1

Harry Houdini granted patent #1,370,316 in 1921 for a "diver's suit"

2

Patent Act of 1861 increased term of a patent grant from 14 to 17 years, now it is 20 years

3

Thomas Jennings received patent in 1821 for "dry scouring of clothes". He may of been the 1st African-American inventor to receive a U.S. patent

4

Leonard Kasday received a patent in 1997 for a way to handle telephone prize opportunities

5

George Westinghouse, Jr patented the steam air brake in 1872

6

Mel Evenson received a design patent in 1990 for the ornamental design for a paperclip holder

7

Alexander Graham Bell granted a patent in 1876 for the telephone

8

Don Ku granted a patent for a wheeled suitcase with a collapsible towing handle in 1994

9

Gladys Geissman granted patent for a baby's garment in 1954

10

Almon Strowger issued a patent in 1891 for the automatic telephone exchange

11

Samuel Mullikin became the 1st inventor to hold multiple patents

12

Michael Vost patented a mailbox signalling device in 1996

13

Abbott and Costello's "Baseball Routine", also known as "Who's On First" was copyrighted in 1944

14

Eli Whitney granted patent for the cotton gin in 1794

15

William Hartman issued a patent in 1994 for a method and apparatus for painting highway markings.

16

"To Kill A Mockingbird" the movie, based on Harper Lee's novel was copyrighted in 1963

17

Blast Furnace Charger patented in 1885 by Fayette Brown

18

Rose O'Neill's Kewpie doll was copyrighted in 1910

19

Phineas Quimby issued a patent in 1850 for a steering machine

20

Jan E. Matzeliger issued patent #274,207 in 1883 for a "lasting device"

21

Constitution of the Confederate States of America establishes a Patent Office in 1861

22

Schawlow and Townes issued a patent in 1960 for the laser. Also, Orlando Jones patented cornstarch in 1841

23

"West Side Story" a musical play by Leonard Bernstein, was copyrighted in 1956

24

Charles Townes was granted a patent in 1959 for the maser, the precursor to the laser

25

Cayetano Aguas issued patent #3,873,284 in 1975 for a "smoke stack washer"

26

Charles Jenkins patented a motion picture machine in 1895

27

Harold Osrow and Zvi Bleier received a patent in 1990 for a portable ice cream machine.

28

William Fleming received a patent in 1899 for a player piano using electricity

29

"42nd Street" the movie, was copyrighted in 1933
The Patent and Trademark Office became the "United States Patent and Trademark Office" on this day in 2000 and began operations as a Performance-Based Organization.

30

Woody Guthrie's song, "This Land Is Your Land" was copyrighted in 1956

31

Ananda Chakrabarty patented a new single cell life form in 1981