...that when IBM conducted a market study of Chester Carlson's invention in 1959, the company concluded that it would take only 5000 units of his new product to saturate the market? IBM therefore declined to be part of the new product introduction. Too bad for IBM. Carlson's invention was the xerography process, and his new product was the beginning of the Xerox Corporation. It is estimated that every day, worldwide, 3,000,000,000 copies are made!!
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7360317 | Level having an adjustable mechanism for truing to acquire an exact reading A level having an adjustable mechanism for truing to acquire an exact reading which comprises an elongated rigid body being an I-shaped frame having a web with a first flange transversely extending across a first long end of the web and a second flange transversely ... | 04/22/2008 |
| 7360316 | Level The level of the invention consists of a solid, thin central web that is connected to an upper box and a lower box. The central web supports level vials. The upper box and lower box have a hollow generally polygonal shape and define an upper surface and lower surfac... | 04/22/2008 |
| 7073270 | Impact-absorbing end caps for levels An impact-absorbing level is disclosed. The level comprises a body including a level face for measuring a surface, a vial mounted in the body at a predetermined angular relationship to the level face, and a first end cap fixed with respect to the first end, the firs... | 07/11/2006 |
| 7051446 | Construction layout and angle measurement tool A construction layout and angle measurement tool includes opposite working sides having unique indicia for establishing angles from side edges or corners of building materials. When used with a reference line, and when attached to the workpiece, the tool allows site... | 05/30/2006 |
| 7036235 | Vertical alignment device A vertical alignment device (10) between a downwardly extending upper spindle (12) on an upper mounting plate (14) of an upper pivot assembly (16) in a head jamb (18) and an upwardly extending lower spindle (20) on a lower m... | 05/02/2006 |
| 6351875 | Apparatus for securing a level and a structural component to one another An apparatus is used to mount a spirit level on an elongate support such as a pipe, length of wood or the like so that the effective "levelling line" is greatly lengthened. The apparatus includes an elastic band having first and second ends and a body mem... | 03/05/2002 |
| 5940978 | Builder's level with hand-grip feature The improved builder's level is used by carpenters, masons and the like for determining parallelism or perpendicularity with respect to a horizontal plane. The level has opposed depressed channels extending along its length, thereby permitting the level t... | 08/24/1999 |
| 5588217 | Level vial assembly with encapsulated vial A liquid vial assembly comprises a liquid-containing vial having a seamless cylindrical wall and a transparent outer sleeve extending along the wall. The resistance of the vial to breakage is dramatically improved. The sleeve may be made of a resilient ma... | 12/31/1996 |
| 5412876 | Protective cap for the end of a level having an I-shaped cross-section A spirit level includes a spirit level body having an I-shaped cross section, end caps arranged at the end faces of the spirit level body and at least one spirit level vial mounted in the spirit level body. Each end cap has a plate-like base member which ... | 05/09/1995 |
| 4463501 | Level construction and methods of constructing a level A level instrument for determining angular relationships includes a frame having a rail section defining a working surface, a vial, and an end plate affixed to the frame. The end plate has a plastic body with integral lip, shoulder and stake or pawl eleme... | 08/07/1984 |
| 4428123 | Instrument mounting An improved mounting between a cylindrical package, containing a sensitive instrument, and a protective cylindrical housing disposed thereabout. Plugs at opposite ends of the housing each have a conical recess opening toward the other plug and between whi... | 01/31/1984 |
| 4312131 | Accurate level sensor An accurate level sensor having an electrolytic switch 10 is mounted within a chamber 22 on a thermally insulating member 12 and is surrounded by a thermally insulating air space 23. Chamber 22 is mounted within a chamber 24 by thermally insulating member... | 01/26/1982 |