Did You Know...
...that the Slinky toy was the result of a failed attempt by engineer Richard James to produce an antivibration device for ship instruments? His goal was to develop a spring that would instantaneously counterbalance the wave motion that rocks a ship at sea. Instead, he developed the Slinky.
PatentStorm News
Make the Most of Our Site
See this month's Top Inventors and Most Cited Patents.
Stay on top of the latest innovations by subscribing to an RSS feed.
Registered users: Manage your profile.
| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 5149025 | Detection of overheated railroad wheel and axle components Overheated railroad journal bearings, wheels, and other wheel components on a moving or stationary railroad train are detected by amplifying the current signal from an infrared radiation sensor comprising a pytoelectric cell. A reference temperature is se... | 09/22/1992 |
| 5071285 | Artificial reef An artificial reef is designed for replacing and protecting naturally occurring reef structures. The artificial reef comprises multiple vertically stacked concrete panels separated by spacing blocks. The panels and spacing blocks are fixed together by rei... | 12/10/1991 |
| 5060890 | Detection of overheated railroad wheel and axle components Overheated railroad journal bearings, wheels, and other wheel components on a moving or stationary railroad train are detected by amplifying the current signal from an infrared radiation sensor comprising a pyroelectric cell. A reference temperature is se... | 10/29/1991 |
| 5048409 | Truss fabrication machine with joystick controls A truss fabricating machine includes a gantry movable along an X-axis and a pressing cylinder suspended from the gantry which is movable along the Y-axis allowing the pressing cylinder to be located above a joint in a wooden truss. The pressing cylinder p... | 09/17/1991 |
| 5037335 | Battery jumper cable connector An electrical connector is designed for use in attaching electrical cables to side mounted battery terminals which utilize a threaded bolt to secure the vehicle battery cables to the terminal. One embodiment of the connector comprises an elongated housing... | 08/06/1991 |
| 5038158 | Electromagnetic gray scale printer A gray scale image poster printer reproduces a digitally stored bit map image on a printer using an electrostatic and magnetic toner to generate gray scale images by expanding each line of the original stored image into a plurality of subpixels along the ... | 08/06/1991 |
| 5008967 | Triangular truss walkout cantilever A triangular truss walkout cantilever for displaying railroad warning signals above the individual lanes of a road or highway at a railroad grade crossing is disclosed. The cantilever includes a cantilever arm attached to a vertical roadside mast. The can... | 04/23/1991 |
| 5009217 | Fireplace log holder and alarm A fireplace log holder and alarm system is designed for placement within the firebox of fireplaces. The log holder is comprised of parallel log supports having a very rough top surfaces so as to minimize rolling and slippage of the logs. Attached to the f... | 04/23/1991 |
| 4997311 | Artificial reef An artificial reef of lightweight construction employs a dome-shaped, thin-walled enclosure of plastic material having apertures therein to permit acquatic life to enter and exit. The enclosure has a circular perimeter that is provided with a circumferent... | 03/05/1991 |
| 4992000 | Underwater trenching system An underwater trenching system comprises a closed trenching system that vacuums up sediment removed during the trenching operation and deposits that same sediment into the trench, thereby burying a pipeline that has settled into the trench. The invention ... | 02/12/1991 |
| 4974471 | Controllable pinion differential device Differential-gearing devices are disclosed in which the differential pinion gears are controlled to induce a speed difference between output shafts, provide a locking and limited slip differential to equalize the speeds of the output shafts or limit their... | 12/04/1990 |
| 4972641 | Leave-in-place cantilever concrete foundation form A foundation form is pre-fabricated, shipped to job site, placed in a hole, leveled, and concrete is poured into it to form a large surface area footing topped by a pedestal having anchor bolts projecting therefrom to secure a cantilevered arm and mast, s... | 11/27/1990 |
| 4934633 | Crossing control unit Warning lights at a railroad grade crossing are energized at a predetermined flash rate when a train is approaching through the use of an essentially fail-safe solid state crossing controller employing circuitry that is active in creating an off condition... | 06/19/1990 |
| 4868538 | Random signature island circuit An island circuit detects the presence of a train on a crossing island, and, in response, de-energizes a normally energized relay to activate a warning. A random signature signal is generated and transmitted through the rails from a transmitter to a recei... | 09/19/1989 |
| 4850281 | Traction wheel turn for power and free conveyor A traction wheel turn for a power and free conveyor employs a single rotary unit to effect a complete, 180° reversal of the course of the conveyor. A circular track component forms a part of the free track at the inside of the turn and is carried by the ... | 07/25/1989 |
| 4802092 | Electric probe used to activate correct and incorrect response areas in an instructional apparatus This invention provides the user with immediate feedback as to the correctness or incorrectness of their respones to multiple choice, true - false, and cross matching questions by the use of a hand held electric probe that produces a magnetic field; where... | 01/31/1989 |
| 4786896 | Input mechanism for word processor This invention is an input device that enables the user to take symbol sequences such as whole words, phrases, sentences, paragraphs, or other multi-symbol sequences from a computer's memory and have these symbol sequences printed out or displayed by some... | 11/22/1988 |
| 4766890 | Cast with spaced-apart ribs An improved cast comprising an array of spaced-apart support ribs for immobilizing a fracture site. The ribs are held in place by first and second straps and casting tape encircling the rib grid. The rib array includes laterally aligned tape fasteners whi... | 08/30/1988 |
| 4763450 | Ice dam preventer Roof-mounted devices for providing drainage channels through ice dams that may form on a roof under winter conditions are spaced along the margin of the roof, each device comprising an elongated, heat-collecting metal plate which is installed in a transve... | 08/16/1988 |
| 4743908 | Target position radar A traffic radar unit capable of looking past the lead vehicle of oncoming traffic and discovering and identifying a violator employs master and slave antennas having diverging boresights that provide overlapping relative power density radiation patterns. ... | 05/10/1988 |
| 4718210 | Fastener for void-forming member 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 transver... | 01/12/1988 |
| 4718810 | High speed transporter for multiple station production line A high-speed, bidirectional transporter for a multiple station production line provides for the programmable pickup, transport and delivery of materials at non-sequential work stations along the production line. The transporter is self-propelled by a rack... | 01/12/1988 |
| 4714225 | Foundation system for ground-mounted masts A foundation system for a mast is installed in the ground with earth anhcors and employs three unitary arms radiating from a central mounting hub. The mast, typically a pipe, is united with the foundation system by a combination clamp and brace which resi... | 12/22/1987 |
| 4699630 | Fuel valve for air-vapor mixer An improved fuel valve for an air-vapor mixer device for the fuel supply system of an internal combustion engine with which it is in thermal contact is disclosed. The valve operates in a fuel metering orifice and is composed of an acetal copolymer resin h... | 10/13/1987 |
| 4691697 | Knee support A prophylactic knee support(s) including a planar impact bar attached to upper and lower mounting bars. The upper and lower mounting bars are fastened to portions of the leg above and below the knee of the user by wraps encircling the appropriate leg port... | 09/08/1987 |
| 4252792 | Injectable rabies vaccine composition and method for preparing same A rabies vaccine composition is disclosed which comprises a sterilized suspension of proteineous suckling mice or rat brain particles of injectable particle size laden with an amount of inactivated rabies virus which is equivalent to a virus titer of from... | 02/24/1981 |
| 4234922 | Automatic locomotive speed control An automatic speed control system for a consist of diesel locomotives conserves fuel by throttling back trailing engines and operating remaining engines at the most efficient throttle position. A control unit in the lead locomotive is operated by the engi... | 11/18/1980 |
| 4232649 | Bow string trigger release A trigger-operated bowstring release especially designed for hunting has an elongated, rigid body of dogleg configuration, the rear portion of the body presenting a handle which is gripped by the archer to hold the release in the shooting position. The ti... | 11/11/1980 |
| 4214243 | Harmonic detector for traffic radar A traffic radar unit capable of operation from a moving patrol vehicle has a receiver provided with phase recognition circuitry that prevents the display of "ghost" readings. After initial processing of the incoming composite Doppler signal, the phase rec... | 07/22/1980 |
| 4206816 | Folding flexible undercutter plow Apparatus is disclosed for folding an articulated agricultural implement such as a multisection plow in order to facilitate movement of the implement from field to field along available roadways. Stability in the folded condition and minimization of the n... | 06/10/1980 |
| 4204575 | Method of folding a plurality of wing sections of an articulated implement An apparatus and method are disclosed for folding an articulated agricultural implement such as a multisection plow in order to facilitate movement of the implement from field to field along available roadways. Stability in the folded condition and minimi... | 05/27/1980 |
| 4192072 | Pendulum device In a kinetic sculpture apparatus, the lower end of a pendulum provides a scribe having a tapered tip that penetrates the surface of a bed of fine, particulate material to make an intricate pattern in the bed whose configuration is determined by the locati... | 03/11/1980 |
| 4185489 | Speedometer tester The speedometer of a stationary vehicle is evaluated for accuracy and calibrated regardless of vehicle tire size. The powered driven wheel or wheels is/are disengaged from road contact and a detachable housing member with a permanent magnet therein is rel... | 01/29/1980 |
| 4181286 | Reinforced plastic mold for concrete panels A mold especially adapted for forming precast, waffle-shaped concrete panels employs a one-piece mold body of plastic sheet material to provide a reusable mold structure that may be rapidly stripped and reset. Each corner of the mold body is open; thus, t... | 01/01/1980 |
| 4176012 | Adjacent loop distillation An impure liquid is continuously distilled in a deaerated conduit arranged in a coil to present adjacent loops in heat exchange relationship. The conduit is divided by a partial partition into a distilland trough and a distillate trough, the latter being ... | 11/27/1979 |
| 4162685 | Bovine surgical table A table is provided that allows easy surgical access to all parts of the bovine anatomy. Upon entering the table apparatus, the bovine is initially restrained by a stanchion-type head gate which is rapidly adjustable to accommodate a wide range of neck th... | 07/31/1979 |
| 4151673 | Automatic reactivating trap An animal trap includes a box-like housing having a capture compartment and a storage compartment. An elevated access opening is presented on one side of the housing and is adjacent to a primary platform which is pivotally mounted in the capture compartme... | 05/01/1979 |
| 4150725 | Implement with compensation for terrain irregularities An agricultural implement such as a disc or treader is provided with a counterpoise connection between the frame of the implement and the tongue for holding the tongue in a normal operative position. The counterpoise employs a spring-loaded compensator li... | 04/24/1979 |
| 4133391 | Folding flexible undercutter plow Apparatus is disclosed for folding an articulated agricultural implement such as a multisection plow in order to facilitate movement of the implement from field to field along available roadways. Stability in the folded condition and minimization of the n... | 01/09/1979 |
| 4117714 | Method and apparatus for continuously extracting trace contaminants from air and monitoring the contaminant content thereof Air that is desired to be examined for impurities is drawn through a concentrator comprising a cylindrical receptacle into which the air is introduced at the base portion of the receptacle in a direction tangentially of the cylindrical wall. A scrubbing l... | 10/03/1978 |
