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 |
| 7337870 | Working vehicle with hydraulic continuously variable transmission A working vehicle provided with a hydraulic continuously variable transmission, has a plurality of wheels; a vehicle body supported by the plurality of wheels; a hydraulic continuously variable transmission that is supported by the vehicle body, and that has a speed... | 03/04/2008 |
| 7139653 | Common control interface for diverse automated manual transmissions A gearshift to transmission controller interface is based on a controller area network and a gearshift interface interposed between the gearshift and associated displays and the network bus. The shift controller can be made universal to all transmission types of aut... | 11/21/2006 |
| 7127964 | Pedal arrangement for a motor vehicle with a displacement sensor unit The invention relates to a sensor unit, integrated in a pedal-box, for the determination of the angular position of a pedal lever (1), in the form of an inductive non-contact separation sensor, comprising a stationary sensor head (3) and a sensor eleme... | 10/31/2006 |
| 7104036 | Reverse implement option using reverse pedal A reverse implement option for a tractor or mowing vehicle is activated by moving the reverse foot pedal to an intermediate position. An arm linked to the reverse foot pedal pivots in response to movement of the reverse foot pedal to the intermediate position to act... | 09/12/2006 |
| 7040442 | Motorcycle foot controls A motorcycle is described which includes adjustable foot controls to accommodate different rider sizes. The adjustable rear brake pedal assembly for a motorcycle includes a base plate, a brake pedal and a foot rest attached to a first motorcycle frame stud via a thr... | 05/09/2006 |
| 6886677 | Interlock of parking brake and drive control pedals for utility vehicle In a vehicle, such as a lawn and garden tractor, having an engine that drives a hydrostatic transmission and having forward and reverse pedals that control the hydrostatic transmission, an operator-actuated transmission locking mechanism locks the forward and revers... | 05/03/2005 |
| 6407526 | Safety switching systems for preventing serious misalignment of adjustable control pedals in automotive vehicles Some automobiles have mechanisms for adjusting the height of accelerator and brake pedals, and any clutch pedal, so that drivers large and small can adjust the pedals to the best height. All pedals are adjusted by a single reversible electric motor having... | 06/18/2002 |
| 6237711 | Transmission control linkage for foot to hand control conversion An assembly is provided for controlling the ground speed of a vehicle having an operator seat, an engine and a variable speed transmission drivingly coupled to a pair of ground wheel. The transmission is selectively movable among neutral, forward and reve... | 05/29/2001 |
| 6196342 | Mechanism for correct steering in reverse A steering mechanism that controls a drive and steer transmission and that causes the transmission to execute turns in the direction a steering wheel is turned when operating in either the forward or reverse direction of travel. In response to operator en... | 03/06/2001 |
| 6129164 | Mechanism for correct steering in reverse A steering mechanism that controls a drive and steer transmission and that causes the transmission to execute turns in the direction a steering wheel is turned when operating in either the forward or reverse direction of travel. In response to operator en... | 10/10/2000 |
| 5842378 | Dual pedal mounting structure A mechanism for mounting a forward pedal and a reverse pedal to a vehicle. The forward pedal is fixed to a primary shaft, and the reverse pedal is fixed to a secondary shaft. A control arm and control rod operatively extend between the primary shaft and a... | 12/01/1998 |
| 5231891 | Double pedal mechanism for working vehicle A change speed pedal mechanism for controlling a transmission of a working vehicle comprises a first pedal pivotable on an axis extending transversely of a vehicle body, and a second pedal disposed adjacent the first pedal and pivotable on an axis extendi... | 08/03/1993 |
| 5228360 | Cruise/speed control system for hydrostatic drive A cruise control system (10) for use with a hydrostatic drive system having a traction pedal (12) includes a pivotal link (42) and stops (44 and 46) comprising a lost motion connection between the traction pedal and the traction control linkage (30). Sele... | 07/20/1993 |
| 5216935 | Bidirectional control arrangement for vehicle A bidirectional control arrangement for a vehicle comprising a seesaw type pedal including a forward drive depress pad and a backward drive depress pad for controlling a hydrostatic stepless transmission. A down-toe motion of an operator's foot applied to... | 06/08/1993 |
| 5107954 | Control device for mobile vehicular apparatus with aerial platform A mobile vehicular apparatus for moving an operator around a three-dimensional aerial work location such as an electric cable or wire supported on posts includes a mobile vehicle having a vehicle body, a boom movably mounted on the vehicle body, a platfor... | 04/28/1992 |
| 5048638 | System for controlling the ground speed and direction of travel of an off-road vehicle An improved system for controlling the ground speed and direction of an off-road vehicle having systems for establishing and returning a variable speed transmission to the neutral position, an improved pedal system interconnected to the neutral location a... | 09/17/1991 |
| 5022477 | System and method for controlling the ground speed and enhancing the maneuverability of an off-road vehicle A system and method for controlling the ground speed and enhancing the maneuverability of an off-road vehicle having systems for initially establishing and thereafter automatically returning the hydrostatic transmission to the neutral position, a pedal sy... | 06/11/1991 |
| 4883137 | System and method for controlling the ground speed and enhancing the maneuverability of an off-road vehicle A system and method for controlling the ground speed and enhancing the maneuverability of an off-road vehicle having systems for initially establishing and thereafter automatically returning the hydrostatic transmission to the neutral position, a pedal sy... | 11/28/1989 |
| 4779481 | Adjustable two-pedal swing control apparatus An adjustable two-pedal swing control apparatus for tractor backhoe booms and the like. The apparatus has a pivot shaft member pivotably mounted with respect to a tractor upright, a shaft-engaging structure on the pedal engaged with an end portion of the ... | 10/25/1988 |
| 4759417 | System and method for controlling the ground speed and enhancing the maneuverability of an off-road vehicle A system and method for controlling the ground speed and enhancing the maneuverability of an off-road vehicle having systems for initially establishing and thereafter automatically returning the hydrostatic transmission to the neutral position, a pedal sy... | 07/26/1988 |
| 4680983 | Transmission direction selection system A drive direction selection system for a vehicle transmission including a source of electrical power, a first circuit for supplying an electrical signal from the source to a forward drive direction engagement means and a second circuit for supplying an el... | 07/21/1987 |
| 4633727 | Motorcycle auxiliary gearshift An auxiliary foot actuated gearshift for a motorcycle is disclosed wherein an independent pivot shaft is established at the near midpoint location of the auxiliary gearshift lever in such a manner so that downward pressure on the auxiliary gearshift at th... | 01/06/1987 |
| 4156369 | Control linkage for governor and torque sensing hystat A control linkage system is disclosed for simultaneous control of an engine throttle or governor and a hydrostatic transmission from a single control pedal, and includes unidirectional linkage means including a pair of triangular-shaped link members mount... | 05/29/1979 |
| 4152951 | Control mechanism A control mechanism for a hydraulically driven vehicle in which a control member is mounted and linked to forward and reverse actuating pedals such that when one of the directional pedals is depressed the control member body is maintained stationary and a... | 05/08/1979 |
| 4129047 | Control arrangement A foot pedal control arrangement for the transmission and throttle of a vehicle employing a pair of pedals movable independently of each other in an initial range to control the transmission of the vehicle and movable in a second range to control the thro... | 12/12/1978 |
| 4114738 | Brake and creeper control system A control arrangement for a vehicle includes a brake control for applying the brakes of the vehicle and a combined brake and transmission control for controlling the transmission over a first range of movement and thereafter applying the brakes of the veh... | 09/19/1978 |
| 4106362 | Control linkage for torque converter transmission or the like A control linkage including an actuator mounted for movement between first and second extreme positions and an intermediate position between the extreme positions, springs for restoring the actuator to the intermediate position from either extreme positio... | 08/15/1978 |
| 4014218 | Apparatus for transmission-throttle control A apparatus for the control of a transmission and throttle of a forklift or the like to provide simultaneous control of a transmission position and the throttle position. The apparatus includes a reciprocally and rotatably moveable control rod and a trans... | 03/29/1977 |
