Patent Stories
History of the Soda Bottle Patent
Soda bottles killed the cocaine-laced soda of the late 1800s.
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History of the Canoe Patent
From animal skin to aluminum, canoes have undergone an incredible transformation over the past 10,000 years.
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History of the Airplane Patent
While the Wright brothers are often credited with being the first in flight, another inventor managed to get off the ground before them.
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History of the Golf Cart Patent
Golf originated in Scotland in the 15th century and, at the time, golfers walked the course and their clubs were carried by a caddy. This tradition carried on until the early 1900s
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History of the Blood Pressure Cuff Patent
This surprisingly common device has a pretty interesting history.
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History of the Baseball Field Patent
In our baseball patent post, we told the story of baseball’s founding by the New York Knickerbockers. One Knickerbocker, Alexander Cartwright, has the distinction of inventing the baseball field. In 1845, at 25 years of age, Cartwright drew up plans for the original baseball field which included a diamond shape and foul zone. Originally, home base was a circle made out of iron and painted white. In 1868, home base was changed to a 12” square arranged in the orientation we know today. Home runs were not common in the mid-1850s and in some ballparks, a mere 200ft hit would count as a home run. By the 1882 season, rulemakers instated a 235ft minimum home run distance which pales in comparison to the 325ft minimum in place today. The pitcher’s mound also changed drastically over the years. At the game’s invention, there was no standardized distance from the plate that the pitcher had to stand, although it was generally assumed that they stood about 45 feet away. That changed in 1857 when a line was drawn 15 meters from home base, behind which the pitcher had to stand. It wasn't until the 20th century that the pitcher’s mound was created. The baseball field evolved considerably from the 19th century to today, but always remained a popular attraction. In 1887, Edward McGill of Philadelphia, PA, capitalized on this fascination and patented a baseball dice game. In the game, roll combinations determined whether you got a hit (and how many bases), ball, strike or a home run. The scoring and change of innings rules followed the conventional rules of the time. A model baseball field even came with the game so you could easily keep track of hitters’ positions. Check out the patent
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History of the Beer Mug Patent
People have been drinking beer for over 10,000 years and some of the earliest canteens are thought to have been fashioned out of animal skin.
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History of the Barber's Pole Patent
The seemingly innocent history behind barber poles’ design is far more ghastly than you’d imagine.
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