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 |
| 7370510 | Shock apparatus One embodiment of a shock apparatus comprises a plurality of impact objects spatially ordered according to decreasing mass along a substantially linear path; a guide to guide movement of the impact objects along the path; and a plurality of spacers, one spacer betwe... | 05/13/2008 |
| 7359121 | System and method for tracking and assessing movement skills in multidimensional space Accurate simulation of sport to quantify and train performance constructs by employing sensing electronics for determining, in essentially real time, the player's three dimensional positional changes in three or more degrees of freedom (three dimensions); and comput... | 04/15/2008 |
| 7299686 | System and method for testing the compaction of soil A device for determining soil compaction includes a control member fitted with one or more sensors that measure the response of the control member during co-action between the control member and a soil surface. In one embodiment, this response can be flexure as char... | 11/27/2007 |
| 7284414 | Hardness testing device A hardness testing device includes an elongated guiding tube, a test member, an impact actuator, and a transducer. The elongated guiding member has a bottom impact opening for contacting with the work piece surface and a coil seat integrally provided on an outer cir... | 10/23/2007 |
| 7150178 | Golf ball COR testing machine The present invention comprises an automated machine for testing the physical properties of spherical objects. Preferably, the apparatus comprises a firing mechanism that includes an inner and outer barrel. An object inside the firing mechanism is propelled towards ... | 12/19/2006 |
| 7127933 | High speed resiliometer An apparatus and method for testing the physical properties of a material is disclosed. Preferably, the physical properties that may be tested include, but are not limited to, the COR of a material. Accordingly, the apparatus includes a projectile that may be capabl... | 10/31/2006 |
| 7038855 | System and method for tracking and assessing movement skills in multidimensional space Accurate simulation of sport to quantify and train performance constructs by employing sensing electronics for determining, in essentially real time, the player's three dimensional positional changes in three or more degrees of freedom (three dimensions); and comput... | 05/02/2006 |
| 6976387 | Hardness measuring device comprising a housing and a penetration body in particular a manual device The hardness measuring device (18) is provided with a) a penetration body (20), which penetrates a workpiece (28) along a penetration vector (58) during a measuring process, b) a housing (30) which embodies a guide track (32... | 12/20/2005 |
| 6354148 | Rebound-type hardness tester A rebound-type hardness tester comprises a tubular member and an indenter hammer for undergoing axial movement therein in forward and rearward directions and for impacting a specimen and rebounding therefrom. A first detecting device detects the indenter ... | 03/12/2002 |
| 5959198 | Method and device for testing the hardness of workpieces and device for carrying out this process The invention concerns a method of testing the hardness of workpieces (22), wherein an impact body (20) is moved onto the workpiece (22) to be tested such that it impinges thereon (along a forward path) and rebounds thereof (along a return path). On both ... | 09/28/1999 |
| 5827953 | Method of testing hardness in rebound type hardness tester An impacting velocity v1 and a rebounding velocity v1 ' of the hammer at a second hammer velocity measurement point 12 a distance x1 apart from a first hammer velocity measurement point 11 in the system of movement of the ... | 10/27/1998 |
| 5686652 | Portable test hammer apparatus A portable test hammer apparatus that produces repeatable and adjustable impacts to make traditional "tap testing" more reliable and quantified. The apparatus includes an impactor head device having a housing sized to be held in a human hand and engageabl... | 11/11/1997 |
| 5390534 | Impact testing device Apparatus to test for the impact strength of a game racket comprising a base plate having an upper surface; a support post extending upwardly from the upper surface of the base plate; a pivot arm having a first end and a second end with clamping component... | 02/21/1995 |
| 5390535 | Drop test device A drop test apparatus (10) for testing the resiliency of playground surfaces (12) includes a drop module (14) and a release mechanism (16) for holding the drop module (14) at an elevated reference height and releasing the drop module (14) to fall to the s... | 02/21/1995 |
| 5282382 | Roll hardness observation testing apparatus and process An apparatus and process is provided for testing the hardness of paper rolls. The apparatus includes a tester that is selectively moveable across a roll of paper. The tester includes an impact anvil which strikes the paper at a selected frequency and whic... | 02/01/1994 |
| 5245862 | Ball testing device A testing device and method for determining the coefficient of restitution of a rebounding object, such as a ball, by comparison of the bounce periods of successive bounces of the ball. The ball is dropped onto the reaction plate from which it is permitte... | 09/21/1993 |
| 5214954 | Portable basketball rim testing device A portable basketball rim rebound testing device 10 is illustrated in two preferred embodiments for testing the rebound or energy absorption characteristics of a basketball rim 12 and its accompanying support to determine likely rebound or energy absorpti... | 06/01/1993 |
| 5197473 | Ocular tonometer for estimation of intraocular pressure using free-falling ball A ball falls freely onto an eyelid-covered cornea, and the kinetic energy of the ball is conversed into a force causing deformation of the cornea. The amount of the ball rebound varies depending on the amount of intraocular pressure and the latter is judg... | 03/30/1993 |
| 5176026 | Apparatus for measuring the surface hardness of building materials An apparatus for measuring the surface hardness of building materials, having a housing comprising a test hammer, a driving spring and an impact pin, said test hammer being moveable by means of said driving spring along a path in said housing to be brough... | 01/05/1993 |
| 5176139 | Method for estimation of intraocular pressure using free-falling ball A ball falls freely onto an eyelid-covered cornea, and the kinetic energy of the ball is conversed into a force causing deformation of the cornea. The amount of the ball rebound varies depending on the amount of intraocular pressure and the latter is judg... | 01/05/1993 |
| 5079728 | Method and apparatus for quantitatively evaluating roll hardness A method and apparatus for testing the hardness of wound rolls, such as paper rolls, which yields quantitative information which is reproducible from roll to roll and under various conditions of testing. The apparatus can be operated much like a backtende... | 01/07/1992 |
| 4951671 | Tonometry apparatus Apparatus for measuring pressure within an eye, includes an air chamber having a deformable wall portion, the air chamber being operatively coupled to a pressure sensor for measuring the pressure within the air chamber, a member interposable between a sur... | 08/28/1990 |
| 4885933 | Hardness impact tester A tester for testing hardness of a tablet formed from a compact of pharmaceutical powders. The tester has a spherical indenter suspended from a wire to impact the tablet to evaluate the hardness thereof. The tablet is contained in a split die holder which... | 12/12/1989 |
| 4883056 | Pneumatic pressure probe A pneumatic pressure probe is disclosed which provides rapid and accurate measurement of fluid pressure in an organ across a membrane but without pressurizing the organ itself. The pneumatic pressure probe includes a sensor head movably mounted by means o... | 11/28/1989 |
| 4729378 | Apparatus for ascertaining the pressure in a plenum chamber A tonometer which is used to measure the tension of eyeballs has a first testing device with a first outwardly bulging deformable wall which can be pressed against the eyeball (either directly or by way of the eyelid) and a second flexible wall which is d... | 03/08/1988 |
| 4509362 | Device for testing game balls A device is disclosed for testing the resilience of a game ball. The device comprises a tubular member having an opening at one end for receiving a game gall to be tested. A striking surface on the other end of the tubular member and calibrated markings a... | 04/09/1985 |
| 4411153 | Sclerometer A hardness testing device which includes a guiding member having an elongated passage with a hammer or striker freely movable therein is a taught. The hammer is held in a desired position and is released to strike the material whose hardness is to be test... | 10/25/1983 |
| 4336710 | Hardness tester A hardness tester comprising a tubular element mounted in an upright position, a ball, and a retaining mechanism for the ball. A passage extends from the retaining mechanism through the tubular element and terminates in an opening adapted to be positioned... | 06/29/1982 |
| 4034603 | Method of an apparatus for testing the hardness of materials A method of, and apparatus for, testing the hardness of a material by means of an impact device wherein an impact body having a test tip or point which is either integrated, e.g., connected with, or separate from, the impact body is brought to impact agai... | 07/12/1977 |
| 4006626 | Method and apparatus for evaluating rebounding characteristics of objects A performance method and apparatus for evaluating the bouncing or rebounding characteristics of objects such as balls used in games, and for evaluating the energy-absorbing and surface characteristics of playing surfaces of games.... | 02/08/1977 |