Did You Know...
...that several people are credited with the invention of the flush toilet? Most people have heard of Thomas Crapper (1837-1910), the sanitary engineer who invented the valve-and-siphon arrangement that made the modern toilet possible. Another claimant to "the throne" was British inventor Alexander Cumming who patented a toilet in 1775. Then there's a nameless Minoan (a native of ancient Crete) who lived 4,000 years ago who supposedly was ahead of his time and created the first flush toilet!
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 6875910 | Guitar bridge for improved sound transfer An improved bridge for a guitar or other stringed instrument which offers individual height and length adjustment for each string. The bridge uses adjusters in which one part, the saddle, pivots or rocks, on a fulcrum relative to a supporting part, the anvil. The fu... | 04/05/2005 |
| 6968766 | Compliant workholder for machinery A compliant system of workholders for use with woodworking, metalworking, or other machinery each of which pushes against a workpiece with substantially constant pressure while moving in and out to accommodate variation in the size of the workpiece. Preferably, the ... | 11/29/2005 |
| 6945145 | Quick action tap wrench A quick action, cam operated hand tool holder, such as a tap wrench. The cam is moveable between at least one released and one locked positions, preferably by a conventional T-handle. A third position may also be provided which may be either a second locked or a sec... | 09/20/2005 |
| 6942647 | Pinch clamp cover A resilient cover for a pinch clamp which fully encloses the clamp providing a smooth, snag free surface. The cover pads the clamp and softens the sharp edges of the clamp, providing an increased level of comfort for the patient using the clamp. The cover also provi... | 09/13/2005 |
| 6901690 | Chamber block for a handgun or other weapon A two-part chamber block for a handgun which does not interfere with the inspection, operation or field stripping of the weapon other than access to the chamber and barrel. In a first embodiment, two lengthwise segments can be offset, inserted into the barrel and th... | 06/07/2005 |
| 6718857 | Compliant workholder for machinery A compliant workholder for use with woodworking, metalworking, or other machinery which pushes against a workpiece with substantially constant pressure while moving in and out to accommodate variation in the size of the workpiece. Preferably, the workholder uses a f... | 04/13/2004 |
| 6708588 | Self adjusting mechanism for locking plier, wrench, or other tool A self adjusting closure mechanism for a locking plier or similar device. Central to the invention is a set of one or more friction pawls which slide along a support rod, moved by a push link working against a spring. The push link is free to rotate between two posi... | 03/23/2004 |
| 6694841 | Self adjusting mechanism for locking plier, wrench, or other tool A self adjusting closure mechanism for a locking plier or similar device. Central to the invention is a set of one or more friction pawls which slide along a support rod, moved by a push link working against a spring. The push link is free to rotate betwe... | 02/24/2004 |
| 6644739 | Baby stroller seat A supplemental seat for a baby stroller designed to be releasably attached to the frame and push handle of the stroller, providing additional seating for a second infant. A minimal configuration comprises a seat cushion and seat back attachable to the str... | 11/11/2003 |
| 6565294 | Plunge cutting device for non-circular shapes A plunge cutting device for use with a portable drill, drill press, or other rotary drive source which is capable of cutting irregularly shaped openings or workpieces in a single operation. A drive chain, belt, or other means carries a plurality of cuttin... | 05/20/2003 |
| 6543737 | Tissue box holder A holding device for temporarily attaching a facial tissue box or similar container to a supporting structure such as glove box door, sun visor, window, bed railing or headboard, or similar. The device is removably attachable to both the box and the suppo... | 04/08/2003 |
| 6491054 | Method and apparatus for constructing modular fluid containment tanks A modular fluid storage tank, intended for underground storage of water, utilizing alternating circular and octagonal ribs in the main body and curved, ribbed, end caps. Interconnection of the tanks uses rigid pipe or semi-flexible hose. The coupling betw... | 12/10/2002 |
| 6450115 | Bicycle bell with inverted dome A bicycle bell with an inverted bell dome and a substantially enclosing cover. Preferably, the cover also functions to activate the bell. Alternatively, a lever actuator can be used, either in combination with the cap or as a separate element. The cover s... | 09/17/2002 |
| 6449108 | Synthetic erector lens mount A synthetic erector lens mount for use in a rifle scope or similar optical instrument incorporating glides, or rails, which ride on the inner surface of the guide tube. Biasing fingers, or tabs, incorporate raised bulges, or angle radially outward from th... | 09/10/2002 |
| 6408766 | Auxiliary drive, full service locomotive tender A long distance auxiliary drive tender for railroad locomotives which stores significant quantities of fuel and delivers the fuel to the locomotives while underway and which also includes traction motor drive axles powered by the locomotive generators. Th... | 06/25/2002 |
| 6394329 | Removable bottle holder A holder for a water, beverage, or similar container which attaches the container to the user's belt. An upright portion of the holder is designed to be inserted behind the user's belt while a lateral projection supports and retains the container. Two ope... | 05/28/2002 |
| 6397143 | Layout based method for map navigation A map navigation and display system which emphasizes the use of physical layout and location to identify and select areas to zoom in on. Preferably used to assist users in locating stores and businesses, a central concept is the visual presentation of a s... | 05/28/2002 |
| 6363560 | Connector installation and removal tool A compact multi-function installer's tool which combines a linear compression tool for type F fittings with at least one of a security wrench, a trap wrench, and a hex socket wrench. The wrenches are preferably aligned with the central axis of the compres... | 04/02/2002 |
| 6314779 | Conductor reducer for co-axial cable A tool for reducing the diameter of the center conductor of a coaxial cable allowing it to mate with a smaller receptacle without the necessity of a reducer. The tool uses plural rollers within a housing to roll form the conductor as they rotate about it.... | 11/13/2001 |
| 6311407 | Picture hanging aid A dual purpose picture hanging aid which serves as both a device for holding the picture wire in position away from the back of the picture and as an adjustable length plumb bob for straightening the picture after hanging. The device incorporates openings... | 11/06/2001 |
| 6283347 | Fully enclosable backpack baby carrier A fully enclosable backpack style baby carrier which protects the baby from sun exposure, insects, rain, snow and light impacts such as from overhanging branches. The carrier remains enclosed while the carrier is being carried and while it is set on the g... | 09/04/2001 |
| 6257908 | Rotating electrical receptacle guard A guard for an electrical receptacle uses a rotating cover to mask the slots in the receptacle. Catch pins engage the cover and hold it in its closed position. Springs means, or similar, automatically return the cover to the closed position. In the prefer... | 07/10/2001 |
| 6227396 | Subterranean fluid containment tank A modular fluid storage tank, intended for underground storage of water, utilizing alternating circular and octagonal ribs in the main body and curved, ribbed, end caps. Interconnection of the tanks uses rigid pipe or semi-flexible hose. The coupling betw... | 05/08/2001 |
| 6205275 | Fiber optic image transfer assembly and method of using An image transfer assembly comprising a preferably flexible fiber optic guide and a pair of fiber optic tapers connected to the ends of the guide. The assembly can compress an image, transmit it via the guide and magnify it for viewing. The tapers may hav... | 03/20/2001 |
| 6192554 | Tie strap An adjustable, flexible tie strap with low insertion and release forces but which provides significantly greater holding force. A tapered head has rearwardly extending ears which engage the body of the strap to prevent withdrawal after the head is passed ... | 02/27/2001 |
| 6182718 | Pass-through dispenser system with aligned feeder troughs A dispensing system using dual linear vibratory feeders, aligned along their longitudinal axes with their dispensing ends at substantially the same vertical location. The feeder trough of one feeder penetrates the structure of the other feeder, allowing t... | 02/06/2001 |
| 6155002 | Sanitary folding paper bug catcher A folding insect trap which uses an adhesive layer on only the inner side, leaving the outer surface clean and available for handling. A decorative, or camouflage, pattern is printed on the outer surface to disguise the appearance of the trap. A pattern m... | 12/05/2000 |
| 6151748 | Carpeting and surface cleaning apparatus A cleaning device for either carpeted or hard surfaces which utilizes pressurized cleaning fluid to clean the surface. The fluid nozzles are arranged on two or more heads which are in turn mounted on two or more arms. The arms rotate about a common axis c... | 11/28/2000 |
| 6122747 | Intelligent subsystem interface for modular hardware system A single chip application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) which provides a flexible, modular interface between a subsystem and a standard system bus. The ASIC includes a microcontroller/microprocessor, a serial interface for connection to the bus, and ... | 09/19/2000 |
| 6041837 | Finger joint jig A jig for cutting a finger joint which eliminates the trial and error required to adjust the spacing between the key and the cutting blade. A key and an abutment are arranged on one side of the cutting blade. The key is connected to an alignment ledge on ... | 03/28/2000 |
| 6014729 | Shared memory arbitration apparatus and method An apparatus and method for arbitrating requests for access to a shared resource. A buffer, on command from control logic, can selectively couple or decouple two buses. The control logic uses signals from two logic devices, one of which may be a microproc... | 01/11/2000 |
| 5979887 | Apparatus for installing sheet material over an existing ceiling A device for installing drywall or other sheet materials on a ceiling where access to the joists is limited by an existing ceiling or vapor barrier. The device aligns with the leading edge of an installed sheet, braces against the floor, and provides a su... | 11/09/1999 |
| 5934466 | Stackable interlocking toolbox A toolbox, designed to be used as part of a set of similar toolboxes, which has a tongue and groove along the top edge of both sides and a mirror image tongue and groove along the bottom edge of both sides. Two toolboxes made according to the invention ca... | 08/10/1999 |
| 5713019 | Iconic access to remote electronic monochrome raster data format document repository A method and apparatus for storage and retrieval of electronic documents is disclosed. A central document repository and one or more remote access sites are interconnected via a general purpose data network. Documents are stored within the system using a ... | 01/27/1998 |
| 5619953 | Cat scratching post for use with furniture A scratching post suitable for use by cats and other clawed animals which can be held in position adjacent to an item of furniture without physical attachment to the surface of the furniture. The apparatus is comprised of a horizontal base plate and one o... | 04/15/1997 |
