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!
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Today we celebrate everyone’s best friend - the dog! From the smallest teacup chihuahua to the largest Great Dane (who thinks he’s a teacup dog), we love our pets. And thanks to dog leashes, like the one patented by Charles Andrew Taylor in 1942, we’re able to show them off and share them with the neighborhood – always remembering to clean up after them! Throw the ball a couple of extra times for them today in honor of National Dog Day. Photo by Bonnie Kittle via Unsplash
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In 1888 when George Eastman patented his camera, the selling price for the Kodak box camera was $25. Today, that same camera would cost about $680, the price of a low-end smartphone that not only takes photos but also provides a lifeline for many! His box camera was 7” x 4” x 3.5” image carrying that around to snap a picture of your dinner. Progress? You be the judge. Photo by William Bayreuther via Unsplash
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Shout out to Esther Brown for helping all who sunburn easily to be able to enjoy the beach! Ms. Brown’s beach umbrella design, patented in 1938, makes our time at the beach much more comfortable. Spending Relaxation Day at the beach under a beach umbrella is time well spent. Pass me the sunscreen please! Photo by Celeste Shepherd via Unsplash
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Over the past several months sewing machines have been brought out of the closet and are being used more and more frequently as people are re-discovering the joy of fabric projects. And we’d be amiss not to thank the sewing machine for the hundreds of thousands of masks they’ve been kicking out for everyone to use. Isaac Singer patented his first commercial sewing machine in 1851, but he was sued for patent infringement and lost his case in 1854. Oops, should have checked his design a little more closely!
Photo by Annie Spratt via Unsplash
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It really does seem that everything in this world does come around full circle. Look at golf shoes. When people discovered the joys of hitting a ball around with a club, they didn’t give much thought to their footwear. Spiked golf shoes were born out of the need to stabilize the golfer’s feet on wet, sloshy greens. Around the turn of the 20th century, golf shoes were pretty much bowling shoes with spikes – and not loved by course groundskeepers. But as sneaker technology advanced, so did golf shoe technology. Today’s golf shoe design, like the one patented by Kazuhiko Kobayashi in 2003, provides more comfort to the golfer while providing improved traction without spikes. Groundskeepers everywhere are celebrating! We at BIG IP Law will be celebrating golf all month long. Photo by Courtney Cook via Unsplash
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Book Lovers Unite! Whether you prefer hardcover, softcover, or digital, book lovers around the country are celebrating National Book Lovers Day. While most books are now read on tablets or smartphones, there is nothing like holding a hardcover book and reading away. Or the satisfaction garnered by reading a paperback book and not breaking the binding. One of the first bookbinding patents was granted in 1868 to David Smyth. The techniques he developed are still used today! Photo by Thomas Kelley via Unsplash
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The first golf equipment patent was awarded to Thomas Johnson in 1876. Rather than wood, Mr. Johnson’s club had a hard rubber substance for the clubhead. These clubs were a far cry from the titanium and steel clubs of today! Wonder how far Tiger Woods could hit a ball from the tee using one of Mr. Johnson’s clubs. Sadly, only a few of the 1876 clubs are known to still exist so we’ll probably never know. We at BIG IP Law will be celebrating golf all month long. Interested in sports patents? Ready to take a swing with your new performance patent idea? Photo by Cristina Anne Costello on Unsplash
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