Did You Know...
...that several people are credited with the invention of the flush toilet? Most people have heard of Thomas Crapper (1837-1910), the sanitary engineer who invented the valve-and-siphon arrangement that made the modern toilet possible. Another claimant to "the throne" was British inventor Alexander Cumming who patented a toilet in 1775. Then there's a nameless Minoan (a native of ancient Crete) who lived 4,000 years ago who supposedly was ahead of his time and created the first flush toilet!
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7199711 | Mobile floor cleaner data communication In a method of communicating data from a mobile floor cleaner to a remote receiver a data communication is initiated from a communicator of the mobile floor cleaner to the remote receiver and data is communicated to the remote receiver with the communicator. ... | 04/03/2007 |
| 7051399 | Cleaner cartridge A cleaner cartridge includes a container having an interior cavity, in which cleaning agent can be stored. A first end of conduit is fluidically coupled to the interior cavity. A second end of the conduit is connectable to a chemical dispenser. ... | 05/30/2006 |
| 6749410 | Peristaltic pump having a variable effective radial length impeller for metering liquid chemicals A flexible apparatus for metering agricultural chemicals in a wet blade chemical distribution system consists of a modular peristaltic pump delivery apparatus (24) having an impeller (38) and a mounting bore (30) in a computer-controlled servome... | 06/15/2004 |
| 5989152 | Method for regulating clutch pressure in transmission unit using pitot pressures and transmission unit applying such method A method for regulating a belt variator type transmission unit for motor vehicles, and which includes a belt variator, a reversing unit and a hydraulically controlled engine drive coupling that controls the reversing unit to provide forward and reverse dr... | 11/23/1999 |
| 5568853 | Transmission unit for motor vehicles Transmission unit for motor vehicles of the type which is provided with a continuously variable transmission (3), a reversing unit (2) and a number of clutches (16-18) to engage the reversing unit (2) in one or the other sense of rotation. At least one of... | 10/29/1996 |
| 5526889 | Drive for all-terrain vehicle A reversing drive or transmission is shown which is particularly useful for all-terrain vehicles. The drive includes a drive shaft and an intermediate axle spaced therefrom. The drive shaft and intermediate axle have respective pulley and drum assemblies ... | 06/18/1996 |
| 5462492 | Continuous speed-shifting device In a continuous speed-shifting device in which a variable speed pulley mechanism and a planetary gear mechanism are combined with each other, respective cam mechanisms are provided on respective back sides of movable sheaves of variable speed pulleys of t... | 10/31/1995 |
| 5342246 | Automatic transmission control system for automotive vehicle A control system for an automatic transmission of an automotive vehicle is provided. This control system includes a forward speed holding valve which is arranged in a hydraulic line communicating between a manual selector valve and a reverse frictional el... | 08/30/1994 |
| 5188007 | Hydraulic control apparatus for belt-and-pulley type continuously variable transmission, incorporating means for increasing belt tensioning pressure upon reversal of rotating direction of pulleys A hydraulic control apparatus for controlling a continuously variable transmission of a motor vehicle, which transmission includes a first and a second shaft, a pair of variable-diameter pulleys provided on the first and second shafts, respectively, a tra... | 02/23/1993 |
| 5176579 | Belt-type continuously variable transmission A belt-type continuously variable transmission in which a drive pulley mounted on an input shaft and a driven pulley mounted on an output shaft are connected by an endless belt, a forward- and backward-movement switchover mechanism for transmitting a driv... | 01/05/1993 |
| 5116281 | Rotational speed switcher A rotational speed switcher which employs a synchronous motor which is low-cost, long-lasting and quiet, and when applied to a printer or document scanning apparatus or the like enables documents to be transported at either of two speeds selected by switc... | 05/26/1992 |
| 4895054 | Motor vehicle switching and control device A switching and control device is provided for a drive assembly used for driving a motor vehicle. This drive assembly is provided with a driving motor having an adjustment element for the power control system and a continuously variable gear change, which... | 01/23/1990 |
| 4809564 | Control system of a selector mechanism for a continuously variable transmission A control system for a selector mechanism for a vehicle provided with a clutch and a continuously variable transmission having operational ranges such as driving range and a reverse range. A synchronizer is provided for selecting either of forward and rev... | 03/07/1989 |
| 4771856 | Single lever control for vehicle belt drive An improved vehicle control system for a vehicle having an engine which produces output torque through an output sheave and a transaxle mounted to the vehicle's frame, the transaxle being selectively operational in forward, neutral and reverse modes in re... | 09/20/1988 |
| 4676766 | Control device of a continuous transmission Control device of a continuous transmission associated with a heat engine and with a reversing converter whose turbine shaft is either made solid with the shaft of the reactor to obtain forward, or made solid with the housing to obtain reverse, characteri... | 06/30/1987 |
| 4673377 | Belt-pulley type steplessly variable transmission having a reverse drive gear mechanism A belt-pulley type steplessly variable vehicle transmission mechanism including a belt-pulley type transmission and a reverse gear mechanism both connected with an output differential gear device. A selecting mechanism is provided for connecting the input... | 06/16/1987 |
| 4634403 | Belt drive This is a belt drive arrangement in which two belts are used, the inside surface of one running in contact with the outside surface of the other for part of their lengths and both running within the width of one belt, with input and output shafts, and one... | 01/06/1987 |
| 4584909 | Hydraulic control system for continuously variable V-belt transmission A continuously variable V-belt transmission has a change-direction gearing upstream of a drive pulley, and a hydraulic control system. The hydraulic control system comprises a shift control valve for controlling the distribution of fluid pressure between ... | 04/29/1986 |
| 4534747 | Transmission A transmission rotatable coaxially about a crankshaft. The transmission is rotatable to three positions: forward, idle, and reverse. Four pulleys are rotatably affixed to the casing such that each pulley occupies the corner of an imaginary square, the dia... | 08/13/1985 |
| 4492271 | Tine tiller with tines and wheels each rotatable in either direction A tine tiller has a frame mounted on traction wheels for movement in either direction. The frame has tines rotatably mounted on each side thereof and driven in either direction irrespective of the direction of movement of the frame by rotation of the trac... | 01/08/1985 |
| 4430847 | Combine feed reverser A combine (11) is provided with a feed reverser mechanism (81) to drive a pair of feeder conveyors (23, 24) and a header conveyor auger (46) in reverse when the operator detects a jammed condition in the feeder conveyors or auger. The reversing mechanism ... | 02/14/1984 |
| 4411397 | Bidirectional tape drive systems Bidirectional tape drive systems have first and second tape drive capstans and first and second tape drives for rotating, respectively, the first and second tape drive capstans. The first capstan is angularly movable relative to the first capstan drive an... | 10/25/1983 |
| 4325126 | Centrally controlled conveyor system Station-individual control sets of dispatching and receiver stations are connected to a multiconductor address line which is connected to a central program control device. All control sets are connected via an operation decoder to a multiconductor control... | 04/13/1982 |
| 4301902 | Combination vehicle speed and direction control A combination speed control and transmission forward-reverse control for a lawn tractor, or the like, having an engine including a drive shaft and output pulley, a transmission including a driven input shaft and pulley, and a belt-tensioning, or other sim... | 11/24/1981 |
| 4237983 | Combination tiller and cultivator and reversible drive assembly therefor A drive assembly is disclosed which incorporates two power take-off assemblies between an input and output drive for an earthworking machine. The power take-off assemblies each have a clutch operable independently of the other clutch for drivingly connect... | 12/09/1980 |
| 4063467 | Speed change and reverser device A speed changer comprising a stationary pulley and a powered shaft defining sun axis. Two adjustable diameter planet pulleys and a pair of power-transmitting belts transmit power to an output sun pulley coaxially aligned with the stationary pulley. An adj... | 12/20/1977 |
| 3999444 | Instant reversing transmission A power transmission is provided including a pair of input shafts with a first gear train drivingly connecting the input shafts for equal inverse rotation. An output shaft is also provided and second gear train structure drivingly connects each of the inp... | 12/28/1976 |
