Importance

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Abstract

A hollow end of a needle has an end of a suture crimped therein by crimping dies. A cam drives a table downward. The table pulls a spring which in turn pulls a guide and an adjusting screw which urges a block toward the table. One end of an arm is connected to the block, another end of the arm is connected to a pivot. A link at an intermediate position on the arm is connected to drive a ram against a movable die, driving the die to crimp the needle end. The ram carries a pressure means which urges the movable die toward the fixed die when the ram is not contacting the movable die so that the needle is held between the dies with a less-than-crimping force. The cam moves the table downward to apply the holding force and then moves the table further downward to apply the crimping force. When the adjusted crimping force is met, the spring stretches and allows the block to move away from the table to prevent excessive crimping force. The cam then moves the table to move the ram away from the movable die and continues the holding force so that the needle can be turned. The cam again applies crimping force and then holding force to allow the suture to be pulled and the crimp tested. Then the cam permits the pressure means to move away from the ram so that the movable die may be lifted by a leaf spring.

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First Claim