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 |
| 7328766 | Two-wheel drive two-wheeled vehicle A two-wheel drive motorcycle having a drive train that supplies power to the front wheel and includes a series of rigid shafts or other internalized drive systems. The front wheel drive consists of components located on the axis of steering within the head tube and ... | 02/12/2008 |
| 7013776 | Device for cutting optical fiber and a method for cutting optical fiber An optical fiber cutting device provided with a speed reducing part which transmits drive force by reducing the drive speed of the external drive force, a drive force transmission part which transmits the drive force from the speed reduction part to the cutting blad... | 03/21/2006 |
| 5934130 | Rolling mill drive apparatus, rolling mill and rolling method A rolling mill drive apparatus for driving any rolls of a pair of work rolls, 2 to 4 intermediate rolls and 2 to 4 backup rolls comprises a drive roller without tooth, rotated by an electric motor, at least one driven roller without tooth, contacting with... | 08/10/1999 |
| 5136892 | Variable speed shaft drive mechanism for bicycles A variable speed shaft drive system for bicycles employs a drive shaft that is generally horizontally coupled between the pedals and the rear wheel of the bicycle. A pinion gear at the forward end of the drive shaft is engaged by a ring gear driven by the... | 08/11/1992 |
| 4630495 | Variable ratio power transmission means There is disclosed a continuously variable ratio power transmission means comprising truncated cones having concave parabolic circumferential surfaces which surfaces are in rolling contact one with another and which can be moved in a linear fashion to pro... | 12/23/1986 |
| 4558606 | Variable speed drive A variable speed drive that uses cone clutch surfaces, and an adjusting manism for shifting certain ones of the cone surfaces parallel to the cone angle, thereby changing the speed ratio between the input and output members. The engaged clutch surfaces p... | 12/17/1985 |
| 4183254 | Drive reducer for tape recorder A drive reducer for a tape recorder accomplishes a large reduction from the surface speed of a motor-driven shaft to the surface speed of a drive element for advancing a tape media such as a magnetic recording tape on a flat card. A cup-shaped element is ... | 01/15/1980 |
