Did You Know...
...that two musicians were responsible for the invention of color print film? Fascinated by photography, Leopold Godowsky and Leopold Mannes worked together to produce an easy-to-use, practical color film. They worked full time as music teachers and gave concerts while experimenting during their off hours in Mannes' kitchen. Their success earned them full-time, well-paying jobs at Kodak and their efforts resulted in Kodachrome film, which was introduced in 1935.
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7926372 | Sliding track assembly A track assembly includes a track member, which has two parallel sliding grooves arranged in parallel at two sides and two locating holes spaced between the sliding grooves, a sliding member, which has two sliding rails respectively coupled to the sliding grooves of... | 04/19/2011 |
| 7287504 | Over-center actuator The disclosure allows a short runner valve or manifold tuning valve type manifold tuning device to retain sufficient force on the valve assembly in its closed state to eliminate any vibration or chatter from the system under normal engine operation. The disclosure a... | 10/30/2007 |
| 6886589 | Float valve The float valve (11) controls water level e.g. in an associated plant pot. A housing (21) has a water inlet (25) with an inlet port (26), a float (31) able to rise and fall with the level of the water in the housing (21), a ... | 05/03/2005 |
| 6450311 | Automatic operating apparatus for a friction clutch The object is to provide a small-sized automatic operating apparatus for a friction clutch. In an automatic operating apparatus 1 for a friction clutch in which the rotation of a motor 2 is reduced by a reduction mechanism 3 to rotate a crank 4, thereby a... | 09/17/2002 |
| 6269521 | Three link, plural axes hinge system for upward rotational and translational opening of a closure panel A hinge (10) for upwardly moving and rotating a closure panel (20) of a base (14) is provided to improve access and utilization of the area covered by the closure panel (20). The hinge (10) includes two brackets, a closure panel bracket (18) mountable to ... | 08/07/2001 |
| 6244829 | Liquid forced-feed apparatus A liquid forced-feed apparatus has a built-in float in a hermetic vessel provided with a working fluid inlet port, a working fluid discharge port, a forced-feed liquid inlet port, and a forced-feed liquid discharge port. A snap mechanism which is actuated... | 06/12/2001 |
| 6026945 | Automatic operating apparatus for a friction clutch An automatic operating apparatus for a friction clutch is disclosed which apparatus performs the disconnection of the clutch of a transmission by the assistance of the accumulated load in a load accumulator which can perform the accumulation and the relea... | 02/22/2000 |
| 5899631 | Assisted steering linkage for a riding power trowel A torque applying device for use with a steering mechanism for a riding power trowel, wherein the torque applying device is pivotally attached to a steering lever at the first end, and to the frame of the power trowel at a second end and in longitudinal a... | 05/04/1999 |
| 5878623 | Control mechanism for a gearbox A control mechanism is coupled to a gearshift lever which is adapted to control a reversing gearbox having neutral, forward and reverse operational modes. The control mechanism includes a pivot lever which is connected to the gearshift lever and which is ... | 03/09/1999 |
| 5809830 | Control device, especially for a motor vehicle clutch A control device including an electric motor (11), which acts through a transmission (12) on a piston (13) of an actuator (14), a resilient assistor (15) which acts on a member (16) of the transmission (12), and a compensator (17) which provides controlle... | 09/22/1998 |
| 5768094 | Bistable mechanism for collapsing and elevating a keyboard in a portable computer A notebook computer is provided with a collapsible keyboard in which a dome sheet with elastomeric key return dome members thereon is horizontally shiftable through elevation and retraction strokes to respectively shift the keys between elevated operating... | 06/16/1998 |
| 5673588 | Infusion pump retraction mechanism A retraction mechanism is disclosed for retracting and engaging the pumping mechanism assembly of an infusion pump with an infusate flow path. The retraction mechanism provides a linkage which converts rotary motion of a handle about an axis to linear mot... | 10/07/1997 |
| 5671899 | Airborne vehicle with wing extension and roll control The invention is an airborne vehicle. In detail, the invention includes a main body having a longitudinal, lateral and vertical axis. A pair of wings are pivotally mounted to the main body that are movable about an axis of rotation from a retracted positi... | 09/30/1997 |
| 5504293 | Operating mechanism for electrical switches and fault interrupters An operating mechanism that provides multiple operational output states at a first output and additional operational output states at a second output that are synchronized with the first output to provide a predetermined sequence of control. The operating... | 04/02/1996 |
| 5493881 | Electric door lock for vehicle storage compartments A locking system (20) allows a plurality of vehicle service doors (22) to be locked and unlocked by operating a single electrical switch in a suitable location such as the vehicle cab. The locking system (20) includes a lock (24) having a bolt (26) and a ... | 02/27/1996 |
| 5426990 | Over-center toggle linkage valve actuating mechanism with adjustable tension spring preloading A toggle linkage over-center mechanism employs first and second solid, metal links having facing axial ends pivoted to each other for pivoting about a first axis, the first link is pivotably coupled at one end to the fixed support for pivoting about a sec... | 06/27/1995 |
| 5416287 | Circuit breaker slow close mechanism and method of using same The present invention provides a mechanism for controlling the incremental release and subsequent resetting of a charging mechanism to slowly close an electrical contact operating mechanism of a circuit breaker. The slow close mechanism includes a frame d... | 05/16/1995 |
| 5230361 | Snap action toggle valve actuator assembly A snap action toggle valve actuator assembly for use in a fluid holding tank. Movement of a float or other movable actuating element causes pivotal movement of pivot arm, which compresses a spring. When the float element reaches a predetermined level, the... | 07/27/1993 |
| 5146800 | Traffic control barrier Known traffic barriers require heavy duty motors to raise and lower the arm. Accordingly, a traffic barrier arm operating mechanism comprises a component for raising and lowering an arm connected to a drive shaft. A crank arm is mounted on the drive shaft... | 09/15/1992 |
| 4798922 | Spring actuated latch, load and trip mechanism for switchgear Improved blade-type, air dielectric switchgear apparatus is provided having spring loaded, fast acting, operator independent mechanism for selective opening and closing of internal switch contacts. Preferably, the operating mechanism includes a pair of op... | 01/17/1989 |
| 4797642 | Zero-setback sliding load for network analyzer calibration A sliding load for calibrating a microwave network analyzer provides an alignment of its center conductor relative to a reference plane defined by its outer conductor. The sliding load includes a latching assembly which in an unlatched condition allows th... | 01/10/1989 |
| 4754106 | Double cammed push-button switch and methodology for operation of the same A compact, double-throw double-pole push-button electric switch is comprised of: a base; four electric terminals fixed to the base; a lower spring retainer pivoted on the base; a push-button key slidingly disposed and captively retain within a housing con... | 06/28/1988 |
| 4733599 | Apparatus for controlling the flow of a pressure fluid in a motor An apparatus for controlling the flow of a pressure fluid in a motor includes an arm which cooperates with a locking device to regulate the flow of the pressure fluid through a shut-off member or valve. The arm is connected to a lever which is pivotable a... | 03/29/1988 |
| 4723457 | Sudden interlocking and teleunlocking mechanical assembly for a translation switch having automatic reinforced interlocker The sudden interlocking and unlocking mechanism of a translation switch comprises a spring interlocking and spring unlocking rocking device associated in line with a toggle joint mechanism used as interlocker. According to one characteristic of the invent... | 02/09/1988 |
| 4677269 | Isolation switch having a locking bail arm An isolation switch has at least one first cam attached to a blade of the isolation switch, the first cam arranged to rotate about a first axis. At least one second cam is arranged to rotate about a second axis. The first and second cams engage so that ro... | 06/30/1987 |
| 4656323 | Push button electric switch A push button electric switch including a pair of fixedly mounted spaced contacts and an actuator for moving a conductive ball into and out of bridging engagement with the contacts. The actuator is coupled to a toggle mechanism which produces an increasin... | 04/07/1987 |
| 4654494 | Actuating mechanism for an electrical switch with pressure contacts, especially for a vacuum switch A reciprocatingly movable actuating rod is coupled to a longitudinally translatable contact plunger through a linkage and a stationarily arranged S-shaped guideway. A compression spring which is compressible during the course of a switching engagement str... | 03/31/1987 |
| 4605830 | Cammed wire snap switch A snap acting electrical switch in which a frame carries first, second and third wireform contacts and a plunger movable along a first axis. The first and second wireform contacts are biased together along a second axis transverse to the first axis, and a... | 08/12/1986 |
| 4601413 | Snap-acting spring device A hinge apparatus is disclosed, in which at least two flexible strips (1-3) are articulated, each via two articulation grooves (7, 8), to two parts (5, 6) that are movable relative to one another and are substantially cylindrical in embodiment, in such a ... | 07/22/1986 |
| 4583754 | Transmission unit A transmission for muscle-operated vehicles or appliances for converting forward and backward movements into rotational movement having a constant direction of rotation by means of two freewheeling devices which are driven alternately in opposite directio... | 04/22/1986 |
| 4550624 | Reversing mechanism module for a double acting reciprocating pump and method for repairing the pump A module for use with a double-acting reciprocating pump includes a housing removably attached to the body of the pump. The module has a snap-acting reversing mechanism therein operatively associated with a spool valve which alternately directs driving fl... | 11/05/1985 |
| 4535817 | Drive for an oscillatory mechanical system A resiliently prestressed oscillatory system having two discrete operative positions is located by means of toggle levers in the limit positions of the oscillation. One of the toggle levers is in the extended state in the associated operative position and... | 08/20/1985 |
| 4530252 | Long path length mechanism for automatic insertion and ejection of an information carrier A device for automatically inserting and ejecting an information carrier by means of an over-center mechanism, which is actuated manually until the over-center point is reached. The over-center mechanism comprises an eccentric gear which has a diameter wh... | 07/23/1985 |
| 4524637 | Spring-operated mechanism A spring-operated mechanism for actuating a switch gear, etc. comprises a cam member secured to a crankshaft and adapted to be moved thereby. Cam grooves are formed in the cam member such that the distance from the center of the crankshaft is smallest at ... | 06/25/1985 |
| 4466302 | Nutating snap action switch mechanism An electrical switch actuation mechanism is described. Principally useful for keyboard switch data entry devices, the mechanism operates by means of cammed surfaces to produce a generally nutating, rocking snap action. Depression of the key button moves a... | 08/21/1984 |
| 4453425 | Holding mechanism A holding mechanism for holding a workpiece in position during an operation being performed by an operating device (7) passing along the workpiece includes a toggle linkage (1, 2, 3), a projecting member (9) attached to the device, and a cam track (2) con... | 06/12/1984 |
| 4336760 | Earth working apparatus including aerators and material dispensers An earthworking implement comprising a frame on which are supported front wheels, rear wheels and a rearmost dolly wheel. An aerator member with blades is rotatably secured to the frame between the front and rear wheels. The dolly wheel is mounted on the ... | 06/29/1982 |
| 4324324 | Apparatus for declutching a gear selector Agricultural vehicles, such as a forage harvester, have been equipped with metal detectors. The metal detecting device is connected to stop the feed roll mechanism in a fraction of a second. In connection with this, it is important to shift the associated... | 04/13/1982 |
| 4267767 | Position lock A manually operable position lock for a hydraulic actuator (10) adding a cylinder (20) and a piston rod (22) with a stop finger (61) for actuating a push rod (60) to close a valve (32) and prevent fluid egress from the cylinder. The lock includes a pivot ... | 05/19/1981 |
| 4223611 | Vehicle steering apparatus A spring biased over-center linkage transmits a biasing force to opposite guide wheels in alternate sequence for maintaining a selected one of the guide wheels in contact with one of two parallel guide surfaces, depending upon whether the vehicle is opera... | 09/23/1980 |
