Patents Facts

No one really knows who invented the fire hydrant, because its patent was burned in a fire.

The first patented condom was meant to be reused!

The life boat was patented in 1845!

Dr. Jonas Salk, who developed the polio vaccine, chose not to patent it, making it affordable to the general public. The vaccine was estimated to be worth $7 billion had it been patented.

More than 100 pizza box-related patents have been issued since 1976!

The first ever patent in the UK was Aaron Rathbone & Roger Burges, Map makers in 1618!

Lizzie Magie invented The Landlord's Game to show how monopolies crush ordinary people. Parker Brothers bought it for $500, stripped her name, and renamed it Monopoly. It became the best-selling board game in history, making billions. She died almost forgotten.

Robert Kearns invented the intermittent windshield wiper. Ford passed - then put it on every car they built. He sued, representing himself for 12 years after three law firms quit. Ford offered $30 million to settle. Kearns turned it down - the offer came without an admission. He didn't want their money. He wanted Ford to say they took it.