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 |
| 7954602 | Lift apparatus with telescoping platform attachment 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... | 06/07/2011 |
| 7708117 | Stairlift The platform of a stairlift is moved along a rail in a stairwell. During the movement, the platform is automatically rotated relative to the rail about a vertical shaft, at angles depending on a position of the platform along the rail. The stairway contains, for ins... | 05/04/2010 |
| 7686138 | Free standing step with user customizable height and flat expanding deck Disclosed in the present invention is a step assembly that facilitates stair climbing. This can aid a person with leg or back pain, decreased range of motion or limited physical strength, due to handicap, injury or infirmity. This free standing, user customizable he... | 03/30/2010 |
| 7600611 | Stairlifts The invention provides a stairlift having a rail which terminates, at its lower end, on or closely adjacent the lower step of a staircase. This rail is combined with a carriage and footrest which allows the footrest to be positioned below the level of the first step... | 10/13/2009 |
| 7568555 | Rail system for a stairlift with movable end section The invention relates to a guide along a staircase, along which a carriage of for instance, a stair walking aid or a stair lift is displaceable. This can herein comprise at least one elongate tube and engaging means for the carriage, wherein the tube comprises a sta... | 08/04/2009 |
| 7523807 | Tilt mechanism for the movable part of a stairlift guide The present invention relates to a device for transport along a staircase of persons and/or goods, which staircase extends between two platforms, and wherein the device includes: a guide which in the arranged situation extends at least along the staircase, a station... | 04/28/2009 |
| 7395764 | Assist apparatus and method An apparatus for assisting an elderly or physically limited individual in walking or carrying items up or down a stairway includes a guide rail assembly fixedly positioned along the wall of a stairway. A handle is connected to a support bar assembly, and the support... | 07/08/2008 |
| 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 |
| 7328774 | Lift drive device A lift drive comprising: a spiral drive element having an axis of rotation, a rack having teeth sized and shaped to be engaged by the spiral drive element, the rack having a longitudinal axis parallel to the axis of rotation, and a motor to rotate the spiral drive e... | 02/12/2008 |
| 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 |
| 7322461 | Guide rail for stairlifts The present invention provides a stairlift rail of non-circular cross-section. The wall surfaces of the rail define a single internal cavity and the outer surface of the rail is free of additional members added to the rail in order to prevent rotation of a stairlift... | 01/29/2008 |
| 7296659 | Staircase lift and a guide rail for such a lift The invention concerns a staircase lift for transporting a disabled person between floors, including at least one guide rail extending substantially parallelly to a stairway, a moveable carrier frame suspended from the guide rail means including carrier support mean... | 11/20/2007 |
| 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 |
| 7225899 | Stair lift device A stair lift for lifting and lowering at least one person on a rail on a stairway. There is a carriage mountable to the rail, the carriage having a track engaging drive, and a motor to power the drive, the powered drive causing the carriage to move along the rail. T... | 06/05/2007 |
| 7210563 | Guide for stairlift The invention relates to a guide for a lift along a staircase, comprising an elongate profile with at least one edge thereon, which edge extends along a considerable part of the length of the profile, wherein the edge of the profile is serrated and forms a gear rack... | 05/01/2007 |
| 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 |
| 7156208 | Stairlift A stair lift includes a lift assembly arranged to be driven along a rail. The lift assembly includes a chassis supporting a load bearing member such as a seat. The chassis is formed by a main member on which are mounted a drive assembly and a levelling assembly for ... | 01/02/2007 |
| 7114451 | Apparatus for monitoring the locking of the safety bar of a chair in a cableway system An apparatus monitors the locking of the safety bar of the chairs of an aerial cableway system. A first sensor determines the occupancy of the chairs and a second sensor determines the locking of the safety bar. The sensor output signals from these two sensors are l... | 10/03/2006 |
| 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 |
| 7051841 | Stairlift There is described a stairlift (1), comprising: a carriage (3) displaceable along a bent path, and a chair (5) carried by said carriage (3) and mounted on said carriage (3) for tilting about a horizontal axis of rotation (11... | 05/30/2006 |
| 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 |
| 6957716 | Emergency stairway escape apparatus for wheelchairs An emergency stairway escape apparatus permitting wheelchairs to egress a multi-story building via a stairway comprises a ramp platform of sufficient width to cover at least half of each stair tread and of sufficient length to span from an upper landing to a lower l... | 10/25/2005 |
| 6761250 | Track for stairlifts A stairlift includes a rail cross-section and mounting rollers which, in combination, allow a stairlift assembly to be achieved which occupies little space and has a reduced visual impact. The rollers engage rolling surfaces arranged about the outer periphery of a t... | 07/13/2004 |
| 6712192 | Staircase guide for a stairlift A staircase guide for a device for ascending a staircase, the device has a frame with a carrying element for people or goods and a drive connected to the frame. The guide has a cylindrical tube to be adapted to a staircase with at least one protrusion which extends ... | 03/30/2004 |
| 6679353 | Stair-climbing chair system A stair-climbing system includes a guide rail laid along stairs, a chair slidably mounted on the rail, and a lifter for moving the chair along the rail. The chair is provided with a switch for activating the lifter, and a sensor for detecting that a perso... | 01/20/2004 |
| 6666147 | Rail mounted traversing transport A transportation system is provided that accommodates varying angles of slope along the path of its movement, while maintaining a level transportation platform without the need of mechanical leveling devices or systems. The platform may be connected to th... | 12/23/2003 |
| 6435308 | Drive configuration for stair lifts A drive configuration for stair lifts is described. The drive configuration has a load-bearing configuration which is mounted displaceably on a first (bottom) guide rail and a second (top) guide rail. A drive unit interacts with a drive rail. The drive ra... | 08/20/2002 |
| 6360833 | Chair lift for stairs Chair Lift for Stairs with a light weight metal chair frame mounted to a pair of metal slidable sled rails, the chair frame supporting a fabric seat and back, a set of wheels mounted to the base of the rails, a thigh retaining sling mounted below the chai... | 03/26/2002 |
| 6332512 | Chair type stair elevating device In a chair type stair elevating device in which upper and lower rails and a rack or chain parallel to the rails are provided along the stairs, an elevating mechanism mounted on the rails is moved by a pinion or sprocket of a driving machine meshing with t... | 12/25/2001 |
| 6155382 | Running gear for a drive mechanism for a rail-guided displacement device A running gear (3), for a drive mechanism of a rail-guided displacement device, such as a passenger lift, comprising a base part, a drive and at least two sets of guide wheels (9), arranged behind each other, viewed in direction of travel of the running g... | 12/05/2000 |
| 6105726 | Variable-incline ramp system for horizontal vehicle A variable-incline ramp system guides a vehicle through the incline between a first site and a second site while at all times maintaining the vehicle in its natural horizontal orientation. The ramp system includes a separate set of rails for guiding the f... | 08/22/2000 |
| 6082496 | Stairlift skate A skate for a stairlift chair assembly (10) comprises two spaced-apart pairs of rollers, the two rollers (e.g., 27, 28) of each pair being arranged to run respectively above and below a circular section support rail (12) of the stairlift. The two rollers ... | 07/04/2000 |
| 6053286 | Incline lift system An incline lift system for incline operation. The lift system includes a pair of guide rails that run parallel to each other at a constant vertical gauge, on which a pair of traction roller sets move thereto. The pair of traction roller sets are mounted t... | 04/25/2000 |
| 5967265 | Self-leveling inclined lift device An inclined lift device for transporting an individual passenger includes a rail, a carriage adapted for being movable along the rail, a drive mechanism coupled to the carriage for moving the carriage along the rail, and a support secured to the carriage ... | 10/19/1999 |
| 5937971 | Convertible lift mechanism A convertible lift mechanism for lifting an object from a first surface to a vertically displaced second surface includes a source of motive force, a conversion stair, and a lift linkage. The convertible lift mechanism may be utilized as a platform lift o... | 08/17/1999 |
| 5908087 | Tandem driving device of a stair lift A tandem driving device (1) of a stair lift to bring the stair lift (10, 11) along a guiding system (2, 3), consists of an upper calibrated guiding rail (2) and a lower guiding rail (3), enabling the stair lift to pass sharp corners during inclination of ... | 06/01/1999 |
| 5735088 | Staircase hoist for wheelchair users A staircase hoist for wheelchair users includes a hoist carrier plate having a pair of brackets, two guide rails in slidable engagement with the pair of brackets to maintain the hoist carrier plate in a prescribed attitude, the guide rails being disposed ... | 04/07/1998 |
| 5720364 | Stairlift levelling arrangement A stairlift comprises a carriage for movement along a fixed rail the angle of inclination of which varies along its length. A seat is pivotally mounted to the carriage and an actuating device is used for turning the seat relative to the carriage. A contro... | 02/24/1998 |
| 5709154 | Monorail access system for making a boat handicapped accesible A monorail access system for making a boat handicapped accessible. More specifically, a battery powered chair assembly is suspended from an overhead monorail track system, whereby by activating a control mechanism an individual may maneuver anywhere in th... | 01/20/1998 |
