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 |
| 4071265 | Threaded mechanical joint wall sleeve A threaded mechanical joint wall sleeve comprising a cylindrical member having opposite ends with inside and outside surfaces. The cylindrical member is adapted to be centrally positioned relative to a wall member and has an annular collar extending outwa... | 01/31/1978 |
| 4064586 | Filter system for swimming pool cleaning machines A filter system for swimming pool cleaning machines comprising a filter tank cover secured to the pool cleaner and having a debris trap removably mounted on the rearward end thereof. The debris trap has an inlet end in communication with the water dischar... | 12/27/1977 |
| 4065479 | Method of synthesis of pi-allyl-palladium compounds Pi-allyl-palladium compounds are prepared by reacting a vinylmercuric salt with an olefin and a palladium (II) salt.... | 12/27/1977 |
| 4062568 | Method and means for transcribing medical test data The method of the present invention comprises placing a test result printout on a work sheet having a grid thereon comprising a vertical and horizontal matrix of columns and rows. The rows are sized and spaced to register with the individual indicia in th... | 12/13/1977 |
| 4062639 | Fluid motor-driven pump using fluid pressure to set position of pilot valve A high pressure pump comprising a valve body having a first housing secured at one of its ends to one end of the valve body and having a body member secured to the other end thereof. A second housing is secured to the body member with a piston rod movably... | 12/13/1977 |
| 4058440 | Concurrent separation of lithium and hydrogen isotopes A method of separating light hydrogen and deuterium which makes use of the differential reaction rates of alkali metal amalgams with water containing light hydrogen and water containing deuterium. Hydrogen is evolved and the remaining solution of the alka... | 11/15/1977 |
| 4058239 | Gravity feed box A feed box includes a chamber defined by oppositely positioned downwardly and inwardly sloping end walls, a vertical side wall and a bottom wall extending downwardly and laterally across said box to the vertical side wall. The vertical side wall may have ... | 11/15/1977 |
| 4050396 | Portable water bailing device for a boat The portable water bailing device of the present invention includes a housing having a plurality of openings therein adjacent the lower end thereof. Within the housing is a water pump connected to a tube for directing the water from the bottom of the boat... | 09/27/1977 |
| 4047425 | Testing device for measuring lateral pressure induced on a material by a vertical applied pressure A testing device for measuring a lateral pressure induced on a material by a vertical applied pressure, the testing device comprising in combination a material-holding receptacle which is capable of lateral expansion in response to a vertical applied forc... | 09/13/1977 |
| 4046482 | Protective cover for sewer grates A protective cover for sewer grates comprising a pair of spaced apart longitudinally extending bars having a plurality of transversely extending bars adjustably secured thereto and extending therebetween. The longitudinally extending bars are at least par... | 09/06/1977 |
| 4045876 | Liquid level indicator and flow measuring device A liquid level indicator and flow measuring device comprising a portable housing adapted to be removably mounted in a man-hole and which has a liquid level sensing probe extending downwardly therefrom. The probe is periodically lowered, by the control mea... | 09/06/1977 |
| 4046397 | Reflector device for bicycles A safety reflector device comprising an elongated channel-shaped support having a plurality of flat rectangular shaped reflector members pivotally mounted therein. The reflector members are pivotally movably receivable between the side walls of the suppor... | 09/06/1977 |
| 4045761 | Mounting bracket for a heat detector switch A mounting bracket for a heat detector switch which not only provides a convenient means for mounting the switch on a bearing or motor but which also prevents the heat detector switch from being damaged while thereon. The bracket comprises a flat plate ha... | 08/30/1977 |
| 4038953 | Rotary internal combustion engine having rotary valve means for fuel and air introduction A rotary internal combustion engine comprising an engine frame having a rotor rotatably mounted therein which has a plurality of radially spaced cylinders mounted thereon. The free floating piston is slidably mounted in each of the cylinders with the head... | 08/02/1977 |
| 4037989 | Vertical axis wind turbine rotor A vertical axis wind turbine which comprises in combination a stationary frame member, a rotatable shaft vertically journaled in the stationary frame member, a wind rotor positioned on the rotatable shaft with the wind rotor comprising a rotatable frame w... | 07/26/1977 |
| 4037396 | Blade guard for rotary lawn mowers A blade guard for rotary lawn mowers comprising a support means secured to the mower cowling and having a plurality of spaced apart elongated members secured thereto which extend longitudinally in the intended direction of travel of the mower device. A gu... | 07/26/1977 |
| 4037356 | Spinning hoop A spinning hoop comprised of a circular hollow tube with an elongated ballast element or wire therein. A ring element is rotatably secured to the hoop at a point along its circumference and a swivel element is secured to the ring. A manually operable cord... | 07/26/1977 |
| 4035928 | Apparatus for drying grain The invention comprises an inverted frusto-conical shaped perforated floor which is mounted in a conventional grain drying bin in a raised position relative to the base floor thereof. The perforated floor has a plurality of grain discharge openings formed... | 07/19/1977 |
| 4033416 | Blade means for row crop thinning machine A cutting blade is carried on a shaft rotatable about an axis positioned adjacent a row crop. The blade extends across the longitudinal centerline of the row and cuts plants as the machine moves forward until a sensing means registering on forwardly posit... | 07/05/1977 |
| 4033037 | Method and means for punching sheet members A device for punching a plurality of holes adjacent the edge of one or more sheet members comprises a pair of elongated jaw members pivotally joined intermediate their lengths in scissors-like fashion. A punch is carried on one end of one jaw member and a... | 07/05/1977 |
| 4033469 | Front end loader and method of mounting same on tractor A tractor includes a quick attach and dismount front end loader. The tractor is provided with rearwardly positioned side-mounting brackets which are adapted to lockingly engage the lower ends of uprights on the loader. A transversely extending mounting br... | 07/05/1977 |
| 4031342 | Material sensing switch A material sensing switch comprising a hollow body having open opposite ends. A backing plate is removably secured to the body for closing one of the opposite ends. A flange extends outwardly from the body at the other of the opposite ends thereof for sec... | 06/21/1977 |
| 4028693 | Pace setting light for joggers A method and apparatus for providing a pace setting light for joggers, with the method comprising projecting a beam of light directly onto a jogging track to provide a spot of light on the track, and thereafter uniformly moving the projected spot of light... | 06/07/1977 |
| 4023536 | Method of controlling the timing of ignition in an internal combustion engine A method of controlling the timing of ignition in an internal combustion engine comprising cylinders and reciprocating pistons and having a supply of fuel and air to the cylinders by determining the conditions of temperature and/or pressure within at leas... | 05/17/1977 |
| 4022004 | Hay stacking machine A portable tiltable platform includes a trough extending to the peripheral edge for communication with hay being transported to it from a rake pickup which feeds it to an auger and in turn to a compressing roller and then into the inlet end of the trough ... | 05/10/1977 |
| 4020541 | Head shaft breaking tool A head shaft breaking tool comprising an elongated hollow shank portion adapted to be slipped over the head shaft. The lower end of the shank portion is provided with a plurality of spaced-apart teeth which are adapted to engage the coupling at the lower ... | 05/03/1977 |
| 4019438 | Sleeving and sleeving stand apparatus and method This application relates to a sleeving stand, a sleeving and a method of using a sleeving for loading blast holes with explosive, after those holes are lined with a blast hole liner in order to prevent water from interfering with the effective use of the ... | 04/26/1977 |
| 4018358 | Cassette pill storing, dispensing and counting machine Different types of pills are stored in separate cassettes which may be operated by a dispensing machine for dispensing from the cassette into a vial. The dispensing machine provides a vacuum supply and a drive for operating a wheel in the cassette having ... | 04/19/1977 |
| 4016935 | Harrow disc gang A spacer spool for a disc section of a disc harrow for preventing relative rotation between the spacer spools and the adjacent disc blades. Each of the spacer spools comprises a central portion having end portions extending outwardly from the opposite end... | 04/12/1977 |
| 4017093 | Vehicle step A step having a width substantially equal to the width of a person's feet is positioned on a pair of support arms extending angularly upwardly relative to the top surface of the step. The support arms terminate in upstanding portions which are engaged by ... | 04/12/1977 |
| 4015739 | Hay bale handling machine An elongated finger-support member may be pivotally connected to the three-point hitch of a tractor or to the bed of a pickup truck. The support finger is T-shaped in cross section and tapers to a point and includes a rearwardly facing hook on the top con... | 04/05/1977 |
| 4013303 | Fold-away tow bar A fold-away tow bar comprising an elongated housing operatively mounted on the front bumper of the vehicle to be towed. The housing includes a front door or cover which is hingedly mounted thereon to permit access to the interior of the housing. First and... | 03/22/1977 |
| 4012153 | Structural connection means A structural connection means comprising a block structure having a plurality of outer faces and a hollow interior compartment. An aperature is provided in each of the faces and communicates with the hollow interior. A recessed portion is provided at the ... | 03/15/1977 |
| 4011855 | Solar collector The solar collector of the present invention comprises a light collecting member mounted within a light reflecting member. The light reflecting member includes a surface having a curvature which causes all the light entering therein to be directed toward ... | 03/15/1977 |
| 4011742 | Lock device A lock device comprises a latch bolt assembly movably mounted for movement from a closed position to a open position. A combination lock system is operatively connected to the latch bolt for retentively engaging the latch bolt against movement to its open... | 03/15/1977 |
| 4010858 | Method and means for towing a vehicle A means for towing a vehicle comprises a towing cushion which is positioned between the towing member and the body structure for preventing the member from engaging the body structure. The towing cushion comprises an elongated yieldable, compressible cush... | 03/08/1977 |
| 4010170 | Butenolide synthesis via carbonylation of vinylmercurials Compounds containing the butenolide ring have a wide variety of chemical uses. The invention is a method of synthesizing ଲ-halobutenolides which are valuable intermediates in preparing a variety of butenolide ring containing compounds. The method co... | 03/01/1977 |
| 4007418 | Personal electrostatic safety monitor with induction plate sensing means A personal electrostatic safety monitor comprising an electronic circuit which continuously monitors electrostatic energy transfer and similar forms of electrical energy transfer for the purpose of human safety. The electronic circuit employs lights, buzz... | 02/08/1977 |
| 4006205 | Means for applying additives to industrial gas A means for applying additives to industrial gas wherein a closed container has an industrial gas inlet port and a discharge port, a quantity of liquid gas additive in the bottom of said container, a movable arm means mounted within said container and ada... | 02/01/1977 |
| 4005731 | Reversible self-propelled center pivot sprinkler system A reversible self-propelled center pivot sprinkler system for sprinkling or irrigating a relatively large area surrounding a central pivot comprising an overhead water supply pipe extending outwardly from the center pivot point and supported by a pluralit... | 02/01/1977 |
