Strong, consistent IP protections throughout U.S. history enabled the creation of innovative and useful technologies that we use regularly today. From communication to cleaning, every aspect of our lives has benefited greatly from IP, as shown by these historical examples from the month of June:
- 1840: On June 20, Samuel Morse received a patent for the electric telegraph. Morse’s invention, and the cable infrastructure erected to support it, laid the groundwork for the era of mass communication and the later adoption of the telephone. In 2024, global telecommunications services generated roughly $1.5 trillion in revenue and supported an estimated 5 billion mobile subscriptions worldwide.
- 1865: On June 27, Linus Yale Jr. received a patent for an improved pin-tumbler cylinder lock. The invention made reliable, affordable security available to ordinary households and businesses and is estimated to be present in roughly 90% of U.S. homes today. The global market for mechanical and electromechanical locks was valued at more than $18 billion as of 2024.
- 1869: On June 8, Ives McGaffey received a patent for a vacuum cleaner. This revolutionary appliance has since become a ubiquitous feature of modern life: today, roughly 85% of American households are estimated to own a vacuum cleaner. In 2025, the global vacuum cleaner market was estimated to be worth more than $15 billion.