History Flash of Genius - (Those bastards at Ford)

Its called a patent, a few of my uncles have them. It is a tough process but can be done. My great grandfather was the inital designer of the articulating farm tractor(bends in the middle for you city folks). His designs were shown to john deere and at the time the john deere reps told him that they werent interested. Not more than a year later John deere came out with an articulating tractor.

 

A friend of my Dads designed a part for the hydraulic cylinders on dump trucks that he made at home in his garage for several years. He sold a bunch of them to several manufacturers. It was a great idea, and he probably could have made a bunch of money off it. My Dad asked why he didn't patend the idea/part design. His friend said all someone has to do is make a slight modification to the part and THEY can patend it as a new design of their own. That's exactly what happened to him a few years later. He was never bitter about it, as he's the kind of guy who's always looking for his next challege...

 

I have intermittent wipers on my truck, they work when they are intermittently in the mood.

 

Ditto, man.

~Jason

 

Thanks for the info. Pulled up the patent. Very interesring. Will go see the movie and when it hits DVD, I'll put it next to TheTucker DVD, Start a row of the little guy against Big Corps/Goverment

 

"this guy is not brain dead, nor a wanker. "
I don't wanna be brain dead, I'd rather be a wanker.

 

Lucas holds the patent for - Short Circut

 

Yes, that was the 1987 Data Devastator with Lucas oil-cooled CPU, many of which are still grinding away in the hope that c:\> will someday appear...

 

Hey don,t knock Lucas. They made film about him.

The English Patent..

 

I thought Al Gore invented the intermittent windshield wiper Seriously though Ford would do just about anything to steal technology. Back in the early 70s I worked in a Bendix plant that made starter drives for Ford. They didn't know how to warm form the pinion but wanted to learn in the worst way. It was a well guarded process in a well guarded plant. One day a stranger was seen walking around the forming department. When the guards confronted the guy he turned out be a Ford industrial engineer who somehow snuck into OUR plant to steal OUR process. That just the way Ford operated. I love their cars but i have no respect for the company.

 

sears did something similar to the guy who invented the quick release socket.

http://www.bookrags.com/highbeam/sears-wrench-inventor-settle-20-year-hb/

later jim

 

Having been there and as a past thirty year resident of New York, I don't think I'd brag about it .

 

i had a 9N for a couple of years, decided it wasn't worth the $$$ to put an engine in so i bought a TO 30 fergy.
WAY better tractor than the 9, better than any 8N too.
continental OHV engine in the ferg's.

 

...what's a windsheild wiper? !!...oh yeah, them things, looks like a cool movie.

 

George Selden was a patent attorney, and he did, in fact, have a patent for an automobile of sorts. His patent was really not very encompassing of the cars that were generally held hostage by his patent. The manufacturers paid Selden royalty money and Henry Ford said "I ain't doing it!" Henry won and Selden was out. Basically, Selden's patent could not hold the entire burgeoning auto industry hostage any longer. Good for us gear heads and bad for old George.

Incidentally, I live in Rochester and have been all over the world. I still prefer my hometown for everyday life. I like to visit the other places, but Rochester is home. Lots of car guys here to support the habit, affordable housing, no congestion and on and on. Just my 2 cents...