Importance

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Abstract

A machine for calibrating clips used for clamping blood vessels during surgery. First and second heads are arranged in a frame in opposed relation for relative separating movement from a start position in which the heads are bottomed together. The presented adjacent ends of the heads have registering hooks oriented transversely and parallel to one another, each of the hooks having an adjacent clearance opening for receiving the jaw of an inserted clip. An insertion stop is positioned behind the hooks for limiting the degree of insertion. A drive is interposed between one of the heads and the frame for separating the heads by a predetermined increment thereby to spread the jaws of an inserted clip by a reference amount. A force transducer is interposed between the remaining head and the frame for producing an electrical signal which depends upon the reaction force corresponding to the reference separation. A read-out is provided for the electrical signal for giving direct indication of the clamping strength of the clip. In the preferred form of the invention the drive is in the form of a lead screw actuated by a stepping motor, and a selector is provided to apply a predetermined number of impulses to the motor corresponding to the desired degree of separation. The insertion stop has a plurality of steps indexable into position for establishing different limits of jaw insertion. A 'thickness' stop in the second head, adjusted for jaw thickness, maintains the inserted jaw snugly seated against the adjacent hook.

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First Claim