Comments on: The Patent Office Has Become A National Disgrace http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2008/01/16/the-patent-office-has-become-a-national-disgrace/ Yesterday's tomorrow, today. Thu, 20 Nov 2008 10:18:57 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: Patrick http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2008/01/16/the-patent-office-has-become-a-national-disgrace/#comment-1044734 Patrick Mon, 28 Jan 2008 00:06:39 +0000 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2008/01/16/the-patent-office-has-become-a-national-disgrace/#comment-1044734 I had to translate some of their figures into 2007 dollars to see what the rant was about. Came out to roughly $1 in 1930 is $12 today. So, in today's dollars- Chemical machine: $1.2 million Application fee: $300 Photocopies: $2.40/page Clerk's initial salary: $24,000 Wow, no wonder the turnover was so high! I had to translate some of their figures into 2007 dollars to see what the rant was about. Came out to roughly $1 in 1930 is $12 today. So, in today’s dollars-

Chemical machine: $1.2 million
Application fee: $300
Photocopies: $2.40/page
Clerk’s initial salary: $24,000

Wow, no wonder the turnover was so high!

]]> By: jayessell http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2008/01/16/the-patent-office-has-become-a-national-disgrace/#comment-1029376 jayessell Thu, 17 Jan 2008 03:56:35 +0000 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2008/01/16/the-patent-office-has-become-a-national-disgrace/#comment-1029376 I viewed the first illustration at maximum magnification hoping for wacky and/or prescient inventions. No and no. I didn't read the entire article. Was Mr. Farnsworth mentioned? I viewed the first illustration at maximum magnification hoping for wacky and/or prescient inventions.
No and no.

I didn’t read the entire article.
Was Mr. Farnsworth mentioned?

]]> By: Blurgle http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2008/01/16/the-patent-office-has-become-a-national-disgrace/#comment-1028848 Blurgle Thu, 17 Jan 2008 00:11:52 +0000 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2008/01/16/the-patent-office-has-become-a-national-disgrace/#comment-1028848 It's not as if they had to wait until the patent was registered before manufacturing the item. As Randy says, patents exist to protect the inventor against unauthorized copying; they aren't necessary to use the item. It’s not as if they had to wait until the patent was registered before manufacturing the item. As Randy says, patents exist to protect the inventor against unauthorized copying; they aren’t necessary to use the item.

]]> By: Randy http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2008/01/16/the-patent-office-has-become-a-national-disgrace/#comment-1028757 Randy Wed, 16 Jan 2008 23:33:29 +0000 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2008/01/16/the-patent-office-has-become-a-national-disgrace/#comment-1028757 "The following fall, nearly two years after the first application was made, the patent was granted. By then, changes in the particular branch of the chemical industry to which it applied made the invention worthless." If the technology was advancing that rapidly, the patent would have been worthless anyway. The only thing that a patent does is allow you to sue somebody that copies it exactly. It is not preemptive protection for your invention or process. In fact, if the patent had been granted swiftly in a rapidly-advancing field, it would only have made it more likely for someone else to develop an improvement upon seeing the patent. “The following fall, nearly two years after the first application was made, the patent was granted. By then, changes in the particular branch of the chemical industry to which it applied made the invention worthless.”

If the technology was advancing that rapidly, the patent would have been worthless anyway. The only thing that a patent does is allow you to sue somebody that copies it exactly. It is not preemptive protection for your invention or process. In fact, if the patent had been granted swiftly in a rapidly-advancing field, it would only have made it more likely for someone else to develop an improvement upon seeing the patent.

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