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 |
| 7626485 | Bimetallic thermostat with exchange contact with printed circuit interposed between a sensitive thermostatic element and an exchange relay A bimetallic thermostat with exchange contact is described comprising an external support covering (1) and an internal device (2) made up of a pierced base (3) provided with a packing (4) and with electric contacts (5, 15, 25, 35) ... | 12/01/2009 |
| 7345571 | Thermally-actuated switch A thermally-actuated switch mounted on an end of a motor coil of a hermetic motor-driven compressor includes a switch body including a metallic pressure-tight hermetic container, a contact mechanism disposed in the container, and an electrically conductive terminal ... | 03/18/2008 |
| 7193153 | Penetration fire stop device Fire Stop devices, for walls having cables that run through a wall opening, are provided on exposed ends of a conduit placed in the wall opening. Each fire stop device has a hollow housing fitted to the exposed end of the conduit, and a front wall of the housing has... | 03/20/2007 |
| 6914514 | Switch for water boiling appliance such as a kettle A steam-responsive switch for use in an electrical water boiling appliance comprises a main body (12) from which extends a tubular portion (13) having at or near its leading end a heat responsive bimetal (16) extending across the mouth thereof w... | 07/05/2005 |
| 6888441 | Apparatus adapted to be releasably connectable to the sub base of a thermostat An apparatus for controlling the operation of a HVAC system, where the apparatus is adapted to be releasably connectable to a thermostat sub-base assembly connected to an HVAC system. The apparatus is configured to be releasably connectable to the connector pins in ... | 05/03/2005 |
| 6833782 | Bimetal snap disc thermostat with heaters An adjustable bimetal snap disc thermostat is disclosed which provides conventional resistance-type heaters symmetrically positioned adjacent one side of the snap disc to allow adjustment of the operating temperature of the thermostat. The heaters are supported in a... | 12/21/2004 |
| 6724293 | Device having a temperature-dependent switching mechanism provided in a cavity A device has an electrical load and a cavity for receiving a temperature-dependent switching mechanism in order to protect the load from overtemperature and/or overcurrent. In the cavity there is a first countercontact for the switching mechanism which is electrical... | 04/20/2004 |
| 6597274 | Bimetal snap disc thermostat with heaters An adjustable bimetal snap disc thermostat is disclosed which provides conventional resistance-type heaters symmetrically positioned adjacent one side of the snap disc to allow adjustment of the operating temperature of the thermostat. The heaters are sup... | 07/22/2003 |
| 6597275 | Intrusion barrier for thermostat A plug or grommet fits into the opening in the back plate of a thermostat and blocks or diverts intrusion air from entering the interior of the thermostat housing from the wall penetration for the thermostat wires. The thermostat wires are fed through the... | 07/22/2003 |
| 6326879 | Thermal switch arrangement for electromagnetic coils A thermal switch arrangement for electromagnetic coils of electric motors, including at least one coil, which has a winding (52, 54) and a coil former (30, 48) in the form of a winding core (32), which is enclosed by two end flanges (36, 38; 56, 58, 60, 6... | 12/04/2001 |
| 6166618 | Electrical safety receptacle An electrical safety receptacle (10) including a dielectric housing (12), first electrical contacts (14) in the housing for electrical connection to one side of an electrical power line, second electrical contacts (16) in the housing for electrical connec... | 12/26/2000 |
| 5864279 | Temperature-dependent switch with a retaining bracket An apparatus (10) for protecting an electrical device (11) from overtemperature comprises a temperature-dependent switch (22) with a housing (23) on whose base (28) a first connecting contact (51) is provided. A second connecting contact is provided on th... | 01/26/1999 |
| 5574421 | Snap disc thermostat and self calibrating assembly method A thermostat includes a case assembly with two terminals and movable contacts, one of which is on a resilient blade to open and close a circuit through the terminals. A bimetal disc actuates the blade by heating to open the contacts. A base defines an int... | 11/12/1996 |
| 5550525 | Switch with bimetallic element A single pole double throw thermostatic switch has a pair of fixed contacts on opposite sides of a movable contact. A U-shaped bimetal member having a pair of spaced end portions has one end portion attached to a switchcase and the other end portion carri... | 08/27/1996 |
| 5151574 | Electric soldering iron with plug-in tip temperature sensor An electric soldering iron has a barrel connected to a handle a one end and provided with an electric heating element for heating a tip at its other end. A detachable temperature sensor unit is located within the barrel and includes a tubular housing havi... | 09/29/1992 |
| 4951025 | Thermally monitored electrical outlet receptacle receptacle apparatus An electrical outlet receptacle is shown having a thermally responsive switch disposed within the receptacle thermally coupled to components of the receptacle and adapted to interrupt power thereto upon the occurrence of overload or overtemperature condit... | 08/21/1990 |
| 4685037 | Spring loaded recessed lighting fixture thermal protection An arrangement for mounting a thermal protective device on the outer surface of a housing of a recessed lighting fixture includes a plaster frame having a horizontal portion and a depending portion formed integrally with the horizontal portion. The plaste... | 08/04/1987 |
| 4646195 | Motor protector particularly suited for use with compressor motors A motor protector of the type having a snap acting thermostatic element is shown particularly adapted for use with compressor motors in which a conventional three pin header is mounted on the compressor casing to allow electrical energization of the motor... | 02/24/1987 |
| 4641121 | Sealed electrical switch and mounting therefor A sealed thermostatic electric switch has a heat responsive thermostatic element disposed in good heat transfer relationship with the closed end of a heat conductive cup shaped member. The side wall of the cup shaped member extends upwardly from the close... | 02/03/1987 |
| 4634834 | Temperature controlled electric engine block An electric preheater for an internal combustion engine includes a heater having a metallic base member adapted to be secured to and cover an opening of an engine block and carrying an electric immersion heating element adapted to project through the open... | 01/06/1987 |
| 4570145 | Control apparatus Temperature responsive control apparatus includes a body portion, a socket portion, a circuit portion, a connecting portion, a temperature responsive portion and a fastening portion. The body portion includes a housing member including a front face sectio... | 02/11/1986 |
| 4538134 | Control apparatus Temperature responsive control apparatus including a housing portion, a socket portion, a circuit portion, a temperature responsive portion, a connecting portion and a fastening portion; the housing portion including an enclosure member including a major ... | 08/27/1985 |
| 4514715 | Safety receptacle A safety receptacle having bimetallic means which will cut off the power line when an electrical appliance connected thereto is overloaded or short-circuited. Further, the safety receptacle may be slightly modified to form a circuit breaker or a safety pl... | 04/30/1985 |
| 4454493 | Hermetical type thermally responsive switch In a hermetic type thermally responsive switch comprising a fixed contact support having a fixed contact at its end and cantilever disposed in a hermetically sealed vessel, a elongated support supporting a thermally responsive disk which has a movable con... | 06/12/1984 |
| 4446451 | Thermostat device having improved mounting means A thermostat device comprises a thermostat unit having a surface which faces in a first direction and which is preferably disposed in thermally-coupled heat-transfer relation to an object whose temperature is to be monitored so that the thermostat unit is... | 05/01/1984 |
| 4446450 | Thermostat device having improved mounting means A thermostat device comprises a thermostat unit having a surface which faces in a first direction and which is preferably disposed in thermally-coupled heat-transfer relation to an object whose temperature is to be monitored so that the thermostat unit is... | 05/01/1984 |
| 4358667 | Cartridge-type electric immersion heating element having an integrally contained thermostat A cartridge-type electric immersion heating element having an integrally contained, self-limiting thermostatic control included in its electrical circuit includes an electric resistance heating element embedded in compacted powdered insulating material pa... | 11/09/1982 |
| 4350967 | Two-temperature thermally responsive fast idle control switch A thermally responsive electrical switch for a fast idle control in an automotive engine has two thermally responsive snap acting discs disposed in an open-ended well in a thermally conducting housing. A switch having contacts movable between open and clo... | 09/21/1982 |
| 4349806 | Snap-acting thermostatic switch using inflexible, spring biased contact arm A heat responsive electrical switch comprises a small, open ended, generally cylindrical housing in which are mounted two spaced plate members extending in parallel directions from a bottom wall into a switch cavity. The first plate member mounts at its d... | 09/14/1982 |
| 4314223 | Thermal protective device for lighting fixtures A thermal protective device for interrupting current to the lamp circuit of an electrical lighting fixture when the temperature at a preselected location in the fixture reaches a predetermined level, comprises a receptacle including a pair of female termi... | 02/02/1982 |
| 4282505 | Fan coolant thermostats A bimetal snap disc thermostat is disclosed providing a heavy walled, cup-shaped metal housing into which a switch body is press-fitted. The housing is formed with an internal annular groove to mechanically interlock potting material such as epoxy which s... | 08/04/1981 |
| 4278960 | Temperature controlled bimetal switch A temperature-controlled bimetal switch is formed of a flat housing with an upper wall and a lower wall closely spaced apart. A fixed contact is secured to the inner surface of the upper wall and a curved bimetal snap plate and a contact spring are positi... | 07/14/1981 |
| 4235368 | Thermostat assembly A programmable thermostat features a memory unit receptive of unit values of temperature desired at different times on different days all individually or in various combinations both as to days and times. An output device signals a temperature control sys... | 11/25/1980 |
| 4190763 | Electrical cigar lighter for automotive vehicle with snap disc bimetallic switch means An electrical cigar lighter for automotive vehicles is provided with a socket assembly and a plug assembly including a heater element adapted to be electrically heated when the plug assembly is in a connected position within the socket assembly. Electrica... | 02/26/1980 |
| 4150718 | Replacement thermostat adapter wall plate An adapter wall plate for mounting a replacement thermostat on a wall wherein the adapter wall plate attaches to the existing wall plate of the thermostat being replaced thereby eliminating the necessity of disconnecting the wires leading from the existin... | 04/24/1979 |
| 4131868 | Incandescent lamp socket having overtemperature protector A socket for an electric lamp contains a thermal protector to shut off current flow to the lamp when the socket is heated above a predetermined temperature.... | 12/26/1978 |
| 4025755 | Thermostatic electric cable heater An improved thermostatic electrical cable heater is disclosed which permits more accurate temperature sensing by the thermostat and better control over the temperature of the object being heated. This improved sensing and temperature control is accomplish... | 05/24/1977 |
