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 |
| 7183507 | Appliance having a timer A timer for an appliance is activated by the appliance user to display elapsed time on a time display device mounted on and/or integral with the appliance. The timer may be initialized by a separate initialization mechanism or simultaneously with the user activating... | 02/27/2007 |
| 7091842 | Four wheel drive alert An apparatus is disclosed comprising an audio alert device, a timer, a processor; and a four-wheel drive device for a subject vehicle. The processor may activate the timer when the four-wheel drive device indicates that the subject vehicle has been placed in a four-... | 08/15/2006 |
| 6917001 | Time switch A time switch that provides a convenient time setting method through a sub-dial that can be rotated clockwise or counter-clockwise. A gearwheel set, through which motor torque is conveyed to a dial, includes a ninth drive gear and a ninth shank gear which is joined ... | 07/12/2005 |
| 6914204 | Time switch A time switch that provides a convenient time setting method through a sub-dial that can be rotated clockwise or counter-clockwise. A ratchet device is constructed of multiple ratchet teeth formed at specific intervals on the rear surface of a drive gear, and pawls ... | 07/05/2005 |
| 6878914 | Timer for microwave oven A timer for a microwave oven includes an actuating lever operating auxiliary power switch when pushed by a power control cam installed in a timer casing. A pushing unit is installed adjacent to the power control cam to move the power control cam up and down and push... | 04/12/2005 |
| 6583372 | Timer with two speed delay drive system A cam-operated timer 10 for a household appliance includes an interval type delay drive system to provide variable delay speeds to the rotation of a program cam. The timer 10 includes a rotatable cam-carrying member 16 having a control profile 60 of teeth... | 06/24/2003 |
| 5889243 | Time switch with clutch mechanism and cam operated contacts The drive train of an appliance timer includes a slip clutch formed of a triangular spring meshing with the outer flat surfaces of a hexagonal drive shaft. The slip clutch is incorporated into a drive pinion in the appliance timer drive train. Excessive t... | 03/30/1999 |
| 5831230 | Appliance timer having a cam which is operated at multiple speeds An appliance timer includes a motor, a first gear assembly which is mechanically coupled to the motor, and a second gear assembly which is also mechanically coupled to the motor. The appliance timer further includes a cam which is driven by (1) the first ... | 11/03/1998 |
| 5811746 | Cam switch mechanism A cam switch mechanism comprises a drive source, such as a motor, a cam driven by the drive source, a switching device responsive to contacting the cam surface of the cam for switching its electrically conducting state and a control unit, such as a microc... | 09/22/1998 |
| 5715214 | Electrical timer with setting window An electrical timer having scales for setting switching times and time-of-day. A window exposes only a portion of one of the scales thereby helping a user to set the time-of-day of the timer. In one aspect, the window is located in a cover that hides all ... | 02/03/1998 |
| 5510585 | Electromechanical programmer/timer A programmer/timer for appliances having cam actuated switches with a cam drum advanced by a motor driven four-stage speed-reducing gear train with a missing teeth type intermittent device. The third step gear is readily interchangeable for changing the r... | 04/23/1996 |
| 5177716 | Alarm clock with an improved switch button assembly A switch button assembly includes a casing having a front, a rear wall and a side wall interconnecting the front and rear walls. The side wall has an opening through it. The rear wall has a protrusion extending perpendicularly into the casing adjacent to ... | 01/05/1993 |
| 4866224 | Incremental timer drive mechanism An incremental drive mechanism for a switch operating timing cam is disclosed. The mechanism includes a camshaft having a radially extending cam and a cooperating slide which is adapted to reciprocate along a rectilinear path. The slide has first and seco... | 09/12/1989 |
| 4798970 | Defrosting circuit switch unit for electronic range A defrosting circuit switch unit for an electronic range comprises: a frame of said unit, said frame being provided with a shaft; a defrosting circuit switch lever provided in a case in which a time switch is incorporated; a connecting rod having its lowe... | 01/17/1989 |
| 4783600 | Automatic controller of the master gas switch An automatic controller for a master gas switch includes a timer for keeping the switch opened for a selectable time. The controller includes an electrical motor for rapidly closing the switch. The motor is responsive to two conditions: When the timer rea... | 11/08/1988 |
| 4760219 | Incremental timer drive mechanism An incremental drive mechanism for a switch operating timing cam is disclosed. The mechanism includes a camshaft having a radially extending cam and a cooperating slide which is adapted to reciprocate along a rectilinear path. The slide has first and seco... | 07/26/1988 |
| 4755635 | Electrical programmer A electrical programmer (10, 120) is provided that features a first gear (18) that is rotated at a uniform rate by a drive source (16) and operative to rotate a driven gear (30) and an intermediate member (20) which, in turn, respectively operate to rotat... | 07/05/1988 |
| 4695683 | Electric appliance timer with automatic turn off A timer assembly automatically turns off an appliance to which it is connected within a predetermined time period after the appliance has been automatically, or manually, turned on. The timer assembly includes a three-position selector mechanism with rota... | 09/22/1987 |
| 4629845 | Electrical appliance programming A timing control system and timer sub-assembly for microwave cooking source parallel connected with a timer and series connected with an interval time switch and a defrost cycle switch and a power level selector. The timer is operable to cycle the defrost... | 12/16/1986 |
| 4616209 | "Keep warm" control A single timing motor (26) drives a gear box (54) having an output shaft (56) for indexing a ratchet wheel (62) for turning a cam drum (68). One cam track (72) operates a line switch (22) for controlling the program interval "ON" time of the appliance. A ... | 10/07/1986 |
| 4599499 | Fast impulse timer drive mechanism A drive mechanism for a program timer of the type having a rotating member advanced in a step-by-step manner by a drive pawl includes a drive cam having a camming surface defining the drive stroke of the drive pawl. In order to shorten the switching time,... | 07/08/1986 |
| 4588876 | Arrangement for the support of a program plate An arrangement for the support of a program plate, preferably for a timer, including a bottom plate with a support sleeve fastened thereto and which is preferably integrally formed with the bottom plate; in which the outer surface of the support sleeve fo... | 05/13/1986 |
| 4577179 | Programmer/timer for appliances A programmer timer (10) having motor driven cams (61, 64, 62, 66) for operating electrical switching mechanisms (102, 116, 144, 138, 126). The motor comprises a pair of spaced stator plates (24, 26) with a coil (34) and permanent magnet rotor (36) therebe... | 03/18/1986 |
| 4558192 | Multi-range timer switch device A multi-range timer switch device has a rotatable switching disc or drum carrying a number of programmable switch actuators for actuating a stationary switch and has a dial face with two scale divisions thereon for designating elapsed time, and has a coup... | 12/10/1985 |
| 4536627 | Expanded interval timer drive mechanism An expanded interval drive mechanism for a program timer includes two ratchet rings. One of the ratchet rings is fixed to the monoblock and at certain regions thereon it is missing teeth over a portion of its width. Thus, the first ratchet ring has region... | 08/20/1985 |
| 4536626 | Timer drive mechanism A drive mechanism for a timer includes a drive pawl having a pin which is trapped between two camming surfaces of a continuously driven drive cam. The drive pawl is slidably mounted in the timer frame so that it is linearly reciprocated when the drive cam... | 08/20/1985 |
| 4523062 | Electrical appliance programming A timing control system and timer sub-assembly for microwave cooking source parallel connected with a timer and series connected with an interval time switch and a defrost cycle switch and a power level selector. The timer is operable to cycle the defrost... | 06/11/1985 |
| 4503295 | Sprinkler controller A sprinkler controller includes a station timing dial having a front and back plate with an intermediate plate positioned therebetween. A plurality of switch plates having a tripper arm attached thereto are positioned around the periphery of the dial with... | 03/05/1985 |
| 4498788 | Escapement for a timer An escapement or directional latching mechanism for a timer which actuates a timing switch component through the intermediary of a driving member, which is manually settable relative to the driving member against a larger moment of resistance in one direc... | 02/12/1985 |
| 4463226 | Timing device driving means The present invention demonstrates apparatus to initiate the timing cycle of a cam operated timer which is durable and works in a smooth, even fashion. The apparatus includes a first electric motor having a rotatable shaft, said shaft being joined to a cl... | 07/31/1984 |
| 4463225 | Dryer timer The electric motor drives high and low speed drive pinions through reduction gearing. A low torque capacity clutch is located in the reduction gear train to the low speed pinion to permit the user to turn the manual shift to position the timer. The variou... | 07/31/1984 |
| 4418253 | Two-speed timer A two-speed timer in which both long and short timing periods can be set with only a moderate force imposed upon a time set shaft. The time set shaft is engageably coupled to a reduction gear train which is coupled to be rotated by an electric motor. A di... | 11/29/1983 |
| 4415784 | Timer with delayed start capability The timing (program) cam is driven at timing speed through a gear train which includes a clutch. When a delayed start is desired the timing cam must be positioned at the start of a cycle so a lever sensing the cam position will move a tiltable jackshaft t... | 11/15/1983 |
| 4381430 | Coin operated timing mechanism Upon insertion of a coin into a receiver of a timing mechanism, an actuator rotates a ratchet which in turn rotates a cam. The cam and a disc each have a tab extending therefrom. When the ratchet and cam are rotated, the tabs separate from each other prov... | 04/26/1983 |
| 4366352 | Two-speed continuous drive timer The motor drives the timing drum continuously at low speed through a gear train having a one-way clutch. The motor also drives the input of a second one-way clutch having a drive on its output engageable with the spaced teeth on the interrupted gear forme... | 12/28/1982 |
| 4339962 | Switching device for variable speed gears in machine tools A switching device for variable speed gears in machine tools having an assembly which includes a plurality of axially disposed, rotatably-driven cam discs, each of which is associated with an electric microswitch. Non-rotatable spacers serve to position t... | 07/20/1982 |
| 4322589 | Control device for electric motor-reduction unit This control device for electric motor-reduction units comprises two cams rotating at different speeds about a common shaft, each cam having only one notch formed in its outer periphery, the cam notches being adapted to cooperate with catch-forming portio... | 03/30/1982 |
| 4313825 | Control system for meter actuated regeneration in a water treatment system This invention relates to a control system for regeneration of a water treatment system in which a water meter monitors water usage and mechanically drives a water volume wheel to an operative position to call for regeneration when a predetermined volume ... | 02/02/1982 |
| 4297547 | Miniature timing mechanism A gear train is connected to a motor carried in a housing and has an output member extending into another housing, the output member having at least one cam lobe. Electrical switch means carried in the second housing are responsive to the cam lobe.... | 10/27/1981 |
| 4287396 | Control device for a coin operated mechanism A control device for a coin operated mechanism wherein the device includes a ratchet wheel formed having a plurality of teeth each having a front and a back face defining a tooth apex. The back face of each tooth and the front face of the next adjacent to... | 09/01/1981 |
