Did You Know...
...that it was melting ice cream that inspired the invention of the outboard motor? It was a lovely August day and Ole Evinrude was rowing his boat to his favorite island picnic spot. As he rowed, he watched his ice cream melt and wished he had a faster way to get to the island. At that moment the idea for the outboard motor was born!
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7435036 | Flexible water gate A flexible water gate is described that is suitable for retaining water in a port, canal or river estuary. The gate is both economical to build and maintain and comprises a gate controller that allows a flexible member to be controllably moved between a closed and o... | 10/14/2008 |
| 7281879 | Portable flood-barriers system A portable flood-barrier-system can include a portable block of substantial mass; and a deflatable bladder, a first portion of which is disposed on a substrate; the block being disposed at least partly on the first portion of the bladder so as to releasably compress... | 10/16/2007 |
| 7261492 | Method for rapidly deploying a fabric panel edge for flood control An anchoring method of fabric panels for flood control and water control, wherein the anchoring method comprises the steps of: attaching a plurality of anchors. Each anchor has a base, a first wall and a second wall disposed on opposite ends of the base, a chamber, ... | 08/28/2007 |
| 6783300 | Water containment structure A water structure formed from at least a pair of sleeves from a puncture resistant flexible material joined along common longitudinal surfaces, as by sewing, and include sleeve ends that are formed into closed to maintain closed-off ends of water filled tubes, and i... | 08/31/2004 |
| 6692188 | Rapid emergency dam and method of construction A rapid emergency dam is disclosed. During adverse weather conditions heavy rain can lead to rivers breaking their banks and lakes overflowing causing flooding to the surrounding countryside. Coastline defenses can also be breached by increased sea swell ... | 02/17/2004 |
| 6672800 | Portable flood control revetment A portable flood control revetment comprising an elongated collapsible and inflatable tube of flexible material impervious to air and water, the tube having a bottom wall and other walls defining an internal compartment, and a multiplicity of cables in th... | 01/06/2004 |
| 6634829 | Fitting structural body, fitting and flexible sheet inflatable gate A fitting structural body, fittings included in the structural body, and a flexible sheet inflatable gate installed inside a culvert using the structural body are disclosed. In the fitting structural body, a first fitting element and a second fitting elem... | 10/21/2003 |
| 6609854 | Structure and method for detecting an inflated state of a flexible membrane dam A structure for detecting an inflated state of a dam formed by a flexible membrane disposed in a conduit, with the detection unaffected by pressure resulting from fluid flow through the conduit when the flexible membrane is not completely inflated. The st... | 08/26/2003 |
| 6481928 | Flexible hydraulic structure and system for replacing a damaged portion thereof A water structure formed from at least one flexible tube or sleeve, that functions as a water containment vessel when at least partially filled with water and closed at its ends, and includes a rope positioned therein. The rope is for connection, on one e... | 11/19/2002 |
| 6467999 | Internal pressure regulating system for flexible bag body, flexible membrane dam using the same, and method for regulating internal pressure in the flexible membrane dam There is provided an internal pressure regulating system in which when a flexible bag body used for a collapsible dam is excessively pressurized, gas within the bag body is discharged. The system includes a flexible bag body which can be inflated with gas... | 10/22/2002 |
| 6364571 | Flexible hydraulic structure with right angle tube fitted therethrough A water structure formed from a pair of flexible tubes or sleeves that each receive a volume of water and are maintained within a containment sleeve, and including a vertical tube fitted through the containing sleeve to pass between and is separated from ... | 04/02/2002 |
| 6354762 | Mounting member and flexible membrane dam A flexible membrane dam is provided which can be installed easily and in which a concentration of stress at a time the dam is made to stand is less than in conventional structures. Mounting hardware for the dam is also provided. When a fluid such as air i... | 03/12/2002 |
| 6348120 | Method of manufacturing rubber weir main body A method of manufacturing a rubber weir main body, which manufactures a rubber weir main body intended to rise by the flow-in of a fluid and to fall by the discharge of the fluid by integrally bonding at least two main body segments divided in the circumf... | 02/19/2002 |
| 6312192 | Flood control barrier A flood control barrier for separating water in a wet area from an area to be maintained substantially dry comprises a flexible exterior membrane made of liquid impervious material and including elongated upper and lower membrane sections joined at a clos... | 11/06/2001 |
| 6213683 | Flexible film weir A flexible film, of which a flexible film weir is composed, has a two-dimensional configuration when expanded, and the total length of the periphery of the flexible film is set longer than the mounting length of mounting faces (a river bed and faces of sl... | 04/10/2001 |
| 6200067 | Multi-purpose water bag assembly wall system and method A system and method for rapid construction of temporary watertight barriers and walls by unskilled labor which comprise stacked tiers of fluid-filled water bag assemblies. Each water bag assembly comprises a rigid outer frame and a rugged, flexible waterp... | 03/13/2001 |
| 6196763 | Connection system for hoses, expansion joints and actuators Tubular structures are described which are composed of multiple layers of reinforced material. The structures include at least one terminal end portion which includes one or more wedges between adjacent layers of reinforced material. The structures may be... | 03/06/2001 |
| 6179521 | Flexible membrane mounting metal fitting and flexible membrane inflating structural body A flexible membrane inflating structural body is fixed to a structure such as a bed and slope sides of a waterway by using a mounting metal fitting comprising a first metal fitting and a second metal fitting. The flexible membrane inflating structural bod... | 01/30/2001 |
| 6164870 | Portable dike having air inflatable reinforcement An inflatable dike formed from sections includes an upper and lower partition. The lower partition includes a water inlet and is water-fillable via the water inlet to add weight to the dike. The upper partition attaches to partially surround to the lower ... | 12/26/2000 |
| 6126362 | Pressure secured liquid damming protective bank device and method A protective bank damming device useful for damming and controlling the flow of a liquid, the liquid most commonly being water. The damming device barrier member is inflated with water to provide a form to the barrier member, and anchoring weight to keep ... | 10/03/2000 |
| 6102620 | Rubber dam and method of application thereof A rubber sheet is formed in a bag shape, and a seam portion of the bag-shaped rubber sheet is fixed to a summit portion of an overflow dam. When the bag-shaped rubber sheet is expanded, a rubber dam is raised, thereby damming up water and adjusting the am... | 08/15/2000 |
| 5993113 | Flood barrier system A flood barrier having water fillable elongate tube portions and cylindrical water fillable junction portions. Water fill inlets, water drain outlets, air relief valves, and anchors are formed on the elongate tube portions and cylindrical junction portion... | 11/30/1999 |
| 5988946 | Multiple bladder flood control system A multiple bladder flood control system, for preventing flood waters from reaching a protected area from a flooding area, comprising a bladder assembly. A trough is dug between the protected area and the flooding area, having a trough bottom, a trough fir... | 11/23/1999 |
| 5984577 | Flotation flood wall A flood barrier wall consisting of a flexible tubular flood chamber, skirts and an air-filled flotation collar. In its unexpanded and deflated mode the device is relegated to a substantially flattened condition which can be folded, rolled up or placed on ... | 11/16/1999 |
| 5882142 | Containment dike assembly and method for construction thereof An environmental control dike system constructed of a plurality of bolted steel sections supported by steel posts set in concrete below average frost depths, the interior area of the steel wall having a synthetic liner cover with mating geotextile pad, jo... | 03/16/1999 |
| 5865564 | Water-fillable barrier A fluid-fillable barrier includes a tubular, impermeable membrane and at least one tension member. The membrane has a first attachment area and a second attachment area. The tension member secures between, and extends from, the first attachment area to th... | 02/02/1999 |
| 5857806 | Liquid damming protective bank as well as a method and a damming device for erecting such a protective bank A liquid-damming protective bank comprises a member abutting against a surface upon which a vertical force acts with the purpose of pressing and anchoring the same against the surface. The bank member has a first long side edge turned towards a flood side... | 01/12/1999 |
| 5791817 | Ditch dam A one-piece plastic back brace for a ditch dam is shaped like the V of the ditch. It has a groove on the top back edge that engages a span pipe which is placed across the ditch. An apron is mounted to the span pipe before the back brace is engaged. The ap... | 08/11/1998 |
| 5713699 | Spillway crest gate system and inflatable bladder therefor Several gate panels are pivotably mounted on top of a dam spillway which are raised against the force of water by inflatable bladders. The bladders are integrally vulcanized envelopes. A unique method of inflatable bladder reinforcement is disclosed. Impr... | 02/03/1998 |
| 5709502 | Connection system for reinforced composite structures An inflatable rubber bladder is described which has one or more edge portions which are wedge-shaped. The wedges can be metal or rubber, for example, which are bonded on opposite surfaces to adjacent reinforced layers at the edge of the bladder. The edges... | 01/20/1998 |
| 5645373 | Flood control barrier system and method A temporary flood control barrier system comprising elongated flexible, inflatable, tubular ballast members secured to each other and adapted to be disposed on the earth's surface for anchoring a generally sheetlike vertically extendable barrier wall or a... | 07/08/1997 |
| 5622448 | Panel ditch check for temporary erosion and sediment control A ditch check for controlling erosion or sediment run-off in a ditch or swale is configured as a generally planar panel. The panel has suitable water-conducting passages to permit and is given holes to insert anchor stakes to anchor the panel to the groun... | 04/22/1997 |
| 5538360 | Crest gate operating system A crest gate has movable panels controlled in position by inflatable bladders. Air pressure to the bladders or from the bladders is provided to a control system that automatically regulates panel position. Air is bubbled out of a line that is normally bel... | 07/23/1996 |
| 5470177 | Hydro wall A barrier wall for containment of flood waters composed of multiples of modules which are easily transported to the site and erected without tools, by only a few persons with no special skills or training. Flexible coversheets, having foam seals which con... | 11/28/1995 |
| 5439316 | Portable reusable flood barrier panel system A reusable flood barrier is provided to erect reusable flood barrier banks. The flood barrier comprises (a) a front panel having a front face, a rear face, a top edge, a pair of side edges, and a base; (b) a rear support attached to the rear face of the f... | 08/08/1995 |
| 5330290 | Levee gate and process for the production thereof A levee gate and the process for the production thereof. The levee gate of the invention includes a rectangular sheet of thermoplastic material with a rectangular sleeve located on one edge of the thermoplastic material, the rectangular sleeve being a por... | 07/19/1994 |
| 5318381 | Collapsible rubber dam In a collapsible rubber dam, a fastening portion of a flexible rubber sheet body is fixed on an upper spillway portion of an arch type concrete dam or on a riverbed of a river in a curved form in the longitudinal direction of the body.... | 06/07/1994 |
| 5244309 | Fluid flow release regulating device A self supporting rubbery flow blocking device of substantial thickness is mounted in a fluid passageway to automatically regulate flow. Due to its variable elastic stiffness, increases in pressure will cause the device to begin to flex away from the pres... | 09/14/1993 |
| 5230585 | Mount structure for a flexible membrane weir A structure for mounting a flexible membrane weir to banks 2 and a crest 1 formed on a river bed between the above-mentioned banks and having a crest surface 1a of arc shape in cross-section. A trigonal-pyramid-shaped fillet 3 is provided at an intersecti... | 07/27/1993 |
| 5217557 | Process for the production of thermoplastic levee gates A levee gate and the process for the production thereof. The levee gate of the invention includes a rectangular sheet of thermoplastic material with a rectangular sleeve located on one edge of the thermoplastic material, the rectangular sleeve being a por... | 06/08/1993 |
