Pēteris Skorovs
Patent Archaeologist. Digging into patents & tech.
Latest posts
On this day
12 January 1886
On 12 January 1886, Lewis H. Latimer received US Patent No. 334,078 for an “Apparatus for cooling and disinfecting”. Often described as a precursor to air conditioning, it pointed toward a future where indoor air could be cooled and made healthier at the same time.
12 January 1932
On 12 January 1932, Siemens-Schuckertwerke secured German Patent No. 567 906 for Wilhelm Klement’s plug and socket concept that became Schuko, a design that most people recognise instantly but rarely think about.
10 January 1934
On 10 January 1934, German Patent No. 590 783 was granted to Albert Einstein and Rudolf Goldschmidt for an apparatus for sound reproduction devices.
Historical Patents
Levi’s Patents
Many people believe that Levi Strauss invented the first of jeans, but that is not true. The original inventor of jeans was Jacob Davis, who assigned his patent partly to Levi Strauss’s company.
Minox Patents
Minox is the world’s most famous subminiature camera, which was invented by Walter Zapp and originally manufactured by Valsts elektrotehniskā fabrika (VEF) in Riga, Latvia. The Walter Zapp’s invention was protected by more than 80 patents in 24 countries.
Rubik’s Cube Patents
Almost everybody knows the Rubik’s Cube. It is not only widely recognised as the best puzzle toy ever made, but it is also one of the best-sold toys worldwide. The Rubik’s Cube was patented in Hungary. However it had obtained almost no patent protection abroad.