For those purists who eschew microwave popcorn, and prefer to chew conventionally popped corn, today’s patent of the day issued August 13, 1985, to William C. Cesaroni on a Apparatus for Popping Corn:

The patent, assigned to Dart Industries, covers the popular West Bend Stir Crazy popcorn popper:

William Cesaroni established his own design firm Cesaroni Design Associates, Inc., several years earlier in 1979. He graduated from Michigan State University with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Industrial Design, and earned a Master’s Degree in Packaging Engineering fom Michigan State. He is responsible for many recognizable designs.

Alas, he is not a popcorn purist, as he is the coinventor of this design of a hot air popcorn popper, from a few years later:

On August 12, 1958, U.S. Patent No. D183350 issued to Henry C. Keck, Bernie M. Craig, and Thomas K Hale on a Fluid Dispenser — the iconic Dripcut Server Model 900:

This 1950’s design was ubiquitous in homes and restaurants.

The lead designer, Henry Chapman Keck, was a world-renowned product designer and inventor. He was born February 10, 1921, and died April 4, 2020. He graduated from Dartmouth College’s Tuck-Thayer Schools in 1943, served in the U.S. Navy during World War II and earned a master’s degree in engineering and industrial design from Caltech. In 1951 Henry founded the industrial design firm of Keck-Craig, with one of his co-inventor. Many of Keck-Craig’s 1700+ designs have become known worldwide.

On August 11, 1896, Harvey Hubbell received U.S. Patent No. 565,541, on a Socket for Incandescent Lamps — the first lamp socket with a pull cord:

Harvey Hubbell was born in Connecticut in 1857. A prolific inventor, Hubbell received at least 45 patents, primarily relating to electric products. He is best know for the pull-chain electrical light socket (above), and most famously the separable electrical power plug, which he patented in 1904 (U.S. Patent Nos. 774,250, and 774,251), the ‘251 patent showing the familiar two flat prongs, but arranged in planar, rather than parallel, configuration.

Nine years later, Hubbell patented the parallel prong plug (U.S. Patent No. 1,064,833):

and 4 years after that the polarized version of the plug, with one prong slightly larger than the other (U.S. Patent No. 1,180,638):

Hubbell founded Hubbell Incorporated in Bridgeport, Connecticut, which is still in business today, headquartered in Shelton, Connecticut.

On August 10, 1937, George D. Beauchamp received U.S. Patent No. 2,089,171, on an Electrical Stringed Musial Instrument:

Beauchamp and his partner Adolph Rickenbacher started producing guitars according to this design in 1932, incorporating as Ro-Pat-In Corporation (Electro Patent Instruments), later renamed to Electro String Instrument Corporation, and finally to Rickenbacker.

This is generally regarded as the first patent on an electric guitar pickup, but while Beauchamp has received the bulk of the credit, the reality is complicated, and there were others who work working on making electric stringed instruments a reality.

Arthur J. Stimson in one of those “others,”

On August 9, 1859, Nathan Ames received U.S. Patent No. 25,076 on Revolving Stairs — the first patent on an escalator-like device.

Nathan Ames (born November 17, 1826, as Nathan Eames), was a patent solicitor. He also patented an improvement in polishing leather, a polygraph — an early copying machine, and an improved grater. Nathan Ames was also a writer and a poet. He died August 17, 1865.

Nathan’s revolving stairs were never commercialized. The first successful commercial escalator was Jesse Wilford Reno’s Endless Conveyor or Elevator (U.S. Patent No. 470,918, issued March 15, 1892). His Endless Conveyor was displayed as a ride at Coney Island’s Iron Pier in 1896, transporting patrons seven feet into the sky!

In 1902, Reno founded Reno Electric Stairways and Conveyors, Ltd. and his invention was installed in various locations. Otis Elevator Company eventually purchased Reno’s venture and utilized its patents (including U.S. Patent Nos. 637526 and 673890).

On August 8, 1911, U.S. Patent No. 1,000,000 issued to F. H. Holton on a Vehicle Tire:

While this patent is numbered 1,000,000 is not really the one millionth U.S. Patent. The Patent Office didn’t start numbering patents until July 13, 1836, but the U.S. Patent Office starting issuing patents on July 31, 1790. It is estimated that 9,957 patents issued between July 31, 1790, and July 13, 1836, and these patents are known as the X patents. and are numbered accordingly. No one knows the exact number because the records of the X patents were destroyed in the Patent Office fire of December 15, 1836, ironically while in storage while a more fireproof storage could be constructed. Only about 2800 of the 9,957 X patents could be reconstructed, although the effort continues, the most recent addition occurring in 2012, when patent X7997 on “Rope Making, Called an Iron Tail”, was found in the inventor’s (Daniel Treadwell) at Harvard University.

So, the millionth U.S. patent may be U.S. Patent No. 990043, issued April 11, 1911, to C.T. Hanson on a Machine for Making Tubes from Fibrous Materials:

There are lots of interesting things in the U.S. patent collection, aside from one of the greatest catalogs of inventions. For example, there are occasionally references and even images of famous people. Buried in Fig. 7A in today’s patent of the day, U.S. Patent No. 6,270,077 is this drawing of Albert Einstein:

U.S. Patent No. 2,021,593 has an image of actor Ronald Coleman:

There are many others, that no doubt will be featured in future blogs.

On August 6, 1991, Gerard O’Connell received U.S. Patent No. D 318,935 on an Insect Habitat:

A few years later, O’Connell received U.S. Patent No. D335,003 on an Insect Habitat on April 20, 1993:

O’Connell’s patents are but two in a long line of patents on devices to keep and display insects. One of the earliest being U.S. Patent No. 948,805 on an Insectarium, issued February 8, 1910.

Another example being patent is U.S. Patent No, 3,687,110 on an Insect Activity Observation Center, issued August 29, 1972:

On August 5, 1958, Edward Hack received U.S. Patent Nos. D183309 on his whirl bottle, and D183310 on his pineapple bottle:

These bottles were briefly used to sell flavoring for milk, chocolate in the whirl bottle, pineapple in the pineapple, and strawberry in a third, strawberry shaped bottle

An article in the 1957 issue of The Chemist and Druggist magazine explained:

On August 4, 1868, U.S. Patent No. D3151 issued to Dayton Morgan, of Chillicothe, Ohio, on a bust of Frederick Douglass:

This was not the only tribute to Douglass found in the patent collection, he was also featured on a collectible spoon in U.S. Patent No. D24,228.