Top 10 facts about patents
TODAY'S date is the anniversary of the award of two historic patents relating to boats and planes.
1. On May 22, 1849, Abraham Lincoln received a patent for his invention of a “method of buoying vessels over shoals”. He is still the only US President to have held a patent.
2. On May 22, 1906, the Wright brothers were granted a patent for their “Flying-Machine”.
3. The musical fly swatter was patented in 1994. It played two tunes, one when turned on and the other when it hit a fly.
4. In 1883, A. Ashwell of south London, patented the Vacant/Engaged sign for public lavatories.
5. A ladder to enable spiders to climb out of baths was patented in the UK in 1994.
6. A collar and lead to enable snake owners to take their pet for walks was patented in the US in 2002.
7. In 1875, Narcisse Huret of France patented a vehicle called the ‘cynophere’ which was a sort of tricycle powered by dogs on treadmills.
8. Sardine-flavoured ice-cream was patented in Japan in 1994.
9. A “Nose-picking scoop” was patented in China in 2012.
10. The ‘beerbrella’, comprising a small umbrella designed to shield a glass of beer from the sun, was patented in the US in 2003.
