First is Best!

In my opinion the Best Patented invention must be - the first ever Patent!

Regardless of how successful or useful the actual first patent was, or what historians even consider the first; the 1421 patent awarded to Fillippo Brunelleschi by the Italian Republic of Florence, the English tradition of the granting of "letters patent" started by Henry VI in 1449 with a patent granted for Stained Glass or the first American “patent No. 1” issued on July 13, 1836 to John Ruggles, it set in motion the important concept of the Patent.

This allowed the great thinkers and inventors to know that their time and often huge intellectual and or financial commitment. (which, as with any new idea, would have to be pursued without certainty it would lead anywhere) would at least, be protected. Without Patent Protection how many of Mankind’s great advances would have been made? The Light Bulb, the Telephone, the Microchip - indeed everything from Spacecraft to Velcro.

Admittedly the desire to create and invent is innate in mankind and no doubt even without the certainty of their ideas being rewarded many inventors may still have pursued their dreams, but many might not have, or at least with less single mindedness. And certainly many commercially minded modern companies would not. After all would co-sponsors of this very competition, Audi have come up with the innovations in their latest car if a rival could have stolen them the moment the vehicle left the assembly line?

Submitted by: Stuart Sepple