On February 8, 1916, C.F. Kettering received U.S. Patent No. 1,171,055, on an Engine Starting, Lighting, and Ignition System:

In addition to the electrical ignition system of the ‘055 patent, Charles Franklin Kettering invented and patented (U.S. Patent No. 1,150,523) the self-starter for automobile engines:

Kettering graduated from Ohio State University in 1904 as an engineer. He helped found Dayton Engineering Laboratories Company or Delco, where he invented his most significant engine devices. His engine-driven generator, named the “Delco,” provided electricity on millions of farms. Kettering sold his company to General Motors, where he set up and ran a central research laboratory for 31 years, until his retirement in 1947. Among other things, the lab developed a lightweight diesel engine that made the diesel locomotive possible, the refrigerant Freon, four-wheel brakes, and safety glass. Kettering was the holder of more than 140 patents.

Along with GM President Alfred Sloan, he established the Sloan Kettering Institute for Cancer Research.

Many of us are searching for a unicorn of one kind or another, but inventor Timothy Zell did something about it. On February 7, 1984, Zell received U.S. Patent No. 4,429,685 on a Surgical Procedure (for making unicorns).

If you don’t feel like making your own unicorn (don’t worry the patent has expired so you don’t have to worry about infringement), Lake Superior State University will issue you a license to hunt your own — apply at: Unicorn Hunting License Request Form | Lake Superior State University.

During the 139th celebration of Groundhog Day on Gobbler’s Knob in Punxsutawney, Pa., last Sunday, February 2, 2025, Groundhog Club handler A.J. Dereume announced that Punxsutawney Phil has forecast six more weeks of winter. Fortunately, on February 6, 1877, William Tell Steiger received U.S. Patent No. 186962 on a Foot-Warmer that might make these 42 additional days of winter a little more comfortable:

William Tell’s invention, which he called “Pedal Calorification” aims at economizing and utilizing the wasted heat in warm breath using “any simple contrivance for conveying it to our feet, where it is so much needed.”

William Tell Steiger was born on April 10, 1801, He lived in Howard County, Maryland in the 1860’s and 1870’s, and died on September 21, 1888, in Laurel, Maryland, and is buried in Oak Hill Cemetery, Washington, D.C.

On February 5, 1929, G. T. Bresnehan received U.S. Patent No. 1,701,026 on a Foot Support (a starting block for track runners):

G.T. Bresnahan was a successful athlete at Sterling and the University of Wisconsin-Madison before becoming a highly successful collegiate (Iowa Hawkeyes) and Olympic Coach. In addition to the adjustable starting block in the ‘026 patent, he received a nother patent (2144962) ten years later on another adjustable starting block:

and a patent (2,223,091) on a rubber-edged discuss.

Bresnahan and his discus co-inventer W.W. Tuttle literally wrote the book on track and field athletics:

On February 3, 1880, African-American inventor J.W. Waller received U.S. Patent No. 224,253 on a Shoemaker’s Cabinet or Bench:

On January 30 James Ritty and John Birch received U.S. Patent No. 271,363 on a Cash Register

James Ritty was a saloon keeper concerned that some of his some of his employees were skimming customers’ money meant to pay for food and drink. On a cruise he noticed a machine that counted rotations of the ship’s propeller, and thought something similar could be used to track cash transactions back at his saloon.

James enlisted the help of his brother John, a skilled mechanic, and the brothers began working on a design for such a device. After several failed prototypes, they created their third design, operated by pressing a key that represented a specific amount of money. There was no cash drawer. James and John Ritty patented the design on November 4, 1879, as “Ritty’s Incorruptible Cashier”:

The Rittys opened a small factory to make cash registers while continuing to operate the saloon. The company was not prospering and James Ritty his interest in the cash register business to a group of investors who formed the National Manufacturing Company, which was eventually renamed the National Cash register Company.

On January 29, 1924, Carl R. Taylor received U.S. Patent No. 1,481,813 on an [Ice Cream] Cone Rolling Machine:

Carl allegedly attended the 1904 World’s Fair in St. Louis, where he became fascinated with ice cream and the ice cream cone. He returned to Cleveland and spent nearly two decades developing a machine to quickly and cheaply make ice cream cones. Although his was not the first cone rolling machine (that honor goes to H.G. Tatosian’s U.S. Patent No. 1,440,851, issued January 2, 1923, which was filed just five days before Carl’s filing date):

Shortly after his patent issued, Carl formed the Ice Cream Cone Company to manufacture the cones. Eventually the Ice Cream Cone Company was acquired by Norse Dairy Systems.

On January 27, 1880, Thomas Edison received U.S. Patent No. 223,898 on an Electric-Lamp

Edison’s patent was enforced against infringers, and its validity affirmed by the Second Circuit Court of Appeals in Edison Electric Light Co. v. United States Electric Lighting Co., 52 F. 300 (2nd Cir. 1892).

On January 26, 1875, George F. Green received U.S. Patent No. 159028 on an Electro-Magnetic Dental Tool (drill):

Green was a Kalamazoo, Michigan, inventor and dentist. His dental drill had an electromagnetic motor in it that operated by a rotating fan wheel that was controlled by a foot pedal.

Green was an amazingly prolific inventor earning at least 20 patents, the last few of which issued after his 1892 death: 236577, 238678, 260093, 265060, 277709, 338150, 338224, 338663, 381127, 386314, 388859, 390293, 432999, 465432, 465407, 473188, 504977, 506492, and 507493.