Strong, consistent IP protections throughout U.S. history enabled the creation of innovative and useful technologies that we use regularly today. From firefighting to farming, every aspect of our lives has benefited greatly from IP, as shown by these historical examples from the month of October:
- 1984: On October 2, Donald Arney received a patent for a helicopter-carried water bucket for firefighting. This invention has improved fire departments’ ability to respond to large wildfires, as helicopters are faster and more efficient than ground crews and other aerial methods. Arney’s company, SEI Industries, supplies over 95% of the global market for aerial firefighting buckets and has helped fight fires worldwide.
- 1942: On October 6, Chester Carlson received a patent for the process of electrophotography, the technology behind photocopying. Carlson’s invention revolutionized business by allowing documents to be disseminated and mailed widely; by 1966, an estimated 14 billion photocopies were made in the United States each year. Today, the global market for printers and copiers is estimated at nearly $10 billion.
- 1915: On October 26, Clarence Best received a patent for a tractor with a combustion engine. His invention contributed to a more than tenfold increase in agricultural productivity over the course of the 20th century. Later, Best co-founded Caterpillar, Inc., which remains one of the most prominent manufacturers of farming and construction equipment, with a market capitalization of over $270 billion.