Errors in 'American Genius'

[Jack Sullivan]

Many thanks. Do you have the patent number, please?

Thanks!

Jack

Thanks. Patent numbers for US patents earlier than 1836 are problematical, perhaps due to a fire that destroyed many of the records just prior to that time. But at least we now know that the elusive Campbell patent does exist!

Jack

[Jack Sullivan]

Described on p. 81, Footnotes #62 & 63 might reference patent numbers but the names of Harig & Stoy do not appear to be there (p. 348). The patent number for their lock is US11374 of 25 July 1854.

Jack

[Jack Sullivan]

Described on p. 124, '...North and Isham found that Stewart Perry of Newport, New York, had patented (Footnote #40, p. 349) his own keyless lock.' Footnote #40 does refer to patents US17293 and US20658, both to 'S. Perry.' Both patents are issued to Stuart Perry.

Jack

[Jack Sullivan]

Described on p. 78, Hall's patent is referenced in Footnote #59. The actual patent reference is found in Footnote #58. This footnote references US11158 issued to Hall on 27 June 1858 with the title 'Door Lock.' Not referenced but found in the same Patent Class (70/354) is Hall's patent US37290 issued 6 January 1863 ('Lock') patenting improvements to the same changeable bit key lock concept. The lack of the second patent reference, while not an error per se, is certainly an omission considering the more complete patent listings found for other locks in this book.

Jack

[Jack Sullivan]

Described on pp.180-183, the almost complete lack of footnoting to document facts mentioned in the text is frustrating.

The excellent closeup photo of the interior of the lock on p. 183 provided the following list of patent dates associated with this lock (next to the equivalent patents):

20 July 1875 (US165878)
7 August 1877 (US Reissue 7835 which is a reissue of US165878)
13 November 1877 (US Reissue 7947 which is a reissue of US195539)
25 September 1877 (US195539)

Researching the patent numbers corresponding to the dates on the lock was unnececessarily time consuming due to the lack of adequate footnoting.

Jack

[Jack Sullivan]

This beautiful & very clever combination lock is described on pp. 112-113. However neither footnote in this description provides a patent reference.

From my files, US36908 issued 11 November 1862 to Macneale & Dodds (W B Dodds Co, Dodds-Macneale-Urban) describes this lock & its operation in detail (see attached thumbnail). The center key or wrench (figure W in patent drawing) is neither illustrated nor mentioned in the book.

Jack

[Jack Sullivan]

Though mentioned and partly described on p. 46, there is no footnote reference to help the reader with understanding & visualizing the Jenning's lock, which seems to not be part of the Mossman Collection. From my files, the Jennings patent ('Lock') appears to be US7244 of 2 April 1850 (thumbnail attached).

Jack

[Jack Sullivan]

Sorry, Jack. I don't have the Patent number nor the descriptive text.
Patent.

The patent number for this is USx9294 in patent class 70/304. i believe this was one of the patent documents saved from the 1836 fire.

Jack

[Jack Sullivan]

This lock, described on p. 114, refers to the introduction of this lock design in 1863. The only footnote, however, is #30, which refers to Yale's 1865 patent US48475 issued 27 June 1865 (p. 349).

My files indicate that 2 US patents issued to Yale in 1863 but both are reissues of earlier patents: USRE1469 issued 28 April 1863 (reissue of US32331 issued 14 May 1861) and USRE1470 of the same date (reissue of US28740 issued on 12 June 1860). The USRE1469 refers to both the 'disconcerter' mechanism and the pin bit key mentioned in the book. USRE1470 also deals with pin bit key mechanisms. Both patents are apparently involved with the Double Dial Bank Lock. To add to the reader's confusion, USRE1469 is also mentioned in Footnote #27 and the disconcerter and pin bit key mechanisms of Yale's Double Treasury Lock (pp. 106-7) which was introduced at about the same time as the Double Dial Bank Lock.

Jack.

[Jack Sullivan]

This lock is described on p. 116 with reference to MacNeale's 1864 patent (Footnote #31 on p. 349). This is US43457 issued 5 July 1864. The book mentions that the lock's design was 'revamped around 1870' but with no footnote as to the patent number. This is MacNeale's US105102 issued 5 July 1870.

Jack