Celebrity Inventors
Glam girl Heddy Lamar may have used her good looks to good effect on the silver screen, but she put her smarts to better use as an inventor. During World War II, she co-patented a frequency-switching system for torpedo guidance that was considered years ahead of its time.
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 4555630 | Automatic system for exposing and handling double-sided printed circuit boards An automatic system for exposing and handling double-sided printed circuit boards without scuffing either side, which effects precise positioning of the circuit boards at exposure stations, and which holds the circuit boards firmly clamped on a planar sta... | 11/26/1985 |
| 4545278 | Apparatus and method for adjusting the characteristic sounds of electric guitars, and for controlling tones To adjust the characteristic sounds produced by electric guitars and other musical instruments, the present apparatus and method provide for varying the resistive loading on the electromagnetic pickups of such instruments. This changes the shape of the pe... | 10/08/1985 |
| 4539479 | Automatic apparatus and method for exposing, registering, and handling double-sided printed circuit boards In an apparatus and method for effecting automatic handling of circuit boards prior to exposing them, pins are provided that effect highly accurate location of the circuit board at an exposure station. The pins are extended through slots provided in the c... | 09/03/1985 |
| 4537071 | Retriever tool A tool for retrieving or placing test or process elements from and into a pressurized container has a relatively short run in/run out shaft that carries a connector for attachment to and rotation of a holder that mounts a test probe, test coupon, or the l... | 08/27/1985 |
| 4531992 | Composite tape preparation and application High strength composite tape is prepared for laying in side-by-side strips upon a work surface by precutting the strips to a predetermined length and mounting the strips upon a carrier belt in longitudinally spaced relation to one another, so that the pre... | 07/30/1985 |
| 4527753 | Dual-control fly-fishing reel A fly-fishing reel has a rotatable spool provided with a click gear engaged by a pivoted pawl which can apply resistance to rotation of the spool in opposite directions by independently adjustable spring means. A pair of exteriorly exposed adjustment knob... | 07/09/1985 |
| 4523093 | Scanning beam reference and read system The laser beam of a flying spot scanner is turned on and off to write data under control of a reference clock that generates clock signals determined by the position of the writing beam. To detect position of the writing beam a reference beam is scanned i... | 06/11/1985 |
| 4521066 | Electrical connector with non-precockable coupling ring The plug shell and receptacle of an electrical connector have registration keys and keyways that are alignable in a single rotational position. A coupling ring mounted for rotation on a plug shell has a mating set of keys and keyways that must be aligned ... | 06/04/1985 |
| 4516868 | Mastic applicator and adjustable blade assembly A mastic applicator or "flat box" for use in application of mastic to tape drywall joints includes a container for storing and dispensing mastic. The container has a pressure plate which both supports the apparatus from a handle and applies pressure to fo... | 05/14/1985 |
| 4514681 | Flush electrical resistance corrosion probe An all metal-welded flush electrical resistance probe for measuring corrosion of a fluid in a pipe avoids problems of sealing dissimilar materials by using a thin, metallic test disc that is welded around its periphery to the open end of a probe body whic... | 04/30/1985 |
| 4514362 | Breath specimen mixer A mixing chamber designed for ready disassembly is described in which a generally spherical-shaped outer container encloses an inner sphere. Entry and exit openings are provided on opposite sides of the outer sphere, so that breath specimens pass through ... | 04/30/1985 |
| 4510967 | Anti-backflow valve for therapy tubs and the like An anti-backflow valve for installation in a blower discharge line of a therapy tub aeration system has an air inlet, an air outlet, and an auxiliary outlet in its housing. A spring-loaded check valve member within the housing precludes fluid flow outward... | 04/16/1985 |
| 4508974 | Emergency power system and logic therefor A motor generator set that is used to provide clean, noise-free power to a load, such as a computer, is upgraded to a complete uninterruptible power supply by the addition of a logic controlled, battery powered inverter that is readily connected in the ma... | 04/02/1985 |
| 4508665 | Retrofit pulsator apparatus and method for an air/water mixer of a swimming pool, therapy tub, spa or the like To convert a conventional nonpulsating air/water mixer for a therapy tub, swimming pool, spa or the like to a pulsating mixer, an inexpensive pulsator fitting is used to replace the central eyeball portion of the mixer's outlet and mounting fitting. The p... | 04/02/1985 |
| 4507336 | Method for protecting a substrate with a multi-density composite polyurethane A substrate, such as a roofing substrate, is protected by coating it with a low density polyurethane foam which is then coated with an essentially non-porous, dense, elastomeric polyurethane layer. The layer is formed by spraying a volatile-free spray of ... | 03/26/1985 |
| 4505508 | Truck bed liner A kit for lining the inside of the bed of a pickup truck is made of plywood liner sections, including side panel liner sheets that are outwardly bowed and captured between the truck bed floor and an inwardly extending shoulder of the upper rail of the sid... | 03/19/1985 |
| 4497440 | Non-drain valve for sprinkler systems A sprinkler system for plants and schrubs growing on the side of a hill has non-drain valves connected at discharge heads that are positioned at elevations below the main control valve for the system. The non-drain valves are opened by pressure of water e... | 02/05/1985 |
| 4496845 | Method and apparatus for control of a turbine generator A turbine generator system for use in a flow line from a water supply to a water usage, treatment or storage system employs a remotely controlled valve for control of the flow of water through the turbine. The system is arranged to shut down upon occurren... | 01/29/1985 |
| 4495788 | Multiple curvature bender A rotary draw bending machine employs a stack of bending dies 22 of different curvatures, forming part of a bend head 18 that is entirely mounted on the forward end of the machine bed 10 for bi-directional lateral and vertical motion so that without chang... | 01/29/1985 |
| 4495443 | Compact fluorescent lamp combination, and method of making it In the present apparatus and method, there is first selected a compact fluorescent lamp having a small fluorescent tube and also having a base, there being two contact pins on the base, there also being on such base a starter housing which projects from t... | 01/22/1985 |
| 4494092 | Filter pin electrical connector This invention provides a filter pin connector having two capacitor disc assemblies, each with a plurality of openings receiving the connector pins and held within a connector shell. Each capacitor disc includes a plurality of laminations of conductive ma... | 01/15/1985 |
| 4492514 | Submerged pump assembly and method of making and using same A method and means for providing a protective environment for submerged pumps are described. For a submerged water pump a shell or casing is installed to enclose at least a lower portion of the pump, and a protective fluid medium, typically compressed air... | 01/08/1985 |
| 4491493 | Composite tape preparation and application High strength composite tape is prepared for laying in side-by-side strips upon a work surface by precutting the strips to a predetermined length and mounting the strips upon a carrier belt in longitudinally spaced relation to one another, so that the pre... | 01/01/1985 |
| 4490331 | Extracorporeal blood processing system A unitary system incorporates an upper reservoir container having a blood gas separator, a cardiotomy reservoir and a venous reservoir. The upper container is positioned directly above a lower mass transfer container coupled with the venous reservoir by m... | 12/25/1984 |
| 4489829 | Hanging bag with detachable cowl A flexible folding garment bag having a detachable cowl is described. The cowl covers the open upper ends of the front panels of the bag and is provided with an interior compartment and means for hanging the cowl in either a vertical or horizontal orienta... | 12/25/1984 |
| 4488624 | Duffle bag security A duffle bag having a number of latching devices and slide fastener closures for providing access to a number of different interior compartments is provided with a single security device that prevents inadvertent or unauthorized opening of the latching de... | 12/18/1984 |
| 4484233 | High speed, high resolution programmable multiformatting hardcopy video printer A high speed, high resolution programmable multiformatting hardcopy video printer is devised by using a fiber optic face plate on a cathode ray tube wherein a fiber optic face plate has an electrophoretically deposited phosphor which is activated by the c... | 11/20/1984 |
| 4483265 | Cross-stitch design process This invention provides a cross-stitching arrangement in which a desired embroidery pattern first is laid out in outline form on a paper and then reproduced by stamped crosses on the material that is to receive the cross-stitching. The paper layout may be... | 11/20/1984 |
| 4476880 | Apparatus for sensing and indicating vaginal muscle contraction Vaginal muscle contraction is sensed by change of pressure within a flexible, hollow tubular member that is adapted to be compressed in response to muscle contraction. A simple pressure transducer embodies a pressure tube connected with the tubular sensin... | 10/16/1984 |
| 4475035 | Method and apparatus for scanning The surface of a part to be identified or inspected is scanned by a laser beam projected normal to the surface to be scanned from the end of a rotating arm in a circular scan pattern. A small collector lens is fixed to the end of the rotating arm and has ... | 10/02/1984 |
| 4472095 | Locking fastener This invention provides a locking fastener in which a nut is provided with symmetrical axial slots extending inwardly from one end, a sleeve surrounds the nut and has ribs in the slots for engaging the thread of a threaded shank received in the nut, and a... | 09/18/1984 |
| 4471233 | Emergency power system A motor generator set that is used to provide clean, noise-free power to a load, such as a computer, is upgraded to a complete uninterruptible power supply by the addition of a logic controlled, battery powered inverter that is readily connected in the ma... | 09/11/1984 |
| 4469370 | Sunroof with detachable connector A hinged closure panel of a vehicle sunroof is detachably connected and locked to its frame by means of an articulated latch pivoted at one end to a detachable connector. The connector has projections extending outwardly and upwardly into mating recesses ... | 09/04/1984 |
| 4464091 | Captive fastener This invention provides a captive screw and a nut, the captive screw including a collar having an opening receiving the shank of a screw, the opening having a portion of wide diameter and a portion of narrow diameter. The screw has a full-depth thread at ... | 08/07/1984 |
| 4457585 | Magnifier reader A clear, transparent, rigid plastic sheet is bent into an inverted U-shape to provide a top supported by continuous transparent legs. A fresnel lens, coextensive with the top, is secured to the top or actually formed in one of its surfaces to provide a ha... | 07/03/1984 |
| 4454370 | Thermocouple surface probe A pair of resilient side-by-side elongated coils of different thermocouple material are mounted in a ceramic housing and project forwardly with their forward ends connected to form a thermocouple junction that is adapted to be pressed against a surface of... | 06/12/1984 |
| 4452367 | Variable size box construction This invention provides a unit for forming alternatively a relatively small box or one-half of a relatively large box. It includes a rectangular cardboard sheet with interconnected doubled over side and end edge panels. Localized parts of the side edge pa... | 06/05/1984 |
| 4449564 | Adjustable track for louver drapes or blinds An adjustable track means for louver-type drapes or blinds having a telescoping supporting frame and telescoping driving means for drawing the drapes transversely and for rotating the individual louvers is described.... | 05/22/1984 |
| 4448206 | Vented, aspirating syringe A syringe comprises a main tubular body, the body being open at one end and receiving a hypodermic needle at the other end, and a plunger, one end of the plunger extending into the body, through the open end thereof, the plunger having a longitudinal pass... | 05/15/1984 |
| 4447723 | Scanning beam reference employing a retroreflective code means The laser beam of a flying spot scanner is turned on and off to write data under control of a reference clock that generates clock signals determined by the position of the writing beam. To detect position of the writing beam a reference beam is scanned i... | 05/08/1984 |
