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.

On December 6, 1955, U.S. Patent No. D176288 issued to Joseph R. Schemansky on an Automobile — the 1955 Chevrolet Bel Air:

The Chevrolet Bel Air was a full-size car produced by Chevrolet from 1950 to 1981. The first generation of the Bel Air included the 1950 to 1954 model years. The second generation began with the 1955 Bel Air, which was well received both for its appearance and performance:

On December 4, 1990, Casimir M. Lazickas received U.S. Patent No. 4,974,611 on a Shoe Horn and Comb Combination:

While no doubt convenient, is this combination inventive? Casimir’s “invention” calls to mind Hymen Lipman’s 1830 “invention” of a combined pencil and eraser, for which he received U.S. patent 19,783. Lipman sold the patent to Faber in 1862 for $100,000. However, in 1875 the Supreme Court in Reckendorfer v. Faber, 92 U.S. 347 (1875), invalided the patent because Lipman’s invention was simply a combination of two already known devices. The Supreme Court said “The combination, to be patentable, must produce a different force or effect or result in the combined forces or processes from that given by their separate parts. There must be a new result produced by their union; if not so, it is only an aggregation of separate elements.”

On December 2, 1952, U.S. Patent No. 2,620,061 issued to Oskar Uxa, on a Pocket Article Dispensing Container — the PEZ dispenser:

The PEZ dispenser started out as a way to dispense peppermints to help people quit smoking and freshen their breath. In fact, the name PEZ comes from the first, middle, and last letter of pfefferminz, the German word for peppermint.

Quitting smoking wasn’t quite a thing in the early ’50’s, so the company quickly pivoted to fruit flavors and began marketing the former mints as candy for children. The design of the dispenser evolved from a full body Santa, to a candy dispensing gun, to the iconic character head on top of the original dispenser.

The first design popular character designs were Popeye, Casper, and Bozo the Clown.

On December 1, 1856, U.S. Patent No. 18,788, issued to Ephraim Ball on a Mowing Machine:

Ephraim Ball was born in Stark County, Ohio, in 1812. In 1840 Ball started a foundry for making plough castings, and a shop for selling ploughs known as “Ball’s Blue Ploughs.” He formed a partnership with Cornelius Aultman and Lewis Miller, and in 1851 opened Ball, Aultman & Co. appeared in Canton, Ohio. In 1854, ball created the “Ohio Mower,” but a fire delayed completion of a practical machine until 1856, when the company made 500 “O.

In 1856, Ball, Aultman & Co., made five hundred “Ohio Mowers.” In 1858 the firm dissolved, with each partner forming a new business. Ephraim Ball went on to manufacture Ball’s New American Harvester.

On November 30, 1875, Asmus.J. Ehrrichson, of Akron, Ohio, received U.S. Patent No. 170536 on an Oat-Meal Machine:

In the United States oats were primarily horse feed until a German grocer, Ferdinand Schumacher emigrated to the United States in the mid-1800s. In 1854 Schumacher began grinding oats in his Akron, Ohio, store, using a hand mill similar that used to grind coffee beans. Schumacher then opened the German Mills American Oatmeal Company, grinding the oats between two rotating millstones. The ground oats resulted in a cooked oatmeal that was pasty and lumpy.

Asmus J. Ehrrichsen, one of Schumacher’s employees, replaced the millstones with rotating knife blades. This substantially reduced the amount of residue and produced a more uniform meal. Unfortunately, meal of uniform taste and flakiness. While producing a better product, Ehrrichsen’s invention still resulted in significant waste, prompting Schumacher three years later to purpurchase porcelain rollers from England. Not only did the rollers eliminate waste, but they produced a meal that could be cooked in as little as one hour.

An interesting side note is that in nearby Ravenna, a mill owned by Heston and Seymour, was also selling steel-cut oats, but instead of selling them in bulk, they packaged them in paper boxes with the printed cooking directions, calling their product ” printed on the outside. They called their product “Quaker Oats.”