On January 21, 1837, Hezekiah L. Thistle received U.S. Patent No. 112 on a Riding Saddle useful for removing the sick and wounded:

Thistle claimed the title Captain, and led a volunteer force in Florida during the Second Seminole War. He is also credited with inventing a more conventional ambulance for use during that operation:

On January 20, 1874, U.S. Patent No. 146607 issued to Elijah McCoy, of Ypsilanti, Michigan, on an Improvement in Steam-Lubricators:

Elijah was one of the most prolific Black inventors of his era, receiving at least 52 patents (listed below). So remarkable was his career, that the United States Patent and Trademark Office named its first regional office, in Detroit, Michigan, the “Elijah J. McCoy Midwest Regional Patent Office.”

On January 19, 1904, Charles Foglesong received U.S. Patent No. 750179 on an ELectric Blanket:

Electric blanket technology developed relatively quickly. Frank Singer received U.S. Patent No. 751353 on an Electric Blanket a few weeks later, on February 2, 1904. Harlow D. Parker obtained U.S. Patent No. 1,158,834 on a Vibratory Electric Bath Blanket on November 2, 1915.

On January 18, 1977, Julie Newmar received U.S. Patent No. 4,003,094 on Pantyhose with Shaping Band for Cheeky Derrier Relief, that was marketed under the name under the name “Nudemar”:

Julie Newmar is an actress famous a number of roles, including Catwoman on the 1960s TV series Batman. In addition to her panty hose patent, Julie also received U,S. Patent No. 3,935,865 on a Brassiere, which issued February 3, 1976.

On January 17, 1871, Andrew Hallidie received U.S. Patent No. 110971 on an Endless Wire Ropeway that formed the basis for the San Francisco cable care system:

Cable car service began in San Francisco on August 1, 1873, running a distance of 2,800 feet and rising 307 feet. Hallidie’s was not the first U.S. patent on a cable car, that honor goes to  Eleazer A. Gardner who received U.S. Patent No. 19,736, on March 23, 1858. Although second in time, Hallidie’s cable car was a financial success, and his patents, which were enforced on cable car promoters around the world and made him wealthy.

On January 15, 1907, Lee DeForest received U.S. Patent No. 841386 for Wireless Telegraphy and 841287 for a Device for Amplifuing Feeble Electrical Currents:

The vacuum tube amplifier was a critical component of early radios and televisions, until transistors replaced them. For his pioneering work, de Forest has been credited as the “Father of Radio”, an appellation he adopted as the title of his 1950 autobiography. 

On January14, 1908, U.S. Patent No. D39025 issued to Erhard Faber on an Eraser:

Readers of a certain age will remember this typewriter eraser:

Or the pink version with a brush:

On January 13, 1942, Henry Ford received U.S. Patent No. 2,269,451 on an Automobile Body Construction:

The body comprised a steel tube frame supporting plastic panels. Henry Ford began work on the plast car in the 1930s, resulting in a 2,000-pound vehicle (an average of 1000 pounds lighter than a conventional car) with a tubular steel framework surrounded by 14 plastic panels that were made from soybean and hemp. The “Soybean Car,” was first displayed at a community festival in Dearborn, MI, in August 1941. Ford eschewed petroleum-based plastics, hoping to integrate agriculture and industry with plant-based plastics.

Ahead of its time, Ford’s problem was timing — with the world ramping up for World War II, production of the car was deferred and never started.

On January 12, 1937, U.S. Patent No. 2,067,717 issued on a Plough for Laying Submarine Cables:

This was the first U.S. patent for a submarine cable plow. The plow was designed to simultaneously dig a trench into the ocean floor and feed a cable into the trench. It could be used at depths of up to a half mile.

Efforts began in 1854 to build the first transatlantic cable from Valentia Island off the west coast of Ireland to Newfoundland. The first communications occurred on August 16, 1858, although the line speed was poor. Queen Victoria famously sent the first official telegram to President Buchanan. Signal quality declined rapidly, and the cable was destroyed after just three weeks when excessive voltage was applied in an attempt to achieve faster operation.

The transatlantic ccable was laid in 1865 with improved material, but more than halfway across, the cable broke, and it was abandoned after several failed rescue attempts. In July 1866 a third cable was laid, and put in service on July 27. The 1865 cable was also recovered and spliced, so two cables were in service. There has been a permanent cable connection between the continents ever since.

Thanks to Lawton’s and Bloomer’s work the first transatlantic cable of high-speed permalloy in June 1938. Lawton also patented a Method of and Apparatus for Laying Submarine Cables on November 16, 1937 (U.S. Patent No. 2,099,526), a Releasing Gear on September 27, 1938 (U.S. Patent No. 2,131,445), a Method and apparatus for determining Topography of Ocean Bed on March 26, 1940 (U.S. Patent No. 2,194,947), a System and Apparatus for Determining at a Distance the Angular Position of a Submarine Device on August 29, 1939 (U.S. Patent No. 2,171,156), and a Submarine Apparatus on July 8, 1941 (U.S. Patent No. 2,248,243).

On January 11, 1994, U.S. Patent No. 5,277,148 issued on a Wearable Patent Enclosure:

A few years later, pet-carrying technology advanced to incorporate the pet carrier into clothing. U.S. Patent No. 5,901,666 on Pet Display Clothing issued May 11, 1999: