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 |
| 8132712 | Metered-dose inhaler A metered dose inhaler dose counter, the counter includes: an actuator; a rotary gear wheel having a plurality of ratchet teeth; a driver for driving the rotary gear in a step-wise fashion in response to displacement of the actuator; a pawl that prevents reverse rot... | 03/13/2012 |
| 7854375 | Deposit beverage container counting device A deposit beverage container counting device in which containers can be visually inspected while sliding down an inclined feed channel having an abrupt downward bend of about 15 degrees to cause the containers to accelerate suddenly, singulating the containers; that... | 12/21/2010 |
| 7356956 | Mechanism for counting rounds fired from a recoil gun A counting mechanism for detecting and registering the number of rounds fired from a recoil gun includes a housing that can be mounted to a component of the gun that exhibits recoil motion upon firing of a round. A counting device is contained within the housing and... | 04/15/2008 |
| 7325669 | Measuring device for conveyor chain A conveyor system includes a conveyor line, a conveyor chain movable along the conveyor line, and an electronic device located at a movable component that moves with the chain along the conveyor line. The electronic device may comprise a locating device operable to ... | 02/05/2008 |
| 7191918 | Dosage counting devices Apparatus comprising a housing (1) defining a portion (2) for receiving in use a dose-dispensing container (20), the housing containing a dose counter comprising at least one annular counter member (241, 242) and a helix-like coil (243... | 03/20/2007 |
| 7180400 | Key-less entry system and the method thereof A vehicle key-less entry system and a method of unlocking a vehicle door can detect whether or not a vehicle door handle is operated and an operational speed when the door handle is detected by entering a cipher code. Check is made whether the entered cipher code is... | 02/20/2007 |
| 7172358 | Counting pen An apparatus and method provide a writing device including a button pressed by a user, wherein the button engages a mechanism used to move a writing tip between stowed and operative positions. A counter receives at least one indication each time the button is presse... | 02/06/2007 |
| 7128068 | Device housing for an aerosol container A housing for a mechanical or electrical device for use with an aerosol canister for containing chemical comprising a sleeve for receipt of the aerosol canister; a collar affixable around the neck of the canister; and a joint between the sleeve and the collar to sec... | 10/31/2006 |
| 7107986 | Dispenser with doses' counter There is provided a dispenser suitable for dispensing medicament, particularly medicament for use in the treatment of respiratory disorders. The dispenser comprises a housing having a support; a container, locatable within said housing, having an outlet, wherein sai... | 09/19/2006 |
| 7021157 | System and method for testing a clamping force A system for testing a clamping force includes a lever, a base, and a sensor, The lever is coupled to a pivot and moves about the pivot. The lever includes a first end and a second end on opposites sides of the pivot. The base receives a first tip of a clamp and mai... | 04/04/2006 |
| 6993978 | Pin detection system A pin detection system and/or method for detecting a pin or bolt in a section of chain comprises a chain or section of chain having a plurality of chain links connected together by a plurality of pins or bolts or the like. At least one end of at least one of the pin... | 02/07/2006 |
| 6976676 | Game apparatus The present invention relates to a game apparatus and especially to a combination game apparatus in which players try to guess a preset combination of digits. ... | 12/20/2005 |
| 6481438 | Meter The present invention relates to a meter, especially a meter for metering aerosol devices, basically consisting of four disk units that are arranged in a parallel position and located on the same axis.... | 11/19/2002 |
| 6089455 | Code recognition method and system for rotating body A code printing and recognition system for printing, reading, and decoding a code on an article while the article is rotated and conveyed along a predetermined path. The system includes a code printing unit for printing a code in a printing area of the ar... | 07/18/2000 |
| 6050485 | Apparatus for counting recyclable returnable item having an air tight trap door mechanism An apparatus for counting recyclable, returnable items is provided. The apparatus includes a housing with an opening through which recyclable, returnable items ("returnables") are received for deposit into a receptacle located below the housing. As return... | 04/18/2000 |
| 5988496 | Dose counter for inhalers A device for counting doses of substance issued by a dispenser for fluids or powders, the device being characterized in that it comprises a first count wheel (10, 110) and a second count wheel (20, 120), both count wheels being mounted to rotate about a f... | 11/23/1999 |
| 5969315 | Display device for the number of heatings performed A display device is described which indicates the number of heatings performed, especially for the purpose of autoclave sterilization. The display device comprises a temperature-sensitive mechanical element which essentially reversibly transforms from a f... | 10/19/1999 |
| 5900605 | Construction of rotary type sheet counter disc A rotary type sheet counter disc gradually counts corner portions of stacked-up sheets from the top sheet to the bottom sheet. The sheet counter disc includes an upper disc and a lower disc on which the upper disc is placed, the lower disc having a plural... | 05/04/1999 |
| 5808337 | Totalizer assembly A totalizer assembly is enclosed in a housing having a base and a cover which cooperate to support and position a register assembly in the housing. The base and cover also cooperate to support and position a gear train in the housing. The gear train drive... | 09/15/1998 |
| 5574268 | Game display counter A table top two-digit game display counter is disclosed, in which a manually changeable player's score is displayed on two sets of wheels having numeric indicia inverted from each other for easy reading by the player and the other players. The counter is ... | 11/12/1996 |
| 5563392 | Method and apparatus for monitoring wear of a continuous chain A method and apparatus for automatically and accurately monitoring the wear of a continuous conveyor chain without having to stop the chain. The present invention provides first and sensors means fixedly spaced along the conveyor chain at a predetermined ... | 10/08/1996 |
| 5465950 | Paper sheet conveying and arranging apparatus In a paper sheet conveying and arranging apparatus, a low-friction paper sheet guide member (18) is located in a parallel relationship to a paper sheet advancing direction, and a rotating spiral contact (19) having an axis inclined with respect to a horiz... | 11/14/1995 |
| 5006697 | Sequential seal A sequential seal for use with a roll-up door positioned in a truck or van body and which indicates the number of times that the door has been moved from its closed position towards its open position. A sequential counter is mounted in the door and is act... | 04/09/1991 |
| 4607527 | Method and apparatus for sensing rotation of a dial arm of a utility meter Trip devices are disclosed for attachment to existing utility meters to detect revolutions of a dial arm of the meter. Two embodiments are disclosed, each including a spring-biased shaft extending through a base and a shoe on the end of the shaft. As the ... | 08/26/1986 |
| 4362927 | Preselection counter with continuous display and automatic repetition of a preset value A preselection counter having a switch-off counter which is adapted to actuate a desired function when a quantity of this function determined by a preset value has been reached includes presettable indicating means having number rollers adapted to have th... | 12/07/1982 |
| 4255650 | Mechanical counter A mechanical counting device for use in office machines such as copying machines in which almost all of the operative structure has been integrated into a single component. The surface works in conjunction with a ratchet pawl to count down from a preselec... | 03/10/1981 |
| 4229096 | Countdown and start mechanism for an electrostatic copier A countdown and start mechanism for a cyclically operable machine wherein an escapement mechanism is adapted for the countdown control. An escape wheel is provided to concentrically carry a cycle counter knob for indicating the number of cycles to be perf... | 10/21/1980 |
| 4194112 | Presetting counter device A presetting counter device comprising a ratchet wheel coupled to a cycle number setting dial and being stepwise rotatable for reducing the setting of the dial, an indexer engageable with the ratchet wheel in operative relation to the movement of a cyclic... | 03/18/1980 |
| 4164647 | Unidirectional register having different gear ratios for normal and reverse input drive rotation A unidirectional drive assembly for a mechanically driven meter register includes a gear shift operated gear ratio mechanism which allows a dial on the meter register to be driven up-scale at a normal rate with the forward direction of rotation of the met... | 08/14/1979 |
| 4147505 | Apparatus for scraping away substances adhering to inner wall of rotary kiln Apparatus for performing operations of agitating a material to be treated in a rotary kiln and scraping away substances adhering to the inner wall of the rotary kiln effectively at a high efficiency so as to operate the rotary kiln continuously for a long... | 04/03/1979 |
| 4146987 | Impulse activated counting device Method and apparatus for actuating a counting device for recording and stng data. The invention comprises an activator for a counter device and includes a mass or weight having an eccentric center of mass which is freely pivotable in one plane in respons... | 04/03/1979 |
| 4102074 | Counting device impulse activator with torque limiter This invention comprises an actuator for a mechanical counting device for cording and storing data. This actuator includes a weight having an eccentric center of mass which is freely pivotable in one plane within pre-set limits in response to an externall... | 07/25/1978 |
| 4088872 | Repeating mechanism for a copying apparatus A counting device including a click wheel operative integrally with a dial for setting the number of repetitive operations, the click wheel having teeth therearound, the number of which corresponds to the number of the repetitive operations; a ratchet whe... | 05/09/1978 |
| 3981439 | Unidirectional drive assembly for a gear driven meter register A unidirectional drive assembly that is operable to rotate an indicating pointer in an up-scale direction responsive to rotation of an input drive gear wheel in either a forward or a reverse direction. The assembly is characterized by having an idler gear... | 09/21/1976 |
