Did You Know...
...that in 1800 ether was first used by partyers as a fun diversion? Sniffing the gas led to hilarious and raucous laughter as people watched each other become more and more intoxicated and silly. Several doctors independently realized the value ether would have to anesthetize surgery patients. Of those who claimed rights to the "discovery," none had a happy ending. One had a seizure and died defending his rights. Another spent his life in an asylum because he had been denied acclaim. A third became addicted to chloroform and, in a New York City jail, he soaked a cloth in the drug, severed an artery and bled to death.
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7478775 | Gimbal assembly strain relief A gimbal assembly strain relief may be used to provide management of the power cord of a power tool. The power cord extends through the gimbal assembly to permit rotation of the tool about first and second axes while providing strain relief. ... | 01/20/2009 |
| 7445175 | Method and apparatus for wrapping cord around a reel An apparatus for drawing a flexible cord into a wrapped configuration around a reel. The apparatus has a housing and a reel that is movable around a first axis relative to the housing. The apparatus further includes a spring system through which a rotational force i... | 11/04/2008 |
| 7424997 | Device for compensating the weight of a suspended load A device (1) that compensates the weight of a suspended load, for example a tool or welding tongs, is provided as a spring tensioner with at least one barrel (4) or supporting wire that can be reeled off a barrel (3) against the force of a sprin... | 09/16/2008 |
| 7410151 | Weight compensation device A height-adjustably mounted apparatus has a flexible supply line that is conducted to the apparatus from above and is provided with a weight compensation device so that the apparatus can be easily adjusted to different vertical positions. The weight compensation dev... | 08/12/2008 |
| 7341216 | Device for controlling a seat belt retractor A seat belt retractor has a winding shaft to wind a seat belt. A motive spring pretensions the winding shaft in the winding direction of the seat belt. An electric motor provides a torque that can be transmitted to the motive spring to change the spring force. A swi... | 03/11/2008 |
| 7299850 | Quick release roller shutter The present invention is directed to a roll-up partition comprising a rolling shutter, a shutter assembly, a flexible strap and a tensioner. The tensioner includes a locking mechanism that is configured to lock and unlock the flexible strap and a quick release mecha... | 11/27/2007 |
| 7273192 | Cord-reel assembly for electronic devices A cord-reel assembly comprises a cord-reel body rotatably installed in the electronic device, a brake member capable of selectively contacting with the cord-reel body, so that the brake member selectively restrains the rotation of the cord-reel body, a manipulation ... | 09/25/2007 |
| 7232089 | Seat belt retractor A seat belt retractor includes a take-up drum with webbing wound therearound, a torsion bar coupled to a first end of the take-up drum non-rotatably relative thereto, and a ratchet wheel coupled to a second end of the torsion bar non-rotatably relative thereto. The ... | 06/19/2007 |
| 7228797 | Cordless blind A cordless blind includes a headrail, a bottom rail suspended from the headrail by a first cord and a second cord, a wall covering disposed between the headrail and the bottom rail, and a drive actuator. The drive actuator includes a spring motor, a spool coupled to... | 06/12/2007 |
| 7185598 | Swim training and buoyancy assist device A swim training and buoyancy assist device for an anchoring device has a resilient element and a resilient tether. The anchoring device is located at a certain location beside a swimming pool. The resilient element has a proximal end and a distal end. The proximal e... | 03/06/2007 |
| 7162828 | Automatic fishing device An automatic fishing device is comprised of a fishing rod support for supporting a fishing rod. A spring loaded fishing line puller is movably attached to the support and arranged to engage a portion of the line along the fishing rod. An actuating arm hinged to a fi... | 01/16/2007 |
| 7152718 | Damper A damper includes a frame, a main gear mounted to the frame for rotation about an axis of rotation, and a spring operably connecting the main gear and the frame such that rotation of the main gear tensions the spring. The main gear has a circumferential recess forme... | 12/26/2006 |
| 7150424 | Tool support A support assembly is provided for suspending lightweight tools or other objects, such as hairdryers and the like. The assembly provides support and in particular embodiments, electrical power to the object suspended. In addition, the assembly provides management of... | 12/19/2006 |
| 7096813 | Tie up accessory for a water craft A mooring device for a water craft capable of storing and dispensing a line used to moor a boat or the like is disclosed. A spring biased reel assembly carrying a mooring line is rotatably mounted on a surface of the craft. The reel assembly is urged by the spring t... | 08/29/2006 |
| 7044278 | Cord reel adapting device and method An adaptor for converting a hose reel to a cord reel includes a waterproof electrical box having a rotating contact therein, a linking electrical cord, wherein the linking cord enters the box and terminates in the rotating contact; and an outlet electrical cord. The... | 05/16/2006 |
| 7003895 | Tape measure having a self-powered reel assembly A tape measure having a self-powered reel assembly and a housing for receiving the self-powered, reel assembly. The self-powered, reel assembly includes: a primary spool having a measuring tape wound upon the primary spool; a secondary biased spool assembly; and a c... | 02/28/2006 |
| 6978960 | Hose reel with integral hub assembly A hose reel that includes a spool that is formed by attaching a pair of spool flange plates to opposite sides of hub assembly. The hub assembly is an integral unitary structure that includes central hub, a plurality of spokes extending radially from the central hub,... | 12/27/2005 |
| 6959751 | Winding system, rolling door assembly including the same and kit for assembling the winding system A winding system for winding a rolling door assembly. The winding system includes a support bracket, first and second gears. The support bracket is preferably rigidly connectable to a fixed structure of the rolling door assembly, and has a receiving device and a sup... | 11/01/2005 |
| 6916045 | Seat belt retractor torsion rod activity sensor A seat belt load limiter employs a magnetostrictive sensor to detect the elastic loading and plastic deformation of a torsion rod forming part of a seat belt retractor. A magnet and a coil are placed about or adjacent to the torsion rod. When the torsion rod undergo... | 07/12/2005 |
| 6805314 | Tool support A support assembly and method is provided for suspending lightweight tools or other objects, such as hairdryers and the like. The assembly provides support and in particular embodiments, electrical power to the object suspended. In addition, the assembly provides ma... | 10/19/2004 |
| 6676056 | Seat belt retractor A seat belt retractor has a retractor frame, a belt spool rotatably mounted in the frame, an electric drive motor, a reduction belt gear with a toothed belt connecting the electric motor permanently with the belt spool, and a winding spring functionally a... | 01/13/2004 |
| 6644582 | Cable reel with a positioning mechanism A cable reel with a positioning mechanism includes a reel casing having a chamber therein; a cylindrical receptacle having a circumferential tracing line groove formed on a sidewall of the cylindrical receptacle; a winding plate having a pivot hole thereo... | 11/11/2003 |
| 6615897 | Apparatus for winding a spring An apparatus for winding a spring on a shaft, such as for counterbalancing a roll-up door, includes a housing that carries a transmission which is positionable over the shaft. The transmission is configured to be coupled via a connector to one end of the ... | 09/09/2003 |
| 6598821 | Seat belt retractor A seat belt retractor has a winding reel rotatably mounted in a frame, an electric motor and a switching mechanism, with which varying torques can be transmitted to the winding reel to adjust the comfort of a wearer of the seat belt or to tighten the seat... | 07/29/2003 |
| 6513217 | Small motor starter cord replacement apparatus An apparatus for replacement of a starter cord in a small motor starter cord assembly. A spindle is mounted within a hub with a handle at one end and a tool fitting at the other end. The hub includes at least two arms. The arms attached to the hub are of ... | 02/04/2003 |
| 6467713 | Traction device for medical use A traction device has a casing, a drum mounted in the casing for undergoing rotation, and a traction rope having a first end connected to the drum and a second end extending through an opening in the casing. A roller is disposed in the casing for guiding ... | 10/22/2002 |
| 6454198 | Belt roller with a switchable spring arrangement The present invention relates to a belt roller having a wind-up spring disposed between a housing part and a shaft onto which the belt is wound, the wind-up spring effecting wind-up rotation of the shaft, and a comfort spring serially actuable in connecti... | 09/24/2002 |
| 6431485 | Automotive seatbelt take-up device An automotive seatbelt take-up device has a primary spiral spring biasing a take-up shaft in a seatbelt take-up direction. A spring clutch transfers rotation of the take-up shaft in a seatbelt drawing-out direction to a ring. A secondary spiral spring is ... | 08/13/2002 |
| 6390403 | Seat belt retractor A seat belt retractor has a belt reel that is rotatably mounted on a frame and on which a seat belt can be wound and unwound. A motive spring biases the belt reel in the winding direction. An electric motor adjusts the spring force of the motive spring ca... | 05/21/2002 |
| 6371397 | Seat belt retractor A seat belt retractor has a winding shaft for winding a seat belt. A motive spring biases the winding shaft in the winding direction of the seat belt. A drive unit provides at least partial relaxation of the motive spring when the seat belt is at least pa... | 04/16/2002 |
| 6343759 | Seat belt retractor A seat belt retractor has a belt reel that is mounted rotatably on a frame. A motive spring biases the belt reel in a winding direction. An electrical driving device adjusts the spring force of the motive spring. A clutch located between the electrical dr... | 02/05/2002 |
| 6328242 | Seat belt retractor A seat belt retractor for a vehicle with a rotatably mounted belt reel on which a seat belt can be wound and unwound has a biased motive spring that acts on the belt reel to produce a pulling force which acts on the seat belt, and during winding and unwin... | 12/11/2001 |
| 6263942 | Modular roll-up partition system with tension adjustment mechanism The present invention is directed to a modular roll-up partition assembly, such as a rolling protective shutter, implementing an improved tension adjustment mechanism for torsion springs used in roll-up partition assemblies. In one embodiment, the roll-up... | 07/24/2001 |
| 6065705 | Weight compensating apparatus, particularly for a medical device In a weight compensating apparatus, particularly for a medical device, a cable drum accepts a supporting cable which carries a load, this drum being biased by the force of a spiral spring element. A safety arrangement triggers a stopping arrangement given... | 05/23/2000 |
| 5938136 | Shutter control strap recoiler A recoiler for rolling shutter assemblies that includes a protective cover that reduces the risk of accidentally releasing the strap and, consequently, the shutter curtain. The protective cover is disposed over the locking mechanism to prevent the inadver... | 08/17/1999 |
| 5611497 | Active tension reducer for the seat belt of a safety restraint system An active tension remover for the seat belt of a safety restraint system having a housing attached to the seat belt retractor of the safety restraint system. A spring cap is rotatably supported in the housing and encloses a coil spring having one end atta... | 03/18/1997 |
| 5502358 | Method and apparatus for controlling the tension of a power cord of a self-propelled robot A self-propelled robot includes an electrical cord mounted on a spool for being drawn-in or drawn-out. A sensor senses a rate at which the cord is drawn in or drawn out and actuates a motor connected to the spool for applying a rotary force to the spool t... | 03/26/1996 |
| 5498940 | Methods and apparatus for maintaining a constant tension on an electrical cord of a robot A constant tension is maintained on cord of a robot by determining whether the cord is being extracted or retracted and the extent of such extraction or retraction, and increasing or decreasing a spring force applied to the cord by an amount suitable for ... | 03/12/1996 |
| 5316233 | Seat belt retractor with springs connected in series and motorized spring force adjustment A seat belt retractor is formed of a frame having a pair of side plates which face each other and having a back plate which interconnects the side plates, a reel shaft rotatably mounted between the side plates and having both ends projecting to exterior a... | 05/31/1994 |
| 5230481 | Cord take-up device The invention is a dual reel cord take-up device for flat wire cable which has a generally semi-cylindrical upper and lower case half which snap together over a dual-purpose shaft to make two compartments. The first compartment is a cord take-up compartme... | 07/27/1993 |
