| We all know what a patent is in general, but | | | | with appliances, but he held patents that had |
| how much do you really know about patents and | | | | to do with railroads as well. He held a |
| how they have shaped America? Our advances in | | | | patent on a system to put railroad cars back |
| technology here in America have surpassed | | | | on the tracks after they had been derailed. |
| that of all other countries combined. Many do | | | | He even held the patent for inventing the |
| not like to hear that, but it is a fact, and | | | | first air-brakes. |
| it has more to do with how America moved | | | | |
| ahead of other countries economically than | | | | Electricity and Steel Processing are just two |
| any other factor and still does today. | | | | of the great scientific discoveries that made |
| | | | this country great. I only bring those |
| In this article, I will cover many of the | | | | scientific discoveries into this article to |
| advances made by American Inventors | | | | show you something about patents. Many people |
| throughout our relatively short history | | | | know about the significant scientific |
| compared to other countries. | | | | discoveries like nuclear power, the |
| | | | automobile, the airplane, electronics, radio |
| Not all inventions that helped make America | | | | and television, agriculture, computers, the |
| great were originated in America, but even | | | | telephone, air conditioning, refrigeration, |
| those that were not invented and patented | | | | spacecraft, the Internet, and so much more, |
| here, were put to better use here, like a way | | | | most of which was either invented in America |
| to produce steel in large quantities for | | | | or put to the best use here in America. |
| instance. Originally patented by a British | | | | |
| inventor named Henry Bessemer. He invented | | | | But those significant scientific discoveries |
| the Bessemer Converter or the Bessemer | | | | make up only a small percentage of all the |
| Process. | | | | patents that are applied for and granted. |
| | | | Most patents stem from one or more of the |
| He obtained his patent in 1855, even though | | | | great scientific discoveries, but the patents |
| the process was known in China in the third | | | | are granted for the unique use of or |
| century. According to wikipedia.com, ? The | | | | combinations of the great discoveries. |
| key principle is removal of impurities from | | | | |
| the iron by oxidation through air being blown | | | | The genius and inventiveness of the American |
| through the molten iron. The oxidation also | | | | citizen over all others can be attributed to |
| raises the temperature of the iron mass and | | | | the fact we are a free society. Free speech |
| keeps it molten.? | | | | also means freedom of thought. Freedom of |
| | | | though leads to great knowledge and |
| However, ingenious Americans like Andrew | | | | discovery. |
| Carnegie put it to use and built everything | | | | |
| from tin cans to skyscrapers to railroads and | | | | While some inventions or great scientific |
| ships. Many American inventions were patented | | | | discoveries can be attributed to people of |
| because of the ability to process steel | | | | foreign countries, nowhere are those |
| faster. | | | | discoveries and inventions put to better use |
| | | | throughout history than in the United States. |
| Many people credit Benjamin Franklin for the | | | | |
| discovery of electricity. While that is true, | | | | For each major scientific discovery, |
| electrification is not quite the same thing. | | | | thousands of patents are filed that put it |
| People like Thomas Edison had introduced | | | | into practical use. Today, patents are still |
| direct-current systems, what we know as DC. | | | | applied for at an extremely fast rate. |
| Nikola Tesla worked toward using AC, or | | | | America has not stopped inventing and |
| alternating current. | | | | patenting their ideas. As long as the |
| | | | American culture continues to foster this |
| Tesla was Slavic, but a citizen of the US | | | | innovation, America will stay far ahead in |
| when he did all of his important work on | | | | all technological fields, while countries |
| electricity. At the turn of the century, | | | | that suppress the freedoms of their citizens |
| Tesla was already working in fields like | | | | will lag far behind. |
| robotics and ballistics. George Westinghouse | | | | |
| was a friend of Tesla?s and a major | | | | I hope this article, while we only touched on |
| competitor to Thomas Edison. George | | | | a few inventions and discoveries, gives you |
| Westinghouse put electricity to use in more | | | | some insight into why America stays far ahead |
| practical ways than the inventors. | | | | of the rest of the world through technology. |
| | | | Search through the US Patent Office Website |
| Westinghouse also invented things and held | | | | and you will discover just how many |
| many patents of his own. People associate him | | | | inventions are patented every day. |