...that while attempting to develop a super strong glue, 3M employee Spencer Silver accidentally developed a glue that was so weak it would barely hold two pieces of paper together? However, his colleague Art Fry needed the glue. Fry sang with his church choir and marked the pages of his hymnal with small scraps of paper that often fell out. He used Silver's glue to hold the papers in place. Today we call this invention Post-it Notes.
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7338096 | Press-type latch device A press-type latch device for establishing latched and unlatched states with a hook includes: a press member having a press portion and connection portions extending from the press portion; and a spring member having a bottom portion and first and second latch arms ... | 03/04/2008 |
| 7316309 | Tool container A tool container has a pair of housing members pivotally coupled with one another to provide an opened and closed position. At least one of the members defines a cavity to receive tools. The cavity is defined by a base and a wall extending from the base. A tool reta... | 01/08/2008 |
| 7257971 | Case with internal lock A lockable storage case includes a top cover pivotably coupled to a bottom cover through a spine. The top cover includes loops or an upper lock receiving member and a lower lock receiving member defining a top cover lock insertion path. The bottom cover includes loo... | 08/21/2007 |
| 7213426 | Storm door mortise lock that prevents lockout A method and apparatus for providing a storm door mortise lock that prevents lockout with a lock body having opposed side plates and a cam in between the side plates, the cam being in operative interaction with a dead bolt assembly. The mortise lock body also may in... | 05/08/2007 |
| 7194880 | Anti-theft case for miscellaneous items, particularly for videocassettes, DVD, compact disks, cassettes tapes and the like An anti-theft case (1) is disclosed, particularly for videocassettes, DVD, compact disks, cassette tapes, comprising: first and second mutually hinged half-cases (3, 5); a separate opening and closing member (12) and a locking and unlocking memb... | 03/27/2007 |
| 7131369 | Drawer and latching mechanism for positioning and securing a pod below the brew head of a beverage brewer A drawer and latching mechanism for a beverage brewer, and preferably, a brewer that utilizes a pod of coffee grounds or another beverage component, has a housing of the brewer including a pivotable cover and a drawer for retaining a pod of a beverage component belo... | 11/07/2006 |
| 7093320 | Pin-less locks for sliding members A lock for overlapping parallel sliding members has a hinge member having two leaves. The two leaves include a fixed leaf permanently secured to one of overlapping sliding members, and a pivotal leaf pivotally moveable between locked and unlocked positions, to permi... | 08/22/2006 |
| 7044509 | Closure latch assembly An elongated latch bar is slidably carried in a passageway through a bolt housing and is extendable into an aligned passageway of a keeper. The extended end of the latch bar carries a transverse cavity for receiving a cross-latch. The keeper carries the cross-latch ... | 05/16/2006 |
| 6929295 | Storage compartment and latch arrangement thereof A latch device for a cover member includes a box body having at least of a pair of walls and an upside opening, a cover member that is mounted on the box body to enable the upside opening to be opened and closed, a handle member mounted on the cover member such that... | 08/16/2005 |
| 6666486 | Slide bolt unit A slide bolt unit is provided for releasibly locking a door or window or the like, such as a semi-active door in a double door entry set. The slide bolt unit includes an elongated slide bolt carried by a channel-shaped housing adapted for recessed mountin... | 12/23/2003 |
| 6554327 | Latch assembly for covered containers A latch assembly for securing a cover to a container comprises a base for mounting to the container cover adjacent to an edge thereof, a cover member secured to the base and a slider slidable between the base and cover member between a latched position wh... | 04/29/2003 |
| 6550832 | Actuator An actuator mechanism is defined by a lever arm that is integrally connected to resilient spring members. The lever arm is movable between first and second positions and is normally biased into the first position in which the actuator may engage an adjace... | 04/22/2003 |
| 6508495 | Latch assembly for covered containers A latch assembly for securing a cover to a container comprises a base for mounting to the container cover adjacent to an edge thereof, a cover member secured to the base and a slider slidable between the base and cover member between a latched position wh... | 01/21/2003 |
| 6457751 | Locking assembly for an astragal A locking assembly for an astragal that would be attached to the inactive door of a double door unit that would be installed in a residence or a building. The astragal would be attached to the edge of the inactive door in the space between the inactive do... | 10/01/2002 |
| 6212366 | Housing assembly for a selective call receiver A housing assembly (100) includes a housing (101) having a first opening (105), a door (114) coupled to the housing at the first opening, wherein the door is slidable between opened and closed positions with the housing, a first latch (110) coupled to the... | 04/03/2001 |
| 6073978 | Dishwasher lock A dishwasher lock includes a first component adapted to be secured to the underside of a counter top directly above the forward upper edge of a dishwasher and a second component slidably and detachably secured to the first component. The second component ... | 06/13/2000 |
| 6038892 | Combination keylock device and securing device A keylock assembly including both a keylock device for locking a door to a chassis frame and a securing device for securing the door to the chassis frame so that the door can be secured to the chassis frame without having to lock the door. The chassis may... | 03/21/2000 |
| 5934715 | Anti-false maneuver-type safety-device for a fitting for locking a leaf A safety device, of the anti-false maneuver type, capable of impeding the actuation of a locking fitting upon opening of a leaf of a door, window or the like, this safety device including, on the one hand, a support in the shape of a casing capable of bei... | 08/10/1999 |
| 5581963 | Knock down element wall structure Wall elements have edge cavities that extend inwardly through their side edge and have locking lugs inwardly of the cavities. Lock pins are provided between the wall elements for each cavity and are associated with the locking lugs for securely locking tw... | 12/10/1996 |
| 5476133 | Gate latch A gate latch for a wire gate which is mounted on the upper end of a wooden post for selectively retaining the wooden post of the wire gate therein. The gate latch includes a pocket which is positioned inwardly of a pair of post retention members. The inse... | 12/19/1995 |
| 5375712 | Security container with a key A security container for storing various articles is formed with a groove along one edge of a cover which extends parallel with a similar groove formed on a base of the container, when the cover is in a closed position on the base. A generally U-shaped sl... | 12/27/1994 |
| 5205595 | Lock mechanism A simple drawer lock mechanism used in connection with a portable drafting table, combines in a unitary assembly a bolt, an actuating prong passing through an opening in the drawer face, and resilient biasing legs projecting from each side of the bolt. Th... | 04/27/1993 |
| 5147099 | Drawer or cabinet latch A child-proof latch which prevents a child from directly accessing the latch member (arm) itself, thus rendering it extremely difficult for a child to open a cabinet secured by the latch. The latch of the invention comprises a latch member, a support for ... | 09/15/1992 |
| 5094485 | Retractable self-latching locking pin assembly A locking pin assembly for locking an end of a cargo container onto the container-carrying platform of a transport vehicle. The assembly has a retractable locking pin movable between a fully rearwardly extended container-locking position and a fully forwa... | 03/10/1992 |
| 5092250 | Anti-pilferage device for container-carrying railroad flatcars An anti-pilferage device is attached to the car body of a railroad flatcar of the type for carrying containers. The device has a mounting plate attached to the car frame at a point adjacent the doors of a container loaded on the car. A barrier is tiltably... | 03/03/1992 |
| 4993758 | Latching apparatus for a door and other members A housing closure apparatus for latching a swingable door which covers an opening in a housing. The housing closure apparatus includes a latching mechanism having a latch guide structure with a channel therein for captivating a slidable latch. A latch rec... | 02/19/1991 |
| 4962954 | Burglar bar system incorporating a hand operated latch mechanism operable from the building interior A latch or lock enabling a hinged burglar bar gate to be opened by a person on the interior of the protected building. Intruders cannot reach the lock. It includes a housing with an opening for hand engagement. In the opening, a spring supported lock memb... | 10/16/1990 |
| 4921033 | Security door system A security door system using a roll-up door fabricated of curtain sections reinforced by extruded metal cross beams. The system is designed for installation in a closet doorway or the like to provide security for valuables which may be stored in the close... | 05/01/1990 |
| 4907832 | Secondary locking mechanism A secondary locking mechanism having a lock mountable to a sliding closure, such as a sliding window or sliding patio door, and a stop block mountable to a frame member which mounts the sliding closure. The lock has a pivotable stop arm which is spring-re... | 03/13/1990 |
| 4807687 | Security door system A security door system using a roll-up door fabricated of curtain sections reinforced by extruded metal cross beams. The system is designed for installation in a closet doorway or the like to provide security for valuables which may be stored in the close... | 02/28/1989 |
| 4732418 | Knob latch A door latch employs removable standoff posts in a concealed mounting, and a lockable latching mechanism which includes a locking slide manually actuatable from the inside of the door and movable from the locked to the unlocked position by a rotary cam me... | 03/22/1988 |
| 4621846 | Lock for sliding doors A device that prevents the unauthorized removal of a retainer pin that is slideably disposed within a bore which is collectively defined by a plurality of bores formed in the doors or windows to be locked, or frames therefor, when the same are fully close... | 11/11/1986 |
| 4428605 | Latching drop lock for sliding closure member A latching drop lock for a movable closure member such as a sliding glass window includes a lock body that supports a pivotably mounted, elongated latch element. The lock body and the latch element are slidable as a unit along one side of the movable fram... | 01/31/1984 |
| 4400026 | Tilt latch for window sash A tilt latch for a window sash including a base member mountable on a sash and a slide member disposed for sliding movement in a channel formed in the base member and resiliently biased toward an extended position in which a nose-shaped first end of the s... | 08/23/1983 |
| 4390198 | Molded multifunction latch mechanism A single molded plastic part forms the actuator, the latching beam and the retainer for holding the latch mechanism in position, and also provides detented open and closed positions. The latch mechanism can be used with the door or closure for an opening ... | 06/28/1983 |
| 4377303 | Closure latch mechanism improvements A closure latch mechanism has a slide component linearly movable between latched and unlatched positions, the component having a planar body portion with a flat, resiliently bendable member that is formed as an integral part of the body portion and normal... | 03/22/1983 |
| 4305610 | Defeatable interlock for fuse access door A fuse access door of a fusible switch enclosure is held closed by a latch slidably mounted thereto. A resilient interlock actuator secured to the door cooperates with a defeatable switch interlock arm to enable switch closure only while the door is close... | 12/15/1981 |
| 4293154 | Safety lock for window sashes and the like A safety lock for window sashes and the like is provided which comprises a bolt and a locking and mounting sleeve adapted to be inserted in a drilled hole in the sash or other member to be interlocked, the sleeve and bolt being provided with detent means ... | 10/06/1981 |
| 4268074 | Devices for locking sliding closures A locking device to prevent relative movement between relatively movable members such as between relatively movable sliding window and sliding door members, said relatively movable members having openings which can be placed in registration in predetermin... | 05/19/1981 |
| 4043476 | Locking device for goods transporting carts and like receptacles In a goods transporting or handling receptacle or cart made of metal wire, the lateral walls are adapted to be folded on the bottom thereof and at least one of said lateral walls comprises a notch-like aperture having a shutter hingedly mounted at its bot... | 08/23/1977 |