The Colorado statesman., 1911-09-02
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Egn gIMIjI1ls SSN Wa h ington
AsAI Ia2i.s.ll.sEu8Els-z3Qa having issued
patent No.
100000 One million patents in less
than a century is a record not even
approached by any other nation.
France comes nearest the United
States in the inventive genius of her
people with less than half the num-
Der OF patents granted in America.
The millionth patent is for a pune
ture-proof tire for automobiles and
other vehicles, depending upon rubber
springs for its resiliency, and is the
invention of an Akron, Ohio, man.
1t has often been said that no other
people on earth have ever showed the
inventive genius seen in the United
States. The steamboat, the telegraph.
the telephone. the aeroplane and other
wonderful inventions, all products of
the Yankee brain, are all well known.
Thousands OF labor saving devices,
such as the sewing machine, cotton
gin. mower and reaper-all the re-
suits of American inventive genius
have done more to alleviate the con-
dition of mankind than any other fac
tor outside of the abolition of slav-
cry.
Looking back over the wonderful
progress In the mechanical and fine
arts. 1t will be noticed that the inven-
tive faculty of the American people
has kept pace with the wonderful
growth of the nation. While Ameri-
cans are of heterogeneous stocks, all
authorities agree they have become
smalgamated by the talents and abil-
ity of their statesmen and Industrial
pioneers. Millions OF people from for
eign shores have been assimilated be-
cause of the liberal form of govern
ment and because of the equal oppor-
tunities offered. But every step for
ward in this country has been either
directly due to or is closely allied with
that wonderful faculty for delving into
untrled fields peculiar to Americans.
The granting of a patent in the old
days, when the nation was young. was
a matter of great Importance, whether
Il was for making pot and pearl ashes
or wooden nutmegs; If. indeed. those
silent testimonials to Yankee smart
ness ever got the grace of government
favor.
The patent office as It stands today
was created by act of Congress Of July
4. 1886 and the first commissioner was
Henry L. Ellsworth, of Connecticut.
From that time until the present the
patent laws have provided for a search
system-that is, they provide that a
search be made to see If any patent of
like nature has been issued. so as to
prevent duplication. But before that
time there was little II any searching
done. because there was no provision
made and practically no force to make
a search.
The present series OF patents began
in 1886. and since that time patents
have been numbered consecutively
Prior to July 4. 1886. there had been
issued $500 patents. The first patent
OF the present series was granted to
John Ruggles, July 13. 1886, for To-
comotive engine and is patent No. 1.
All patents. both foreign and do
nestle, thus must be searched. and II
nothing is found to conflict with the
idea of which patent Is requested, the
grant Is made. For all this work
Uncle Sam charges the modest fee of
S35-$15 upon filing the application
and the other $50 when notice is re-
ceived that patent will be granted.
From the first federal patent grant
in 1890 to the present commissioner
in 1911, is a long jump. 1t is just 121
years ago. Many changes have taken
place during this time. When the first
patent was issued the president of
the United States made the grant,
while the record was written by a
clerk in the state department. Then
followed the patent board. composed
of the secretary of state, the secre-
tary OF war and the attorney general
This board was continued until 1896,
when the first commissioner of pat
ents was appointed.
Since 1886 the work of the patent Of
fee has increased by leaps and
bounds: and today. when the number
of patents granted each year averages
more than thirty thousand, the inven-
tive bump of the Yankee may almost
be seen growing. It is developing 20
fast.