Did You Know...
...Chester Carlson was a patent agent who tired of having to make multiple copies of patent applications using the only duplication method available at the time: carbon paper. In 1959 he came up with a new copying system and took it to IBM for evaluation. The "experts" at IBM determined potential sales to be only 5,000 units because people wouldn't want to use a bulky machine when they had carbon paper. Carlson's invention was the xerography process, the company founded on the system is Xerox.
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7559337 | Retractable float for a ballcock valve A collapsible floating apparatus for controlling a valve includes a floating device and a collapsible lever. The collapsible lever includes a first member rotatably coupled to the valve, and a second member attached to the floating device at one end and rotatably co... | 07/14/2009 |
| 7243675 | Drop tube segments adapted for use with a liquid reservoir A drop tube segment is adapted for use with a liquid reservoir. The drop tube segment includes a conduit with an end portion and a sidewall including a sidewall portion at least partially defining an interior housing area. The drop tube segment further includes a va... | 07/17/2007 |
| 7213610 | Drop tube segments adapted for use with a liquid reservoir and methods Drop tube segments are provided. Each drop tube segment may be attached to another drop tube segment of a drop tube assembly. The drop tube segments include a wall with a fastener receiving structure that is devoid of any opening extending between inner and outer su... | 05/08/2007 |
| 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 |
| 6886589 | Float valve The float valve (11) controls water level e.g. in an associated plant pot. A housing (21) has a water inlet (25) with an inlet port (26), a float (31) able to rise and fall with the level of the water in the housing (21), a ... | 05/03/2005 |
| 6523564 | Above ground overfill valve An aboveground tank auto-limiter is provided for preventing the overflow of fluid via storage tanks. The auto-limiter includes a valve assembly insertable downward through the top of a fill pipe of the fuel storage tank. The valve assembly has a cylindric... | 02/25/2003 |
| 6354323 | Liquid level controller An improved liquid level controller is shown having a pneumatic pilot assembly located outside the main controller housing. A filter housing is also located outside the main housing. The controller internal components include a torque bar acted upon by a ... | 03/12/2002 |
| 6123099 | Pinch tube tank level control valve with snap-action shutoff A liquid level control apparatus for a flush tank includes an upstanding fill tube integral at its upper end with a valve housing carrying a flexible resilient pinch tube valve member. The valve housing defines a conduit which communicates with a downward... | 09/26/2000 |
| 5896887 | Pinch tube tank level control valve with snap-action shutoff A liquid level control apparatus for a flush tank includes an upstanding fill tube integral at its upper end with a valve housing carrying a flexible resilient pinch tube valve member and a pivoting actuator engageable with the pinch tube for opening and ... | 04/27/1999 |
| 5839465 | Above-ground tank auto-limiter An above-ground tank auto-limiter is provided for preventing the overflow of fluid in storage tanks. The auto-limiter includes a valve assembly insertible downward through the top of a fill pipe of the fuel storage tank. The valve assembly has a cylindric... | 11/24/1998 |
| 5755257 | Retention gate A retention gate (20) is pivotable about a horizontal pivot shaft (22) mounted near the gate's upper edge and is located behind the overflow sill (14) of a storage drainage opening (12), said retention gate in its closed position being in sealing contact ... | 05/26/1998 |
| 5655565 | Above-ground tank auto-limiter An above-ground tank auto-limiter is provided for preventing the overflow of fluid in storage tanks. The auto-limiter includes a valve assembly insertible downward through the top of a fill pipe of the fuel storage tank. The valve assembly has a cylindric... | 08/12/1997 |
| 5426990 | Over-center toggle linkage valve actuating mechanism with adjustable tension spring preloading A toggle linkage over-center mechanism employs first and second solid, metal links having facing axial ends pivoted to each other for pivoting about a first axis, the first link is pivotably coupled at one end to the fixed support for pivoting about a sec... | 06/27/1995 |
| 5396921 | Fluid-flow controlling apparatus A fluid-flow controlling apparatus having a fluid-flow stopping state and a fluid-flowing state, wherein the valve body can be held positively at a determined position thereby to prevent any fluid leaks even when the pressure of supplied fluid is increase... | 03/14/1995 |
| 5386844 | Float actuated combination air and vacuum valve A combination air and vacuum valve comprises a valve body (20) including a fluid inlet (25) and gas outlet (26), a valve poppet (8) guided to open and close said outlet (26), a float (19) and rod (18) connected operatively thereto in a vertical orientatio... | 02/07/1995 |
| 5385697 | Carburetor float and method of forming same A carburetor float (10) having a body portion (12) with at least one divider wall (26, 27) formed therein, a lid (4) for closing off the top of the body portion and for sealing the interior chamber of the body portion and for sealing the cells (30, 31, 32... | 01/31/1995 |
| 5351713 | Effect-enhancing structure for rinsing a flush toilet An effect-enhancing structure for rinsing a flush toilet includes a plurality of sets of a water-supply device and a floating ball, a trunk duct conducting water into a water case, a distributing duct set transversely and connected to the trunk duct, stop... | 10/04/1994 |
| 5230361 | Snap action toggle valve actuator assembly A snap action toggle valve actuator assembly for use in a fluid holding tank. Movement of a float or other movable actuating element causes pivotal movement of pivot arm, which compresses a spring. When the float element reaches a predetermined level, the... | 07/27/1993 |
| 5174345 | Drop tubes and overfill valves therefor A drop tube employed in the discharge of fuel into a storage tank of the type having an inlet, riser pipe is described. The drop tube a tubular member and an overfill valve. The overfill valve comprises a valve member having open and closed positions whic... | 12/29/1992 |
| 5080126 | Float controlled valve A float controlled valve has a float chamber for accumulating a fluid, a pivoting float arm having a float mounted on one end thereof for fluid level determined movement within the chamber, a pivotally mounted actuator arm coupled to the float arm by a ma... | 01/14/1992 |
| 5031655 | Self-locking vent valve A plate (42) is mounted to the outer flange (12) of a standpipe (10). A valve element (96) and a float (68) are mounted on the plate (42) to pivot about fixed axes A1, A2, respectively. A toggle link (90) extends between the valve el... | 07/16/1991 |
| 4986320 | Drop tube having an overfill valve A drop tube employed in the discharge of fuel into a storage tank of the type having an inlet, riser pipe is described. The drop tube a tubular member and an overfill valve. The overfill valve comprises a valve member having open and closed positions whic... | 01/22/1991 |
| 4901753 | Float assembly valve A valve assembly of non-metallic construction which requires no tools for disassembly and servicing. A plunger provided with longitudinal channels is activated by a double arm yoke which is acted upon by the float arm. Dual ports provide paired inlet stre... | 02/20/1990 |
| 4781210 | Replacement inlet valve assembly for a toilet tank A replacement inlet valve assembly for use in a toilet tank now having an inlet valve with a water inlet on the side. This invention has a ballcock-operated inlet flush valve with a bottom inlet and a generally S-shaped inlet conduit rigidly attached to t... | 11/01/1988 |
| 4646780 | Toilet tank float valve assembly There is disclosed a float valve assembly of the type especially well suited to control the flow of inlet water to a toilet tank having a lavatory defined by its cover. The invention relates in particular to a means of making the fitting suitable for use ... | 03/03/1987 |
| 4540016 | Flow-control system with pressure-responsive valve A system for maintaining a predetermined average liquid level in a pool comprises a pilot valve responsive to a float in the pool and a main valve controlled by the pilot valve to unblock a normally blocked supply conduit when the liquid in the pool drops... | 09/10/1985 |
| 4488571 | Flow-control system with pressure-responsive valve A flow-regulating valve, with a body forming a flow channel between an entrance port and an exit port, has a shutter in the form of an apertured backing plate and an apertured slide which adjoin each other along a plane inclined or parallel to the axis of... | 12/18/1984 |
| 4475571 | Sewer relief valve An improved sewer relief valve which is vandal-proof and automatically opens responsive to a back flow of sewage and drain water within a plumbing system.... | 10/09/1984 |
| 4311162 | Inverted bucket steam trap An inverted bucket steam trap having a two lever (30, 34) linkage mechanism between the bucket (18) and the valve member (28) which engages a valve seat (26) through which condensate is discharged. The first lever is connected to the bucket and the second... | 01/19/1982 |
| 4295488 | Diaphragm and ball valve A remote-control valve having at least a two-part housing with a pressure inlet and adjacent outlet in one part, and which valve is opened and closed by a flexible continuous impermeable diaphragm at the base of a pressurizable frusto-conical chamber in t... | 10/20/1981 |
| 4275755 | Steam trap A steam trap is provided having a main locking member disposed in a supply pressure chamber and cooperating with a main valve seat, a pressure chamber provided in the low pressure end and an adjustment member mounted in the pressure chamber which is respo... | 06/30/1981 |
| 4230142 | Vent/vacuum breaker float valve assembly A vent/vacuum breaker float valve assembly is provided which includes a float sub-assembly that moves a seal into engagement with a vent port seat when liquid enters the body of the valve to seal the inner valve chamber when all the air trapped in the cha... | 10/28/1980 |
| 4230145 | Fluid control valve Disclosed herein is a pressure activated fluid control system particularly adapted for use as a flushing mechanism for toilets of the water tank type. This system includes a push button actuated control valve assembly which, in the shutoff position, urges... | 10/28/1980 |
| 4192341 | Drain trap valve mechanism A float actuated valve mechanism for automatically removing a predetermined amount of accumulated liquid condensate from a sump area of a gas pressurized drain trap or the like so as to regulate the level of liquid in such a sump area. A four-bar linkage ... | 03/11/1980 |
| 4114641 | Sewage relief valve A sewage relief valve includes a cylindrical housing mounted on the upper end of an upper end of a riser connected to a sewer line, the housing includes a cylindrical through-bore with the upper end of the bore sealed by means of a dome cover held in plac... | 09/19/1978 |
| 3994029 | Fluid control system Described herein is a pressure activated fluid control system particularly adapted for use as a flushing mechanism for toilets of the water tank type. The system includes a push-button actuated needle valve assembly which, in the shutoff position, presses... | 11/30/1976 |
| 3982557 | Fluid valve with float actuator A fluid flow control valve for automatic fluid level control in a reservoir is provided having a valve chamber with axially aligned inlet and outlet orifices, a valve closure element disposed in the chamber and having an actuating stem projecting outwardl... | 09/28/1976 |
| 3965903 | Suction bottle assembly A suction bottle assembly for effecting drainage from a patient. The assembly has a float, which is responsive to the level of drainage in the bottle, that is connected to the cover by a preferably parallel bar bracket. The bracket causes the float to ris... | 06/29/1976 |
