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 |
| 5937439 | Combination head and eye-protective apparatus and goggles Combination head and eye-protective apparatus including a head-protective helmet provided with a brim including a rearward brim portion, and goggles including an elastic member and a mounting member mounted to the elastic member and for wedgedly engaging ... | 08/17/1999 |
| 5937440 | Knee protector A wheeled support for supporting a kneeling person is provided including a pair of knee supports each having a frame, a pad mounted on the frame, and three wheel assemblies mounted on a bottom of the frame. Also included is a pair of wheeled foot supports... | 08/17/1999 |
| 5937441 | Weighted exercise and therapeutic suit Weighted suit to be used in athletic training, physical therapy, muscle toning and weight reduction. The suit has a bottom and top that can be adjusted to accommodate the physical characteristics of the wearer, as well as the activity to be performed by t... | 08/17/1999 |
| 5937442 | Shoulder and arm support garment The invention provides a shoulder and arm support garment capable of covering at least an upper body part of a human. The shoulder and arm support garment includes a front and back body part wherein at least one portion having a strong straining force is ... | 08/17/1999 |
| 5937443 | Shock absorbing aid for human body The present invention provides a shock absorbing aid for a human body ensuring an effective alleviation of a shock to the human body. In the present invention, air bags are inflated upon a detection of separation of a wearer's body from an object of conta... | 08/17/1999 |
| 5937444 | Goalkeeper's glove inner hand portion A goalkeeper's glove inner hand portion, including four front finger regions, a thumb region, a hand region, and wrist region, the four front finger regions and the thumb region having fingertip pieces, a carrier layer covering the inner hand portion, and... | 08/17/1999 |
| 5937445 | One-piece surgical mask and cap The one-piece surgical mask and cap includes a substantially planar blank with an eye opening formed therethrough. Straps are attached to the side edges of the blank for connecting the one-piece surgical mask and cap to the user. The upper portion of the ... | 08/17/1999 |
| 5937446 | Helmet having a body-fitted padding and device for producing the same Body-fitted padding having a padding adapter and device for the production thereof, in particular for a crash helmet, the adapter having a ventilation system. To this end a flexible covering consisting of a hood and a sleeve is provided which form an inne... | 08/17/1999 |
| 5937447 | Protective garment A protective garment is provided including a chest protector being formed of solid foam. Also included is an abdominal protector including a plurality of inflatable tubular mechanisms. The abdominal protector is connected to the chest protector. Next prov... | 08/17/1999 |
| 5937448 | Hygienic toilet seat An improved electro-mechanical assembly is provided for advancing a tubular protective covering around a toilet seat. The covering is stored on a reel, and pulled off from the reel as it is replaced, and the used covering is taken up on a second reel. An ... | 08/17/1999 |
| 5937449 | Toilet seat cover with gravity latch An improvement for a toilet furniture that includes a seat and a cover hingedly mounted thereon. A latching mechanism housed within the underside of the cover and in cooperative alignment with the inner rim of the seat opening from its underside. A latch ... | 08/17/1999 |
| 5937450 | Method and device for attaching fittings to receptacle An improved device and method for attachment of a plumbing fitting to a pipe or other drain receptacle is described in which the device has at least one elastomeric rib disposed about the outer circumference of the body of the device for forming a waterti... | 08/17/1999 |
| 5937451 | Bidet apparatus An inexpensive bidet having a simple structure for heating and pressurizing washing water and having a good operability and a good washing ability. A three-way valve (51) is provided in a mixture plug (5) in a bathroom so that the mixing plug (5) branches... | 08/17/1999 |
| 5937452 | Portable bathroom assembly A portable toilet assembly is provided including a rigid frame assembly. Next provided is a flexible tent assembly removably coupled about the rigid frame. Next provided is a toilet seat removably situated within the rigid frame.... | 08/17/1999 |
| 5937453 | Pool skimmer face plate and releasable cover A sealing assembly is provided for a swimming pool skimmer. The sealing assembly includes a rigid frame-shaped face plate (12) with a central opening and having a sealing flange (18) around its outer periphery and further has a protruding section outwardl... | 08/17/1999 |
| 5937454 | Bathing chair A bathtub chair, for mounting in a bathtub having a bathtub bottom and bathtub sides extending upward from the bathtub bottom, comprising a seat cushion and a lowering mechanism. The lowering mechanism comprises a plurality of telescopic legs which extend... | 08/17/1999 |
| 5937455 | Electrically operated toilet water inlet valve system having a variable fill level An electrically operated solenoid valve for use on a flush toilet tank, and capable of variable adjustment. This system comprises a float switch mounted on a calibrated bracket secured to a tank, such that the float for the float switch is mounted within ... | 08/17/1999 |
| 5937456 | Device for transferring a patient to and from a hospital bed Disclosed is a device useable for by a technician to transport a patient to and from a hospital bed. In one embodiment, the device comprises: a support frame comprising a plurality of wheels adapted to roll upon the floor. The device further comprises a p... | 08/17/1999 |
| 5937457 | Cradle base collapsible mechanism A cradle base collapsible mechanism, involving four sides at the bottom of a baby cradle, each side involving two support rods that are joined by a middle unit, each corner of the cradle involving a corner piece that is joined to another end of the suppor... | 08/17/1999 |
| 5937458 | Crib bumper safety system A crib bumper assembly is provided. The crib bumper assembly includes a bottom panel to be positioned between the spring and mattress of a crib. The crib bumper assembly further includes head, foot and side panels articulated to and extending upwardly fro... | 08/17/1999 |
| 5937459 | Pillow lifting device, particularly for beds and the like A pillow lifting device particularly for beds and the like, including: a first fixed structure, which can be arranged at the region where the user's head is meant to rest; a second structure, which is pivoted to the first fixed structure at one end and is... | 08/17/1999 |
| 5937460 | Cervical pillow having adjustable height and side cushions A proper height pillow for both upward and side-facing head positions. It comprises a base pillow having a unique adjustability feature wherein the height of the neck support region may be selectively increased by the addition of at least one further cush... | 08/17/1999 |
| 5937461 | Reconfigurable infant support A reconfigurable support for an infant includes a main body and two reconfigurable restraints or support members mounted to opposite ends of the main body. The infant support can be used to securely position an infant that is either lying prone on a flat ... | 08/17/1999 |
| 5937462 | Self-inflatable air cushion A self-inflatable air cushion which includes a support chamber mounted in a sole of a shoe and holding a fluid, a collapsible plenum chamber surrounded by the support chamber and partially protruding over the top of the sole and having a top air hole, pas... | 08/17/1999 |
| 5937463 | Handle structure for a mattress A mattress handle is made of synthetic polymer material and has a medial grasping portion and two opposite end attachment portions. Each attachment portion includes a membrane of synthetic polymer material, and the handle is attached to the mattress wall ... | 08/17/1999 |
| 5937464 | Foldable foam mattress with coil springs and firm periphery A sleeping mattress is disclosed which is particularly adapted for use in sofa beds and has a resilient foam main portion and a peripheral edge portion along the sides, with the edge portions being made of greater density, less compression resilient foam ... | 08/17/1999 |
| 5937465 | Infant mattress system with sleeping recess A mattress system for use in cribs or beds for small infants or adolescent children is constructed of a base and a sleeping recess defined by side walls, a head wall, a foot wall, and a floor. The mattress is constructed of a foam material which is air pe... | 08/17/1999 |
| 5937466 | Lugged ice axe head A lugged ice axe head including a head portion which may have accessories, such as an ice pick, attached thereto; and a lug sleeve attached to and extending generally downwardly from the ice axe head. The lug sleeve has a hollow central portion with an op... | 08/17/1999 |
| 5937467 | Method and apparatus for braking a washing machine A method and apparatus for braking a washing machine, capable of enhancing a braking reliability and a braking efficiency by simultaneously or selectively applying a mechanical band brake and an electrical brake. In the washing machine, a shaft of a drivi... | 08/17/1999 |
| 5937468 | System for laying a portable bridge A bridge-laying apparatus has a vehicle adapted to travel in a longitudinal direction and a longitudinally extending laying arm adapted to lay down and pick up bridges formed of at least one bridge section. A rigid link has an upper end pivoted on the lay... | 08/17/1999 |
| 5937469 | Apparatus for mechanically cleaning the edges of wafers A method and apparatus for cleaning the edges of substrates. The present invention provides a cleaning mechanism that cleans particles off the edge of the wafer based on friction at a point of contact between the wafer and a wafer edge brush. In one embod... | 08/17/1999 |
| 5937470 | Metal fitting cleaner A metal fitting cleaner includes a support; an electrical power supply; a first bearing assembly mounted by the support; a first brush detachably mounted by the first bearing assembly for pivotal movement; a first electric motor which is mounted by the su... | 08/17/1999 |
| 5937471 | Multipurpose floor cleaning device A multipurpose mop is composed of a head, a neck, an urging mechanism, and a handle. The head is composed of an upper member and a lower member which is joined with the upper member by a retaining rod. The neck has a cross rod and a fastening portion. The... | 08/17/1999 |
| 5937472 | Cleansing puff A polymer mesh puff is formed from at least one tube of open cell mesh stretched between a pair of opposing supports. The tube of mesh is bound about a centerpoint by a substantially permanent, non-abrasive mesh binding member. The tube is released from t... | 08/17/1999 |
| 5937473 | Intake clearing tool for jet-powered aquatic vehicles An intake clearing tool for jet-powered aquatic vehicles has an elongated handle portion, attachment means at one end for receiving a complementary attachable finger-type rake head and a handle grip at the opposite end. The handle grip end is adapted to r... | 08/17/1999 |
| 5937474 | Wiper adapter A windshield wiper adapter accommodates different types and different size wiper arms. The adapter includes a slot to accommodate both 3/16 and 1/4 inch diameter pins of a pin type wiper arm as well as the ability to connect to different size hook type wi... | 08/17/1999 |
| 5937475 | Water extraction cleaning machine with variable solution mixing valve The invention relates to a water extraction cleaning machine having a variable solution mixing valve adapted to create cleaning solution mixtures of variable constituent ratios. Clean water and detergent are provided from tanks supported on the water extr... | 08/17/1999 |
| 5937476 | Vacuum cleaner having an apparatus for releasing cord reel of cord winder A vacuum cleaner with a cord-reel release apparatus provides a handle in place of a cord reel button. The cord-reel release apparatus has a cord reel, a brake member, an elastic member, and a handle. The cord reel winds a power cord. The brake member is i... | 08/17/1999 |
| 5937477 | Vacuum cleaner The invention provides a vacuum cleaner (10) having a housing (12) containing an apparatus (22) for separating dirt and dust from an airflow. The vacuum cleaner is configured so as to allow the cleaner to be positioned on a flight of stairs. The forward e... | 08/17/1999 |
| 5937478 | Sliding door closing device A device for closing a sliding door includes a housing that attaches to the trailing edge of the sliding door. A tensioned cable extends from a spool in the housing to the door frame. When the sliding door is opened, the cable extends and undergoes an inc... | 08/17/1999 |
