Did You Know...
...that the video game, Pong, was invented by a guy who graduated at the bottom of his engineering class? Nolan Bushnell spent more time running the games at a local amusement park than he did on his studies at the University of Utah. His dreams of working for Disney's amusement empire were dashed when the company wouldn't hire him. Taking a boring job, Nolan daydreamed about electronic versions of popular games. He invented Pong, the first video game, and went on to found Atari Co.
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7523761 | Device for controlling fluid flow from a tank The device for controlling fluid flow from a rain retention chamber or the like includes an inlet communicating with the chamber, an outlet permitting fluid to flow out of the device, and a shutter disposed between the inlet and the outlet, and supported in the devi... | 04/28/2009 |
| 7412988 | Pneumatic level control An improved pneumatic level control for the activation, deactivation or regulation or a downstream device or process by way of pneumatic signal in response to increased liquid volume in an attached vessel or container. ... | 08/19/2008 |
| 7296590 | Liquid suction device A liquid suction device for sucking liquid contained in a vessel is described herein. A liquid retention room having an inflow port and an exhaust port is inserted into the vessel via an opening at an upper part of the vessel and is dipped in the liquid. A suction t... | 11/20/2007 |
| 7044165 | Outflow regulator for a gravity-fed liquid outlet An outflow regulator for a gravity-fed liquid outlet of a liquid reservoir comprising a restriction plate mountable within the liquid outlet for limiting a flow rate of an effluent. The restriction plate allows a lower passage for the effluent when a first level of ... | 05/16/2006 |
| 6886588 | Buoyancy flushing apparatus and method thereof A buoyancy flushing apparatus is disclosed which comprises a reservoir for accumulating liquid, having an inlet for receiving liquid and an outlet chamber recessed in a bottom wall of the reservoir. The outlet chamber includes an outlet for draining liquid out of th... | 05/03/2005 |
| 6845782 | Multiple tank circulating fuel system An apparatus and method for the balancing of fuel among tanks in a circulating fuel system. The tanks in the system have both a draw conduit and a return conduit mounted to and extending into the tank. Flow restriction devices are mounted in both the draw and the re... | 01/25/2005 |
| 6814266 | Device for the distribution of water into vases or similar A device for the distribution of water into vases or similar objects. The device includes a water container, at least one tubular duct for the delivery of water to the outside and a control and programming device that establishes the quantity of water to be distribu... | 11/09/2004 |
| 6808370 | Gas pressure driven tank fluid pump having float and snap-acting rotary valve A gas pressure driven fluid pump comprising a pump tank having a liquid inlet and a liquid outlet. A float, carried within the interior of the pump tank, is operable to move between a low level position and a high level position. A snap-acting valve is operatively c... | 10/26/2004 |
| 6640828 | Flushing apparatus and method thereof The flushing apparatus comprises a reservoir for storing liquid, the reservoir having an outlet end movable between a raised position where liquid accumulates in the reservoir, and a down position where liquid stored in the reservoir is flushed out; a cou... | 11/04/2003 |
| 6474361 | Floating weir assembly and fluid flow management system comprising same A floating weir assembly for controlling the discharge of fluid from a fluid reservoir. The weir assembly includes a buoyant body preferably comprising a sidewall surrounding a central bottom opening. A weir is provided on the inside surface of the sidewa... | 11/05/2002 |
| 6453939 | Flotation cell fluid level control apparatus A fluid level control apparatus for selectively controlling the movement of liquid flowing out of a flotation cell is described. The fluid level control apparatus is significantly reduced in size in comparison with the flotation cell or cells to which it ... | 09/24/2002 |
| 6328882 | Residential waste water recycling system A system for recycling waste water from showers, bath tubs and lavatories to provide flush water for toilets and urinals. The system includes a receiving tank A, an overflow conduit 4, a make-up water conduit 16, a pump B, and a hydro-pneumatic tank C. Th... | 12/11/2001 |
| 6277287 | Self leveling suction skimming device A suction skimmer with a vertically adjustable inlet for removing preferred upper portions of a liquid from a fluid body under substantially laminar flow conditions and which is self leveling in response to level changes in a fluid body. Suction skimming ... | 08/21/2001 |
| 6257287 | Fuel fill pipe shut-off device A motor vehicle fuel fill pipe shut-off device includes a fuel shut-off valve normally closed relative to a valve seat and disposed in a path of fuel flow through the fuel fill pipe of the motor vehicle to a fuel tank thereof. The valve is connected to a ... | 07/10/2001 |
| 6240954 | Balance float controlled valve assembly The balance float (1) controlled valve assembly of the invention includes at least one valve means (2), a liquid receptacle (4), and at least one balance float (1) connected via a link (5) to a rotatable free end of a pivoted balance lever (31). The valve... | 06/05/2001 |
| 6159362 | Skimmer valve The invention is a perpetual skimming device for insertion into a reservoir containing liquid at the liquid level which allows the top liquid layer to enter an outer cylinder of the device through longitudinal slots, raising a floating inner cylindrical p... | 12/12/2000 |
| 6129836 | Two-chamber fluid control valve and water softener incorporating same A two-chamber fluid control valve for a water softener system is provided. The valve includes a primary chamber having a primary inlet for passage of a primary fluid into the primary chamber and a primary outlet for passage of fluid out of the primary cha... | 10/10/2000 |
| 6112763 | Valves There is described a valve arrangement which in one form is an inlet valve (60) or in another form is a dual flush valve (2). The valves may be used in a variety of situations but find particular application in a cistern for providing water to flush a toi... | 09/05/2000 |
| 6012477 | Circulating drainage system for sewage pipe installation work A sewage by-pass discharging apparatus for sewage pipe works comprises an upstream side stop cock disposed at an upstream side of a sewage pipe laid in a working area, a downstream side stop cock disposed at a downstream side of the sewage pipe laid in th... | 01/11/2000 |
| 6012481 | Constant-level fluid supplier A constant level of fluid (8 or 106) in vessel (1 or 104) is maintained using a reservoir (5 or 102) and a tank (4 or 101). Float valves (9 or 107) which raise and lower with the level of fluid in the reservoir are used to selectively close off fluid pass... | 01/11/2000 |
| 5894858 | Device for shutting off the feed or discharge pipe of a mobility separator There is described a device for shutting off the feed or discharge pipe (1) of a mobility separator, comprising a shutting flap (3) which in dependence on the position of a float (2) can be swivelled from an open position into a closed position about a ro... | 04/20/1999 |
| 5800700 | Sludge supernatant decanting device A sludge supernatant decanting device for automatically decanting the supernatant from a sludge holding tank. The sludge supernatant decanting device includes a decant column connected to and in fluid communication with a supernatant discharge conduit and... | 09/01/1998 |
| 5657494 | Toilet flushing device The flushing device has an actuating device for optionally triggering a complete or partial flushing. A valve body of drain fittings is raised for this purpose. In the case of a partial flushing, the valve body is raised with a weight body, which loads th... | 08/19/1997 |
| 5618410 | Automatically draining vacuum apparatus An automatically draining vacuum apparatus for collecting a fluid to be vacuumed. The vacuum apparatus includes a vacuum generating source which generates a suction force and a tank for holding the fluid to be vacuumed. The tank includes a vacuum port, an... | 04/08/1997 |
| 5610591 | Liquid level alarm system A liquid level alarm system which activates an alarm when liquid in a container falls below a predetermined level. The system contains an alarm which is located outside of the container. The alarm is electrically connected to an activation device which is... | 03/11/1997 |
| 5582601 | Cassette for receiving aspirated fluids A cassette for collection of fluids in a fluid aspirating system which may be reusable after sterilization. The cassette includes vacuum aperture and an aspiration port along the top wall of the cassette. Aspiration tubing is connected to the aspiration p... | 12/10/1996 |
| 5419359 | Gas and liquid backflow-preventing valve device for drains A valve device for use with a drain provided with a pipe having an entrance for collecting liquid leading to a P-trap beneath the entrance. The device comprising an open vessel, in use positioned at the entrance of the pipe, having walls and a floor defin... | 05/30/1995 |
| 5358644 | Method and apparatus for decanting liquid A decanter apparatus and method of operating the same to decant liquid from adjacent the surface in a tank. The decanter apparatus includes a decanter receptacle having a top opening surrounded by a decanter rim, a decant pipe having an inlet end communic... | 10/25/1994 |
| 5352356 | Stovepipe decanter apparatus A modular decanting apparatus that is self supporting that may be used in single or multiple configurations to accommodate the removal of wastewater effluent from a wide range of geometric configurations of basins and sizes while substantially reducing th... | 10/04/1994 |
| 5290434 | Effluent dosing septic system The invention presented relates to a septic system which doses effluent into a disposal field. More particularly, the invention includes a relatively water-tight walled structure capable of accumulating a volume of septic tank effluent; a disposal field d... | 03/01/1994 |
| 5234580 | Decanting apparatus with float supported submerged pump A decanting apparatus for a waste water treatment reactor which includes a float system which may be independent of the decanting apparatus end which allows the decanting apparatus to be removed without removing the float system. The decanting apparatus i... | 08/10/1993 |
| 5113889 | Floating intake for transport of liquid from a fixed depth below the surface of a reservoir Water is supplied from a preselected depth in a body of water by an intake held at the preselected depth by a stem connected to a float which rides near the surface of the water. The stem is weighted to maintain a desired orientation of the device in the ... | 05/19/1992 |
| 4948010 | Waste liquid collection and disposal apparatus In a liquid waste collection and disposal apparatus, liquid waste gravity flows to a tank through a check valve equipped inlet line. A vertical guide float within the tank controls the liquid level therein. A two-way tank venting solenoid operated valve s... | 08/14/1990 |
| 4936389 | Fluid dispenser for an aircraft The momentary position, between open and closed, of a bottom door panel controlling release of fluid from an airborne container containing the fluid is governed by both the height of the fluid in the container and the instantaneous position of the door pa... | 06/26/1990 |
| 4831990 | In-tank fuel reservoir with reservoir fuel level control A fuel delivery system for automobile engine and like applications in which a canister is positioned within a fuel tank and has an open lower end and an internal wall spaced from the lower canister end for dividing the canister into upper and lower chambe... | 05/23/1989 |
| 4825228 | Method of, and apparatus for, regulating ink viscosity in an ink jet printing system The ink jet printing system contains at least one ink jet printing head operatively connected to printing medium reservoirs by a conduit system. A partial ink flow is passed through a regulating apparatus for viscosity-dependent regulation. On exceeding t... | 04/25/1989 |
| 4709427 | Disabler system for plumbing fixture A flush valve operating arrangement, having a pair of tubes between a flush valve actuator assembly and a remotely controlled unit for operating a flush valve; a third tube under supply line pressure is connected between the flush valve and the remotely c... | 12/01/1987 |
| 4704140 | Procedure and means for use in pumping and volumetry of foodstuff liquids The invention concerns a procedure and a means for use in pumping and volumetry of foodstuff liquids. According to an embodiment of the invention, the foodstuff liquid is conducted through a suction pipe (14) or a suction tube into an air separator (16) a... | 11/03/1987 |
| 4702271 | Flow-control device The invention concerns a float-controlled flow-control devie for the outlet from a sewage system, especially a rain basin. The bearings for the pivots (7 & 8) that the float arm (4) and the shutter (2) rotate on are mounted on a displaceable structure (3)... | 10/27/1987 |
| 4620441 | Liquid level control A liquid level control responsive to the level of liquid in a vessel having visual verification of fluid level including a tubular body for attachment to an opening in a vessel, the body having aligned openings in opposite sides receiving a pivot shaft, a... | 11/04/1986 |
