Did You Know...
...that the Slinky toy was the result of a failed attempt by engineer Richard James to produce an antivibration device for ship instruments? His goal was to develop a spring that would instantaneously counterbalance the wave motion that rocks a ship at sea. Instead, he developed the Slinky.
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 8079447 | Wheel chair lift with protective skirt sensors A wheel chair lift device includes a lift car selectively elevated above a base, along with protective skirting covering the region below the lift car. Exposed portions of the protective skirting subject to lateral inward deformation are provided with skirt deformat... | 12/20/2011 |
| 8042655 | Roll stop for a lift A roll stop system for a lift includes a roll stop member that is movable between a raised position and a lowered position, a driving mechanism for moving the roll stop member between the raised position and the lowered position, and a spring member acting as a buff... | 10/25/2011 |
| 7926618 | Portable wheel chair lift A portable wheel chair lift device includes a lift car, a support base, and a lifting mechanism coupled thereto to selectively raise or lower the lift car while allowing the floor of the lift car to be fully-lowered to the ground surface. A scissors-like brace selec... | 04/19/2011 |
| 7896134 | Low-rise vertical platform lift assembly with low-profile lifting mechanism A wheelchair lift assembly is provided. The wheelchair lift assembly includes a frame, a platform, and a lift mechanism associated with the frame. The lift mechanism includes a stabilizing arm and at least one lift arm member having a first end connected to the plat... | 03/01/2011 |
| 7766127 | Barrier assembly for a wheelchair lift A barrier assembly for a wheelchair lift assembly is provided. The wheelchair lift assembly includes a lift frame and a platform reciprocally coupled to the lift frame. The barrier assembly includes a frame having a first side rail and a second side rail. The frame ... | 08/03/2010 |
| 7721850 | Permanently-installed wheel chair lift with height control A height control mechanism for a lift device includes an elongated rail and an actuator slidingly mounted thereto. The actuator is biased toward a first end of the rail, and a proximity sensor is mounted proximate the second end of the rail. A cable pulls the actuat... | 05/25/2010 |
| 7484595 | Step-shaped staircase lift for personal use and transport of goods A lift using a step-shaped shaft for raising and lowering a person or goods on a platform over one or more steps from one elevation to another elevation. The lift is especially suited for use over porches and raised thresholds of buildings and in and out of vehicles... | 02/03/2009 |
| 7395900 | Portable wheelchair lift Systems and methods for lifting a wheelchair in non-residential indoor facilities. Guide rails extend from a wheeled-base and include a bearing and transmission system for raising and lowering a platform on which a wheelchair occupant travels. The bearing system is ... | 07/08/2008 |
| 7337583 | Extendable deck for seating system An extendable deck assembly for a seating area includes a deck portion that is extendable from a base portion to provide a substantially planar support platform. The extendable deck assembly includes a support assembly positioned within the base portion and configur... | 03/04/2008 |
| 7325654 | List apparatuses and method A lift apparatus is disclosed. Particularly, a lift apparatus may comprise a support frame and a platform movably coupled to the support frame. Further, the platform may comprise at least one roller and a transmission connected to the at least one roller of the asse... | 02/05/2008 |
| 7326024 | Wheelchair lift assembly having a compact stowed profile A lift assembly 20 includes an enclosure 24 secured to the bottom floor F of the baggage compartment BC, a carriage 28 reciprocally mounted within the enclosure 24, and a lift platform 32 pivotally coupled to the carriage 28... | 02/05/2008 |
| 7322786 | Mobile loader for transfer of containers between delivery vehicles and marine terminal cranes A mobile loader is driven to a dockside location underlying the spreader bar of a marine terminal crane. A delivery vehicle such as a train or a truck is driven into the loader at such dockside location so that containers maybe transferred between the delivery vehic... | 01/29/2008 |
| 7310833 | Swimming pool lift and transfer bar A lift is provided to facilitate access to swimming pools and spas. The lift includes a base and a mast extending therefrom. An arm pivotally connects to the mast. A seat assembly connects to the arm. An overhead support is positioned above the seat assembly. A firs... | 12/25/2007 |
| 7311179 | Elevator dampening system A dampening device for use with elevator cars or similar devices prevents damage to objects or persons within the elevator car upon failure of a drive chain. A hydraulic motor regulates the rate of descent. The dampening motor is monitored constantly using a pressur... | 12/25/2007 |
| 7281609 | Elevator inspection safety devices An elevator car includes a cross-head portion and a balustrade mounted to the cross-head portion. The balustrade is moveable from a retracted position for normal operation of the car to a deployed position for inspection operation of the car. The car further include... | 10/16/2007 |
| 7274980 | Intelligent lift interlock system A microprocessor controlled system for ensuring the safe operation of an auxiliary device, such as a wheelchair lift used in conjunction with a vehicle. The microprocessor preferably allows operation of the lift device when one or more parameters are met. These para... | 09/25/2007 |
| 7234565 | Convertible lift assembly A convertible lift assembly is provided in which a vertical lift can be reversibly converted into a set of stairs. The assembly of the present invention uses less space than prior art system, and utilizes a set of movable side panels that can be contracted or extend... | 06/26/2007 |
| 7225898 | Lift A lift between lower and upper levels of a house includes a cabin and an essentially horizontal platform which is essentially vertically movable by actuating elements arranged thereunder. The actuating elements include at least one pair of rotatably mounted arms piv... | 06/05/2007 |
| 7217079 | Slide fork In a slid fork comprising a base portion 4, a middle portion 6, and a top portion 8, a driving motor 20 rotates sprockets 22, 24 to drive chains 26, 36, respectively, at different speeds. The middle portion 6 is fixed... | 05/15/2007 |
| 7185741 | System with moving zero step for stairs The present invention discloses an electromechanical traversing step system for transporting elderly users 12, infirm and others between floors of a building. A single moveable step 14 ascends or descends on a set of tracks 16 secured to the wal... | 03/06/2007 |
| 7159261 | Convertible dock ramp A convertible dock ramp has an upper end for being pivotally mounted to a mounting structure, and a lower end for resting on a second structure. The convertible dock ramp includes a pair of spaced-apart side frames each including upper and lower rails; and a plurali... | 01/09/2007 |
| 7131522 | Stair lift system A stairs lift system capable of converting stairs climbing operation into a walking movement along a horizontal plane. The system comprises an existing substrate, flight of stairs, and a second, overlying layer of stairs. Each one of the overlying stairs comprises a... | 11/07/2006 |
| 7114704 | Stabilizing device for a carpet stretcher A carpet stretcher is provided with the improvement of a stabilizing apparatus and method that attaches to a carpet stretching tool to prevent the carpet stretching tool and any of its additional stretcher tubes from bending or bowing when utilized to stretch carpet... | 10/03/2006 |
| 7111858 | Retractable step system A retractable step system for providing access to and from an elevated platform of a vehicle. The retractable step system is configured to move between a use position and a stowed position. The retractable step system comprises a pair of longitudinal rails which are... | 09/26/2006 |
| 7103935 | Marine gangway to enable handicapped users to move between floating and fixed landings and related methods A marine gangway to enable handicapped users to move between floating and fixed landings may include a gangway ramp extending between the floating and fixed landings, and at least one rail carried by the gangway ramp. The marine gangway may further include a drive u... | 09/12/2006 |
| 7096998 | Stairway lift A combination elevator and stairway may be installed beneath a set of stairs and includes a lift mechanism which raises and lowers a platform or enclosed car and a pivoting stairway. The lift may be hydraulically or electrically actuated and may include a telescopin... | 08/29/2006 |
| 7069611 | Regional boarding ramp for commuter aircraft A walkway having a series of fixed height corridor units and an inclined gangway unit at its forward end. The units are articulatingly connected and selectively collapsible. The gangway is selectively variable in height, being provided with elevating means at its fr... | 07/04/2006 |
| 7048091 | Portable lifeguard chair A portable chair is disclosed having a seat, a frame that supports the seat, a ladder that provides access to the seat; and a hollow tank that holds a liquid mass, connected to the frame. The frame includes first and second side supports each having a forward suppor... | 05/23/2006 |
| 7001132 | Foldable ramp A foldable wheelchair ramp is disclosed having a mountable base, a first ramp section and a second ramp section. In an extended configuration, the first and second ramp sections form a single, continuous ramp for facilitating wheelchair access to vehicles. For conve... | 02/21/2006 |
| 7000991 | Vehicular seat There is provided a vehicular seat capable of achieving smooth sliding motion. A first slider is formed by connecting center rails, on an outside of inner rails to each other by brackets, and a second slider, having a seat, is formed by connecting outer rails to eac... | 02/21/2006 |
| 6965819 | Intelligent lift interlock system A microprocessor controlled system for ensuring the safe operation of an auxiliary device, such as a wheelchair lift used in conjunction with a vehicle. The microprocessor preferably allows operation of the lift device when one or more parameters are met. These para... | 11/15/2005 |
| 6948903 | Unitary liftgate The invention is a unitary cantilever liftgate that attaches to the vehicle body instead of the vehicle chassis. The liftgate may be fully assembled and tested prior to installation on the vehicle body. This greatly reduces installation time while improving performa... | 09/27/2005 |
| 6793258 | Device and method for gripping a handrail A device and method for gripping a handrail or other object having a top and a bottom surface. The device includes a handle for gripping by a user. A fixed member is coupled to the handle for engaging one of the top and bottom surfaces of the handrail, and a movable... | 09/21/2004 |
| 6779960 | Vehicle lift apparatus A lifting device for a vehicle comprises a rail chassis which can be fitted transversely across the vehicle in a luggage compartment underneath a load deck of a vehicle, and a carriage assembly which extends outwardly of the vehicle, along the chassis, the carriage ... | 08/24/2004 |
| 6739430 | Variable-incline ramp system The invention provides a ramp system for transporting objects from a lower site to an upper site and vice versa while keeping the object in a generally horizontal, or upright, orientation when the object is moved up a variable incline. Two rails are provided between... | 05/25/2004 |
| 6655905 | Linear translation device A linear translation thrust system for moving an object from one location to another that includes at least two platforms and pivotally connected members. The distance between one platform and the second is varied by inflating and deflating an inflatable ... | 12/02/2003 |
| 6601677 | Convertible lift mechanism having a number of retractable stairs with a lift platform positioned thereunder A convertible lift mechanism for moving an object from a lower surface to a vertically displaced upper surface includes a number of retractable stairs. Each of the number of retractable stairs includes a stepping surface and is horizontally movable betwee... | 08/05/2003 |
| 6435804 | Lifting apparatus The disabled person lifting apparatus permits an object, such as a wheelchair user, to be moved between a first position and a second position in which the first and second positions are at different vertical distances. For a vehicle wheelchair lifting ap... | 08/20/2002 |
| 6419050 | Mobile device for disabled persons Mobile device for disabled persons comprising a trolley carrying a vertically displaceable platform designed to bear a wheelchair. The trolley is motor-driven and is equipped with an aligning system to line-up the platform with respect to an access site o... | 07/16/2002 |
| 6378659 | Swimming pool lift A hydraulic pool lift is disclosed. The lift has enhanced stability due to its adjustable support assembly, and a reinforced piston rod. A load carrying component is rotated 180° from a deck position to a pool position. A curved track on a hydraulically ... | 04/30/2002 |
