First measurement of the ratio B(t -> Wb)/B(t -> Wq) and associated limit on the Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa element vertical bar V-tb vertical bar

We present the first measurement of the ratio of branching fractions R equivalent to B(t --> Wb)/B(t --> Wq) from pa collisions at roots = 1.8 TeV. The data set corresponds to 109 pb(-1) of data recorded by the Collider Detector at Fermilab during the 1992-95 Tevatron run. We measure R = 0.94(-0.24)(+0.31)(stat + syst) or R > 0.61 (0.56) at 90% (95)% C.L., in agreement with the standard model predictions. This measurement yields a limit on the Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa quark mixing matrix element \V-tb\ under the assumption of three generations and unitarity.