Thank you for visiting SNEWPapers!
Sign up free
Story
September 12, 1894
The Hawaiian Star
Honolulu, Honolulu County, Hawaii
What is this article about?
Amusing anecdote about an inventor excitedly sharing a new device, only for his friend to reveal he had the same idea 15 years earlier, which was already patented, emphasizing the need to search the patent office before investing.
Clipping
OCR Quality
85%
Good
Full Text
New Inventions Are Scarce.
It is somewhat amusing to see how often an inventor will pursue a subject that has been exhausted. One of the shrewdest of his class very cautiously told a friend while sitting in the lobby of one of the leading hotels up town that he had struck something, and in fact it was a device really needed in our civilization. The friend smiled and said: "My boy, I supposed I invented the same identical thing 15 years ago. Before I took out a patent I had the patent office searched, and the reply came back. 'Your device is old: was invented 10 years ago.'" The patent office ought always to be searched before big fees are rolled up. -Hardware.
It is somewhat amusing to see how often an inventor will pursue a subject that has been exhausted. One of the shrewdest of his class very cautiously told a friend while sitting in the lobby of one of the leading hotels up town that he had struck something, and in fact it was a device really needed in our civilization. The friend smiled and said: "My boy, I supposed I invented the same identical thing 15 years ago. Before I took out a patent I had the patent office searched, and the reply came back. 'Your device is old: was invented 10 years ago.'" The patent office ought always to be searched before big fees are rolled up. -Hardware.
What sub-type of article is it?
Curiosity
What themes does it cover?
Moral Virtue
What keywords are associated?
Inventions
Patents
Inventor Anecdote
Patent Search
Where did it happen?
Lobby Of One Of The Leading Hotels Up Town
Story Details
Location
Lobby Of One Of The Leading Hotels Up Town
Story Details
An inventor shares his new device idea with a friend, who reveals he tried the same idea 15 years ago but found it already patented, advising to search the patent office first to avoid fees.