...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 |
| 8187157 | Microtome blade changing apparatus for a knife holder of a microtome, and microtome A microtome blade changing apparatus for a knife holder (1) of a microtome comprises a blade dispenser (4) storing unused blades and a blade container (5) for receiving used blades. The blade dispenser (4) and blade container (5) a... | 05/29/2012 |
| 8177696 | Method and apparatus for milling thermal barrier coated metals A method is provided for milling a thermal barrier coated metal part. This method includes selectively removing a portion of a ceramic coating using a mechanical cutting tool, thereby forming a counterbore, and machining the metal part through the counterbore. A dri... | 05/15/2012 |
| 7635326 | Device comprising a tool holder and a removably attachable tool The inventive device comprises a tool holder (1), which can be displaced in an x-direction, in a y-direction that is perpendicular thereto, and in a z-direction that is perpendicular to both the x-direction and the y-direction, and which can rotate about the ... | 12/22/2009 |
| 7513857 | Device having a tool holder and a tool which can be secured removeably The inventive device comprises a tool holder, which can be displaced in an x-direction, in a y-direction that is perpendicular thereto, and in a z-direction that is perpendicular to both the x-direction and the y-direction, and which can rotate about the z-direction... | 04/07/2009 |
| 7452315 | Tool exchange device and tool Step portions with an L-shaped section each having a vertical restriction surface and a horizontal engagement surface are provided on both sides of a main body portion of a tool. On one side of a holding portion placing and holding a mounted tool to be exchanged, a ... | 11/18/2008 |
| 7438676 | Automatic tool changer of laser beam machine The invention provides a torch changer with a large capacity for a flying optics-type laser beam machine. A table 15 of the laser beam machine is fixed, and a laser beam working head 50 moves in three axial directions. A torch changing unit 300 ... | 10/21/2008 |
| 7404786 | Processing machine arrangement with a robot and a tool magazine A processing machine arrangement includes a processing machine with at least one tool spindle and with a tool magazine for offering tools to the processing machine for the machining of a workpiece. A method for the operation of such a processing machine arrangement ... | 07/29/2008 |
| 7374524 | Method, system and program product for enabling rapid connection of automated tools to a device network A tool changer includes a tool attachment mechanism and a changer electronics module. The changer electronics module implements a tool changer node on a device network for the tool changer and a tool plate node on the device network for a tool plate of an automated ... | 05/20/2008 |
| 7374525 | SCARA-type robotic system A robotic system including a rotatable turntable that has an arm pivotally mounted on the turntable for rotation about an axis displaced from the turntable's rotational axis. The arm's axis of rotation may be positioned nearer the turntable's axis of rotation than a... | 05/20/2008 |
| 7367930 | Automatic tool changer of laser beam machine The invention provides a rotation-type changer of torches and nozzles for a laser beam machine having a movable table. The automatic tool changer 100 of a laser beam machine is equipped with a plurality of torch holders 160 and a nozzle changer 170 | 05/06/2008 |
| 7347120 | Robot of SCARA type A SCARA robot has a robot console, a first robot arm articulated on the robot console and swivelable about a first swivel axis, a second swivel arm articulated on the first swivel arm and swivelable around the second swivel axis extending substantially parallel to t... | 03/25/2008 |
| 7336814 | Method and apparatus for machine-vision A system and method facilitate machine-vision, for example three-dimensional pose estimation for target objects, using one or more images sensors to acquire images of the target object at one or more positions, and to identify features of the target object in the re... | 02/26/2008 |
| 7309306 | Machine tool A machine tool comprises a main body having a plurality of parts and an NC apparatus connected to the main body. The NC apparatus includes a display means for displaying a part information about the plurality of parts constituting the main body, a memory means for m... | 12/18/2007 |
| 7306551 | Tool exchange device and tool Step portions with an L-shaped section each having a vertical restriction surface and a horizontal engagement surface are provided on both sides of a main body portion of a tool. On one side of a holding portion placing and holding a mounted tool to be exchanged, a ... | 12/11/2007 |
| 7282017 | Tool-switching device Tool-switching device for a machine for measuring coordinates wherein the tool is fastened on the tool-carrier and held by the action of elements exerting an axial force. The locking force is taken over symmetrically by the elements of a Boys connection, which incre... | 10/16/2007 |
| 7278192 | Lathe for machining optical workpieces A lathe for machining optical workpieces, in particular spectacle lenses, comprises a fast tool arrangement and a workpiece spindle arrangement. A machine frame is cast monolithically from polymer concrete and on and in which all the functional surfaces, functional ... | 10/09/2007 |
| 7223221 | Column moving type machine tool with shield machining space A machine tool capable of reducing the lateral width of the upper part thereof by reducing the lateral width of a bed (1) while machining through the same lateral moving distance of a spindle (10) as before, comprising longitudinal guide rails (2 | 05/29/2007 |
| 7217229 | Apparatus for automatically changing a robot tool tip member An apparatus for automatically changing a tool tip member for a robot includes a tip member changing jig disposed in an operational area of the robot. The tip member changing jig includes a base member, a rotating member supported by the base member so as to be rota... | 05/15/2007 |
| 7204792 | Apparatus for automatically changing a robot tool tip member An apparatus for automatically changing a tool tip member for a robot includes a tip member changing jig disposed in an operational area of the robot. The tip member changing jig includes a base member, a rotating member supported by the base member so as to be rota... | 04/17/2007 |
| 7179214 | Splitting blade changing device for block splitter A splitting blade changing device for a block splitter, comprising a revolving mechanism in which an upper rotary member is suspended by a supporting plate which is moved up and down by a cylinder installed in an upper part of a gate-like frame, a plurality of upper... | 02/20/2007 |
| 7175578 | Rotary die cutter with rectilinear split die cylinder translation A rotary die cutter having an anvil cylinder that is operable alternately with one of a pair of die cylinders includes a vertical support and rectilinear translation arrangement that permits selective repositioning of each of the die cylinders between an operative p... | 02/13/2007 |
| 7169100 | Tool change magazine for laser beam machine The invention aims at providing a tool change magazine for laser beam machine to improve machining efficiency of a laser beam machine by installing a tool change magazine containing laser machining tools equipped with a torch and a nozzle replaceably attached to the... | 01/30/2007 |
| 7156795 | Tool change system for a machine A plurality of atomizers or other tools are disposed in a mounting plate (10) in storage places (12), respectively. The mounting plate (10) is rotatable relative a paint robot of a coating installation and has a pneumatic lock or a tool holder (... | 01/02/2007 |
| 7146777 | Packaging machine for cigarettes For the production of (cigarette) packs of different configurations, for example standard pack (13), round-edged pack (14) or octagonal pack (15), subassemblies and elements of the packaging machine are exchanged and/or uncoupled from the drive.... | 12/12/2006 |
| 7129441 | Nozzle change magazine for laser beam machine A nozzle change magazine for laser beam machine which improves machining efficiency of a laser beam machine by installing a nozzle change magazine for laser machining tools equipped with a torch and a nozzle replaceably attached to the tip of the torch. A setup stat... | 10/31/2006 |
| 7111390 | Parts mounting and assembling apparatus An apparatus combining a high-speed high-precision characteristic equivalent to that of a die bonder and a flexibility of coping quickly with a process variation and product variation along with size reduction and economics. This apparatus comprises a base unit incl... | 09/26/2006 |
| 7104169 | Machine tool and bed structure thereof A machine tool includes X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis moving units for producing relative movements between a tool and a workpiece; a C-axis drive unit for rotating the workpiece about a C-axis parallel to the Z-axis; and a B-axis turning unit for turning the tool abou... | 09/12/2006 |
| 7081076 | Device for automatically mounting and dismantling tools on a robot Device for automatically mounting and dismantling tools (10) on a robot (16), comprising means (1) for storing a number of identical fresh tools (10) and means (11) for centering one of these tools (10) in a position for aut... | 07/25/2006 |
| 7024783 | Apparatus for changing operating modules on a coordinate positioning machine A storage port (20) for separating a magnetically coupled task module (18) from a modular probe (16) mounted on a machine comprises a housing (22) and arm (24) receivable by the task module (18). A mechanism is provided for ... | 04/11/2006 |
| 7012212 | EDM drill An EDM drill comprised of an automated electrode tube replacing means to allow fully automated and continuous working on holes; and further comprised of an electrode tube guide selection device to allow fully automated and continuous working on holes of various diam... | 03/14/2006 |
| 6921877 | EDM drill An EDM drill is provided which includes an automated electrode tube replacing mechanism for fully automated and continuous operation. The EDM drill further includes an electrode tube guide selection device to allow the fully automated and continuous operation on hol... | 07/26/2005 |
| 6840895 | Tool side robotic safety interlock A robotic tool changer with an improved safety interlock includes a master unit, a tool unit, and a coupler movable between coupled and decoupled positions and operative to couple the master and tool units. A circuit for actuating the coupler is associated with the ... | 01/11/2005 |
| 6773381 | Device for interchanging suction pipettes The invention relates to a device for interchanging suction pipettes which can be removed from a magazine and coupled to a fitting head of a fitting device and detached from the fitting head and deposited in the magazine. The fitting head has, on its side facing the... | 08/10/2004 |
| 6740839 | Transporting and positioning device for tool magazine of machine tool A transporting and positioning device for tool magazine of a bridge type machine tool comprises a pair of parallel guide-ways on a plate, a seat slidably mounted on the guide-ways for supporting the tool magazine, a drive mechanism including a cylinder, an extendabl... | 05/25/2004 |
| 6666803 | Automatic machine In an automatic machine for wrapping items for the tobacco industry, a manipulator is designed to transfer at least one interchangeable processing tool toward and away from an operating position, the processing tool being mounted on a frame of the automat... | 12/23/2003 |
| 6645132 | Compound machining device A machining device comprising five axial kinetic coordinate systems that can be controlled simultaneously, three axes of which are linear moving axes and two axes of which are rotary axes, with one axis of the five axes being provided with a tool rotating... | 11/11/2003 |
| 6519823 | Machine tool A machine tool capable of reducing the vibration of a spindle head to enable a high-precision machining, wherein a column (2) is mounted fixedly onto a bed (1), a first saddle (4) forming a square frame body of rectangular cross-section is mounted on the ... | 02/18/2003 |
| 6491612 | Stud welding tool changer Disclosed is an apparatus for passing solid objects for use in a robotic tool changing system. The apparatus comprises a housing mounted on either a master assembly or a tool assembly. A tubular member is disposed in the housing and defines a passage thro... | 12/10/2002 |
| 6409642 | Assembling device An assembling device for supplying and assembling a part on an object has a table and a first moving portion disposed above the table, where the first moving portion includes a guide and a movable body. The guide extends in a first direction parallel to a... | 06/25/2002 |
| 6021361 | Robot control system When the amount of a change in load current supplied to a grinder is not more than a predetermined threshold value, the amount of piercing into a workpiece by the grinder is controlled according to the load current. When the amount of a change in load cur... | 02/01/2000 |