Did You Know...
...that the inventor of the electric motor was a blacksmith named Thomas Davenport? Described as "a brilliantly unsuccessful inventor", Davenport invented the first rotary electric motor. In 1836 he headed out -- on foot -- from his Vermont home to file a patent application at the Patent Office in Washington, D.C. By the time he got there, he had squandered away his money and couldn't afford the $30 filing fee so he turned around and went home. When he later mailed in his application with money he'd raised, the Patent office was destroyed in a fire. He did finally get credit for his invention on Feb. 5, 1837.
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 5675137 | Bar code decoding using moving averages to break the (n,k) code barrier for UPC, EAN Code 128 and others The new generic bar code decoder system described, with its multistage error correcting, is far more powerful than dedicated reference decode algorithms for popular linear and two dimensional bar codes. For example: the 1-7 and 2-8 EAN and UPC character s... | 10/07/1997 |
| 5620724 | Drink container with holder for used concentrate packet The invention disclosed herein provides a way to engage a used concentrate packet such as a tea bag in a drink container in which a liquid product was made from the concentrate without removing the packet from the container and without having to directly ... | 04/15/1997 |
| 5538023 | Tensioning dental flosser and method of manufacturing same A disposable dental floss holder for removing plaque and food debris from tooth surfaces and from the interspaces between teeth has a handle part, a bow and a length of dental floss spanning the bow. A movable element is provided which can cause a portion... | 07/23/1996 |
| 5536943 | Method and apparatus for examining an object In order to examine an object with radiation and measure the intensity of radiation used to illuminate the object, radiation is directed onto a wavelength selective mirror (31). In a first position, the mirror (31) reflects the illuminating radiation to a... | 07/16/1996 |
| 5535227 | Digital information error correcting apparatus for single error correcting (SEC), double error detecting (DED), single byte error detecting (SBED), and odd numbered single byte error correcting (OSBEC) Digital information error correcting apparatus for the correction of single errors (SEC), the detection of double errors (DED) and multiple single byte errors (SBD) and the correction of an odd number of single byte errors (ODDSBC) comprising a syndrome g... | 07/09/1996 |
| 5528014 | Toy oven A toy oven has a heating compartment accessible through an aperture in a front wall of a housing of the oven. A door is provided which is manually movable to close off the aperture. IN one embodiment, the door is slidably mounted and in another embodiment... | 06/18/1996 |
| 5528391 | Infrared beam steering system using diffused infrared light and liquid crystal apertures A system for scanning a room to find the location of target devices, and then locking onto them with stationary directed beams for two-way communication. In one embodiment, a base system in each room comprises an IR source/receiver combination plus an LCD... | 06/18/1996 |
| 5526444 | Document image decoding using modified branch-and-bound methods An image decoding and recognition system and method comprising a fast heuristic algorithm using hidden Markov models (HMM). The new search algorithm, called an "iterative complete path" (ICP) algorithm, patterned after well-known branch-and-bound (B&B) me... | 06/11/1996 |
| 5522180 | Automatic door sweep An automatically-actuated sealing device is disclosed which seals a gap between a door bottom (or edge) and a surface defining part of an opening through which weather, dust, insects, etc. may otherwise pass. The sealing device includes a support element ... | 06/04/1996 |
| 5523946 | Compact encoding of multi-lingual translation dictionaries A computerized multilingual translation dictionary includes a set of word and phrases for each of the languages it contains, plus a mapping that indicates for each word or phrase in one language what the corresponding translations in the other languages a... | 06/04/1996 |
| 5512002 | Inflatable racing car An inflatable racing car is formed of a plurality of separate air chambers which are combined in fixed relationship to each other to form the vehicle which is suitable as a display or toy or sculptural work of art. For each left/right wheel-set there is a... | 04/30/1996 |
| 5509318 | Memory Mopet A hand-held automatic pipetting apparatus operable with a standard glass or plastic pipet for aspirating and dispensing a predetermined amount of liquid, comprising a housing including a handle and a pipette adapter for holding a pipette, an electric moto... | 04/23/1996 |
| 5510113 | Composition based on hydrated lipidic lamelar phases or on liposomes containing at least one derivative of labdane, or a plant extract containing it; cosmetic or pharmaceutical, particularly dermatological composition containing it The present invention relates to a novel composition based on hydrated lipidic lamelar phases or on liposomes and to a cosmetic or pharmaceutical, particularly dermatological composition incorporating it. The hydrated lipidic lamelar phases or the liposom... | 04/23/1996 |
| 5507775 | Tissue expansion and approximation device A device applies continuous tension to skin adjacent an ulcerative area, to expand and approximate this skin until it covers the ulcerative area. The new device includes a frame which defines a path in which sliders move under the force of a constant tens... | 04/16/1996 |
| 5505679 | Recumbent leg and arm stepping exercising apparatus A recumbent leg and arm exercising machine is disclosed which may be used as a rower, a stepper and/or to perform a bench press-type exercise. The machine may also be used to exercise only the arms, only the legs, as well as both the arms and the legs. Th... | 04/09/1996 |
| 5505313 | Method and apparatus for detecting diamonds in a plurality of objects In order to sort ore from associated mineral material, a method and apparatus of classifying an object is provided, the method including feeding the object along a feed path, irradiating the object with infra-red radiation of a first wavelength, the radia... | 04/09/1996 |
| 5505842 | Filtering apparatus having individual filtrate drains and rod-shaped filters A filter apparatus comprises a plurality of rod-shaped filter elements disposed within a cylindrical vessel on at least one circular array concentric with the vessel axis, and extending parallel to the vessel axis, said filter elements being mounted in on... | 04/09/1996 |
| 5503142 | Regulator for underwater breathing apparatuses A regulator (2) for an under water breathing apparatus (1) comprises a body (7), a duct (5) for delivery of breathable mixture, a shutter (20) of soft material stressed towards a shutter seat (5a), a push button (11) acting via a lever (21) on the shutter... | 04/02/1996 |
| 5501524 | Method for mixing granulates, powders and liquids and a device therefor Method for mixing granulates, powders and liquids in a continuous process, whereby the material is placed in a mixing housing and is mixed therein with the aid of a rotor equipped with mixing arms. The material is thereby moved to and fro many times durin... | 03/26/1996 |
| 5492416 | Rolling element bearing system with a filtering seal A rolling element bearing system comprises at least one rolling element bearing with an outer race and an inner race which enclose a space containing rolling elements, which space is confined to the outside by sealing rings. At least one of the sealing ri... | 02/20/1996 |
| 5485565 | Gestural indicators for selecting graphic objects A graphical imaging system, wherein the rough location, size and shape of objects in the image is summarized by a first characteristic descriptor, representing a parametric "pose" computed for each object. A second characteristic descriptor, i.e. a "gestu... | 01/16/1996 |
| 5485212 | Software video compression for teleconferencing In a method and apparatus for producing a signal for transmission to a receiver, a video signal is converted to digital form and the data of sequential frames of the signal are arranged in a plurality of blocks of pixel data that numerically represent vis... | 01/16/1996 |
| 5479654 | Apparatus and method for reconstructing a file from a difference signature and an original file Invention maintains duplicate files in safe places. A SCAN computer program creates a TOKEN Table of an earlier file. The TOKEN Table reflects the indices of successive segments of the file and the exclusive-or (XR) and Cyclic redundancy check (CRC) produ... | 12/26/1995 |
| 5475355 | Method and apparatus for compensation of field distortion in a magnetic structure using spatial filter A technique is provided for improving the homogeneity of the magnetic field within a cavity disposed inside a magnetic structure that has an opening to permit convenient access to an imaging region. The technique is based upon the step of inserting layers... | 12/12/1995 |
| 5473802 | Brush arrangement for a needle loom A brush structure for use as a stitch support for a velour needle loom comprises bristle tufts inserted into a carrier plate, with their free ends forming a continuous support surface for supporting thereon a fiber batt to be needled. The foot portions of... | 12/12/1995 |
| 5471578 | Apparatus and method for altering enclosure selections in a gesture based input system A graphical editing system which allows a user to modify a selection gesture without having to redraw the entire gesture. The system defines a selection with an enclosure that is treated as a graphical object that can be contorted in a style consistent wi... | 11/28/1995 |
| 5470279 | Presettable belt tension device A tensioning device is provided with an adjusting element that is adapted to be affixed to the tensioning device after the tension spring therein has been tensioned. The tension can be adjusted to a desired work point after the tensioning element has been... | 11/28/1995 |
| 5465525 | Intellectual working robot of self controlling and running A robot system for exterminating termites living in wood structural members under the floor of an architectural structure. The robot system comprises a robot including an onboard computer which is electrically connected through radio communication with a ... | 11/14/1995 |
| 5465448 | Pipe interior cleaning apparatus The present invention provides a pipe interior cleaning apparatus which can be operated at an inexpensive cost and with no special facility required, assuring an improved derusting effect. This pipe interior cleaning apparatus comprises a rod-like guide, ... | 11/14/1995 |
| 5465263 | Monolithic, multiple wavelength, dual polarization laser diode arrays Structures and fabrication methods for achieving multiple wavelength, dual polarization laser diode arrays using single or multiple quantum well (QW) active regions that are able to support either TE-or TM-mode operation are described. Multiple wavelength... | 11/07/1995 |
| 5461738 | Bed system with excreting mechanism A bed system with an excreting mechanism of the present invention includes a front base for receiving the upper half of a patient's body and having a first front portion capable of being tilted up or down, a rear base for receiving the lower half of the p... | 10/31/1995 |
| 5462434 | Dental hand tool clearing shield The invention disclosed herein provides a shield for use in operating dental hand tools outside of a patient's mouth while preventing escape of any matter ejected from the hand tool into the surrounding vicinity, thereby eliminating or substantially reduc... | 10/31/1995 |
| 5458579 | Mechanical trocar insertion apparatus Apparatus for inserting a trocar/cannula assembly through a wall of an anatomical cavity of a patient, the apparatus including a housing for holding a trocar/cannula assembly, a spine having a longitudinal axis, the spine having proximal and terminal ends... | 10/17/1995 |
| 5458250 | Buoyant crane A buoyant crane is disclosed which moves loads that are entirely out of a liquid body such as water, in response to buoyant forces acting on an expandable and contractible chamber located in the liquid body. Buoyant forces acting on the chamber are produc... | 10/17/1995 |
| 5456766 | Process for carbonitriding steel Process for carbonitriding a steel comprising: 0.75-1.1% by weight of C; up to 1.0% by weight of Si; less than 0.015% by weight of P; up to 0.5% by weight of Mo; up to 1.2% by weight of Mn; 0.5-2% by weight of Cr, the remainder being Fe, by exposing it at elevated tempe... | 10/10/1995 |
| 5454192 | Automatic door sweep A sealing device automatically seals a gap between a door bottom and a floor in response to closing movement of the door. The sealing device includes a support element attachable to the door bottom, a seal actuating element movably supported from the supp... | 10/03/1995 |
| 5453000 | Toy vacuum molding apparatus A toy apparatus and method for making vacuum formed articles wherein a thin sheet of plastic is secured on a mold in a first position the mold is moved to a second position adjacent a heater for heating and softening the plastic sheet and a vacuum is appl... | 09/26/1995 |
| 5451174 | Surface mounted pins for printed circuit boards In order to allow header-less connector pins to be directly surface mounted to a PCB, using a standard pick and place machine, a novel pin holder is used to hold the pin while in pockets or holes of a reeled tape and during its pick and placement by the s... | 09/19/1995 |
| 5451745 | Toy oven A toy oven has a heating compartment accessible through an aperture in a front wall of a housing of the oven. A door is provided which is manually movable to close off the aperture. IN one embodiment, the door is slidably mounted and in another embodiment... | 09/19/1995 |
| 5447384 | Serial printer having printing support conveying lid Serial printer having a printing support conveying lid formed by a rigid plate hinged to the printer and extending for the whole lenght of the print line the plate being provided with a resilient lip having a free edge located immediately dowstream of the... | 09/05/1995 |
