Patents by Inventor Larry L. Smallwood

Larry L. Smallwood has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Spring mechanism for toilet seats
    Patent number: 4402092
    Abstract: A hinged toilet seat that is spring-biased to either an upright or a horizontal position is slowed in its angular rotation to the spring-biased position. The user manually pushes the toilet seat to its use position and after use the toilet seat returns to its spring-biased position. This angular rotation is slowed by the present mechanism wherein the seat is attached to a hinge shaft which has a large gear engaging a small gear on an idler shaft. The rotation of the idler shaft is braked by a slipping clutch, which thereby slows the angular motion of the toilet seat to its spring-biased position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 1981
    Date of Patent: September 6, 1983
    Inventor: Larry L. Smallwood