The E-Sylum:  Volume 5, Number 2, January 13, 2002, Article 13

PATENT DRAWINGS TRASHED

  NBS Board Member Joel Orosz writes: "Here is another
  case of literature vandalism that might merit mention in the
  E-Sylum."   The article relates to our earlier discussion of
  the book "Double Fold: Libraries and the Assault on Paper"
  by Nicholson Baker. (see The E-Sylum v4#17, April 22,
  2001).  It was published in The New York Times
  December 30, 2001.

  Ingenuity's Blueprints, Into History's Dustbin
  By ALISON MITCHELL

  ARLINGTON, Va., Dec. 27 - On these frigid winter nights,
  Randy Rabin can be found combing through trash bins
  outside the United States Patent and Trademark Office, trying
  to rescue from destruction yellowed copies of patents from
  America's golden age of invention.

  The patent office, home to nearly 6.5 million patents dating to
  1790, is converting to an electronic database and discarding
  a significant portion of its paper files after they have been
  scanned and digitized.

  Tonight, at least 30 large recycling bins are sitting in a driveway
  near the patent office's public search room, crammed with
  documents ready for destruction.

  A few random swoops into the bins produce aged prints of
  patent documents dated from the 1880's and 90's, with
  spidery intricate sketches of inventions.

  Four of the reproductions have the name T. A. Edison at the
  top of the page. That's Thomas Alva Edison, the inventor of
  the light bulb and the holder of more than 1,000 United
  States patents. One of the sketches retrieved from the dust
  bin of bureaucracy is of Mr. Edison's "dynamo electric
  machine or motor," patented March 15, 1892."

  http://www.nytimes.com/2001/12/30/national/30PATE.html


  [A number of patents have numismatic connections, including
   minting equipment, counting machines, and scales.  One of
   my personal favorite numismatic items, encased postage
   stamps, was patented by its inventor, John Gault.  This
   paticular patent drawing found its way into the National
   Archives many years ago, and I was thrilled to be able to
   examine it in person during a visit to Washington, DC.
   -Editor]

  Wayne Homren, Editor

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