Bizarre Patents
Pet Toilet-Like Water Disk and Food Storage
One pet-friendly inventor patented "a device for watering pets, e.g., a dog or cat." The device, he helpfully noted, "has the general shape of a toilet."
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7358838 | Electrical switching apparatus and trip indicator therefor A trip indicator is for a circuit breaker having a housing including first and second openings, separable contacts and an operating mechanism having an operating handle protruding from the first opening. The trip indicator includes a one-piece flag member with a fir... | 04/15/2008 |
| 7323646 | Hand and foot switch A hand operable switch includes an operating knob that is movable longitudinally or rotationally about a longitudinal axis of the hand operable switch. The operating knob is accessible from any circumferential location of the hand operable switch. A housing includes... | 01/29/2008 |
| 7312718 | Multifunction control system A control system for a vehicle with a plurality of selectively variable characteristics includes a first button depressible to cause a first mode of operation and a second button depressible to cause a second mode of operation. In the first mode of operation, a rota... | 12/25/2007 |
| 7262377 | Limit switch control device for an actuator A limit switch control device for an actuator is disposed at both ends of a linearly moveable mover and comprises at least: two limit switches, a circuit board, and a connecting rod assembly. The two limit switches are disposed on the circuit board, both ends of the... | 08/28/2007 |
| 7238903 | Electrical switching apparatus operating mechanism with operating member therefor, and enclosure assembly employing the same An operating mechanism is for a circuit breaker housed by an enclosure assembly including a panel movable between a closed position and an open position. The operating mechanism includes a linkage and an operating member. The operating mechanism is coupled to the ha... | 07/03/2007 |
| 7080942 | Bimetal thermometer The bimetal thermometer according to the invention comprises a bimetal helix arranged inside a protective tube, one end thereof being attached to the protective tube and the other end thereof being connected to a pointer shaft to which a pointer arranged inside a ca... | 07/25/2006 |
| 7014377 | Key pad, resin key top injection mold, and resin key top manufacturing method A key pad has resin key tops on a key sheet. The resin key tops have in their side surfaces clearance portions of a configuration in conformity with an outer configuration of interference members at least an upper portions of which are situated in displacement regio... | 03/21/2006 |
| 7012535 | Battery operated warning sensor An alarm device for signaling when an object reaches a specified condition. The alarm device includes a sensor for detecting the condition of the object. The device further includes a switch element which is closed when the sensor indicates the specified condition. ... | 03/14/2006 |
| 5640992 | Pressure gauge capable of automatically stopping supply of pressure from a pressure source A pressure gauge includes a housing, a Bourdon tube with a closed end, an adjustment rod mounted rotatably in the housing, a microswitch installed on the adjustment rod, a gear, a sector wheel meshing with the gear, and a crank member interconnecting the ... | 06/24/1997 |
| 5608386 | Adjustable hall effect switch gauge A lighted switch set gauge includes Hall effect devices using a circuit activating switch attached to a lower extension of indicating and switch set pointers. The switch set pointer is externally adjustable. An overriding slip gear with automatic spring-b... | 03/04/1997 |
| 5461980 | Plate mounting apparatus for printing press An apparatus for mounting a plate on a plate cylinder includes a plate lockup device, a reference pin, a detecting sensor, and a lamp. The plate lockup device is provided in a gap formed in a circumferential surface of the plate cylinder. The reference pi... | 10/31/1995 |
| 5398783 | Elevator hall call device with integral indicator display element An elevator hall call button includes a switch (20, 56) as well as displays (21, 54, 55) comprising matrices of light emitting diodes to provide an indication to a passenger of the imminence of arrival of the responding car. The display can be floor posit... | 03/21/1995 |
| 5286931 | Gauge with indicator switch A pressure gauge and indicator switch wherein a Bourdon tube and electrical switch are sealably contained within a liquid-filled compartment, and a liquid pathway is provided between the Bourdon tube and an external fitting. The electrical switch leads ar... | 02/15/1994 |
| 4975687 | Hall effect signalling gauge A signalling gauge may utilize a non-captivating, magnetically actuated switch element which is mounted in an influence zone of a path of a magnet carried by an indicating pointer of the gauge. The gauge may operate despite the presence of dust, dirt or o... | 12/04/1990 |
| 4920784 | Apparatus with an initiator An apparatus with an initiator for detecting the rotational position of a shaft (10) comprising a housing (2) containing an electric sensor element (14) and a movable revolving body (22) fastened on the shaft (10). The apparatus achieves a simple and func... | 05/01/1990 |
| 4906977 | Pressure gauge with needle actuated alarm A pressure gauge has a turning button, a turning disc and a sliding block disposed thereon that, through a protruding wheel fixed on the needle shaft moves the sliding block to force a contact point of a conducting metal piece to contact with a contact po... | 03/06/1990 |
| 4870863 | Modular switch device A modular switch device includes a housing enclosing an interconnected control module, a display module and a power module. A sensor module supplying analog data signals from one of a temperature or pressure sensing element connects to the control module ... | 10/03/1989 |
| 4829148 | Electric position indicating apparatus An electric position indicating apparatus includes a base structure which accommodates a central reciprocating element is provided with a control mechanism for determining the position of the reciprocating element. Connected to the base structure is a com... | 05/09/1989 |
| 4727227 | Measuring instrument cam-actuated microswitch unit A cam-actuated microswitch unit has cams the positions of which can be varied relative to a drive shaft to vary the switch-actuating point. The unit includes a plurality of microswitches rigidly connected to a support while the cams are frictionally retai... | 02/23/1988 |
| 4673919 | Manual control device Improvements in a manual control device wherein an incremental touch key or a decremental touch key is depressed by hand so as to bring a manipulated value and a set value into agreement. The manual control device comprises a pressure sensor which convert... | 06/16/1987 |
| 4567763 | Passive encoder for range knobs An encoding apparatus provides range or other data as determined by the setting of a control or selection knob therefor. The encoding apparatus is intended for use with an instrument providing an output voltage representative of data within a range, and p... | 02/04/1986 |
| 4328709 | Electronic audio visual torque indicator adapter A device is used for indicating a preset torque on a conventional torque wrench. The device has a front part and a back part, which are held together by a U-shaped bracket. The bracket serves to secure the front part and back part of the device on opposit... | 05/11/1982 |
| 4300117 | Alarm device for an odometer To an odometer which has two parallel shafts, one being fitted with a plurality of distance-indicating wheels, while the other is fitted with a plurality of carry pinions which actuate said distance-indicating wheels, is fitted an alarm device, which comp... | 11/10/1981 |
| 4284972 | Vehicle mileage interval detector An apparatus for providing a service reminder when a vehicle has accumulated a predetermined mileage comprises a potentiometer operated by the highest order number wheel of the vehicle odometer to provide an output voltage which changes incrementally with... | 08/18/1981 |
| 4227416 | Speed indicating apparatus for automobile A speed indicating apparatus for an automobile comprising a plurality of indicator lights showing the travelling speed at all times, a half-circular magnet pivoted on a hand shaft of a speedometer in the automobile, a plurality of contact metal plates con... | 10/14/1980 |
| 4168415 | Pressure switch having modular construction An industrial type switch having modular parts which may be assembled so the switch may be used in a wide range of installations. The switch includes a differential module which is easily adjustable to operate over a selected range of pressures, a plug-in... | 09/18/1979 |
| 4138600 | Force-responsive device A device is disclosed which, in response to forces acting upon it, such as gravity, inertia, magnetic fields and the like, opens or closes electric circuits or otherwise generates signals which may be used to control predetermined functions.... | 02/06/1979 |
| 4118608 | Trip indicator An electric switch mounted within an enclosure having a hinged cover is manually operated from outside the enclosure by a handle mechanism secured to the enclosure. The cover is provided with a single aperture near the edge thereof remote from the cover h... | 10/03/1978 |
| 4078667 | Control system for mechanical handling installation The control system is of the type which is manually controlled by a suspended control box. Directional errors arise when the control box is twisted relative to the installation being controlled since the controls on the control box no longer have their or... | 03/14/1978 |
| 4075615 | Freezer alarm A bracket member of square U-shaped configuration having first and second spaced parallel arms and a head joining the arms and extending perpendicularly thereto rests on a wall of a freezer at the opening of the freezer with the first arm abutting the out... | 02/21/1978 |
| 4054763 | Pressure switch and gauge A pressure switch incorporates a pressure gauge in which the indicator actuator is operatively connected to an element movable in response to pressure variations in the system being monitored, which element is also part of the switch operating mechanism.... | 10/18/1977 |
| 4021627 | Self-cleaning electrical contact for gages A self-cleaning or wiping switch contact for use on machinery monitoring gages embodies a spring contact arm mounted directly on the gage movable pointer for wiping coaction with either high or low adjustable set contacts of the gage.... | 05/03/1977 |
| 3952293 | Method and apparatus for displaying industrial process control parameters A deviation meter, responding to a deviation signal, is mounted on a turntable which rotates in response to a set point adjustment. Rotation of the turntable maintains the null position of the deviation meter pointer at a scale position corresponding to a... | 04/20/1976 |
| 3937912 | Pressure responsive circuit control unit having adjustable, interchangeable actuator components and cam-operated switch The circuit control unit of the present invention comprises a piston-type pressure responsive member or gauge wherein one end of the piston extends beyond the gauge body and carries an actuator which is movable with the piston. A circuit control member is... | 02/10/1976 |
