The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-05-04
ALL ABOUT PATENTS.
cut People Invent More Things
Than AnYbOdY

Washington, May 4-The report Of
Commissioner of Patents John S Sey-
mour for the year ending December
81, 1895, was submitted to congress to-
day. It shows that aggregate receipts
from all sources during the year were
s1,245,247; expenditures, S1.OS4, 496. In
every year since 1860 there has been a
to surplus over all expenditures.
During the year there were issued
1898 patents and designs, exclusive
of So reissues and inclusive Of 2,049 is
sued to foreigners, ], S29 trademarks and
three prints registered, and 46.s99 ap-
plications filed for patents, trademarks,
labels, prints, etc. There were also
Il, 345 patents which expired and 1923
patents forfeited for non-payment of
final fees. The four foreign countries
leading in the number Of patents is
sued to their citizens by this govern
ment are. England 614; Germany, 539;
Canada, SOP, and France, 202. In the
United States the states leading in
the number of patents issued to their
citizens are: New York, 1889; Penn
sylvania, 2,270; Illinois, 1876; Masssa-
chusetts. 1,793, and Ohio, 1923. In
proportion to population, however, Con
necticut heads the list with one to
every 927 people. The commissioner
recommends the enactment into law of
certain rules made a year ago to pre-
vent more than six months delay by
applicants in paying further attention
to their case acted on by the Office and
allowing examiners to reject claims
where there have been intentional de-
lays in cases pending more than five
years. The rule, he says, however. is
open to attack in the court. He also
recommends the enactment Of the bill
amending the patent laws prepared by
the patent committee of the American
Bar association and introduced in Con-
gress. Concerning the publication of
the Office gazette, which has in recent
years involved many complications and
last year resulted in congressional
inquiry, the commissioner decries the
lack Of a modern process in its pro-
duction, the entire work not being done
by one firm, and urges in event of a
change being inadvisable that a con-
tract be authorized for printing it for
a longer term than one year, in view
Of the expensive plant required.
Reports have been received from
thirty-two foreign countries, including
Great Britain. Germany, Russia and
France, and the total number of pat
ents issued by these governments from
the earliest period up to December 81
last aggregate 9S1, 961, against 562, 45S so
far issued by the United States.
Prior to 1870 the United States
issued nearly half as many patents as
al LII G4SA AAuNAoAAS COulDluEQ.
The esta blishnnent of a classification
division IS again urged. The commits
siOner speaks unfavorably Of the sug-
gestion that it would be better to issue
all patents without examination as to
novelty, leaving the sitting of records
of priority to the courts.
During the past twenty-five years
twenty-five inventors have been grant
ed more than 100 patents, the whole
number granted to them within that
period being 4,ss4 Of these the wiz
ard Thomas A. Edison leads with 421;
Elihu Thompson, the electrician, COM
ing next The greatest activity Of the
year was shown in detail inventions
and accessories to bicycles and in ma
chimes and processes for making the
parts. Pneumatic tires have attract
ed the inventor because of their now
almost universal use on sulkies as well
as bicycles.