On December 8, 1896, John T, White received U.S. Patent No. 572,849 on a Lemon Squeezer:

John Thomas White was an African American inventor from New York, New York.

Apparently squeezing lemons was an intractable problem in the 19th Century drawing the attention of dozens of inventors and as many patents. Apparently, White’s invention was not what the market was looking for as the demand of lemon squeezers, and patents on them, continued.

See, L.S. Chichester, U.S. Patent No. 28967, issued July 3, 1860, on a Lemon Squeezer; G. M. Thomas, U.S. Patent No. 35,554, issued June 10, 1862 on a Lemon Squeezer; W.W. Armington, U.S. Patent No. 50,199, issued September 26, 1865, on a Lemon Squeezer; V. Fogerty, U.S. Patent No. 52,928, issued February 27, 1866; A.J.T. Reuter, U.S. Patent No. 64,304, issued March 26, 1867, on a Lemon Squeezer; Hesselbacher & Moesta, U.S. Patent No. 65809, issued June 18, 1867, on a Lemon Squeezer; T.C. Smith, U.S. Patent No. 76,539, issued April 7, 1868, on a Lemon Squeezer;  J. Klepzig, U.S. Patent No. 84,125 issued November 17, 1868; V. Himmer, U.S. Patent No. 101,128, issued March 22, 1870, on a Lemon Squeezer; J.L. Jensen, U.S. Patent No. 104,159, issued June 14, 1870, on a Lemon Squeezer; W.A. &  J.W. Whitney, U.S. Patent No. 133511, issued November 26, 1872, on Lemon Squeezers; E.M. Sammis, U.S. Patent No. 142,414, issued September 2, 1873, on Lemon-Squeezers; T. Hagerty, U.S. Patent No. 155,579, issued October 6, 1974, on  Ice – Hammers, Picks, and Lemon-Squeezers Combined; A.C. Weeks, U.S. Patent No. 165,638, issued July 13, 1875, on Lemon-Squeezer; C. H. Miller, U.S. Patent No. 171154, issued December 14, 1875, on a Lemon-Squeezer; E.M. Sammis, U.S, Patent No. 172,505, issued January 18, 1876, on Lemon-Squeezers; J. H. Spencer, U.S. Patent No. 192301, issued June 19, 1877, on Lemon-Squeezer; B.B. Whaley, U.S. Patent No. 203,229, issued April 30, 1878, on a Lemon-Squeezer; H.L. Heaton, U.S. Patent No. 204325, issued May 28, 1878, on Lemon-Squeezer and Shaker Combined; C.J. Reynolds, U.S. Patent No. 216,699, issued June 17. 1879, on a Lemon-Squeezer; J. Fanning, U.S. Patent No. 217,519, issued July 15, 1879, on a Lemon-Squeezer; S.D. Samuels, U.S. Patent No. 218,403, issued August 12, 1879, on Lemon-Squeezers; J. Kessler, U.S. Patent No. 223,360, issued January 6, 1880, on Lemon-Squeezers; J. Fanning, U.S. Patent No. 226,166, issued April 6, 1880, on a Lemon-Squeezer; P. Fild, U.S. Patent No. 230,870, issued August 10, 1880, on a Lemon Squeezer; J. Fanning, U.S. Patent No. 233,339, issued October 19, 1880, on a Lemon Squeezer; R. H. DALEY. U.S. Patent No. 238,765, issued March 15, 1881, on a Lemon Squeezer;  J.C. Steber, U.S. Patent No. 240,858, issued May 3, 1881, on a Lemon Squeezer; J. Fanning, U.S. Patent No. 252,871, issued January 31, 1882, on a Lemon Squeezer; W.B. Dean, U.S. Patent No. 253,353, issued February 7, 1882, on a Fruit Squeezer; A.C. Rex, U.S. Patent 256,372, Issued April 11, 1882, on a Lemon Squeezer;  A. Schlapbach, U.S. Patent No. 258,812, on a Lemon Squeezer; F.D. F. Muller, U.S. Patent No. 259,902, issued June 20, 1992, on a Lemon Squeezer; J. Trickel, U.S. Patent No. 260,258, issued June 27, 1882, on a Lemon-Squeezer; C. Gernert, U.S. Patent No, 261,844, issued August 1, 1882, on a Lemon Squeezer; J.J. Tower, U.S. Patent No. 271,002, issued January 23, 1883, on a Lemon Squeezer; A.C. Kelly & G. W. Wimmer, U.S. Patent No. 276,424, issued April 24, 1883, on a Lemon Squeezer; L. Kyser & A.C. Rex, U.S. Patent No. 281,378, issued July 17, 1883; T.C. Newman, U.S. Patent No. 283,014, issued August 13, 1883, on a Fruit Squeezer; G. J. L. Jane, U.S. Patent No. 318,746, issued May 19, 1885, on a Lemon-Squeezer; F.M. May, U.S. Patent No. 321004, issued June 30, 1885, on a Lemon-Squeezer;  T. McKeethen, U.S. Patent No. 330,505, issued November 17, 1885, on a Lemon Squeezer; F.J. Herrick, U.S. Patent No. 331,236, issued, November 24, 1885, on a Lemon Squeezer; S.S. Badger, U.S. Patent No. 334,212, issued January 12, 1886, on a Lemon Squeezer; E.G. Day, U.S. Patent No. 335,343, issued February 2, 1886, on a Lemon Holder and Squeezer; T. Curley, U.S. Patent NO. 336,298, issued February 16, 1866, on a Lemon Squeezer; J.J. Sturla, U.S. Patent No. 336,672, issued February 23, 1886, on a Lemon Squeezer; G.R. Wilson, Jr., U.S. Patent No. 340,025, issued April 18, 1886, on a Lemon Squeezer; C. Weekes, U.S. Patent No. 346,249, issued July 27, 1886, on a Combined Cork Extractor and Lemon Squeezer; R. Onderdonk, U.S. Patent No. 354,022, issued December 7, 1886, on a Lemon Squeezer; J.T. Hodson, U.S. Patent No. 369,711, issued September 13, 1887, on a Lemon Squeezer; U.S. Patent No. 375,323, issued December 20, 1887, on a Lemon Squeezer; W.K. Crofford, U.S. Patent No. 377,291, issued January 31, 1888, on a Lemon Squeezer; A. Shea, U.S. Patent No. 3832,774, issued May 15, 1888, on a Lemon Squeezer; A. Edie, U.S. Patent No. 386,694, issued July 24,1888, on a Lemon Squeezer; C.M. Fottit, U.S. Patent No. 388,352, issued August 21, 1888, on a Lemon Squeezer; H, Clayton, U.S. Patent No. D18,649, issued October 2, 1888, on a Lemon Squeezer; E.M. Scott, U.S. Patent No. 399,229, issued March 5, 1889, on a Lemon Squeezer; C. Engel, U.S. Patent No. 407,433, issued July 23, 1889, on a Lemon Squeezer; N. Levy, U.S. Patent No. 413,725, issued October 29, 1889, on a Lemon Squeezer; J.A. Cullinane, U.S. Patent No. 414,499, issued November 5, 1889, on a Lemon Squeezer; W.O. Dunlap, U.S. Patent No. 420,868, issued February 4, 1890, on a Lemon Squeezer; W.O. Dunlap, U.S. Patent No. 434,327, issued August 12, 1890, on a Lemon Squeezer; J.L. Easley, U.S. Patent No. 438,069, issued October 7, 1890; B. D. Emmons, U.S, Patent No. 444,063, issued January 6, 1891, on a Lemon Squeezer; S.C. Rupe, U.S. Patent No. 447,975, issued March 10, 1891, on a Lemon Presser or Squeezer; E.P. Erck and E.J. Anderson, U.S. Patent No. 462,429, issued November 3, 1891, on a Lemon Squeezer;  W.M. Harris, U.S. Patent No. 468,341, Issued February 9, 1892, on a Lemon Squeezer; H.J. Williams, U.S. Patent No. 472,043, issued April 19, 1892, on a Lemon Squeezer; J. S. Dunham & E. D. Middlekauff, U.S. Patent No. 490,802, issued January 31, 1893, on a Lemon Squeezer; C. W. Barrett, U.S. Patent No. 492,259, issued February 21, 1893, on a Lemon Squeezer;  W. Schwendler, U.S. Patent  No. 497,078, issued May 9, 1893, on a Lemon Squeezer; J.L. Easley, U.S. Patent No. 533,584, issued February 5, 1895, on a Lemon Squeezer; H. Malinow, U.S. Patent No. 560,273, issued May 19, 1896, on a Lemon Squeezer; lemon squeezer on December 8, 1896 (filed on March 21, 1896).