Did You Know...
...that Charles Goodyear performed some of his experiments on rubber while in debtor's prison? He was there so often he referred to it as his "hotel". Chronically in debt because of poor business sense and ill health, Goodyear depended on the generosity of friends and family. Even after he unlocked the secret to vulcanizing rubber, he was unable to improve his financial situation. When he died, his estate was $200,000 in debt.
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7377714 | Mechanical joint for collapsible structures A mechanical joint is formed from a hollow structure of material that can be shaped so that bringing opposite sides of the external walls forming the hollow together forms a socket. For example, by compressing together opposite external sides of a hollow structure, ... | 05/27/2008 |
| 7086115 | Battery-operated hand held duster A cordless hand held duster comprising a handle and a small feather duster head attachable thereto. An internal battery and motor provides power to rotate or vibrate the duster head for removing dust and debris. The duster head can attach directly to the tool for du... | 08/08/2006 |
| 7021091 | Cable security system A security system for confining movement of an object to a predetermined area. The security system has a cable, with a length, and a housing. The housing is guidable slidingly along the length of the cable and capable of being fixed at a plurality of different locat... | 04/04/2006 |
| 6920887 | Connector for a rib and a spreader of a parasol A connector for a rib and a spreader of a parasol includes a metal connector body and an inner block made of plastic. The connector body has an upper clamp portion for each rib to fit therein, and two studs extending down from the connector body and defining an inne... | 07/26/2005 |
| 6234706 | Locking device for a rectilinearly displaceable component A locking device for a rectilinearly displaceable component has a catch spring, which interacts with a catch groove of the component. The catch spring is made of spring wire and has two legs, which are intended to contact opposite surfaces of a wall, wher... | 05/22/2001 |
| 6158915 | Attachment member for board materials An attachment member 11 for board materials 2 such as heat insulating materials and the like comprises an affixing plate part 5 which is affixed to the substrate surface 3a of a body 3, a support plate part 6 which extends approximately perpendicularly wi... | 12/12/2000 |
| 5730545 | Apparatus for fastening the end of a spring steel strip An apparatus for fastening an end of a spring steel strip subjected to high tension. The end of the spring steel strip is clamped positively between two flat surfaces of two retainers in different positions, ensuring absolute security against loosening. F... | 03/24/1998 |
| 5655864 | Expansible fixing plug In an expansible fixing plug having an internal bore passing right through the plug body into which an expansion bolt in the form of a nail or screw is to be driven, the internal bore is arranged helically wound around the center line and at least for a p... | 08/12/1997 |
| 5411308 | Girder assembly for a light alloy motor vehicle body In a light-metal vehicle body, a girder assembly joins a first longitudinal girder member located in a forecarriage region of the vehicle body to a second, laterally offset, and generally longitudinally oriented side sill member. The girder assembly inclu... | 05/02/1995 |
| 5338128 | Drywall joint finishing tool An apparatus (10) for adapting a drywall skim box (44) to an extension pole (16) to permit application of finishing compound to joints in locations remote from the user (54), such as in extended or high walls. The apparatus (10) includes a curved arm (24)... | 08/16/1994 |
| 5271611 | Arm for suspending a vibrating member An arm for suspending a vibrating member is disclosed. The arm has low bending stiffness in two mutually perpendicular first and second directions (x and z), and high stiffness in compression and in traction in a third direction (y) perpendicular to the f... | 12/21/1993 |
| 5235998 | Rib structure of multiple-fold umbrella A rib structure of multiple-fold umbrella having enchanced strength and allowing to be opened and closed more smoothly characterized essentially in that the outermost end of the inner intermediate main rib is formed into a bifurcated portion within which ... | 08/17/1993 |
| 5050932 | Shaped junction portions of tubes of an articulated seat frame In the shaped junction portion, each end of the seat and back frame is deformed in order to obtain a flattened portion in a central area conveniently stiffened by thickened areas, raised edges, or protruding outer lips providing thereby for a perfect appl... | 09/24/1991 |
| 4773437 | Portable blind A portable blind for hunting having a support structure which is laterally expandable by interconnecting identical frames to each other and to a standard member, each frame having a connecting portion adapted to be received within a loop of an adjacent fr... | 09/27/1988 |
| 4745663 | Fastening device for a rope A fastening device for a rope; the fastening device serving as an attachment hook, a tie-down binder, or a rope joiner, all without the use of knots in the rope or ropes. The device includes a shank having a hook at one end and an open loop at the other e... | 05/24/1988 |
| 4698863 | Combined bed frame and bed spring assembly A bed spring assembly comprising a rectangular frame having a pair of end members and a pair of side members and arcuate corners joining said side members to said end members, said members having top and bottom walls, each bottom wall having a cut out subtendi... | 10/13/1987 |
| 4653952 | Fabricated tee An improved welded structural joint in the form of a fabricate tee and method for making same is described which comprises a transverse member and a strut member abutting at one end to the transverse member intermediate its ends, and one or a pair of U me... | 03/31/1987 |
| 4620096 | Thermal developing and transferring method A method and apparatus for developing and transferring an image from a sheet of thermally developing photo-sensitive paper N containing a mobile pigment to a sheet of print paper P containing a pigment fixer, comprising a thermal developer 4 of the photo-... | 10/28/1986 |
| 4615368 | Apparatus for detachably fastening lateral cable in tire chain A novel apparatus for detachably securing together the opposed ends of a lateral cable in a tire chain mounted on a tire. The apparatus includes a plurality of spaced-apart anchor members mounted on one end of the lateral cable and a generally U-shaped cl... | 10/07/1986 |
| 4595084 | Drum brakes The invention concerns the construction of a blank with a view to manufacturing a handbrake control lever (34) for a drum brake. The blank defines two fingers situated essentially at the extension of the body of the blank, one of the fingers is to be fold... | 06/17/1986 |
| 4473318 | Passive structures tubing connector terminal A fatigue-resistant terminal for tubing used in passive structures by which the tubing member of the structure may be bolted or otherwise fastened in face-to-face contact with another member of the structure. The connector terminal contact face on one sid... | 09/25/1984 |
| 4435102 | Tie down connector A connector is disclosed herein for releasably securing a hooked end of a bungee cord to a supporting element which includes a linear body section terminating at one end in a double socket holder for engaging the supporting element and terminating at its ... | 03/06/1984 |
| 4380404 | Clevis thimble connector A clevis thimble connector embodies an elongated body member having a clevis at one end for connection to a supporting structure and a thimble at the other end for receiving the loop end of a conductor. A laterally projecting member extends perpendicular ... | 04/19/1983 |
| 4365653 | Apparatus for coupling a harness-motion to a harness frame of a loom An apparatus for coupling a harness-motion to a harness frame, the coupling end of the harness-motion being a harness-motion hook having a jaw capable of receiving a correspondingly shaped counterpiece secured to the harness frame, the harness-motion hook... | 12/28/1982 |
| 4354799 | Connector for wire rope A cable suspension system for a rotary drum is disclosed which includes cable tension adjustment features providing dynamic load equalization, traction control and variable load distribution. The system includes an endless cable and at least one set of ax... | 10/19/1982 |
| 4193247 | Panel mounting clip A panel mounting clip is adapted to connect metal roof panels to roof purlins and comprises a base part that is fastened to the purlin and a flexible tab part that is resiliently and slidably connected at one end to the base and at the other end is interl... | 03/18/1980 |
| 4138141 | Force absorbing device and force transmission device A force absorbing device and a force transmission device are provided including at least one member having a tubular configuration. A second member extends into one end of the tubular member and engages it in an interference fit to form a permanent joint.... | 02/06/1979 |
| 4092024 | Support post for game net An elongate support post is held in an upright position by the lower end thereof which is detachably received in a socket extending subterraneously from the surface of a game court. The support member has a channel at the top thereof which receives the up... | 05/30/1978 |
| 4065903 | Fixation and/or support means Fixation of an artefact to a support means, such as of cement panels as exterior cladding for buildings, a reinforced plastics compressor blade or a ceramic turbine blade to a rotary hub member, or of an electric insulator of longitudinally reinforced pla... | 01/03/1978 |
| 4005548 | Plant support A plant support comprising a plurality of interchangeable upright support rods each of which is provided with a plurality of longitudinally spaced cross wire holders. A plurality of identical, interchangeable, cross wires are each endwardly equipped with ... | 02/01/1977 |
| 3952375 | Double clamping rings The invention relates to a double clamping ring suitable for clamping coaxial or non-coaxial couplings of members having a circular or non-circular cross-section, or a tubular cross-section. Said ring consists of a single piece of metal or non-metallic wi... | 04/27/1976 |
