In 1608, Dutch eyeglass maker Hans Lipperhey filed the first patent for a working telescope. The patent was denied.
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 8067707 | Self-calibrating sensor device A self-calibrating sensor includes a housing, an input lever coupled to the housing and configured to contact a device to be sensed, and an actuating element configured to automatically reposition an output device to a calibrated position. The sensor also includes a... | 11/29/2011 |
| 7888611 | Limit switch control device A limit switch control device comprises a shaft, a sensor, an upper limit reed switch, a lower limit reed switch and a drive element that cooperate with a control circuit. The sensor is combined on the shaft which is driven by the drive element, which is provided wi... | 02/15/2011 |
| 7557315 | Limit switch with two operation units controlled by a single control member A limit switch includes a control member which has a first end protruding from the body of the switch and a second end of the control member has a first contact portion and a second contact portion. A first operation unit and a second operation unit are respectively... | 07/07/2009 |
| 7482544 | Lift chair and a chair base frame with an actuator for use therewith An actuator usable in a support frame for use in a lift chair. In one embodiment, the actuator has a housing, a reversible electric motor positioned in the housing, a worm that connects with a worm wheel, wherein the worm is driven by the electric reversible motor i... | 01/27/2009 |
| 7352092 | Integrated motor and controller assemblies for horizontal axis washing machines A horizontal axis washing machine includes an integrated motor and controller assembly. The controller is mounted to the electric motor with the controller positioned under a tub of the washing machine. The tub provides drip protection for the controller during oper... | 04/01/2008 |
| 7311130 | Controlled drive for a garage door panel for the like The invention relates to a system to control the motor drive of a garage door panel which is reciprocatingly movable and guided along a predetermined track between two end positions, and possibly, one or more intermediate stop positions, said garage door panel inclu... | 12/25/2007 |
| 7285739 | Waterproof structure for switch pins A waterproof structure for switch pins includes a pin exposed outside a switch to be connected to an electric wire. The pin and the electric wire are covered by a waterproof insulation material through an injection forming process to become an integrated manner. The... | 10/23/2007 |
| 7271356 | Hybrid limit switch A hybrid limit/proximity switch combining the standard limit switch operator head and a proximity sensor in a body that may be interchangeably mounted on a machine in place of a conventional mechanically operated limit switch is disclosed. ... | 09/18/2007 |
| 7268307 | Signal actuator device for a position adjustment control Signal Actuator device, having a support structure; a bottom drive shaft, tunable in a seat of the support structure; a first torsional coupling, integral with and surrounding the bottom drive shaft; at least a first cam torsionally coupled to the first torsional co... | 09/11/2007 |
| 7262377 | Limit switch control device for an actuator A limit switch control device for an actuator is disposed at both ends of a linearly moveable mover and comprises at least: two limit switches, a circuit board, and a connecting rod assembly. The two limit switches are disposed on the circuit board, both ends of the... | 08/28/2007 |
| 7239513 | Power control device The power control device has three units, each having two cooling fins set in opposed positions. Every cooling fin has an SCR mounted to adjust the voltage change. One of the two opposed cooling fins has a reed and a circuit board mounted thereon, and the power supp... | 07/03/2007 |
| 7223929 | Front or side controlled electrical shutoff apparatus The present invention concerns a shutoff apparatus that can be controlled In either front or side mode, consisting of a minimum number of parts and resulting in a simple, economical, mechanically dependable, and compact unit. The shutoff apparatus (1) include... | 05/29/2007 |
| 7176399 | Safety switch device for electrically controlled machines The invention relates to a safety switch unit (1) for electrically controlled machines for use in combination with the actual control elements of the machine control system in a hand-held application or for manual control, with at least one operating element ... | 02/13/2007 |
| 7161100 | Limit switch mechanism for door opening An improved limit switch mechanism is provided in which it includes a plurality of cassettes of limit switch subassembly, each cassette containing: a limit switch mounting bracket, a first limit switch and a second limit switch fastened onto said limit switch mounti... | 01/09/2007 |
| 7148434 | Gearshift mechanism for electromotive toy car Disclosed is a gearshift mechanism for electromotive toy car is provided in a space defined by a left cover and a right cover, including a gearshift lever, a slide plate, an opening shield plate, an opening shield securing plate, a switch plate, pushbuttons, a switc... | 12/12/2006 |
| 7135648 | End position detector for movable switch parts The invention pertains to an end position detector for movable switch parts (3) which comprises a rod assembly and a housing (12), into which the rod assembly penetrates and in which at least one sensor for sensing an end position of the rod assembly i... | 11/14/2006 |
| 7129429 | Limit switch An electrical limit switch (10) is provided and comprises a number of contact elements (30) each having a slot (32) with inner cutting edges (34) for penetrating the insulation of and containing a conducting element (48). The conta... | 10/31/2006 |
| 7087849 | Switch device and method for controlling a sprayer A control device processes or agricultural sprayer. A slip member biased by a retaining member and springs to an initial neutral position produces a signal by a sensor upon initiation or cessation of angular forces from rotation of a machine driven shaft. The signal... | 08/08/2006 |
| 7031807 | Device and method for securing apparatuses with parts freely movable in space The invention relates to a safety device for apparatuses having parts freely movable in space, particularly handling equipment such as industrial robots or driverless transportation means, as well as a method for securing such apparatuses by means of such a safety d... | 04/18/2006 |
| 7023614 | Portable microscope having an illumination device, and microscope stage A portable microscope and a microscope stage (10) for a portable microscope are disclosed. The microscope comprises a stand (4) that carries the adjustable-height microscope stage (10). The microscope stage (10) is constructed from a samp... | 04/04/2006 |
| 6989501 | Current limiting circuit breaker A multipole current limiting circuit breaker comprising an insulating enclosure that contains: a) for each pole, at least one fixed contact and at least one movable contact, which can be mutually coupled/uncoupled upon closure/opening of the circuit breaker; b) actu... | 01/24/2006 |
| 6987230 | Limit switch A limit switch having a housing carrying one or more components that are individually field replaceable by an operator so that an operator can make an on-the-go field repair any faulty component in the limit switch. The field replaceable components can be frictional... | 01/17/2006 |
| 6960731 | Contact supporting shaft for a low-voltage power circuit breaker A rotating contact supporting shaft for a low-voltage power circuit breaker, whose particularity consists of the fact that it has a modular structure that comprises, along the rotation axis, at least one first and one second supporting module (10, 20), each m... | 11/01/2005 |
| 6945509 | Universal valve switch A universal valve switch for signaling the operative state of a valve assembly is disclosed that is attached to the body of the valve assembly using a bracketing arrangement. The valve switch comprises a housing defining a chamber and an aperture formed through the ... | 09/20/2005 |
| 6938415 | Hydraulic/pneumatic apparatus An invented fluidic (hydraulic/pneumatic) actuation system is described wherein bidirectional, hydraulic/pneumatically driven elements of multiple components in a common hydraulic/pneumatic circuit inherently provide increases in pressure upon reaching mechanical en... | 09/06/2005 |
| 6864439 | Switch for controlling a range of movement A switch for limiting and controlling a linear range of movement by rotational means. Two limiting positions of the switch are independently adjusted using worm gears. The switch includes a plate and a rotatable block having a rotatable shaft rotatably disposed rela... | 03/08/2005 |
| 6815622 | Methods and apparatus for automatically transferring electrical power An automatic transfer switch includes a main body having a solenoid side and an auxiliary side. A solenoid side limit switch assembly is mounted to the solenoid side and an auxiliary side limit switch assembly is mounted on the auxiliary side. The solenoid side limi... | 11/09/2004 |
| 6664487 | Limit switches A limit switch has switch areas and a partition wall in between in a switch case for containing switch element units separately and independently. An inner case includes covers for sealing the switch areas. For improving rigidity, a switch unit and a head... | 12/16/2003 |
| 6660949 | Safety switch actuator An actuator of the present invention comprises an operation key 2 to be inserted into a key insertion hole formed in the safety switch, and a base 3. The operation key 2 is held on the base 3 and capable of freely swinging in two orthogonal directions. Th... | 12/09/2003 |
| 6635833 | Limit switch A proximity detection switch, including a housing with a switching block controlled by a sensor component contained therein and housing connection elements for external connection via a cable, the body and a removable cover each having a flange part for c... | 10/21/2003 |
| 6627827 | Switch, particularly position switch, with a multi-directional head A position switch whose box houses a switch assembly that can be maneuvered by an activation head holding a push button and located in a recess on one surface of the box so that it can be angularly adjusted at regular intervals. The head has a tubular bea... | 09/30/2003 |
| 6518528 | Limit switch with direct opening action A switch comprises a first and second contacts, a plunger, a toggle bar, and a spanner. A preferred trip lever arrangement is used in which a trip lever transfers an actuating force from the plunger to the toggle bar, and the toggle bar is caused to move ... | 02/11/2003 |
| 6469265 | Method and apparatus for a limit switch A limit switch includes a housing, a plunger, an actuator, a prime contactor, a redundant prime contactor, an adjustment contactor, and a redundant adjustment contactor disposed within the housing. The prime contactor and adjustment contactor are electric... | 10/22/2002 |
| 6399906 | Switch for a card connector A switch structure for a card connector comprises: a first cantilevered contact spring 20 urged so that a front engagement portion of the first contact spring engages a part of the recessed portion of the inserted card corresponding to one of two slide po... | 06/04/2002 |
| 6357333 | Dual Adjusting override precision switch activator A switching assembly that operatively cooperates with the triggering mechanism of a firearm, such as a rocket launcher, is disclosed. The switching assembly allows for an adjustable trigger linear travel of about 0.4" within an accuracy of 0.01 inches, wh... | 03/19/2002 |
| 6321611 | Linear actuator travel limit apparatus A linear actuator utilizing limit switches to implement reliable and effective travel limit functions. The actuator having a robust construction, lower part count, smaller dimension, and lower assembly cost.... | 11/27/2001 |
| 6266183 | Self-centering crash protection mechanism for interference microscope objective A crash protection mechanism for a microscope objective includes a tapered, self-centering combination of sleeves interposed between the objective and its housing in an interferometric profiler. A three-lobed, tapered inner sleeve is affixed to the object... | 07/24/2001 |
| 6160324 | Deadman switch mechanism for emergency stop of robot and teaching operation A deadman switch mechanism and a teaching operation panel equipped with the deadman switch mechanism, in which possibility of losing a safety function is low even if failure happens in a contact or other elements of a circuit. When an operator grips at le... | 12/12/2000 |
| 6140594 | Position detecting apparatus for forklifts A forklift has an inner mast parallel to an outer mast and a fork vertically movable in accordance with a vertical movement of the inner mast. An apparatus for detecting the vertical position of the fork has a lever that is displaced when engaged by the i... | 10/31/2000 |
| 6028280 | Actuator for generating switching signals The invention relates to an actuator for operating a signal transmitter comprising a shaft rotatably mounted in a housing, a motor rotating the shaft to operate the signal transmitter as a function of position, a portion of the shaft having a first recess... | 02/22/2000 |