Did You Know...
...that Charles Goodyear performed some of his experiments on rubber while in debtor's prison? He was there so often he referred to it as his "hotel". Chronically in debt because of poor business sense and ill health, Goodyear depended on the generosity of friends and family. Even after he unlocked the secret to vulcanizing rubber, he was unable to improve his financial situation. When he died, his estate was $200,000 in debt.
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 8209838 | Repairing composite structures The design for a repair of an area of a composite structure is at least partially automated. Electronic data defining the boundaries of the area is used to calculate the boundaries of a cutout in the composite structure encompassing the area. Components used to repa... | 07/03/2012 |
| 7367488 | Method of repair of thin wall housings The present invention provides methods and materials for use in repairing a worn component having thin walls. One kind of thin wall may be the wall of a cylindrical portion of the component where such wall has a worn inner surface and an opposite outer surface. The ... | 05/06/2008 |
| 7367122 | Stepped sleeve repair of knife seal bores in driven compressor housing A method is provided for repairing a driven compressor housing including a bore having an inner surface configured to engage a shaft-mounted knife seal. The method includes the steps of removing material from the bore inner surface, press-fitting a sleeve into the b... | 05/06/2008 |
| 7320374 | Wellbore top drive systems A system for wellbore operations, the system, in at least certain aspects, including a derrick, a guide beam connected to the derrick, a top drive movable on the guide beam, torque reaction structure connected to the guide beam and to the derrick, skid apparatus hel... | 01/22/2008 |
| 7231969 | Wellbore top drive power systems and methods of use A top drive system having a drive motor, a gear system coupled to the drive motor, a drive quill coupled to the gear system, a top drive support system for supporting the drive motor, the gear system, and the drive quill, a lower support apparatus connected to the t... | 06/19/2007 |
| 7231701 | Modular PCB and method of replacing a malfunctioned module of the PCB Modular PCB and method of replacing one of a plurality of modules of a first PCB are provided. One embodiment of the method includes checking each module of the first PCB and each of a plurality of modules of a second PCB, cutting a malfunctioned module from the fir... | 06/19/2007 |
| 7228913 | Tubular clamp apparatus for top drives and methods of use An apparatus for releasably clamping and holding a member for wellbore operations, the apparatus having a main body, two opposed clamping apparatuses in the main body, the two opposed clamping apparatuses spaced-apart for selective receipt therebetween of a member t... | 06/12/2007 |
| 7222683 | Wellbore top drive systems An containerized top drive system including a container, top drive apparatus removably disposed within the container, an extension system for moving the top drive apparatus generally horizontally within a derrick, the top drive apparatus secured to the extension sys... | 05/29/2007 |
| 7188686 | Top drive systems A top drive system for wellbore operations including a hollow bore alternating current permanent magnet motor with a motor bore therethrough, a planetary gear system coupled to the motor, the gear system having a gear system bore therethrough, a quill drivingly conn... | 03/13/2007 |
| 7185432 | Gas turbine engine transition liner assembly and repair A method of repairing a damaged combustion gas transition liner for a gas turbine engine and an improved damage-resistant transition liner that mounts adjacent to the edge of one of the engine's combustion chambers. In a particular embodiment, the gas turbine engine... | 03/06/2007 |
| 7171793 | Means and method for rigidly elevating a structure A means and method for rigidly elevating a structure includes a base member securable in the ground and which has a portion extending above the ground. A pole section, having a bore inside a lower end, and an upper end, can be stacked upon the base means upwardly by... | 02/06/2007 |
| 7096639 | Connecting flange for tubular components and wind turbine tower employing same The present invention relates to an annular flange connection for attachment to one end of a tubular component. An object of one aspect of the invention is to provide an annular flange that is less prone to damage resulting from the stresses associated with the inte... | 08/29/2006 |
| 7076017 | Apparatus and method for repairing reactor vessel cladding using a seal plate A seal plate for repairing damaged areas in a pressure vessel cladding includes a first side and an opposing second side and a sealing portion located on the second side, with the sealing portion circumscribing the seal plate. The seal plate also includes a seal lip... | 07/11/2006 |
| 7065850 | Hardened motor-vehicle part with repair point A hardened metal part is created having a pair of opposite faces and a dimple open at one of the faces and forming a pocket. This hardened metal part is installed in a motor vehicle over an element of the vehicle with the one face turned toward and the dimple aligne... | 06/27/2006 |
| 7043826 | Apparatus for correcting setting of self-piercing rivets, for removing self-piercing rivets, and for setting solid rivets A hand-held power performs three operations, selectively. A first operation corrects the setting of an improperly set self-piercing rivet. A second operation removes a self-piercing rivet from workpieces. A third operation sets a solid rivet, which may replace a rem... | 05/16/2006 |
| 7007438 | Crossarm systems and methods A crossarm system adapted to support power lines from a vertical pole. The crossarm system comprises a wooden crossarm member and first and second nail end plates. The wooden crossarm member defines upper, lower, inner, and outer surfaces and first and second end su... | 03/07/2006 |
| 7000303 | Method of repairing a crack in a component utilizing friction stir welding A method of repairing a crack (14) in a component (12). The method includes preparing a surrounding surface (22) of the crack (14) for repair and welding a first portion (24) of the component (12) on a first side (26)... | 02/21/2006 |
| 6977355 | Tailored blank The present invention provides a tailored blank having a pair of sheet metal constituent parts each having a pair of oppositely directed major surfaces. The first constituent part has an aperture while the second constituent part has an embossment to fit the apertur... | 12/20/2005 |
| 6918934 | Artificial intervertebral disc having a slotted belleville washer force restoring element An artificial disc having a pair of opposing plates for seating against opposing vertebral bone surfaces, separated by at least one spring mechanism. The preferred spring mechanism is at least one spirally slotted belleville washer, and in some embodiments the belle... | 07/19/2005 |
| 6898834 | Barrel stave reclaim A method of reclaiming non-wine affected oak wood from a stave removed from a wine barrel or cask. The wine affected wood is removed as by sawing, the remaining non-wine affected wood is sawn into battens, dressed, straightened and toasted. The reclaimed oak battens... | 05/31/2005 |
| 6770349 | Sandwich structure and method of repairing the same A sandwich structure does not permit the permeation of water and a sandwich structure repairing method is capable of easily repairing the sandwich structure. A sandwich structure (1) includes a core (4) formed of a closed-cell foam plastic material, an... | 08/03/2004 |
| 6298537 | Pallet rack repair system A method for repairing pallet racks wherein the assembly is used to replace a damaged front post. The repair assembly includes a tubular post having a floor plate at a lower end and a support plate at an upper end with a horizontal brace and a diagonal br... | 10/09/2001 |
| 6243950 | Process for repairing a framework composed of profile sections, particularly vehicle bodies A process for repairing a framework (1) composed of profile members, in particular for repairing the body structure of a vehicle in which a damaged subassembly (10) composed of several profile members (11-15) is removed by cutting through the profile memb... | 06/12/2001 |
| 6244133 | Cam and follower system for an open-end spinning machine A cam and follower system for use with an automatic doffing system of a rotor spinning machine. The system includes a cover member for covering the cam lobes of a cam gear found in the automatic doffing system of a rotor spinning machine. The system also ... | 06/12/2001 |
| 6058586 | Method and apparatus for repairing pallets A method for repairing pallets includes the steps of sorting the pallets into groups depending on the type of repair that initially needs to be made to each of the pallets. After the initial repair, the remaining damaged portions of the pallets ace repair... | 05/09/2000 |
| 5920976 | Apparatus and method for remotely sealing a damaged pipe A remote pipe sealing system comprising an insertion tool and a seal apparatus for providing sealing to a damaged pipe. The sealing apparatus includes a cover member and a tool attachment member. The insertion tool includes a guide member and a handle hav... | 07/13/1999 |
| 5749134 | Slide fastener repair system A slide fastener repair system including a method in which an opening is formed in a slide fastener to create a gap in a row of fastener elements, removing the slide fastener slider through the opening, positioning a replacement slider on the teeth of the... | 05/12/1998 |
| 5673482 | Method of banding vehicle hub This invention is directed to the repair of cast composite vehicle wheel hubs used specifically on trucks. Such hubs typically have a plurality of spokes extending from a boss with webs extending between the spokes. The hubs are cast of composite metal al... | 10/07/1997 |
| 5553367 | Method for repairing a machine having a support structure and worn components The disclosure involves a structural combination and a method for attaching a machine component such as a number of arc-shaped gear segments to a supporting segment mounting pad. As new, each gear segment is furnished with a number of openings, all of the... | 09/10/1996 |
| 5503177 | Repair device for fluid distribution valves The present invention features a retrofit, stop replacement device for the repair of damaged, rusted or corroded stop limits or abutments of distribution valves. The repair device is made up of a guide plate that fits over the facial portion of the distri... | 04/02/1996 |
| 5471730 | Method for refurbishing worn turret punch press bores A method for restoring worn bores in a turret or other tool punch press is disclosed. The worn turret bore is refurbished by using a special boring bar and drive mechanism to enlarge the diameter of the worn section of the bore. A cylindrical sleeve is in... | 12/05/1995 |
| 5383941 | Segmented centrifugal separator scroll housing A scroll liner for use in the discharge housing of a centrifugal separator device. The scroll liner comprises a plurality of segments which are replaceable in the event of excessive wear. The segments are of a length which is less than the space between a... | 01/24/1995 |
| 5337469 | Method of repairing poles A method of repairing utility a pole having a section damaged by an accident or decay includes the steps of severing the utility pole above the location of the damage; removing the section of the utility pole including the damaged portion, and replacing t... | 08/16/1994 |
| 5327637 | Process for repairing the winding of an electrical linear drive A process for repairing the winding of an electrical linear drive having three winding strands formed of electrical cables which meander in the grooves of an inductor belonging to an elongated stator. To correct a defect in one of the winding strands, the... | 07/12/1994 |
| 5230130 | Method of repairing damaged vehicle headlight assembly The damaged adjustor mounting tab on a headlight lens assembly is repaired by cutting away a sufficient portion of the old tab to allow an L-shaped replacement adjustor tab bracket to be installed and have the adjustor block mounted in the slot of the ver... | 07/27/1993 |
| 5222295 | Method for repairing diesel engine cylinder blocks A method and apparatus for restoring the dimensions of a worn engine cylinder block (11) to "as new" condition by the selective removal of spaced portions (20) and (30) of the cylinder block (11) followed by the replacement of the removed portions by spec... | 06/29/1993 |
| 5203066 | Method of repairing large rotating machines in which parts are bolted together through radially extending flanges A method of repairing large rotating parts joined together by bolts extending through flanges extending radially from the parts being joined. The method comprises the steps of removing the bolts, separating the parts, counterboring the areas around the bo... | 04/20/1993 |
| 5181434 | Apparatus and method for refurbishing a drive tumbler An improved tumbler for use in pad driven machinery or the like utilizes a plurality of replaceable wear members mounted to a reel assembly on the conventional tumbler hub. The wear members engage the cleats of the pads to impart relative motion and bear ... | 01/26/1993 |
| 5174007 | Weldless panel patching method A method and apparatus for patching a hole in a panel without the use of a bonding agent or the aid of a welding apparatus. The method encompasses the placing of a patch within the confines of a hole. The patch is of a configuration which is within a clos... | 12/29/1992 |
| 5034254 | Blind-side panel repair patch A repair patch for damaged sections of panels made of composite materials, wherein the damaged section of the panel has been cut out by, for example, a hole cutting saw, includes a bolt which is inserted through the hole and a rigid washer on the bolt, of... | 07/23/1991 |
