple from being pulled back into the stapler.

Abstract: A medical stapling device in which open staples are moved along a track between two grooved rails by a drive member having spaced lugs. Upon activation of the device, the lugs are moved into engagement with the staples and advance them along the track so that the leading staple will be formed around an anvil at the end of the track and can suture living tissue adjacent the anvil. The portions of the staple that enter the tissue are smoothly curved so that they will enter like a surgeon's needle and provide a predetermined amount of gathering of the tissues, and the closed staple is shaped so that its maximum inner dimension is parallel to its central portion to restrict rotation of the staple due to tension across the suture.

Abstract: A surgical fastener and applier in which the fastener is formed of a bail portion and consecutive outwardly and inwardly extending arm portions and the applier is formed with jaws mounted for movement in the direction towards and away from each other with recesses in the adjacent inner faces of the jaws dimensioned to receive a single fastener therein.

Abstract: A staple-supporting strip for use with staples when binding documents together which affords removal and retention of the staples without detrimental affect on the document. The staple-supporting strip comprises two narrow layers of tough flexible polymeric material between about 0.1 and 0.15 mm thick. The strip may be colored or printed with a staple target area and a coating of a pressure-sensitive adhesive holds the bottom layer of the strip on the uppermost sheet of the documents to be stapled together such that the top layer may be peeled from the lower layer to unclench the staple legs during removal.

Abstract: A staple for use in conjunction with an anviless stapling apparatus of generally U-shaped plan form configuration where the width of each end of the crown portion of the staple in a direction orthogonal to the plane of the staple is less than the effective width of the associated leg portions of the staple. Also, a self-clinching stapling apparatus, which has no anvil, and includes a nosepiece structure whose only moving part is a driver element. The nosepiece structure of the stapling apparatus defines a drive track whose cross section corresponds to the configuration of the crown portion of the specially designed staple. The nosepiece structure of the stapling apparatus further defines elongated grooves, disposed at an angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the drive track. During a stapling operation, the driver element is actuated causing the staple to move downwardly through the drive track towards the workpiece.

Abstract: Disclosed is a toenail having a generally triangular shaped head and one or more shanks. The head has two wood bearing surfaces which are typically formed at right angles to each other and a third head surface adapted to be driven, typically by a hammer. The shanks extend from the wood bearing surfaces preferably in a direction perpendicular to and away from the head surface. The shanks are preferably formed as an integral extension of the head thus providing a very rigid fastener for joining the intersecting faces of two boards such as a vertical stud and a horizontal plate. The shanks are positioned and sized so that when the tips of the shanks are registered to the intersecting faces of the intersecting boards, the wood bearing surfaces are parallel to their opposed intersecting board surfaces.

Abstract: A medical stapling device in which open staples are moved along a track between two grooved rails by a drive member having spaced lugs. Upon activation of the device, the lugs are moved into engagement with the staples and advance them along the track so that the leading staple will be formed around an anvil at the end of the track and can suture living tissue adjacent the anvil. The portions of the staple that enter the tissue are smoothly curved so that they will enter like a surgeon's needle and provide a predetermined amount of gathering of the tissues, and the closed staple is shaped so that its maximum inner dimension is parallel to its central portion to restrict rotation of the staple due to tension across the suture.

Abstract: A one-piece, self-locking, molded plastic staple useful as a tissue fixation device in surgical procedures. The staple has opposed, pointed, L-shaped legs secured to a horizontal bridging member. Each leg has an extension which is engaged by a locking bar extending between the extensions when the staple is closed by forcing the legs through a 90.degree. arc. The staples may be extruded or molded of absorbable or nonabsorbable polymeric materials.

Abstract: An aerial amusement projectile and method of manufacture, the projectile including an aerodynamic body having a streamer secured therein. The aerodynamic body is fabricated from a resilient, penetrable material and has an ornamental design on a leading face opposite the streamer. The streamer is fabricated from a plurality of multicolor ribbons and is secured inside the aerodynamic body by a novel fastener apparatus and method. The fastener may be fabricated as a U-shaped staple from a resilient wire with a pair of barbed probes or as a harpoon-like device to hold the streamer in the body. The configuration of the fastener and resiliency of the aerodynamic body material assists in securing the fastener against dislodgment from the body material. A padding member is mounted on the staple fastener to protect the streamer against abrasion. The harpoon-like fastener includes a coaxial, countersunk bore for receipt of an insertion tool.

Abstract: A coherent surgical-staple stack comprising a plurality of staples, bonded together in a parallel contiguous relationship by a biodegradable, absorbable plastic.

Abstract: Fastening means for mechanically fastening adjacent portions of mat material for application to the undersurface of a roof of a mine working and comprising a plurality of projecting elements for penetrating the mat material and base means connecting and spacing said projecting elements in longitudinal succession.