How about a bit of an educational series here? hmm
As you go through day to day things you take for granted, you need to realize they didn't just happen....kind of like people...
I have one to start out.
I filled my cup with ice today and wondered, who invented the little wire arm on the automatic ice maker that tells it to stop making ice when the bin is full? hmm
Here is a way I search for things like this. I look for the patent document which may trace earlier patents also. One I found for a start.
http://www.google.com/patents?id=LKAXAAAAEBAJ&pg=PA1&lpg=PA1&dq=US+Patent+5970725&source=web&ots=xhsyiTBuim&sig=1eUxz5dzU1SxI87IS0OKCKFitcA&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=6&ct=result#PPA1,M1
It's simple. Just read the patent then follow the older referenced patents back to see if they have that part listed.
Here is back to M G Shoemaker July 13, 1959 file date. I haven't checked older refs yet from this patent.
http://www.google.com/patents?id=zmdIAAAAEBAJ&pg=PA4&lpg=PA4&dq=PATENT++3,071,933&source=web&ots=6k59OZ8YnB&sig=E_E6lzDCcJvKoaMkXiBb0Q8tBy0&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=9&ct=result#PPA6,M1
Continuing back I find a variation of it by TB Chase April 21, 1955 Item 91 and 94.
http://www.google.com/patents?id=TC9GAAAAEBAJ&pg=PA1&dq=PATENT+2808707&source=gbs_selected_pages&cad=0_1#PPA1,M1
(https://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d184/glennkangiser/icemakerarm.jpg)
Next it would be necessary to continue checking the patents referenced at the end of this patent.
(https://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d184/glennkangiser/icemakerrefs.jpg)
Google makes it easy - just type in the new number and search.
You work on cars....
Neat little thought problem.
I remember once doing a thought problem discussion on tracing the technology, processes and proceedures needed to produce a number 2 wooden pencil. A relatively simple object today, yet there are millions of hours of development and testing in hundreds of different fields of research that went into the development of the thing. I'll bet there are hundreds of patents on the related inventions that go into making the Pencil.
An interesting, sometimes fascinating book is The Pencil.
http://countryplans.com/smf/index.php?topic=2487.0
It's pretty interesting when you get into it. A scientist/chemist at the bromine plant my nephew works at got me started tracing patents on one of his inventions to extract gold from sulfide ore.
It gets pretty interesting sometimes and the Google patent search makes it easy to do what his company pays a lot of money for. He holds a lot of patents and spent quite a while with me going over his patent I was interested in.
There are many useful well illustrated expired patents full of knowledge free for those who care to look. Some of the drafting and art work is pretty incredible.
I find the descriptions interesting also.
Patent... reminded me of land patents.
I've discovered our land in the Jemez was first granted to a somebody Gallegos by President Taft in 1910. The papers are somewhere around here. ??? Just thought I'd throw that in before hitting the sack.
Yup land patent are good -- probably eliminates local government from jurisdiction over your place. ::)
Ok, who did it?
Toilet Paper? d*
What the heck, I didn't swear?
Sparks, you didn't swear, but you just touched a new bottom in forum topics.
Looks like the real inventor is going to be a bit elusive but Wikipedia has a bit of interesting info on it.
QuoteDuring the later Tang Dynasty (618–907 AD) a Muslim Arab traveler to China in the year 851 AD remarked:
"They (the Chinese) are not careful about cleanliness, and they do not wash themselves with water when they have done their necessities; but they only wipe themselves with paper."[2]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toilet_paper
Did you know it can also be used for advertising? Generally it can be found with pictures of unpopular presidents.