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Patented Scraper … Maybe, or Maybe Not
When choosing to highlight this tool as a featured patent,
it was assumed, because of the bold metal nameplate and the
information thereon, that the appropriate patent papers would
be simple to find. What actually transpired was a two-day
search of all existing databases, without finding an actual
patent or patent application for this particular scraper tool.
(By the way, who knew that Iowa was the home of so many valid
patents for road scrapers and graders?)
It
was, and still is, common for inventors to try to protect their ideas so that
their concepts are not stolen and reproduced by others before
actual commercial production. They could file their concept
with the American and British patent offices as a registered
design or application. At a later date, after much investigation
and validation by the issuing office, a final patent number
would be assigned and the inventor was then legally protected.
In some cases, the application was refused. In other cases,there
was an extraordinarily long delay, which often prevented test
marketing and, in some instances, resulted in the financial
demise of the enthusiastic inventor. Marks were often applied
to an item to thwart potential competitors. Those most commonly
found are "pat. applied for", "pat. appl.",
"reg'd. design" and other variations. In some cases,
a fictitious date is inserted. Many of these patent claims
are false.
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