Fun Facts

In a prime example of sibling rivalry breeding inspiration and innovation, Kellogg brothers Will and John created a number of products to help patients in their sanatorium.

Pass the orange juice, please! Taking a fresh orange and squeezing the juice from it provided a sip or two with your morning meal. But getting enough juice for a glass or a pitcher was time-consuming. Enter the Fruit Juicer. In 1949, H.C. Johnson patented a machine that would manually juice a whole piece of fruit (US Pat. No. 2,705,452) making the process quicker.

Why does a person seek a patent? While there are many reasons, in basic terms – “I have an idea that will improve life, make life easier or help mankind”. As we continue to celebrate Better Breakfast Month here at Behmke Innovation Group, let’s have a look at a kitchen item that has been used since long before the registering of patents began, but continues to improve and evolve - cookware.

While waffles have been around since the 1400s, Mr. Swaetwout’s design included a handle and a hinge for easy flipping without spillage. A version of this design was popular at the Chicago World’s Fair – and sold for a penny!