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 |
| 7407351 | Rotatable tool comprising a shank, a drawbar and a cutting head A rotatable tool includes a shank rotatable about a longitudinal axis, a drawbar mounted to an axial front end of the shank, and a cutting head mounted to an axial front end of the drawbar. The shank and the drawbar include mutually engageable screw threads which im... | 08/05/2008 |
| 7351020 | High security fastener constructions A series of high security fastener constructions feature rotatable anti-theft shrouds mounted on locking wheel nuts and wheel bolts designed for vehicular wheels. Each construction features (1) a fastener body having a first body end adapted to accommodate a key rec... | 04/01/2008 |
| 7278341 | Structural bolt security apparatus A structural bolt security apparatus includes a security nut forming a threaded central hole for a bolt; the security nut has a groove in an upper surface and/or a side surface. At least one groove is at least partially separated from the threaded central hole by th... | 10/09/2007 |
| 7228935 | Attachment pin for an exhaust-gas muffler The invention relates to an attachment pin (1) for fixing an exhaust-gas muffler (2) in an apparatus part (4) of a portable handheld work apparatus (5) driven by an internal combustion engine. The exhaust-gas muffler (2) includes e... | 06/12/2007 |
| 7188554 | Medical fastener and tool A drive system for a surgical fastener is composed of a drive tool with a drive tip that mates closely with the recess formed in the head of a threaded fastener. The surgical fastener has a head with a quadrilobe fitting therein which closely mates with the quardilo... | 03/13/2007 |
| 7162939 | Tamperproof screw, combination with screwdriver bit, and header punch for manufacturing tamperproof screw Related to a tamperproof screw to which a conventional general screwdriver cannot couple so that screw tightening is prevented reliably, to a screwdriver bit that can be simply and quickly coupled to the screw and can reliably prevent a come-out phenomenon during sc... | 01/16/2007 |
| 7156598 | Waffle stud for insert molded plastic members A fastener is configured for use in the manufacture of molded plastic components that will be subsequently attached to other components by the fastener. The low profile head portion of the fastener has a rounded contoured and convoluted top surface to facilitate the... | 01/02/2007 |
| 7150211 | Screw and driver therefor A screw (10) has a threaded shank (12) and a head (14). The head has a recess (18) that comprises three lobes (18a,b,c). Each lobe is separated by a curved drive flange (20a,b,c,). A driver (100) has a d... | 12/19/2006 |
| 7134454 | Cap for blocking a pipe A cap for blocking a pipe. The pipe has a rim at an end thereof. The rim defines a pipe aperture. The cap includes a body for blocking the pipe aperture, the body including a bore having a threaded bore portion. A latch is movably mounted on the body for movement be... | 11/14/2006 |
| 7128513 | Screw and driver therefor A screw (10) has a threaded shank (12) and a head (14). The head has a recess (18) that comprises three lobes (18a, b, c). Each lobe is separated by a curved drive flange (20a, b, c). A driver (100) has ... | 10/31/2006 |
| 7097402 | Lock nut A lock nut comprising a solid nut body having a flange, from which a neck projection extends axially, being provided at its end surface with an annular shroud, from which at least two claws extend radially. ... | 08/29/2006 |
| 7013767 | Screwdriver/screw unit A screwdriver element includes two bits, each with a sinuous distal tip end and a screw element includes a head having an X-shaped slot that has sinuous side walls. The bit distal tips have a left-handed shape and a right-handed shape and the side walls of the screw... | 03/21/2006 |
| 7004701 | Tamper resistant rotably shrouded security cap and tool A tamper resistant rotably shrouded security cap and tool for preventing unauthorized access to a fluid handling system. The shroud and cap have cooperating engagement means that allows the shroud to rotate freely about the security cap, such that a grip on the shro... | 02/28/2006 |
| 6997085 | Threaded-fastener wrenching structure, threaded fastener and wrenching tool A threaded fastener capable of being reduced in size and weight. A pair of side wall surfaces of each of six radially outwardly projecting, torque transmitting portions lie on straight lines passing through the center line in a cross section perpendicular to the cen... | 02/14/2006 |
| 6969057 | Method and apparatus for adjusting and positioning air caps A device and a method are provided for positioning an air cap of a pneumatically aided atomizer. The air cap has air horns extending from its face to provide flows of air to aid in atomizing and shaping the atomized particle stream. The method and apparatus contempl... | 11/29/2005 |
| 6932822 | Spinal implant, driver tool and nut guide A driver tool for a spinal implant having an implant body and an anchoring screw portion, and a nut member screwed onto a head portion of the implant body and having an upper wall formed with a tool engagement groov. The driver tool includes an elongated shaft, and ... | 08/23/2005 |
| 6908273 | Security fixing for machine guard A releasable security fixing system comprising a bolt (3) having a head and a shank. A security nut (7) which is engageable threadingly with the shank of the bolt and a cupped collar (5) having a hole in the cupped end to fit over the shank of t... | 06/21/2005 |
| 6840483 | Cable feed bushing and method of installing a cable through a wall or other structure A cable feed bushing and method of installing a cable through a wall or other structure. In one embodiment, the bushing has a conically-shaped body and a head portion formed thereon. Threads or other retainer formations are provided on the exterior surface of the bo... | 01/11/2005 |
| 6776565 | Structure of an anti-burglar screw bolt An improved structure of an anti-burglar screw bolt having a pad and a nut, the bolt including a bolt head and a bolt shaft, characterized in that the bolt head is hexagonal with the inner edges being arranged with equal angle and provided with sloping faces continu... | 08/17/2004 |
| 6428354 | Coaxial connector fastening system A coaxial connector assembly for mounting in an aperture in a stiff plate includes a barrel having a shoulder at its rear end for engaging an interior surface of the mounting plate and an external screw thread intermediate the front and rear ends of the b... | 08/06/2002 |
| 6357981 | Fastener structure A fastener comprising an elongated body having a longitudinal axis and an outer surface and first and second ends, a separate seating configuration on the first end, a ridge extending circumferentially about the body adjacent to the seating configuration,... | 03/19/2002 |
| 6302888 | Locking dovetail and self-limiting set screw assembly for a spinal stabilization member A spinal implant assembly is provided which has a stabilizer rod clamped into position within an anchor by means of a sliding closure member including a mating set screw or hook. The exterior faces of the anchor are contoured to optimize interface in the ... | 10/16/2001 |
| 6148699 | Screwdriver and screw A screwdriver has a shaft with a bit on one end for engaging a bit receptacle formed on a head of a screw and a screw engaging device coupled to and in surrounding relation to the shaft. The screw engaging device defines a cylindrical void configured to r... | 11/21/2000 |
| 6092968 | Fastener structure A fastener comprising an elongated body having a longitudinal axis and an outer surface and first and second ends, a separate seating configuration on the first end, a ridge extending circumferentially about the body adjacent to the seating configuration,... | 07/25/2000 |
| 6077267 | Absorbable bone screw and tool for its insertion A bone screw comprises a threaded shank having an axis of rotation. A head is integral with the shank, and the head includes a surface disposed generally normal to the axis. A plurality of drive receivers are disposed about the surface wholly remote from ... | 06/20/2000 |
| 6039524 | Self-locking safety wheel nut with locking wrench A wedge lock fastener assembly includes a threaded nut having a peripheral flange, a wedge lock end face, and plural wrench-receiving notches in said flange. An associated washer has a peripheral skirt encircling the nut flange, a wedge lock face, and plu... | 03/21/2000 |
| 6036419 | Fastener structure A fastener comprising an elongated body having a longitudinal axis and an outer surface and first and second ends, a seating configuration on the first end, a ridge extending circumferentially about the body adjacent to the seating configuration, a plural... | 03/14/2000 |
| 5928236 | Locking pin or screw device for an osteosynthesis plate or for the coaptation of bone fragments A one piece pin, adapted to be driven by a motor, includes a threaded rod having a self drilling end at one end of the threads of the rod. The self drilling end includes a transversely positioned flat portion integral with the rod having a drilling edge w... | 07/27/1999 |
| 5901424 | Trocar button There is provided a trocar button having an enlarged flat head at the larger exterior end connecting with a conical body and a pointed bulbous end. The large part of the conical body connects with the enlarged flat head. Between the small part of the coni... | 05/11/1999 |
| 5863166 | Anti-theft locking device A device for locking bicycle components to the bicycle frame comprises a threaded bolt with a corresponding nut having a rotatable casing surrounding the outer surface thereof and a key for engaging the nut. The key and the end face of the nut have at lea... | 01/26/1999 |
| 5833419 | Angularly accessible head for threaded connector The angularly accessible head for a threaded connector comprises a spherical structure having a centered slot therein, the slot having a bottom surface or wall in the shape of an inverted V, with a center point thereof extending toward and terminating bel... | 11/10/1998 |
| 5762457 | Threaded fastener with longitudinal grooves A threaded fastener having an elongated threaded shaft portion, an enlarged head portion connected in axial alignment to said shaft portion, and a plurality of longitudinal grooves positioned circumferentially around said head portion. The fastener has a ... | 06/09/1998 |
| 5673976 | Spoke nipples, wheels including such nipples, and wrenches for such nipples Nipples, for example, useful in joining a spoke to the rim of a bicycle wheel, are provided. Such nipples include an enlarged head, and an elongated shank joined to and extending from the enlarged head and having an outer peripheral surface; and a passage... | 10/07/1997 |
| 5647253 | Method and apparatus for a theft resistant fastener This invention relates to a method and apparatus for fastening two members together with a theft resistant screw having a head with a top surface which is free of any engageable indentations or protrusions, with an independent means to drive the screw.... | 07/15/1997 |
| 5628602 | Anti-theft hub nut for vehicle wheels The present invention provides a device for protecting automobile wheels from being stolen, wherein the barrel portion of a hub nut to be tightened onto a hub bolt of an automobile wheel is shaped as a turning operative engaging surface in the form of a q... | 05/13/1997 |
| 5606898 | Angularly accessible head for threaded connector and cooperating tool The angularly accessible head for a threaded connector comprises a spherical structure having a centered slot therein, the slot having a bottom surface or wall in the shape of an inverted V, with a point thereof extending toward the center of the sphere. ... | 03/04/1997 |
| 5575602 | Multiple-armed nut A nut device and corresponding tool of such shape to aid in the ease of removal from a threaded bolt, stud, or the like. The principal intended use of this invention is for fastening the wheels of a vehicle to the vehicle's axle, but could easily be appli... | 11/19/1996 |
| 5409339 | U-bolt clamping mechanism The invention consists of two gear teethed nuts meshed together in an arrangement that causes both the nuts to move at the same rate of speed and in the same direction up or down the threaded rod arms of a U-bolt clamp whenever one of the nuts is turned. ... | 04/25/1995 |
| 5382057 | Manifold for a front-discharge fluid end reciprocating pump A manifold for a front-discharge fluid end reciprocating pump. The manifold comprises tubular portions which are connected to ports on the pump by threaded engagement of a plurality of nuts. The manifold has a center portion and at least one branch portio... | 01/17/1995 |
| 5378101 | Tamper-proof drive system based upon multi-lobular configuration A tamper-proof drive system including a drive tool and a complementary nut or fastener drive head each having a body defining a central axis and a drive portion formed in an end surface of the body about the central axis. The drive portion defines a plura... | 01/03/1995 |
