Did You Know...
...that the inventor of the electric motor was a blacksmith named Thomas Davenport? Described as "a brilliantly unsuccessful inventor", Davenport invented the first rotary electric motor. In 1836 he headed out -- on foot -- from his Vermont home to file a patent application at the Patent Office in Washington, D.C. By the time he got there, he had squandered away his money and couldn't afford the $30 filing fee so he turned around and went home. When he later mailed in his application with money he'd raised, the Patent office was destroyed in a fire. He did finally get credit for his invention on Feb. 5, 1837.
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 6907814 | Automatic firearms with a detachable breech lock Firearm(s) with a breech lock are disclosed. One such firearm includes a first pivoting lever which, when actuated, releases the breech lock and a second lever, which when actuated also releases the breech lock. The first and second levers are located on opposite si... | 06/21/2005 |
| 6907813 | Safety mechanisms for automatic firearms Automatic firearms and safety mechanisms for automatic firearms are disclosed. In an illustrated example, a disclosed firearm includes a breech mounted for movement between a fired position and a cocked position, a breech catch having an inoperative position and a l... | 06/21/2005 |
| 6539658 | Firearm equipped with rapid safety mechanism, drop safety and safety device kit A safety mechanism dedicated to a single-action type firearm, equipped with a firing system using a hammer, presented in a kit form, capable of factory assembly on the firearm, or adaptation to a firearm already in service, comprising: said hammer strikin... | 04/01/2003 |
| 6343429 | Inertia-resistant preventer mechanism for firearm safety enhancement system An inertia-resistant preventer mechanism is provided for use in a firearm safety enhancement system to reliably and selectably prevent or to unblock a firing mechanism of a firearm. The inertia-resistant preventer mechanism includes a first solenoid havin... | 02/05/2002 |
| 5216191 | Semi-automatic pistol A semi-automatic pistol has a slide which houses a barrel and a firing pin, and a frame which houses a trigger and a mechanism for releasing the firing pin. The mechanism includes a sear engageable with the firing pin and a cam actuator which is operable ... | 06/01/1993 |
| 5149898 | Fire control assembly A fire control assembly (400) is provided with increased safety features. A set porch (470) is formed on a disconnect (404) to hold a firing window (416) of the disconnect (404) out of contact with a sear pin (412). A pin (458) engages a safety surface (4... | 09/22/1992 |
