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 |
| 7942754 | Golf green for a patio A golf green for a patio, deck, floor, substrate or supporting surface with access from below to cut a hole therein includes a U-shaped cup retaining structure mounted to the substrate underside adjacent the hole and into which a cup is slidably inserted and seated ... | 05/17/2011 |
| 7909841 | Co-axial actuated scissors Co-axial actuated scissors for slidable positioning along a nerve for cutting the nerve or other anatomical surgical structure in a plane normal to the longitudinal axis of the scissors and away from the surgery site without harming adjacent tissues includes a first... | 03/22/2011 |
| 7901017 | Security file cabinet with self-closing, self-locking drawers A self-closing, self-locking security file cabinet having one or more lateral and vertical file drawers mounted on sliding supports includes a lock return mechanism for returning the lock to the lock position after the individual has released his/her hold on the key... | 03/08/2011 |
| D628835 | Inverted container holder | 12/14/2010 |
| 7572260 | Orthopedic surgical device for simultaneous bone removal on both sides of a fixation pin A slotted bone rasp for reciprocal planing of opposed bone surfaces joined by a fixation pin so that the bone surfaces are made congruous and parallel to each other preparatory to bone fusion irrespective of pin orientation includes a shank with a pair of legs defin... | 08/11/2009 |
| 7496116 | Switching arrangement and method for communications platform A switching arrangement and method allow signals received by a communications platform to be directed to an appropriate interface depending on the type of signal received by an input signal line. A switch element having a switch is responsive to a logic control syst... | 02/24/2009 |
| 7401413 | Disposable wound measuring device A disposable wound measuring device for making simultaneous three-dimensional (length, width and depth) measurements of a wound or ulcer to facilitate wound care assessment and healing that includes a flexible, clear plastic planar card or member superposed on the w... | 07/22/2008 |
| 7356868 | Multi-purpose cleaning accessory for golf equipment A multi-purpose golf equipment cleaning accessory releasably attachable to a golf bag or like structure for cleaning club heads, club grips, and golf shoes spikes includes an exterior surface, a first half portion integrally and pivotally adjoined to a second half p... | 04/15/2008 |
| 7300239 | Hoist for loading and unloading objects on a truck bed A hoist for elevating cargo onto the bed of a truck includes a frame (11) which may be mounted to the truck bed, a platform or container (12) which is connected to the frame by a pivoting arm (9), and an arrangement of linkages for rotating the ... | 11/27/2007 |
| 7246860 | Wheel plugs for vehicle wheels A wheel insert for removable placement within the apertures of the wheel rim of a vehicle wheel for preventing mud, dirt and debris from entering and blocking the apertures and marring the vehicle wheel includes a tubular body portion insertable into the aperture, a... | 07/24/2007 |
| 7156571 | Combination pen or pencil and circular marking implement A combination pen, pencil and circular marking implement that can be utilized as a pen or pencil writing tool and for circular ink marking on printed surfaces for word game and puzzle solution includes a central passageway for accommodating ink cartridges or lead pe... | 01/02/2007 |
| 7146948 | Valve lifting arrangement A valve actuating assembly for opening and closing a valve includes a cam mounted on a camshaft and enclosed by a pair of rotary cam guides each of which includes a roller channel having an outer race for receiving opposed ends of a roller that extends transversely ... | 12/12/2006 |
| PP17007 | Boxwood plant named ‘Wee Willie’ A new and distinct cultivar of boxwood that originated as a branch sport. The orderly arrangement of leaves on each stem gives this shrub considerable textural interest. This shrub displays excellent hardiness, and its emerald-green leaves retain their color through... | 08/15/2006 |
| 7010825 | Telescoping ramp A telescoping ramp assembly incorporates one or more sloping deck ramp sections which nest inside one another; are mounted on wheels; and have pull-up/fold-down railing sections which rise/lower and link/unlink as the ramp sections, powered manually or by way of a m... | 03/14/2006 |
| 6976509 | Method and apparatus for pressurizing plastic pipe A system and apparatus for pressurizing pipe includes a resilient and compressible plug insertable into the opposed ends of the pipe for sealing the pipe. The plug includes a plug body having a larger outside diameter than the inside diameter of the pipe, a flange t... | 12/20/2005 |
| 6930272 | Vise for holding a workpiece on an EDM machine A vise for holding a work piece in position on an EDM machine includes a main plate for attachment to the rail or ledge of the EDM machine, and the main plate supports a vise that holds the work piece in position during the machining process. The vise includes a mov... | 08/16/2005 |
| 6722248 | Bi-directional cutting band mill A bi-directional cutting band mill apparatus utilizes two band saws mounted on a carriage for cutting horizontal sections from logs through successive back and forth passes across each log as the carriage reciprocates on a lower frame wherein a section of the log is... | 04/20/2004 |
| 6595526 | Animal drawn adjustable implement cart A two wheeled, height adjustable cart for pulling farm implements and maintaining a stable height for the cart relative to the field includes a pair of spaced wheels to which main frame members are connected and extend upwardly therefrom. A work platform ... | 07/22/2003 |
| 6540456 | Method and apparatus for cutting low density flexible material using a rotary cutting tool Apparatus and method for cutting a low density flexible material and passing through a semi-rigid base material simultaneously by means of a rotary milling cutter and simultaneously applying a compressive force to the flexible material to increase the rig... | 04/01/2003 |
| 6524191 | Inverted coupling assembly An inverted coupling for transmitting power between the shafts of an electric motor and a gear box pinion includes sleeve ring gears mounted on the respective shafts for rotation therewith and each sleeve ring gear having internal gear teeth that intermes... | 02/25/2003 |
| 6501370 | Vehicle anti-theft lock apparatus and method An anti-theft lock structure for a vehicle having a code box which must be accessed to enable the vehicle to operate. When the vehicle is not enabled the steering column is locked in position, the gear shift lever is locked in position so the transmission... | 12/31/2002 |
| 6487734 | Pool cover assembly A pool cover assembly for covering for covering an above ground swimming pool during periods of non-seasonal use includes a plurality of pool cover brackets arranged about and on the railing of the swimming pool with each pool cover bracket including a ho... | 12/03/2002 |
| 6482060 | Infant self-righting flotation seat/carrier An infant seat/carrier equipped with low-density material spaced from the center of gravity of the seat/carrier to provide a torsion force on the seat/carrier to urge the seat/carrier to an upright position.... | 11/19/2002 |
| 6406410 | Base for exercise A base member for an exercise device made up of a single member or flat plate. A single tubular member or an array of tubular members may be supported on a plate and fixed to it. The tubular member has slots in its sides extending from the top to the bott... | 06/18/2002 |
| 6363886 | Heated/cooled live-food bird feeder A bird feeder for maintaining live bird feed at a temperature to preserve the feed. The temperature is maintained within an acceptable range with heating and cooling means, which are provided in combination with the feeder. The bird feeder has a removable... | 04/02/2002 |
| 6354594 | Folkstyle wrestling card game A competitive card game which simulates the sport of wrestling according to the folkstyle rules. The game is comprised of a plurality of images with color codes; which illustrate the progression of moves, counter moves and scores where as allowed by the p... | 03/12/2002 |
| 6319084 | Sound simulating method and device A noise cover system for preventing the noise of a cough, sneeze or the like by a hunter, bird watcher or the like from disturbing birds or animals. The cover is made of flexible thermoplastic neoprene rubber or similar material. The cover is a face mask ... | 11/20/2001 |
| 6155524 | Quick release locking system A lock is provided to releasably secure a first member to a second member. The lock has two brackets, one attached to the first member and the other attached to the second member. The first is a locking slotted bracket and the second is a locking pin brac... | 12/05/2000 |
| 4870870 | Shaker A shaker having a hollow housing in the form generally of two hollow cylinders with the central axes disposed from one another and integrally connected together with a closed end and an end shield covering the second end. A first shaft is supported on bea... | 10/03/1989 |
| 4824018 | Quick change spray paint receptacle apparatus A paint receptacle apparatus comprising an open topped can having a first outwardly and downwardly directed flange attached to its open upper end and a lid having a second downwardly and inwardly extending flange engaging the first flange. The cover has a... | 04/25/1989 |
| 4818402 | Self cleaning strainer A backwash strainer having a generally cylindrical filter element made up of a stack of spaced rings that are triangular in cross section, with the bases of said triangular rings disposed in a cylindrical surface. A hollow backwash arm has an open slot di... | 04/04/1989 |
| 4807882 | Random numeral selecting device A random number selector is disclosed having a body generally in the form of a plate having three axially extending vertically spaced rectangular chambers formed in it. The three chambers are spaced from one another by a top generally rectangular part, tw... | 02/28/1989 |
| 4799060 | Traffic signal A traffic signal made up of a conventional stop and go configuration of lamps and switching means with an improved lamp control and improved lamps. The lamps are of the incandescent type, preferably having two filaments. The filaments are connected to a s... | 01/17/1989 |
| 4797791 | Foot peg with light A combination light and motorcycle foot peg is disclosed. The light has a lens that is visible from front, rear and side of the foot peg. The light projection warns motor vehicles of the width of the motorcycle that they are following or approaching. The ... | 01/10/1989 |
| 4793645 | Two handled shove with elastomeric hinge A snow shovel having a main handle and an auxiliary handle. The auxiliary handle is attached to the main handle by means of a flexible material having a slot in it. The slot separates the flexible member into two parts that function as a hinge. The two pa... | 12/27/1988 |
| 4792657 | Torch support for plasma cutting system A plasma cutting system comprising a frame, a work support on said frame and a tubular torch support. Gantry apparatus for moving the tubular torch support laterally and longitudinally relative to work on the work support. The torch support is moved a fix... | 12/20/1988 |
| 4779767 | Pre-measure dispensing device for fluids A pre-measure dispensing device is disclosed made of translucent plastic material adapted to be screwed onto the top of a bottle to pre-measure fluid dispensed from said bottle. The bottle may be deformable so that when squeezed, fluid goes up the tube in... | 10/25/1988 |
| 4777751 | Portable illuminated signal person station A portable iluminated signal person station is disclosed having a first frame supported on legs and a second frame having legs pivoted to it. A person can stand on the platform and direct traffic. Signs, light and reflectors can be supported on the second... | 10/18/1988 |
| 4773577 | Fire fighter's axe sling A fire fighter's axe and sling combination is disclosed. The sling is attached to the wooden axe handle by two bands wrapped tightly around the handle at two spaced positions. It has been observed that fire fighter's axes are habitually exposed to abuse a... | 09/27/1988 |
| 4768903 | Dowel attachment A dowel attachment for a router wherein the attachment is a rectangular body with a bore and a counterbore extending through the body to receive a blank to be formed into a dowel. The bore being adapted to have the finished dowel pass through it. A notch ... | 09/06/1988 |
