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 |
| 8083103 | Dispenser with dual pump system A fluid dispenser is provided that includes a multiple chamber fluid storage region, each having a dispensing pump of its own such that the dispenser can dispense the fluids from within the multiple fluid storage regions. Further, the multiple fluid storage regions ... | 12/27/2011 |
| D541979 | Spatula surface cosmetic applicator | 05/01/2007 |
| 7150506 | Control network for brake system An electrically controlled braking system includes at least one control unit and first and second brake component responsive to control signals generated by the control unit. A first control network electrically connects the control unit and the first brake componen... | 12/19/2006 |
| 6955991 | Atmospheric process and system for controlled and rapid removal of polymers from high depth to width aspect ratio holes A hot arc-type plasma generating system is described to etch a polymer on a substrate used in the manufacture of semiconductor devices. The etching process is particularly useful to remove a polymer from high aspect ratio holes, that can include trenches, greater th... | 10/18/2005 |
| 6926534 | Mounting device for sliding contacts The invention relates to a holding device for sliding contacts. The holding devices so far known require a very high expenditure for mounting or alignment. A flexible printed circuit board with mechanically rigid carrier elements that permit the adaptation to the ge... | 08/09/2005 |
| 6792729 | Stackable construction panel system Improvements in a stackable construction panel system are disclosed. The system includes stackable wall forms for receiving a flowable material, each form having a pair of foam panels tied together in a spaced and parallel relationship by connectors. In a first impr... | 09/21/2004 |
| 6752892 | System and method for retaining and displaying piece of material A system for retaining and displaying a piece of material is provided. The system includes an intermediate fixation system which is attached to the lower surface of the material. A lower layer is provided having an upper surface to which the material is affixed by t... | 06/22/2004 |
| 6743322 | Process for manufacturing thermoplastic-trimmed article of clothing An article of clothing has a trim of thermoplastic material, which encapsulates a peripheral region of a fabric layer and is provided with a multiplayer structure preferably including at least one retroreflective layer. The article of clothing is manufactured in acc... | 06/01/2004 |
| 6675849 | Adjustable tenoning shim The invention relates to a device and method for making tenons using an adjustable shim placed between cutting blades. The adjustable shim has a plate with a recess capable of accepting spacers of varied thicknesses and a cover that encloses any of the sp... | 01/13/2004 |
| 6609516 | Smoke escape mask A smoke mask includes a generally planar breathing filter sized to cover the nose and mouth of a user. The breathing filter may be either dry or moistened, and has a filter efficiency of at least about 95%, meaning that at least about 95% of charge neutra... | 08/26/2003 |
| 6503148 | Golf swing training device and method A simple, golf swing training device and method of training which provides a lightweight, completely portable device for teaching and practicing a proper golf swing, and more particularly to a golf swing practice device and method to train a golfer to rot... | 01/07/2003 |
| 6453902 | Smoke escape mask A smoke mask includes a moistened generally planar breathing filter sized to cover the nose and mouth of a user. A transparent eye shield, which may be either a plastic film or goggles, is attached to the breathing filter. Pressure sensitive adhesive is l... | 09/24/2002 |
| 6286904 | Pivotable abduction abutment support for wheelchair or the like A pivotable abduction abutment support for a wheelchair or the like is disclosed. The support of the invention has a base member adapted to be fastened under the seat of the wheelchair or the like. The support also has a rod having two opposite ends, one ... | 09/11/2001 |
| 6279506 | Reactor for coating plane substrates and method for producing said substrates A reactor for coating flat substrates and particularly wafers is described which has a reaction vessel into which reaction gases can be introduced, and a substrate holder unit in which substrates are held in a holder such that the main surface of the substrate... | 08/28/2001 |
| 6227733 | Lipstick dispenser with functional A-shell A lipstick dispenser uses the normally decorative A-shell as a functional element by providing a plurality of longitudinal splines in the interior of the A-shell. The splines fit into notches in an elevator cup to keep the elevator in fixed relationship t... | 05/08/2001 |
| 6013276 | Transdermal matrix system A novel transdermal matrix system for the percutaneous delivery of a hormone, including a carrier and an adhesive matrix, is disclosed. The matrix includes (a) 39-61 parts by weight of an ethylene/vinyl acetate copolymer, (b) 12-17 parts by weight of 2-oc... | 01/11/2000 |
| 5898987 | Method of installing acoustical ceiling grid A method of installing a grid for an acoustical ceiling to an existing ceiling, which eliminates the need for time-consuming manipulation of a fastener nut, makes use of a toggle fastener having a shaft with a stop collar at one end, with a spring loaded ... | 05/04/1999 |
| 5820306 | Thrust slot air conveyor An air conveyor which includes guides for stabilizing articles during conveyance and a plenum with apertures for providing pressurized air is provided. In the preferred embodiment, the air conveyor also includes opposed spacers defining passages having a ... | 10/13/1998 |
| 5791341 | Oropharyngeal stent with laryngeal aditus shield and nasal airway with laryngeal aditus shield An oropharyngeal stent and aditus shield comprises a curved flexible tubular body containing a central airway with a first inflatable cuff surrounding a portion of the body, and a laryngeal aditus shield comprising a generally triangular second inflatable... | 08/11/1998 |
| 5776092 | Multifunctional surgical instrument Multifunctional instrument for ultrasound surgery having an applicator 2 for a dissection of biological tissue, as well as a device for cutting and/or coagulating of the tissue. At the instrument end separate from the ultrasound applicator 2 at least one ... | 07/07/1998 |
| 5762432 | Mascara applicator having slotted bristles An applicator for the application of a cosmetic medium, such as mascara, is disclosed having a central core, preferably formed from a twisted metal wire, having a brush section at one end thereof. The brush section comprises a plurality of radially extend... | 06/09/1998 |
| 5740618 | Dynamic toe shoe box liner for a pointe shoe A dance shoe comprises a toe box having a dynamic foam pad located in at least one of the left and right side surfaces of the toe box and, possibly, the top of the toe box. The dynamic foam pad has a fast resilient characteristic such that the foam pad is... | 04/21/1998 |
| 5732800 | Mechanical attachment system for low volume production of brake pad assemblies A brake pad assembly is provided comprising a backing plate, a plurality of metal channel members having side walls upwardly extending from a base, the channel members attached to the backing plate, friction material molded onto the backing plate over the... | 03/31/1998 |
| 5718173 | Stamping apparatus A stamping apparatus for a heat requiring ink is described wherein a stamping head is moved between an ink wetting position and an object stamping position. A stamping pad is located in a heated housing wherein a replaceable stamping pad is mounted on a r... | 02/17/1998 |
| 5713454 | Method and apparatus for transferring nonoriented mascara applications A method and apparatus are shown for transferring, storing, sorting and orienting nonoriented mascara applicators, each applicator having a stem and a brush. The apparatus includes a bowl having a spiraled ramp positioned along the inner wall for transpor... | 02/03/1998 |
| 5713707 | U-nut and stand-off fastener An improved U-nut with the ability to be frictionally mounted to a panel by the frictional engagement of first and third legs with the panel. The third leg is resiliently connected to a second leg that is in turn connected to the first leg. A threaded bar... | 02/03/1998 |
| 5709246 | Booster valve with contaminant ejection for use in a pneumatic brake system A contaminant-ejecting, pneumatically-controlled brake booster valve is disclosed. The valve comprises an exhaust piston slidably mounted within the stem of a main piston of the valve, wherein the exhaust piston is actuated by supply air pressure to perio... | 01/20/1998 |
| 5704273 | Hydraulic system for accommodating fluid pressure variations A hydraulic system for accommodating fluid pressure variations is provided. The system includes a housing for an actuating piston with the housing having a first end with a hydraulic fluid port and a second end. The actuating piston includes a body portio... | 01/06/1998 |
| 5702218 | Fastener A toggle fastener which eliminates the need for time-consuming manipulation of a fastener nut comprises a bolt with a head and a stop collar adjacent the bolt head, a wing toggle threaded onto the free end of the bolt, and a spring which extends from the ... | 12/30/1997 |
| 5695302 | Thrust slot neck-guided air conveyor A neck guide air conveyor having passageways formed above the support structure for the neck guides to direct pressurized air over the collars of articles to propel the articles. The passageways are connected to a source of pressurized air and direct the ... | 12/09/1997 |
| 5690039 | Method and apparatus for reducing nitrogen oxides using spatially selective cooling A method and apparatus are described for reducing NOx in a combustion zone such as a boiler by spatially selectively injecting a cooling fluid into the combustion zone so that the fluid is entrained to intersect an identifiable NOx p... | 11/25/1997 |
| 5686840 | Method and apparatus for throttle position sensor testing A harness for testing a throttle position sensor having wires operatively connected therein terminating in a connector. The harness comprises a card and a first cable of multiple wires hard-wired to the card at one end and terminating in a connector at th... | 11/11/1997 |
| 5680743 | Method and apparatus for conveying loaves The invention relates to a method of conveying, slicing and packaging half loaves, starting from whole bread loaves. The loaves, which are conveyed perpendicularly to their longitudinal direction, are sliced in halves by a band slicer arranged in the path... | 10/28/1997 |
| 5680315 | System for optimizing cure and assuring quality of reversion susceptible rubber articles A database of reversion cure constants is provided by measuring a physical property of a rubber formulation at two different temperatures as a function of time, calculating a set of cure constants for the rubber formulation which account for reversion, an... | 10/21/1997 |
| 5680472 | Apparatus and method for use in an automatic determination of paper currency denominations A method and apparatus for use in automatic determination of the denominations of currency bills employs a light scanner to produce pixel signals representative of light pixels from bill surface portions extending across bill sides The pixel signals repre... | 10/21/1997 |
| 5676593 | Cutter for soft materials and method for making it A cutter for soft materials is described. The cutter is made from a conventional cutting instrument such as a dental drill bit having hard particles embedded in the tip surface. The cutter is ground at the tip end so as to remove particles which leave cav... | 10/14/1997 |
| 5671364 | Method and system for commodity-based currency for payment of accounts and elimination of payment risk A system and method for permitting gold or other commodities to circulate as currency requires a network of system users that participate in financial transactions where payment is made in units of gold. The gold is kept in secure storage at a deposit sit... | 09/23/1997 |
| 5664662 | Vacuum combiner A vacuum combiner is provided comprising a vacuum chamber with a wear surface forming one side thereof, a plurality of air pervious conveying surfaces, a guide rail extending across the conveying surfaces toward a single file lane, and a vacuum suction re... | 09/09/1997 |
| 5664682 | Display device A display device formed of a sheet of flexible material which may be attached to a base and has a lower portion shaped into a lower tab and has a cut to form a support flap in an upper portion with at least one cut in the support flap sized to receive and... | 09/09/1997 |
| 5665052 | Multifunctional intubating guide stylet and laryngoscope A multifunctional intubating stylet and laryngoscope, and a method of intubating a patient, comprise a laryngoscope body, and a hollow tubular intubating stylet affixed to and extending generally parallel to the laryngoscope body. An endotracheal tube is ... | 09/09/1997 |
