On September 9, 1843, Nancy M. Johnson, received U.S. Patent No. 3,254 on an artificial freezer useful in Art of Producing Artificial Ice — making ice cream.
Among other things, the invention focused on more efficient use of ice, and recovery and reuse of salt.
Ice cream freezers received a lot of attention from inventors, U.S. Patent No. 5601, issued May 30, 1848; U.S. Patent No.28449, May 29, 1860; U.S. Patent No. 30256, issued October 2, 1860; U.S. Patent No. 44851, issued November 1, 1864; U.S. Patent No. 51468, issued December 12, 1865; U.S. Patent No. 55960, issued June 26, 1866; U.S. Patent No. 69833, issued October 15, 1867; U.S. Patent No. 79349, issued June 30, 1868; and many more.
On September 8, 1868, William H. Hinds received U.S. Patent No. 82,000 on a Candlestick.
His device provided “an adjustable candlestick, which may be used as a candlestick, or, by means of the attachment, used as a nurse-lamp, or which, by means of the globe or chimney, may be used as a lamp; also, by means of the slide or sleeve h, it may be made long or short, to suit the kind of candle used; also, by means of the thumb-piece and slit, with notches in the side, large or hard candles may be used; also, by means of the lamp, oil or fluid can be used equally as well as candles; also, by means of the snuffers, the wick may be trimmed equally as well without removing the globe; also, by means of attaching the reflector and nurse-lamp attachment to the upper or sliding part of the candlestick, the said reflector and nurse-lamp attachment will always be at the same distance from the flame, whatever the height of the candlestick.”
On September 4, 1888, George Eastman received U.S. Patent No. 388,850 for a camera shutter that was part of the first successful roll-film hand camera:
Eastman started out experimenting to create a flexible film roll that could replace plates altogether. In 1885, he received two patents for a film roll U.S. Patent No. 306,470 “Photographic Film”, issued October 14, 1884, and U.S. Patent No. 306,594 “Photographic Film”, also issued October 14, 1884. He then focused on making a holder for these film rolls, for which he received U.S. Patent No. 317,049 for “Roll Holder for Photographic Films”, issued May 1885. Finally, he focused on a camera to use the his film, which resulted in the patent he received 136 years ago today. His camera was sold loaded with enough roll film for 100 exposures. When all the exposures had been used, the photographer mailed the camera back to the Eastman company in Rochester, along with $10. The company would process the film, make a print of each exposure, load another roll of film into the camera, and send the camera and the prints to the photographer. Eastman thus made photography available to everyone, coining the slogan: “you press the button, we do the rest.”
On September 4, 1888. He also received U.S. Reg. No. 15,825 on the trademark KODAK Eastman explained: “I devised the name myself. The letter ‘K’ had been a favorite with me — it seems a strong, incisive sort of letter. It became a question of trying out a great number of combinations of letters that made words starting and ending with ‘K.’ The word ‘Kodak’ is the result.”
Eastman continued to improve photography during his lifetime, and was extremely generous with his fortune, Wracked with pain from a spinal condition, he committed suicide on March 14, 1932, leaving a note: “To my friends, my work is done – Why wait? GE.” For many years after his technology let us record our lives. Now almost completely supplanted by digital photography, and in particular the cell phones with cameras, one wonders what he and Alexander Graham Bell would think of what became of their inventions. Although both inventions have been supplanted by later technologies, theirs were crucial stepping stones in the path of technology, and leading the way for others to follow.
On September 3, 1895, Robert Stevens received U.S. Patent No. 543743 on a Combined Telescope, Microscope, and Camera:
Today we are used to carrying around cell phones with amazing capabilities, but back in the 19th Century, not so much. Mr. Stevens’s invention made valuable scientific tools available and readily portable, although it is not clear how popular his invention was at the time.
100 years ago today, US Patent No. 1,507,279, issued on Signaling Means for Toy Banks and for Other Purposes:
The patent explains that the invention relates primarily to improvements in signaling means capable of a variety of uses such as in connection with toy banks, show windows, advertising devices, light houses, etc.
On September 1, 1936, Alvie Sandberg received U.S. Patent No. D101090 on a Basketball Goal:
A week later, on September 8, 1936, Alvie received a utility patent, U.S. Patent No. 2,053,635, on the same invention. The improvement shown in both of his patents is attaching the net of the basketball goal underneath the rim. Previously, nets were tied directly to the rim.
On August 31, 1909, Benjamin Shibe received US Patent No. 932911 on a “base ball”:
While perhaps the first patent on a baseball, this was not the first baseball. While legend suggests that baseball was invented by Abner Doubleday in Cooperstown, New York, during the summer of 1893, references to baseball-like games date back to the 1700’s. It is now believed that baseball was derived from various English bat and ball games, and originally exported to Canada.
In 1845, a group of New Yorkers founded the New York Knickerbocker club, and set the rules that are the basis for modern baseball. The first “official” game of baseball was played in 1846.
It wasn’t until John Maynard’s May 8, 1928, U.S. Patent No. 1,668,969, that baseballs assumed their current form
Gail Borden, Jr., received U.S. Patent No. 15,553, on August 19, 1856, on a process for preparing evaporated milk. Condensed milk is the common term for milk that has water rmoved, and sugar added, but Borden’s claim specifically excluded adding sugar.
Borden’s invention made milk available in urban areas where a refrigerated distribution system was not yet available for the distribution of fresh milk.
Borden’s story affirms three key ingredients of invention: Necessity, Persistence, and Luck. Necessity: in 1851, Borden was devastated by the deaths of several children while returning from a trip to England, apparently from poor milk obtained from shipboard cows. Persistence: Borden’s first two factories failed. It was not until his third factory that he could produce a useable milk product. Luck: Borden’s business was buoyed by large orders for rations during the Civil War. His shelf-stable product calorie high protein rations for the Union Army, and after the war provide him with a loyal customer base.
The first plant patent issued August 18, 1931, to Henry F. Bosenberg, on a Climbing or Trailing Rose:
A plant patent is granted by the United States government a distinct and new variety of plant (other than a tuber propagated plant or a plant found in an uncultivated state). The grant, which lasts for 20 years from the date of filing the application, protects the patent owner’s right to exclude others from asexually reproducing the plant, and from using, offering for sale, or selling the plant so reproduced, or any of its parts, throughout the United States, or from importing the plant so reproduced, or any part thereof, into the United States.
Plant patents are unique to the United States and supplement the protection provided utility patents and by the Plant Variety Protection Act.
Solymon Merrick received the first U.S. patent on a wrench (U.S. Patent No. X9030) on August 17, 1835:
Of course wrenches existed before Merrick’s invention, and they have continued to be improved ever since. One such improvement is U.S. Patent No. 1,133,236, which issued March 23, 1915, on the “Crescent” wrench:
