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 |
| 8091484 | Carriage-type conveyance system The present invention makes it easy to employ a floor surface aisle crossing a conveyance path in a conveyance system using a conveyance carriage 1 which travels on guide rails 7a and 7b laid on a floor surface 6 along the c... | 01/10/2012 |
| 7980182 | Roofing rail transportation system A rail transportation system particularly suited for transporting roofing materials upon an uncompleted roof. Sections of tubes form rails, allowing several rail cars carrying various roofing materials to transport those roofing materials from the edge of the roof t... | 07/19/2011 |
| 7721654 | Stacker crane The invention provides a stacker crane, configured to move on a single rail provided along one or more racks, includes: a first wheel that moves on the rail; a second wheel that moves on the rail, and that is disposed spaced apart from the first wheel in a fore-and-... | 05/25/2010 |
| 7603952 | Trolley and rail apparatus for use in fall protection and similar applications The present invention relates to a rail and trolley apparatus having a trolley movable along a horizontally supported rail assembly for use as a fall protection or other load supporting system. The trolley is provided with pairs of wheels arranged to engage opposing... | 10/20/2009 |
| 7584703 | Rail system for suspension crane and profile for such rail system The invention concerns an overhead crane track which includes at least one crane track rail (1) and at least one carnage (2) guided on the crane track rail (1). The crane track rail (1) is composed of a plurality of portions of a hollow p... | 09/08/2009 |
| 7437999 | Overhead traveling vehicle system A side buffer 40 is provided on a side of a traveling rail 6 of an overhead traveling vehicle 8. Multiple levels of racks 41, 42 are provided. The overhead traveling means 8 has elevating and lowering means including components suc... | 10/21/2008 |
| 7409913 | Single-axis programmable positioning device A single-axis programmable positioning device for positioning a work piece in a work area comprising. The device includes a rail with a pair of parallel channels, a trolley with bearing that ride in the rails, a work piece stop mounted to the trolley, a motor assemb... | 08/12/2008 |
| 7370587 | Modular wheel assembly for a carriage in a mobile storage system A carriage of a mobile storage system is adapted to support at least one storage unit for movement on a rail. The carriage generally includes a wheel mount structure, and a wheel mounting subassembly that includes a shaft having opposing ends, a wheel mounted to the... | 05/13/2008 |
| 7363864 | Mechanic's track creeper A mechanic's track creeper is described, which includes a body, and a rail interface coupled to the body, wherein the rail interface of the creeper is operatively engageable with a rail having a translational axis, wherein the rail interface of the creeper comprises... | 04/29/2008 |
| 7290647 | Guide apparatus A guide apparatus has a standard end plate split into a pair of split parts that can be positioned with respect to each other with high accuracy and firmly secured to each axial end of a moving block body without fear of displacement during use. The guide apparatus ... | 11/06/2007 |
| 7270279 | Pinewood car racing track that is easy to assemble, durable, and sturdy An extruded track for racing small wooden or other material gravity propelled cars like those raced by the Cub Scouts, Awanas and other organizations. The extrusions has a continuous slot on the bottom which allows hex head bolts to be snugly held. This features all... | 09/18/2007 |
| 7090059 | Powered slide rail device for vehicle seat A powered slide rail device including an electrode element extending along the lower rail thereof and a contact brush element provided in the upper runner rail element thereof which is slidably engaged with the lower rail. The electrode element is so arranged as to ... | 08/15/2006 |
| 6672223 | High-speed transportation mechanism on rail track A high-speed transportation mechanism on rail track, wherein sleepers 4 are laid out on gravel 5 on the ground. A first rail (mono rail) 3 for supporting the weight of a vehicle 1 is laid down on the sleepers 4. A second rail (guide rail) 7 is suspended f... | 01/06/2004 |
| 6564722 | Transfer system A transport system includes a traveling rail (1) which constitutes a transport route and a transport body (3) which is capable of traveling on the traveling rail in the longitudinal direction of the traveling rail. Flexible drive tubes (5) are arranged on... | 05/20/2003 |
| 6431078 | Autonomous transport system An autonomous transport system is disclosed, formed by four main subsystems: a channel subsystem; a vehicle subsystem; a wheel guide subsystem and central control station subsystem. The system is designed for the transportation of people or goods, to be u... | 08/13/2002 |
| 6360671 | Friction drive system trolley conveyor A friction drive system trolley conveyor includes a conveyor rail having a circular cross-section, laid along a conveyor line, multiple J-shaped rail suspension members that bear the undersides of the rail at intervals in the longitudinal direction, multi... | 03/26/2002 |
| 6338573 | Universal guide device and moving table device using same The present invention offers a universal guide device capable of using the sliders of conventional straight guide devices intact. The universal guide device does not need a different slider for each different radius of track rail. The universal guide devi... | 01/15/2002 |
| 6324989 | Load bearing material handling system having pneumatic and electrical delivery capabilities A load bearing material handling system including a rail having a hanger portion, a body portion defining a conduit extending for at least a portion of the length of the rail and a flange portion adapted to movably support a trolley thereupon. The flange ... | 12/04/2001 |
| 6305294 | Apparatus traveling on closed track on wall surface The present invention provides an apparatus for traveling on a closed track on the surface of a wall in which the moving platform can circuit along a rail forming a closed track while being maintained in the same orientation. To this end, a crawling-type ... | 10/23/2001 |
| 6269751 | Length-variable sliding rail element for a roller chain A length-variable sliding rail element enables a roller chain to be easily guided. Two complementary sliding rail elements fit together. Each of the sliding elements may be comprised of two or three segments. These various segments interengage each other ... | 08/07/2001 |
| 6220173 | Trolley for rail tracks that are branched by means of switch points The invention concerns a trolley for rail tracks (3) that are branched by means of switch points. To avoid a switch point jam, while simultaneously saving power and maintenance effort, the trolley is equipped with moveable hooks and the switch points are ... | 04/24/2001 |
| 6138574 | Overhead trolley--rail system for conveyors An overhead trolley track system has extruded aluminum track sections having tubular portions, adjacent track sections connected end to end with plates attached to a central upright flange portions formed on each track section. Sealing tubular fittings ar... | 10/31/2000 |
| 6125765 | Rail incorporating elevation change and method for its production A pre-fabricated monorail track section (104, 105) can be bent vertically quickly and easily, without using any special tools, so as to effect any of a number of desired incremental inclination changes in the rail section (104, 105) and without plasticall... | 10/03/2000 |
| 6123626 | Laser putter system A laser putter system for a conventional putter golf club of the type having a club head with a golf ball striking face and an upper surface, a shaft connected to the upper surface of the club head and a grip on the shaft. The laser putter system comprise... | 09/26/2000 |
| 6073739 | Rail segments A rail is arranged along a predetermined route of a movable body. The movable body is moved by electric power fed through an electric cable wired along the rail. The rail is constituted by a plurality of rail segments. Each segment includes a body having ... | 06/13/2000 |
| 5957057 | Rail system for carrier equipment Connection of rails (11, 11, 15, 15) or manufacturing of yoke members can be facilitated and necessity of a special bending device can be eliminated by configuring end yoke members (21) and intermediate yoke members (20) to have the same planar plate form... | 09/28/1999 |
| 5735214 | Streamline track system with carriers and rail A track system for roller-equipped carriers to run along a straight and/or curving guide rail, which includes two pairs of opposed parallel plain lanes, a pair of oppositely directed parallel V edges intermediate the two pairs of plain lanes, and narrow l... | 04/07/1998 |
| 5711227 | Portable and collapsible dolly and track A portable and collapsible dolly and track system is movably supporting a tripod which retains a camera or the like thereon. Once the dolly and the track have been assembled, the dolly is positioned on top of the track. A tripod is positioned on the dolly... | 01/27/1998 |
| 5709152 | End joining device for carrier traveling rails A device for joining two spaced confronting fixed ends of two adjacent rails which are misregistered in a vertical, a horizontal or a longitudinal direction without forming a step therebetween. In one form the joint device includes a universal joint rail ... | 01/20/1998 |
| 5690190 | Overlay for an elevator guide rail An overlay for a elevator guide rail extends over the joints between segments to provide a seamless engagement surface for the guide rail. The overlay separates the engagement surface from the joints between adjacent segments to minimize vibration and imp... | 11/25/1997 |
| 5687649 | Monorail track structure A splice plate for monorail track sections includes a mechanism for drawing the sections together and for leveling the top surfaces of the track with respect to one another. A hanger bracket which is used to attach the track to a support structure connect... | 11/18/1997 |
| 5673771 | Overlay for an elevator guide rail An overlay for a elevator guide rail extends over the joints between segments to provide a seamless engagement surface for the guide rail. The overlay separates the engagement surface from the joints between adjacent segments to minimize vibration and imp... | 10/07/1997 |
| 5617796 | Longitudinal transfer system The invention concerns a longitudinal transfer system made out of rail sections for guiding transport cars from one processing station to another, two adjacent rail sections being connected with one another mechanically and electrically. A connecting part... | 04/08/1997 |
| 5601026 | Pressure-medium activated linear drive system A linear drive system has a guide rail and a transport device that is moveable along the guide rail. At least one tubular, flexible hollow body is positioned along the extension of the guide rail. The hollow body consists essentially of an elastomeric mat... | 02/11/1997 |
| 5579695 | Assembly line system having puck guided pallets and track engaging brake members An assembly line system has a pallet travelling along a work top of a work table section. The table section has a track along which a cardanic chain moves to convey pucks connected to the underside of the pallet in spring-loaded manner, by means of fricti... | 12/03/1996 |
| 5562043 | Rail and carriage system with magnetically adhered plastic track A system for moving a work element along a work surface for performing work thereon includes an elongated track of flexible plastic material formed with gear teeth along one edge thereof. A carriage having a drive motor and a drive wheel driven thereby, i... | 10/08/1996 |
| 5501156 | Curved guide rail A curved guide rail for passenger and material transportation systems in which sheet-metal plates (3), wedged against one another, are arranged in a row on a prestressed rope (2) and the spaces in-between are bridged by an overlapping tooth construction (... | 03/26/1996 |
| 5355805 | Rail for overhead trolleys having bar in groove connection for connecting adjacent rail ends Two mutually adjoining profile pieces (1a) of equal cross-section are connected by means of a coupling piece (16) which overlaps both of them and is situated in a coupling groove (15). The convexly arched floor of the latter is formed by the underside of ... | 10/18/1994 |
| 5351620 | Trolley conveyor system having a helically twisted track for a positionable mobile device mounted in the trolley axle Carrier system for a mobile device positionable in various directions in space, such as a directive light source, including a trolley which can move along a guide ramp. The ramp includes two helical rails turning about a given longitudinal axis, and the t... | 10/04/1994 |
| 5267514 | Track for material handling car and car wheel assembly for cooperation therewith A material handling car and track assembly, the assembly comprising a track having a pair of opposed U-shaped rails, and a car having a chassis with four wheel assemblies mounted on the chassis, each of the wheel assemblies comprising a first generally ve... | 12/07/1993 |
