Magician Harry Houdini patented a "Diver's Suit" enabling the wearer to "quickly divest himself of the suit while being submerged and to safely escape and reach the surface of the water."
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7771136 | Ball and socket joint A ball and socket joint is provided, for example, for an axle system of a motor vehicle. The joint has an essentially ring-shaped or pot-shaped joint housing (2). The ball (7) of a ball pivot (1) is received in the interior space of the joint ho... | 08/10/2010 |
| 7427113 | Ball and socket mount for shock absorber of torsion beam axle suspension A torsion beam axle suspension is provided, in which a shock absorber is directly mounted on right and left trailing arms and is further mounted to the mount by a ball joint. Thus, it is possible to reduce the weight and production expenses, thus to enhance producti... | 09/23/2008 |
| 7322769 | Ball and socket joint A ball-and-socket joint for a motor vehicle, and especially for the chassis of the motor vehicle, with a ball-and-socket joint housing is provided with a joint opening (6), in which housing there is arranged a bearing shell (5). The ball-and-socket joi... | 01/29/2008 |
| 7318686 | High-performance ball socket A bearing shell for a ball and socket joint made of plastic as well as the ball and socket joint per se, wherein the bearing shell has first areas, which are subject to higher mechanical loads than the other areas of the bearing shell, wherein the material of the be... | 01/15/2008 |
| 7226234 | Arrangement and method for connecting a rod end to a headed pin A connection for a rod and pin includes a two piece housing molded from hard plastic which defining a cavity enclosing a soft elastomeric isolator on one end of the rod. The housing pieces also define a pin receiving cavity with retention prongs which engage and hol... | 06/05/2007 |
| 7144182 | Ball joint construction A ball joint having a housing with a cylindrical cavity that has an open receiving end and a closed retaining end receives a polymeric insert and a non-deformable insert therein. The polymeric insert has a cylindrical outer wall that extends upwardly from a base and... | 12/05/2006 |
| 7121757 | Process and device for mounting ball and socket joints with at least one connecting piece A process and a device are provided for mounting ball and socket joints with at least one connecting piece. A first ball and socket joint housing part (3a) is fed to a mounting device, a ball pivot (1), surrounded by a bearing shell (2), ... | 10/17/2006 |
| 7008135 | Stamped ball socket A stamped ball socket for attaching a headlamp pod to a mounting bracket comprising a base having an opening which is adapted to accept a fastener. The ball socket further comprising at least two walls extending from the base and at least two lock-in fingers protrud... | 03/07/2006 |
| 7004665 | Snap together automotive coupler A low insertion force snap together automotive coupler for the suspension of a vehicle includes a spherical bearing insert having a first end, a second end, a pocket adapted to engage a ball stud that is integrally formed onto a suspension component, and an axially ... | 02/28/2006 |
| 6923592 | Ball and socket rollers load latch mechanism A location control mechanism includes a striker having a preferably spherically shaped lock ball and a pair of mutually adjacent socket rollers, each socket roller having a complementing preferably hemispherically shaped semi-socket which collectively provide a sing... | 08/02/2005 |
| 6908251 | Tie rod end and ball joint combination Novel tie rod ends and ball joint combinations that are especially useful in racing vehicles in which high performance is desired. The devices provide a reduction in friction such that the required steering effort with regard to both the rotation and misalignment of... | 06/21/2005 |
| 6860671 | D-ring assembly with a load limiting device A D-ring assembly comprising a D-ring and a load limiting device. The D-ring has a slot therethrough for receiving a seatbelt webbing and for guiding the webbing from the retractor to the torso of a vehicle occupant. The load limiting device functions by absorbing k... | 03/01/2005 |
| 6857810 | Ceramic ball-and-socket joint A ceramic ball-and-socket joint for a motor vehicle, especially for the chassis of the motor vehicle, is provided, in which the ball-and-socket joint has a ball-and-socket joint housing (5) provided with a joint opening (7) and a ball pivot provided wi... | 02/22/2005 |
| 6761499 | Bearing shell for ball-and-socket joints A bearing shell for ball-and-socket joints or ball sleeve joints is provided with an inner hollow spherically designed bearing surface (3). The bearing shell has an outer cylindrically designed support surface with which the bearing shell can be inserted into... | 07/13/2004 |
| 6742955 | Tie rod end with purgative grease zerk and purgeless tie rod boot A tie rod end having a purgative zerk for removal of used lubricants is provided. In one embodiment of the invention, the tie rod end includes a socket member that defines a first bore in which a ball stud member is disposed and a second bore in communication with t... | 06/01/2004 |
| 6382865 | Base-mounted lubricated ball joint A base mounted lubricated ball joint utilizing a hollow socket case (20) is attached to an automobile axle or other workpiece by welding or bolting. A ball (42) is disposed within a socket (28) contained within the case and rotates freely within. A socket... | 05/07/2002 |
| 6361238 | Attachment element for securing a rail foot An attachment element, including a base (1) having a bearing surface (14), a clamping member (3), and a ball (4) extending through a through-bore formed in the clamping member (3) an axis of which extends transverse to the bearing surface (14), with the b... | 03/26/2002 |
| 5833383 | Ball socket connector A ball socket connector particularly adapted for connecting a gas spring shaft with a vehicle so that the gas spring may be used to hold open the vehicle's truck lid, deck lid, hood, lift glass, hatch door (in hatch type vehicles) or the rear door or gate... | 11/10/1998 |
| 5638735 | Variable displacement compressor A variable displacement compressor that varies its displacement by altering the inclination of a swash plate. A drive shaft is supported rotatably within a housing. A rotor is fixed to the drive shaft. A swash plate is mounted on the drive shaft and adapt... | 06/17/1997 |
| 5556256 | Swivel mechanism for an electrical fan An electrical fan having a positioning mechanism, driven by the rotation of the fan's motor, which causes the fan's head to simultaneously pivot sinusoidally and continuously about a pair of perpendicular axes to continuously redirect the airstream from t... | 09/17/1996 |
| 5478039 | Swivel hanging apparatus An overhead swivel hanging apparatus consisting of a mount(10) and a support(30), i.e. a grab. When assembled the apparatus is utilized to hang pendant objects, such as a plant or a bird cage, from a ceiling or the like. The mount is comprised of a base (... | 12/26/1995 |
| 5428519 | Device for adjusting a moving position of a headlight, a headlight including the device, and a method of installing the device An adjustment device for adjusting a moving portion of a motor vehicle headlight relative to a fixed portion, in particular a reflector relative to an intermediate part of the headlight, the device being of the type comprising a screw that includes a ball... | 06/27/1995 |
| 5350054 | Ball block for mounting linear motor The ball end (16) of the piston rod (14) of a linear motor (6) is mounted in a ball block (52). The block (52) has mating housing portions (54, 56) that abut along mating surfaces (64) that are substantially parallel to, but slope relative to, the motor a... | 09/27/1994 |
| 5112071 | Attachment assembly for a bicycle mudguard A bicycle mudguard includes a plastic moulding comprising a main aerofoil section and at one end of which a ball is provided. The ball cooperates with a pair of clamp members to form a ball and socket fitment for adjustable and releaseable attachment of t... | 05/12/1992 |
| 5052844 | Ball joint with dynamic preload adjustment A ball joint can dynamically alter the preload between the cones and the ball of the ball joint to desired levels. When the stage or other device is in motion, the preload can be reduced to provide low friction and wear. When the stage or other device is ... | 10/01/1991 |
| 5011322 | Ball joint A ball joint comprising a ball stud including a shank and a ball formed at one end of the shank and a ball socket for receiving the ball and including resilient arms having an outer surface corresponding to the outer surface of the ball and engaging the s... | 04/30/1991 |
| 4917527 | Snap-loc coupling device A mechanical clamping device for coupling any an object requiring infinite positioning to a fixed surface and which quickly and easily locks the object firmly in position without the use of electricity or hydraulic fluids. A triple pivoting linkage is emp... | 04/17/1990 |
| 4898490 | Structure formed from ball jointed links A complex, load bearing structure which is formed from a series of steel links of a standard design which are joined to one another end to end. Each link has a ball portion on an end of an elongate central portion and a socket portion on the other end of ... | 02/06/1990 |
| 4804204 | Remote operated hitch apparatus A remote actuator for a trailer hitch of the type having a main body, a ball receiving socket at one end of the main body and the other end of the main body being attachable to the end of a tongue, for example. A pivotal member is hinged at the ball recei... | 02/14/1989 |
| 4796325 | Angularly adjustable double headed toothbrush A toothbrush has a brush portion pivotally connected to the handle. The head portion of the toothbrush may be provided with a pair of opposed facing brushes for simultaneously brushing both sides of a tooth. Three different pivotal mechanisms may be utili... | 01/10/1989 |
| 4699347 | Christmas tree stand A tree stand, as for Christmas trees and the like, having in its preferred form a circular base with three legs extending upward in tripod form to an apex where a clamping mechanism is located. A ball is securely held between a clamp base located atop one... | 10/13/1987 |
| 4637116 | Method for fastening a covering part at a frame part For fastening a cover part at a frame part in which both parts have at least a metallic frame structure, spherical segments formed out of the frame part with fasteners in the form of balls are provided while the counter fasteners are constructed as collar... | 01/20/1987 |
| 4620813 | Position retaining mechanism The present disclosure describes a mechanism for positioning a pair of members in slip-free, adjustable, angular relationships. In accomplishing the foregoing, an assembly is provided which comprises a sphere and a pair of pivotally mounted jaw-like secti... | 11/04/1986 |
| 4465393 | Plastic ball socket extruded in one piece for a ball-and-socket joint A plastic ball socket extruded in one piece for a ball-and-socket joint having a shaft 5 and a ball end 8, the axis of the joint in standard position being lateral to shaft 5. The ball socket is divided by slot 13 extending into the area of its shaft 5. A... | 08/14/1984 |
| 4388012 | Swivel connector There is disclosed a new and improved swivel connector assembly for connecting a member to be pivoted to a pivot. The assembly includes just two components which may be readily assembled, a socketed assembly and a retaining sleeve. The socketed assembly h... | 06/14/1983 |
| 4360284 | Ball-joint assembly A ball-joint assembly having a two-part hinged plastic bearing member adapted to be positioned about the ball portion of a ball-stud member and be placed within an aperture formed in a link having a plurality of upstanding tabs which are adapted to be ben... | 11/23/1982 |
| 4359293 | Connector Disclosed is a connector for detachably and rotatably connecting one article to another article, which comprises an insert member to be attached to said one article and a receiving member having a space for insertion of said insert member, which is to be ... | 11/16/1982 |
| 4338038 | Ball-and-socket joint for multiarticulate arm A ball-and-socket joint for a multiarticulate arm includes two cylindrical bodies forming phalanges each ending in a pair of jaws which contact a hollow sphere limited by two parallel planes essentially equidistant from the center of the sphere, with the ... | 07/06/1982 |
| 4311405 | Swivel connector There is disclosed a new and improved swivel connector assembly of the type which pivotally connects a ball-like member to a rod-like member. The connector includes a coupler having a pair of sockets. One of the sockets having a bearing seat adapted for r... | 01/19/1982 |
| 4200405 | Angle joint An angle joint or swivel joint, consisting principally of a ball and socket wherein the ball socket is constructed preferably of a tough plastic. The ball socket has a body which is bifurcated by a central slot, thereby permitting elastic yielding of the ... | 04/29/1980 |