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 |
| 7708488 | Joint unit A joint unit of a control arm of a wheel suspension in a motor vehicle, with a housing (1) and a pivot (2), which is mounted slidingly in the housing by a spheroidal bearing surface (3). The joint unit has a catching device (4) to avoid c... | 05/04/2010 |
| 7481595 | Ball joint An improved ball joint for use in a motor vehicle steering or suspension system comprises a ball joint having a shank portion and a ball portion disposed in a socket shell. A ball joint retention member is provided having a first end operatively secured to the socke... | 01/27/2009 |
| 7441980 | Device for joining two components with tolerance compensation A device for joining a first component A and a second component B while leaving a joining gap SP includes a bolt 4 and a compensating coil 2 for compensating tolerances of the joining gap. The compensating coil is adapted to be fixed to the bolt 4 | 10/28/2008 |
| 7182329 | Cash dispensing automated banking machine and method An automated banking machine (10) includes at least one of sheet dispensing mechanisms (34, 36, 38, 40, 210). Each sheet dispensing mechanism includes a picking member (72, 212). The picking member rotates, and with each rotation generally cause... | 02/27/2007 |
| 5277280 | Thrust force transmission device at a brake actuator Brake force is transmitted between a single axially movable push rod (6) and a brake block holder (3) by an intermediate force transmission member (22) to accommodate for movements along the wheel axis. This intermediate member (22) has cylindrical surfac... | 01/11/1994 |
| 5265511 | Controlled axial position hinge assembly A pivot assembly for mounting an operating member on a base member for pivotal movement about an axis at an optimum axial position comprising: a pivot shaft having an axis, a base member and an operating member having axially opposable first and second in... | 11/30/1993 |
| 5158508 | Resilient support for friction elements of a multi-disc clutch or brake of an automatic transmission An automatic transmission for a vehicle having a planetary gear mechanism, which is accommodated in an automatic transmission case, is provided with an accordion-like leaf spring disposed in a gap for allowing interior spaces of an automatic transmission ... | 10/27/1992 |
| 5146805 | Bushing assembly for a pivot connection A pivot mount for a vehicular shift lever which precludes the play in the shift lever. The mount is employed in conjunction with a shift bowl that is rotatably mounted on a steering column. A clevis extends radially outwardly from the shift bowl, and the ... | 09/15/1992 |
| 5143470 | Device for pivotable linkage between two levers The end of the lever (2b) ends in a fork that receives the lever (5b) between its tines (6a, 6b). Each time (6a, 6b) has a recess (9) made on its inner face. This recess (9) is parallel to this inner face and extends longitudinally of this tine, thus open... | 09/01/1992 |
| 4930184 | Hinge assembly for connecting a float to a base A hinge assembly means for connecting a float to a base includes a male member means connected to one of the base and the float having a cylindrical outwardly extending boss and a female member means connected to the other of the base and the float having... | 06/05/1990 |
| 4777839 | Device for damping vibrations in a gear change mechanism for vehicles In vehicles, it is usual that vibrations and noise occurring in the vehicle engine and transmission are propagated to the gear change lever via a transmission rod. To surmount these problems, an improved transmission rod consists of two axially separated ... | 10/18/1988 |
| 4653951 | Zero free-play joint for deployable space structures A hinged butt joint for connecting struts to multijoint fittings used in space structures is disclosed as two end fittings pivoted together, one of which is bifurcated and the other having a cammed butt end extending between the bifurcation with a pivot p... | 03/31/1987 |
| 4514878 | Reversible adjustable torsion door closer A torsion spring door closer assembly for use with a in-swinging, out-swinging, right-handed or left-handed door. The door closer assembly is reversible so that it can be easily adapted to the various door styles above. Further, the closing force provided... | 05/07/1985 |
| 4487391 | Seat adjustment mechanism particularly for a motor vehicle seat A seat adjustment mechanism especially suited for motor vehicle seats is composed of at least one motor mechanism for adjustably moving a seat member through a drive connection having at least two mutually engaging force transmission parts. In order to av... | 12/11/1984 |
| 4262831 | Traffic cone rack for mounting on a vehicle A traffic cone rack adapted to be mounted on a bumper, a floor or side panel of a vehicle. The device includes an elongated body portion adapted for securing to a portion of a vehicle. A cone support bail projects outward from the body for receiving traff... | 04/21/1981 |
| 4219067 | Anti-rattle curtain assembly An anti-rattle element for a curtain of a closure, the curtain having a corrugated surface and, adjacent to its edges, either a strap riveted to crests of each corrugation or bridges extending across the troughs of the corrugations. The strap or bridges f... | 08/26/1980 |
| 4208162 | Backhoe wedge locking mechanism A backhoe frame is attached to the main frame of a host tractor vehicle at four points. A pair of upper mounting pins each pass consecutively through an outboard restraining plate in the vehicle main frame, a backhoe mounting collar integral with the back... | 06/17/1980 |
| 4139245 | Vibration damping in machine element bearings Vibration damping annular elastomeric members are mounted between outer spherical bearing members and elements which are attached to inner spherical bearing members to prevent vibrations between the elements and the outer bearing members. The elastomeric ... | 02/13/1979 |
| 4109899 | Shock absorbing device with restoring inhibiting means Shock absorber effectively absorbs shock to bumper of automobile by compressive deformation of cushion, regardless of direction from which shock comes. Shock absorber comprises hollow tubular cushion placed within cylinder having one end closed. Plunger f... | 08/29/1978 |
| 4072431 | Antirotation clip Disclosed is a spring clip for attachment to an object to provide bearing surfaces thereon for engagement with a mating member. The bearing surfaces engage the mating member to preclude or limit rotation of the object in a predetermined axis while allowin... | 02/07/1978 |
| 4008905 | Hitch adapter An agricultural tractor as a rearwardly extending drawbar and a rearward PTO output shaft connectible to an input drive shaft on a trailing PTO driven implement through a telescoping drive assembly, which includes front and rear universal joints. The draw... | 02/22/1977 |
| 4005612 | Preloaded anti-rattle device An anti-rattling device which also preloads the actuated device and includes a link supporting and guiding the actuated device, with the anti-rattling mechanism including a resilient roller positioned to engage a cam surface on the link, the cam surface b... | 02/01/1977 |
