Patents chart the history and development of technology and innovation. All subject areas are represented, from jet engines to teabags, from genetics to mousetraps. The first patents that we know of were monopolies granted for skills and trades in order to encourage their growth, rather than for inventions. In England in 1449 an early patent was granted to Flemish glass-maker John of Utynam for making coloured glass for the windows of Eton College and Kings College, Cambridge. Such rights and favours, which were normally granted at the "discretion" of the head of state were often misused. The state of Venice is often credited with the first patent law in 1474 with the stated intention of encouraging innovation to benefit the state. In England the "Statute of Monopolies" was introduced in 1624. It was aimed at overcoming the problem of abuse by restricting patents to inventions that were new.

What can I find out from old patents?

Although early patents simply affirmed the priveleges of the applicant, the amount of information describing the workings of the invention itself steadily improved becoming, in many cases, highly detailed and often included diagrams.

• It was a requirement that the name of the inventor should be indicated on the front of the document, although this was sometimes ignored when the applicant was a company.

• Address details of the inventor at the time of the publication of the patent were given. This is often used as a means of tracing the movement of particular inventors or companies.

• The profession or occupation of the inventor is frequently given and this was particularly the case between the eighteenth century and about 1920.

• Very occasionally genealogocal information was included in the patent specification. Although very rare, clues as to other family members and friends has been traced in this way.

If diagrams were published with the text of the patent, these could be highly detailed and sometimes quite artistic.

Can old patents be traced easily?

Quite often, no. Even if you have what appears to be a patent number the situation can turn out to be less clear than it would seem. Searching old patents tends to be time consuming. Success is more likely the more information you have on the patent you are trying to trace.

What historical resources are available at Business and Patent Information Services?

If the patents you are interested in were filed by someone with a Yorkshire connection you might find it useful to visit our Discovering Yorkshire website. This includes a database of abstracts of Yorkshire patents from the 17th century onwards along with information on some of the inventors. If your interests are not restricted to the Yorkshire area you might find some of the following useful:-

• Name indexes of GB patents from 1617

• Name indexes of US patents from 1894

• Abridgements of GB patents from 1855 with some from earlier years. Brief descriptions of the patents usually arranged in subject order.

• Subject classes. For older patents these tend to be very broad but can sometimes enable cross-referencing between periods.

• Official Journal of the Patent Office (formerly the Commissioners of Patents Journal) from 1856. Brief details of applications made, grants and lapses.

• Previous to 1977 patents were only published if granted so application details from the Journal may give some clues in these situations.

• Reports of Patent Cases from 1884. Detailed coverage of patent disputes which came to court.

If you have any queries relating to old patents please contact us and we will be happy to help.