[OT] Patents in the USofA

[Don Tillman]

   Date: Fri, 27 Oct 2000 06:53:38 -0700
   From: Jim Patchell <patchell at silcom.com>

   I have seen some pattents that seem to pattent things that have
   been around a long time.  Then again, I have to admit that I am not
   really sure what it is that you have to put into a patent to make
   it valid..... 

The most extreme (and baffling!) case of this I know of is local
guitar builder Ralph Novak's patent for the fanned-fret guitar:

  http://www.novaxguitars.com
  http://www.delphion.com/cgi-bin/viewpat.cmd/US04852450__
  "Fingerboard for a stringed instrument"

Compare this to the Opharion, a lute-family instrument from the 16th
century (!!!):

  http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/brianpayne1/orphario.htm
  http://www.ellisium.cwc.net/orpharion.htm
  http://www.barber.harris.lutemakers.mcmail.com/htm/cat05.htm

  -- Don

-- 
Don Tillman
Palo Alto, California, USA
don at till.com
http://www.till.com