Did You Know...
...that Charles Goodyear performed some of his experiments on rubber while in debtor's prison? He was there so often he referred to it as his "hotel". Chronically in debt because of poor business sense and ill health, Goodyear depended on the generosity of friends and family. Even after he unlocked the secret to vulcanizing rubber, he was unable to improve his financial situation. When he died, his estate was $200,000 in debt.
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 5661384 | Motor control system and method This disclosure provides a motor control system and method that is preferably applied to cargo power drive units. Power is supplied to a motor having one or more windings and a thermocouple that is embedded in the motor windings. The thermocouple provides... | 08/26/1997 |
| 5659465 | Peak electrical power conversion system An electrical power conversion system that supplies the maximum available output power from a power source such as a solar array to a plurality of loads such as rechargeable batteries. The output power of the solar array peaks at an optimum current that i... | 08/19/1997 |
| 5637800 | Ultrasonic transducer array and manufacturing method thereof An ultrasonic transducer array, and a method for manufacturing it, having a plurality of transducer elements aligned along an array axis in an imaging plane. Each transducer element includes a piezoelectric layer and one or more acoustic matching layers. ... | 06/10/1997 |
| 5635235 | Methods for handling masa Masa handling methods for the continuous processing of masa type dough in conjunction with commonly available feed processing equipment, such as a masa extruder, an oven, or cooling apparatus. One masa handling method includes a masa separator having a pa... | 06/03/1997 |
| 5632555 | Medical thermometer An improved prediction-type medical thermometer that provides an accurate estimate of a patient's temperature in substantially reduced time as compared to prior thermometers of this kind. This improved performance is achieved by using a special hollow pro... | 05/27/1997 |
| 5632142 | Stationary gas turbine power system and related method This disclosure provides a stationary gas turbine power system that develops a reduced back pressure for the gas turbine engine and thus greater efficiency. An enclosed ejector is positioned downstream of the engine's exhaust plane, and means such as a do... | 05/27/1997 |
| 5629595 | Method and apparatus for an amusement ride having an interactive guided vehicle An apparatus and method in which a vehicle is guided along a path defined by a centerline and left and right boundaries parallel to and spaced laterally on opposite sides thereof and in which a passenger in the vehicle can steer it for lateral movement be... | 05/13/1997 |
| 5628092 | Eyewear retainer The invention provides an improved eyewear retainer in which a strap that is attached to the earpieces of the eyewear and looped around the head of a human wearer to retain the eyewear snugly and securely in place on the wearer's head. The strap includes ... | 05/13/1997 |
| 5628104 | Machine tool with turntable The invention describes a machine tool with a turntable, which has an upper part with a mounting plate which is arranged so as to pivot with respect to a stationary lower part, and is connected to at least one line to deliver fluids or electrical or mecha... | 05/13/1997 |
| 5627338 | Fireworks projectile having distinct shell configuration A system and method for launching projectiles, such as fireworks projectiles, which explode in the air into a pyrotechnic display. The projectile includes a shell constructed from a binding agent and an explosive additive which explodes the shell into sma... | 05/06/1997 |
| 5624274 | Telephone connector with contact protection block A jack assembly for termination of a plurality of telephone wires includes a housing defining an opening for receiving a standard telephone plug. A contact pin carrier is mounted to the housing and supports eight contact pins having insulation displacemen... | 04/29/1997 |
| 5624154 | Dental operatory chair barrier system A barrier system for dental procedures utilizing a disposable gown positioned on a dental operatory chair as a shield between dental personnel and their patients. The gown is arranged and supported on a support frame mounted to the operatory chair so that... | 04/29/1997 |
| 5623878 | Dynamic ride vehicle A dynamic ride vehicle for executing a sequence of distinct motion patterns and for providing unique ride experiences in an amusement park attraction or other environment includes a movable chassis and a body having a passenger seating area. A motion appa... | 04/29/1997 |
| 5620212 | Low profile hook latch assembly A hook latch mechanism for joining two members of an engine cowl or the like, with the hook latch mechanism carried on one member on a mounting bolt and a keeper carried on the other member, and with a keeper engaging hook spaced from the handle. The hook... | 04/15/1997 |
| 5620143 | Constant-flow irrigation tape and method of making A constant-flow drip irrigation tape hose includes a primary flow path communicating water along the length of the hose. A secondary drip-flow path leads from the primary flow path to an emitter site outwardly of the hose. The hose is formed with a pair o... | 04/15/1997 |
| 5619584 | Headphone A headphone having ear pieces joined by a head band with an electrical cable interconnecting the ear pieces, including a first plurality of outward opening grooves in the head band and a second plurality of inward opening grooves in the head band, with th... | 04/08/1997 |
| 5615275 | Planar diaphragm loudspeaker with counteractive weights A planar-type loudspeaker incorporating a substantially planar diaphragm constructed from a pre-expanded cellular plastic material, such as polystyrene, in which one or more balancing weights are embedded in a resilient material within recesses formed in ... | 03/25/1997 |
| 5613443 | Amusement ride for traveling down a water chute with reduced splash An amusement ride includes a vehicle traveling down a chute through a region of water. The vehicle is shaped to minimize splashing and to allow water to flow away from the vehicle. The vehicle flanks are curved to deflect splashing water down and away fro... | 03/25/1997 |
| 5611213 | Cryogenic freezing system for rubber crumbs and other materials A cryogenic freezing system having a cooling tunnel with an inlet end, an outlet end and a floor therebetween, a tank for a liquid cryogenic material and with an inlet end, an outlet end, and a floor therebetween, a first conveyor for moving crumb materia... | 03/18/1997 |
| 5607714 | Methods for stabilizing proteins in an acid pH environment and related compositions Processes for stabilizing protein in acid pH media are provided as well as the compositions produced thereby. Acidified protein compositions exhibiting protein stability for extended periods of time are also provided. The processes of the present inventio... | 03/04/1997 |
| 5607708 | Encapsulated volatile flavoring materials An encapsulated flavoring material contains an edible, oil-insoluble, water-soluble outer shell surrounding an edible, water-insoluble inner core that is liquid at a temperature of about 45° C. and a volatile, oil-soluble flavoring material dissolved or ... | 03/04/1997 |
| 5605265 | Roll paper towel adapter An adapter for enabling a single sheet towel dispenser to dispense towels from a roll. The single sheet towel dispenser has a housing with an access opening and a towel support tray within the housing, the tray having a dispenser slot for movement of a to... | 02/25/1997 |
| 5603135 | Pool cleaner with replaceable mast An improved automatic pool cleaner of the type having a frame and a supply mast fastened thereto at a lower end, in which a first fastener portion located adjacent to the lower end of the supply mast is removably engageable with a second fastener portion ... | 02/18/1997 |
| 5600450 | Film weave correction system A film correction system adjusts a relative position of film containing an area for information and a scanner of the film area. The system includes a scanner for scanning the film area at a film plane. A film drive moves the film along the film plane. A f... | 02/04/1997 |
| 5592870 | Masa handling apparatus and method for handling masa A masa handling apparatus for the continuous processing of masa type dough in conjunction with commonly available feed processing equipment, such as a masa extruder, an oven, or cooling apparatus. The masa handling apparatus includes a masa separator havi... | 01/14/1997 |
| 5593109 | Actuator system and method An actuator receives an input torque command and rotates an aeronautical surface within a prescribed range of motion. An output shaft is rigidly secured to the aeronautical surface, such that axial rotation of the output shaft results in displacement of t... | 01/14/1997 |
| 5592726 | Axial swage tool having a stabilizing pin A swaging tool for swaging a fitting to a tube includes a tubular housing having a first jaw unit on a first end portion of the housing and a closed cylinder at a second end portion of the housing. The closed cylinder has a port for receiving pressurized ... | 01/14/1997 |
| 5590605 | Conveying device with self steering powered caster A transport system for moving along a track on a support surface. The system includes a body, a guide system and a powered self-steering caster assembly. The guide system cooperates with the track to apply lateral forces to the body to guide it along a pr... | 01/07/1997 |
| 5583844 | Programming device and method for controlling ride vehicles in an amusement attraction This disclosure relates to a ride vehicle for use in an amusement attraction. The ride vehicle mounts a passenger supporting structure upon a motion base, so that the passenger supporting structure may be articulated about one or more axes as the vehicle ... | 12/10/1996 |
| 5582066 | Machine tool, in particular long-bed machine tool A machine tool, in particular a long-bed machine tool, comprises a column (11) that can be displaced in at least a first axis (13), and at least one spindle (15) clamped rotatably at support points (22, 23) in the region of its two outer ends (20, 21). Th... | 12/10/1996 |
| 5578274 | Shipboard apparatus for heat-treating wood and wood products The present invention is embodied in shipboard apparatus for heat-treating pieces of wood or wood products, such as logs, lumber wood chips or wood strands with steam or hot water to kill any plant pests present in the wood or wood products. The pieces ar... | 11/26/1996 |
| 5573693 | Food trays and the like having press-applied coatings A container for food includes a paper-based substrate, and at least one grease and moisture resistant coating applied in liquid form to the paper-based substrate. The liquid coating is preferably formed from an aqueous-based dispersion of acrylic-based ma... | 11/12/1996 |
| 5572900 | Reduced recoil bucking bar The invention provides a reduced recoil bucking bar and corresponding methods for forming joints with rivets. The bucking bar includes a housing and a driven member movable with respect to the housing. The worker using the bar holds it with the driven mem... | 11/12/1996 |
| 5573109 | Multi-function container with a light source A multi-function container includes a housing, a closure and an exterior light source. The container has a first interior portion adapted to hold small items. The closure is used to cover the first interior portion of the housing and to contain the small ... | 11/12/1996 |
| 5571692 | Retinoic acid receptor , vectors and cells comprising the same DNA encoding DNA encoding a human retinoic acid receptor alpha protein is disclosed. The sequence of the receptor is encoded by the cDNA insert of plasmid phRAR1, which has been deposited with ATCC. Methods employing chimeric receptors derived from the retinoic acid r... | 11/05/1996 |
| 5569308 | Methods for use in bone tissue regeneration The present invention provides methods for use in bone tissue regeneration containing a barrier material and a graft material. The barrier material can be calcium sulfate, while the graft material can be any suitable material, including a composite graft ... | 10/29/1996 |
| 5568561 | Differential line receiver with common-mode AC bootstrapping A bootstrapped audio line receiver that receives a differential-mode input signal from first and second differential lines and outputs a single-ended signal on an output line. The line receiver includes a differential amplifier and an input amplifier havi... | 10/22/1996 |
| 5562294 | Backup seal for axial face seal A fluid handling machine having a shaft, a radially disposed housing, and a backup seal. During normal operation, the backup seal is concentric with and radially spaced from the shaft. The backup seal includes a first annular portion located adjacent the ... | 10/08/1996 |
| 5562284 | Game ticket with multiple-level exposure device Disclosed is a game ticket with a base card displaying play results on a playing surface, an inner exposure device, and an outer exposure device. The inner exposure device is located so as to conceal at least one of the play results, and is removable to r... | 10/08/1996 |
| 5562922 | Drug incorporating and release polymeric coating for bioprosthesis In accordance with the present invention, there are provided prosthetic articles having polyurethane coatings with biologically active compounds incorporated within the interstices of the polymer. Methods for the preparation of such articles are also prov... | 10/08/1996 |
