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The foundations of the patent system
"An act of Congress authorising (sic) the issuing patents for new discoveries has given a spring to invention beyond my conception." — Thomas Jefferson, June 27, 1790
- 1790, April 10th - Patent Act Passed
- 1790, July 31st - George Washington signs The First U.S. Patent Issued - This Day of History
- Patent no. 1X assigned to Samuel Hopkins of Philadelphia for the improvement in making of potash and pearl ash — alkaline substances derived from wood ashes, essential for fertilizer, soap, and glass production
- It was also signed by Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson, & Attorney General Edmund Randolph.
- 1790 - 1836 -Patents continued to be signed by the President of the United States
- 1836 - Fire destroys the records of the first 40 years of patents issued.
- The United States Patent and Trademark Office has two patents in its archival collection, as well as several others in the digital archive.
- Explore five examples below, (The history of presidentially signed patents | USPTO) and visit the USPTO’s Public Search Facility to see the patents signed by Thomas Jefferson and John Quincy Adams in person.
- The Patent Act of 1836, signed into law on July 4 of that year, transformed the patenting process and laid the foundation for the system still used today. The act required the thorough examination of patents, established a corps of professional patent examiners, and introduced a formal patent numbering system.
- 1976 - Patent no. 3,938,115 As part of America’s celebration of the bicentennial of the Declaration of Independence, President Gerald Ford signed a ceremonial patent granted to inventor Sidney Jacoby of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The inventor’s home was a nod to the location of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, which took place in Philadelphia’s Independence Hall
- 2018, June 19 Patent no. 10,000,000
The granting of U.S. Patent No. 10 million marked a major milestone in the history of patents in the United States. President Donald Trump signed the patent in a special ceremony at the White House, paying homage to the past tradition of presidential patent signings, beginning with the very first.
More News from Calabasas
- USPTO Announces Madrid e-Filing: New Platform for International Trademark Filings This transition will give USPTO customers a more efficient and streamlined way to file international trademark applications.
- Ebola: Restrictions for Travelers Returning From the Democratic Republic of the Congo The CDC is temporarily restricting U.S. entry for all travelers who were recently in DRC and certain travelers who were recently in Uganda or South Sudan.
