The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1911-08-30

10000 Granted Before Serial Plan of
Numbering Was Adopted.
Announcement of the issue Of the
millionth patent (since they have been
serially numbered) was announced re- |
Gently by Commissioner Edward b.
Moore. II was issued to an Akron |
(O.) man for a puncture proof tire for |
automobile and other vehicles, depend |
ing upon rubber springs for Its re-
siliency.
| Commissioner Moore said the apph
cation came up in the regular or .er
of business, was numbered and car
ried through the regular channels and
was signed without ceremony. Nu-
merous requests were received from
various inventors for this distinction,
but they were not needed.
Englisnman Got First Patent.
This patent. although numbered
/ 100000. is in reality not the mil
\ lionth for the reason that prior to July
! 2S, 1896, there were granted 1857 pat
ents without numbers, so that count
ing from the FIRST patent granted. July
81. 1900. and including the 1857 I'M
numbered patents. the millionth patent
! would be the one numbered 000,043, is
sued April Is, 1911. The first one was
! granted to Clarence Thorvald Hasen
: of Lancaster. England. for machine
| to make tubes from fbrous materials.
The American patent system was
! founded by an act of congress April
10. 1890. Thomas jefferson. then Sec
rotary Of state. inspired it and may
/ be said to have been its father. he
| took great pride in it. it Is said. and
gave personal consideration to every
+ application that was made for pat
ent during the years between 100 and
1893.
Under this act applications for pat
ents were examined by board Of COM
missioners consisting of the secretary
of state. the secretary Of war and the
/ attorney general. and after having
been passed upon by this tribunal they
still required the certificate of the at
torney general and the signature Of the
president The first board consisted
of Thomas Jefferson, secretary Of
state; Henry Knox, secretary of war,
and Edmund Randolph of Virginia, at
torney general. The first patent was
granted to Samuel Hopkins on July 81,
$780, for manufacturing potash and
pearlash.
Fees Then and Now.
| bn fOl
lowing fees for the granting of patents,
which are in striking contrast with
those exacted today: For receiving
and filing the petition, so cents; for Ill
ing specifications, per copy sheet con-
tanning 100 words. 10 cents; for max
ing out the patent, 81; for atHxing the
great SEAL 81; for indorsing the day OF
delivering the same to the patentee In
Guiding all intermediate services, 10
cents" Today the government fees
amount to $50.
In 1893 the patent laws were revised,
and from that time until 1886 no sys-
tenn was maintained and every appli-
cation that was made was granted In
1886 congress passed new laws that
are the foundation Of the present pat
ent laws. II WIS in this year that pat
eIts were first numbered. July %, 1896
Patent No was granted to John Rug
giles of ThomuStCn. Me. for a locOmo-
tive steam engine FOR inclined planes.
Since that tire l.N2I,CC1 applications
have been maGe. of rh'ch l.uO0OoU
have been gran cd The T. nre 10000
pending: the :, are r'.;Hl' d.. d These
represent an aprr" Yte co. PHciiure
of S47. OO0.CC0 in g1vrEu 81 fe'S from
the inventors ulCne
Under these laws ,a,r ut l79a rhe
board of commissioners was abolished.
and the power To rrani patents WIS
vested in the secretary of safe. 1t
was not until 1896 that the Office Of
commissioner of patents WAS establish
ed. Henry l.. Ellsworth was the in
cumbent.
Grinding Out $4,000 Year.
America leads the world as an in
ventive nation. France coming next,
, with 10000 patents; then Great Brit
. ain. with 100000; Germany. with 25O.-
600; Belgium. 100000; Canada, 10000.
The Bahamas and Liberia share the
, bloody" prize. with two patents each.
The total number of patents granted
? by all nations Of the world is $780,
t 600. of which 80 per cent have been
! granted by the United States.
The patent Office is now granting
patents at the rate of $4,000 year.
applications being received at the rate
Of 65.000 per annum, the examination
! Of which requires 1915 examiners.
, Owing to the enormous increase In
the business of the patent office In the
) last few years its building has become
Z very much overcrowded, and Commits
I sioner Moore hopes that congress will
, appropriate the 100000 now in the
, treasury to the credit Of the patent
; Office for new building.
2 More Railroad Employees.
: Nearly 100000 new employees were