On December 31, 1968, Donald W. Davis received U.S. Patent No. 3,418,999, on a method of swallowing a pill:
The method of swallowing a pill comprises the steps of (1) taking a single swallowable amount of a liquid in the mouth together with a pill having a density in the range from about 0.4 to about 0.95, and a volume in the range from about 0.2 cubic centimeters to about 1.7 cubic centimeters; and then (2) bowing the head downwardly and forwardly while retaining said liquid and pill in the mouth, and then swallowing same while the head is held in said downwardly bowed position and the pill is floating near the back of the mouth.
This New Year’s Eve patent on a pill-swallowing method arrives just in time for anyone who plans to ring in the new year a little too enthusiastically—and needs to swallow something besides their pride.
On December 30, 1913, Dr William David Coolidge received U.S. Patent No. 1,082,933 on a method for making ductile tungsten for the purpose of making filaments for electric lamps — a task he was assigned when he joined the General Electric Research Laboratory in 1905.
Coolidge developed a way to superheat the metal tungsten in order to draw it out into the fine threads used for lamp filaments. Coolidge then improved the X-ray tube by using a heated tungsten filament cathode in vacuum producing electrons, instead of residual gas molecules in the tube. (U.S. Patent No. 1,215,116). This permitted higher operating voltages, higher energy X rays, and the treatment of deeper-seated tumors.
On December 29, 1903, Joseph Karwowski, received U.S. Patent No. 748284 issued on a Method of Preserving the Dead.
Karwowski explains that he first surrounds the corpse with a thick layer of sodium silicate or water-glass. After the corpse has been thus enclosed within the layer of waterglass, it is allowed to remain for a short time within a compartment or chamber having a dry heated temperature, to evaporate the water from this incasing layer, after which molten glass is applied to the desired thickness. The glass can be molded into a rectangular form, as shown in the Figures.
On December 28, 1993, John B. Long of Sarasota, FL, received U.S. Patent No. 5,273,766 on Tenderizing Meat:
The meat is supported on the hemispherical wall of a water-filled tank, equidistant from an explosive charge. The explosive is detonated and the resulting shockwave apparently tenderizes the meat. Surprisingly, Long was not the first to use explosives to tenderize meat, in which quite literally seems like overkill. Godfrey, received U.S. Pat. No. 3,492,688, on February 3, 1970.
Although significant tenderization was documented using explosive-based technology according to Long ‘766, a number of technological limitations existed with this approach. The meat had to be packaged to avoid contact with the water potentially containing residue from the explosion. Vacuum packaging was preferred because the rapid pressures generated by the shock wave would otherwise cause bag failures, thus exposing the meat to the water in the vessel and to potential combustion products from the explosives. These high infrastructure costs inhibited the commercialization of a chemical explosive-based system. See, US20040097180.
Subsequently, Long improved the concept with a shock wave that was electrically generated with a capacitor discharge system. See, Long, U.S. Pat. No. 6,120,818.
On December 14, 1965, Donald J. Gribble and Henry E. Bennett received U.S. Patent No. 3,223,070 on a Dairy Establishment:
The “establishment” featured large water tanks in the ceiling which allowed operator to pull a chain and flush the cow “exhaust” from the facility, eliminating the unpleasant task of shoveling the “exhaust.”
The invention was implemented with success, and the patent owners tried enforcing the patent, but when the case reached the Supreme Court in 1976 (Sakraida v. Ag Pro, Inc., 425 U.S. 273 (1976)) the Supreme Court held the patent invalid as obvious from the Legendary Labors of Hercules — invalidating the patent on the basis of fictional prior art!
For those who don’t recall the legend, the King Augeas owned more than 3000 cattle which he housed in an enormous cattle stable. The stable had not been cleaned in more than 30 years. Enter Hercules, who told Augeas that he would clean the Augean Stables in one day if the king of Elis would give him a tenth of the cattle. Augeas agreed to Heracles’ terms.
When Hercules arrived at the stables, he knocked a hole into the side of the stables, and then set about diverting the rivers Alpheus and Peneus, so that they would flow through this hole. When completed, the water of these two rivers flowed through the Augean Stables, carrying all of the accumulated waste with it.
It didn’t work out for Hercules, however, because the King reneged on the deal and banished him. Neither did it work out for Ag Pro, whose patent was declared invalid. Not all good ideas pay off for their inventors.
On December 13, 1816, U.S. Patent No. X2705 issued to J. Adamson on a Floating Dry Dock:
A floating drydock is a floating structure that can be partially submerged so a ship can enter it and then pumped out to allow the ship to be serviced on a dry surface. So impactful was Adamson’s dry dock, that Congress renewed the patent by an Act of Congress on March 2, 1831 from 12 Dec 1830. A floating drydock of almost identical design to Adamsons was still in use in Hoboken, NJ in the early 1900s.
On December 12, 1893, U.S. Patent No. 510,758 issued to Cornele B. Adams of Augusta, Ga. on a Method of Photogrammetry:
Adams’ method employed aerial photographs from balloons at two different perspectives, which allowed the creation of topographic maps. Adams was not the first to employ aerial photography — in 1855 Gaspard Felix Tournachon used a balloon a 80 meters to take the first aerial photograph. (Four years later Napoleon III ordered Tournachon to take reconnaissance photography for the Battle of Solferino). Nor was Adams the first to employ aerial photography in the U.S. — on August 2, 1887, James Fairman was issued U.S. Patent No. 367610 on an Apparatus for Aerial Photography, which used a camera hung from either a balloon or kite, with a shutter operated by a timer. However Adams’ use of two separate images allowed him to accurately represent not just horizontal distances, but vertical distances as well.
On December 9, 2003, Giorgio Armani received U.S. Patent No. D483171 on a Selvedge of Jeans:
A selvedge is the edge on either side of a woven or flat-knitted fabric so finished as to prevent raveling– more specifically a narrow border often of different or heavier threads than the fabric and sometimes in a different weave.
This was not Armani’s only patent. He received U.S. Patent No. D518403 on a Necklace with Pendant on April 4, 2006; U.S. Patent No. D482513 on a Selvedge of Jeans on November 25, 2003; U.S. Patent No. D297636 on a Table Telephone Set on September 13, 1988; U.S. Patent No. D587139 on a Wrist Watch on February 24, 2009; U.S. Patent No. D687314 on a Combined Bottle and Cap on August 6, 2013; and U.S. Patent No. D702045 on a Clasp for Bags on April 8, 2014.
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).
On December 7, 1926, U.S. Patent No. 1,609,334 issued to Baltzar Carl von Platen and Carl George Munters, and assigned to Electrolux Servel Corp. on Refrigeration:
Originally founded in 1922 as the National Electric Products Company, the company adapted and shortened the name “Servel” from their slogan, “Serving Electricity.” In 1925, the company bought the American rights to a Swedish patent for a continuous absorption refrigerator and focused on the gas refrigeration market, introducing a household refrigerator in 1926. Servel dominated the gas refrigerator market from 1927 until 1956, when it ceased producing them.
