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 |
| 7775955 | Cutting tool removal and installation assist device A cutting tool changing device to remove and reinstall a cutting tool in a tool magazine in a machine center is provided. The cutting tool changing device includes a mounting frame and a tool changing jig that slides in a horizontal forward and backward direction al... | 08/17/2010 |
| 7314343 | Miniature manipulator for servicing the interior of nuclear steam generator tubes A manipulator for servicing tubes extending through a tube sheet having three major components: a base member, a block member, and a foot member. The base member has a holder for supporting tooling or inspection devices. The base member also has at least one gripper... | 01/01/2008 |
| 7267642 | Automatic tool changing device and working machine An automatic tool changing device (30) has a tool storage device (31) with a plurality of tools stored therein, a tool chucking unit (41) and a tool unchucking unit (51) both capable of advancing/retreating between the tool storage device... | 09/11/2007 |
| 7250024 | Tool shelf magazine A tool shelf magazine for milling and drilling machines has at least one shelf, a plurality of compartments provided in the shelf above each other at predetermined intervals and also a plurality of notches, which are open on one side accommodating one suspended tool... | 07/31/2007 |
| 6645131 | Hydrostatic tool system An hydrostatic tool system including a tool assembly having a hydrostatic tool holder for holding a rotating tool, for example a machine or cutting tool. The hydrostatic tool system may also include a tool storage system, a tool transport system and a too... | 11/11/2003 |
| 6325748 | Tool transfer device for machine tools A tool transfer device for machine tools that can reduce the tool transfer time and also reduce the cost of the device by eliminating the need for a driving source. The tool transfer device for machine tools has a tool magazine set beside a spindle on whi... | 12/04/2001 |
| 5797825 | Tool conveyer A tool conveyer for use with a machine tool includes: a rotatable first link (15); a first fluid pressure cylinder (17) for driving the first link: a second link (20) rotatably connected at its intermediate portion to an free end of the first link; a tool... | 08/25/1998 |
| 5716310 | Tool change apparatus A tool changer system is disclosed comprising one or more tool grippers together with a pressure foot insert change pod supported on a U-V slide which is independent of the machine work table. The slide services a tool magazine mounted on the machine tool... | 02/10/1998 |
| 5302166 | Tool changer A tool changer is provided in which a rotary tray positioned beneath the forward edge of a machine tool supports a large number of tools in individual cartridges. A tool changer head includes two outwardly projecting tubular members and can be rotated abo... | 04/12/1994 |
| 5121539 | Apparatus and method for cutting stacked sheet-like workpieces A machine for the simultaneous maching of a stack of plate-like workpieces has a frame with an overhead arm portion, a worktable below the arm portion, and a workpiece guidance assembly for moving the workpiece stack on the worktable. A rotary tool drive ... | 06/16/1992 |
| 5068958 | Method and apparatus for changing tools in an automated machine tool An automated tool changer system for a drilling or other type of machine tool system. A gripper apparatus transports tools held in a tool magazine to a tool working unit such as a drill spindle. The tool working unit is supported by an upper support beam ... | 12/03/1991 |
| 5044064 | Machine tool with end effector replacement Automatic machine tool designed for the assembly of mechanical sub-assemblies such as aircraft, automobile and vessel structures, etc., comprising equipment used for rapid coupling and changeover of multi-task end effectors (MTEE), the equipment presentin... | 09/03/1991 |
| 4984352 | Thin panel drilling method and apparatus The invention is directed to a method and apparatus for selectively and simultaneously drilling a plurality of holes in thin panels such as printed circuit boards, while providing for automatic changing of the drill bits, individually or plurally, as requ... | 01/15/1991 |
| 4932117 | Thin panel drilling method and apparatus The invention is directed to a method and apparatus for selectively and simultaneously drilling a plurality of holes in thin panels such as printed circuit boards, while providing for automatic changing of the drill bits, individually or plurally, as requ... | 06/12/1990 |
| 4890969 | Flexible manufacturing apparatus having several parallel, spaced-apart processing machines A flexible manufacturing apparatus having several parallel, spaced-apart processing machines several shelf-like magazines disposed at the rear of the processing machines and extending transverse thereto, and transport mechanisms for conveying tools from t... | 01/02/1990 |
| 4817268 | Method of and arrangement for exchanging tool holders in working units for working of workpieces A method and arrangement for exchanging a variable number of tool holders in which only one tool holder at a time is brought into working position. The operations involved with accessing a variety of holders, one at a time, to a working position requires ... | 04/04/1989 |
| 4773152 | Automatic tool changer A machine tool (1) includes a machine spindle (1b), a tool storage magazine (3, 103) having a plurality of pots (23, 123) for storing a plurality of tools (42, 142) and an automatic tool changer (5) for transferring tools (42, 142) between the tool storag... | 09/27/1988 |
| 4711016 | Flexible manufacturing unit The invention relates to a flexible manufacturing unit with at least two machine tools (1,2) and a transport device (9) movable in rectangular coordinates having receptacles for carriers (8) holding workpieces and for the tools (6). The invention consists... | 12/08/1987 |
| 4654954 | Machine tools A tool handling system for tools 5 of the type having a machining portion and a common base portion 9 (e.g. an international taper) for being engaged by the drive spindle of a workhead, said system being adapted for storing said tools and for moving a sel... | 04/07/1987 |
| 4590661 | Hobbing machine tool changer having vertically and horizontally movable jaws Equipment and method for automatically changing tools on hobbing machines. The machines are of the type equipped with a bedplate to which are connected a pair of uprights, the first of which for supporting a work head and the second of which for supportin... | 05/27/1986 |
| 4528742 | Tool-change device for a machine tool A tool-changing device for a machine tool comprises a tool selector which is movable over a tool storage matrix to select tools from fixed storage locations and transfer them to an exchange position in readiness for mounting on a work head of the machine ... | 07/16/1985 |
| 4510669 | Replaceable gang head machine tool A replaceable gang head machine tool including a machine base, a working unit thereon, plural gang heads on the periphery of the working unit, and an index table on the upper side of the working unit, further including a supporting base positioned above t... | 04/16/1985 |
| 4404729 | Multi-spindle machine tools This invention relates to multi-spindle machine tools of the kind comprising a plurality of tool-carrying spindle heads stored in at least one magazine, said spindle heads being exchangeable as desired for the purpose of performing a tool change, a select... | 09/20/1983 |
| 4354306 | Machine tool having replaceable gang heads A replaceable gang head machine tool comprising a working unit having a driving motor mounted on a slide table adapted to be driven forwardly and rearwardly and an annular rail disposed on the machine base and carrying a plurality of gang heads adapted fo... | 10/19/1982 |
| 4329769 | Apparatus for working on tubesheets A remotely controlled tool for working inside a steam generator hemispherical head on tubes and tube holes and moving along orthogonal x and y axes to conform to the tube layout pattern in the tubesheet.... | 05/18/1982 |
| 4196506 | Tool changer machining center An improved machining center including an automatic tool changer adapted for boring, drilling, milling, tapping and tool changing operations under numerical control. The machine, which may be built in both horizontal spindle and vertical spindle configura... | 04/08/1980 |
| 4110898 | Machine tool A machine tool comprising one or plural storage magazines which are mounted along the vertical direction rotatably around a vertical axis on an upstanding support frame structure at a side of working station. Each of the magazines stores at the periphery ... | 09/05/1978 |
| 4034867 | Handling device A handling device including a head and a linear transfer arm mounted on the head and slideable along a major length dimension of the arm, and a piston and cylinder for driving the linear transfer arm. The cylinder is fixedly mounted on the head and includ... | 07/12/1977 |
| 4012830 | Tool changer for horizontal drilling-milling machines A tool change mechanism for horizontal drilling-milling machines comprising a magazine, a tool spindle, the tools being arranged substantially horizontally and at right-angles to the tool spindle in the magazine. A gripper rocker having a gripper rocker s... | 03/22/1977 |
| 4008518 | Machine tools There is disclosed a tool storage and changing mechanism comprising a rotatable table tool rack having radial sockets to removably hold toolholders, a horizontal arm, forming a track between the tool rack and the machine spindle, carries a mechanical hand... | 02/22/1977 |
| 3932924 | Method of changing tools An automatic tool changer in which tools carried by an indexable magazine are brought to a tool transfer station, from which a first one of two independently pivoted transfer arms of a tool transfer mechanism takes the tool from the magazine and -- by X a... | 01/20/1976 |
