Intellectual Property Information
Famous Inventors, Inventions, and Discoveries

 

Tables and Timelines
Biographies and Descriptions
For More Information

 

Tables and Timelines

These books and websites are generally just listings without details. Tables are useful for finding quickly "who did what", while timelines place the invention within a historical context. Some items listed under Biographies and Descriptions contain timelines. Items are international in scope unless noted otherwise.

• American Experience: Technology Timeline 1752-1990 (PBS)
  http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/telephone/timeline/index.html
  Chronological list of important discoveries and inventions (U.S. only). Includes a brief description of the discovery/invention and who discovered/invented it. Interactive (requires FLASH) and text versions.
  
  
• History of Invention in the Arts
  http://www.patenting-art.com/history/timlin-e.htm
  A timeline of "firsts" for the arts and entertainment area, from the pre-classical era to the present. From paints, dyes, parchment and paper to animated films, rock and roll music, and emoticons, this list coverages a huge range of diverse items. Many entries include links to more information on the item.
  
  
• Inventors and Inventions (Christchurch City Library, New Zealand)
  http://library.christchurch.org.nz/kids/inventions/
  Alphabetical lists by inventor and invention plus categorized in groups (communication, household, medicine, transportation)
  
  
• Inventions and Patents of African-Americans - 19th Century (St. Louis Public Library)
  http://www.slpl.lib.mo.us/libsrc/inv19.htm
  List is arranged alphabetically by inventions; includes inventor name, patent # and date of issuance. U.S. only.
  
  
• Inventions and Patents of African-Americans - 20th Century (St Louis Public Library)
  http://www.slpl.lib.mo.us/libsrc/inv20.htm
  List is arranged alphabetically by inventions; includes inventor name, patent # and date of issuance. U.S. only.
  
  
• Revolutionary Ideas: Patents and Progress in America. Washington D.C., U.S. GPO, 1976.
  T223 .P2R48x 1976 Science Reference
  Chronological listings of Significant U.S. inventors and inventions. Data includes date, inventor's name, title of patent, and patent number.
  
  
• Timetables of Technology : a Chronology of the Most Important People and Events in the History of Technology. By Bryan Bunch and Alexander Hellemans. NY: Simon and Schuster, 1993.
  T15 .B73 1993 Science Reference
  Entries arranged by ages, such as Stone Age, Metal Age, through the Information Age. Each entry starts with an article on the age followed by a timeline of discoveries and inventions grouped into subject categories (Architecture, Communication, Food, etc.)
  
  
• Women and Intellectual Property
  http://www.wipo.int/women-and-ip/en/index.html
  Primarily a listing of women who have won the Noble Prize, WIPO Gold Medal, and/or GWIN Global Female Invent Award plus women inventors in the (U.S.) National Inventor Hall of Fame.
  
  
• Women Inventors Index: 1790-1895 (Miami U. of OH)
  http://staff.lib.muohio.edu/~shocker/FemInv/index.html
  Look up information by inventor's name, assignee, place, state, subject, word in title, or year. U.S. patents only but includes both U.S. and International inventors. Special sections for most prolific inventors, African-Americans, and foreign inventors.

 

Biographies and Descriptions

For more information about an inventor and/or an invention, see these books and websites. All items are international in scope unless stated otherwise.

• National Inventors Hall of Fame
  http://www.invent.org/
  Covers U.S. inventors/inventions only. Under "Search", search or browse by inventors, inventions, induction date or decade. Browse by topics under "Invention Channels". Information includes inventor biographies, invention and its impact and the patent number.
  
  
• About.com: Inventors
  http://inventors.about.com
  A gold mine of information on inventions and inventors. Hundreds of inventions/inventors listed alphabetically; click on the invention's/inventor's name for details. Inventions also listed by countries and ethic/gender groups.
  
  
• Ancient Inventions by Peter James and Nick Thorpe. NY: Ballantine Books, 1994.
  T16 .J36 1994 Science Reference
  Discoveries and inventions are grouped into 12 broad categories/chapters of approximately 30-40 pages; index in back.
  
  
• Biographical Dictionary of the History of Technology. Edited by Lance Day and Ian McNeil. London: Routledge, 1996.
  T39 .B49 1996 Science Reference
  Arranged alphabetically by inventor with indexes in the back by broad subject category and specific topics. Entries are approximately 1 paragraph to a half-page in length and include a listing of honors, bibliography of works and "further readings".
  
  
• Dictionary of inventions and discoveries. Edited by E.F.Carter. NY: Crane Russak, 1976.
  T9 .C335 1976 Science Reference
  Alphabetical list of both inventors and inventions. Entries are generally short, only 1-2 sentences, however, some entries on inventions up to 1 page in length.
  
  
• Invention Dimension (Lemelson-MIT Program)
  http://web.mit.edu/invent/invent-main.html
  Sections include: Inventor of the Week, Games and Trivia, and Links.
  
  
• Pioneering EE Patents
  http://eepatents.com/collection.html
  A small but useful site for important electrical and computer related patents such as the mouse (X-Y Position Indicator for a Display System) and the transistor (Three-Electrode Circuit Element Utilizing Semiconductive Materials).
  
  
• Great Idea Finder: History of Invention
  http://www.ideafinder.com/history/index.html
  Includes sections on Invention Facts and Myths, Inventor Profiles and Innovation Timeline. In addition to descriptions/biographies, each entry includes web sites and books for finding more information about the inventor/invention.
  
  
• Historical First Patents: the First U.S. Patent for Many Everyday Things. By Travis Brown. Metuchen, NJ: Scarecrow Press, 1994.
  T223 .P2B76 1994 Science Reference
  Over 80 everyday items arranged alphabetically. Each entry includes information about both the inventor and the invention. Most entries are one and a half pages in length.
  
  
• History of Invention. NY: Facts on File, 1987.
  T15 .W718 1987 Science Reference
  Chronological listing of inventions and discoveries in an encyclopedia-type format.
  
  
• Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation (Smithsonian Institution)
  http://invention.smithsonian.org/home/
  Click on Centerpieces for virtual exhibits on featured inventors/inventions. Includes
  
  
• Inventors and Scientists (Smithsonian Institution)
  http://www.si.edu/science_and_technology/inventors_and_scientists/
  In addition to information about inventors and scientists (some in text, others in video or audio), includes a section called "Invention at Play".
  
  
• World of Invention. Edited by Bridget Travers and Jeffrey Muhr. Detroit: Gale Research, 1994. (2nd ed. edited by Kimberley A. McGrath and Bridget Travers, 1998)
  T15 .T779x 1994 Science Reference
  Alphabetical list of both inventors and inventions; entries are typically several paragraphs to one page in length.

For More Information

• African American Inventors (Smithsonian)
  http://www.si.edu/resource/faq/nmah/afinvent.htm
  A selected annotated bibliography on African American inventors. Only print material is listed.
  
  
• Internet Search Engines
  Use an Internet Search Engine (for example, Google http://www.google.com) to search for a specific inventor or invention.
  
  
• Resources List (Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation)
  Provides links to many invention resources in print as well as the web.