New Google American Patent search.

I've just tried a few quick searches. Impressive! Hope Google, or someone, will do the same for UK patents, and soon!

and some!

Regards, DJC.

There have been patents on the internet for a while, including UK and European. I haven't checked the Google one to see if it differs. A chap I correspond with sent me this explanation a while back.

-The most "user friendly" base is the European one. Try

From the home page select "Quick Search" - this should bring up a window with three headings;

1. Data Base (leave on "Worldwide")

1. Select "Persons and Organizations"

2. Type in, for example, "Frederick Henry Royce" or "Sanford A Moss" or any one else you know who might have patented stuff. This will throw up a list of all that person's patents.

Then you just click on the title and some details of the patent will come up. Sometimes there is an absract, mostly not. If you select the "Mosaics" tab, the drawings will appear.

If you want to print out the whole patent, click on the "Original Document" tab and when the first page comes up, go to the Tool Bar above the page and click "Maximise".

You can only print out one page at a time so it's a bit time consuming.

This data base will scan the US patents as well - their patents always come up with the drawings first.

Just make sure you have plenty of time for this activity; it can really grab you!!

Also, the data base is very sensitive to names, for example if you just type in "Henry Royce" you may not get anything.

Number searching is easy. Try US2468976 for example. This is the patent for the Chrysler IV 2220 16 cylinder engine of 1942. I doubt you would find more detail on this engine anywhere.

If you want to have a go at the US patent record, it is more difficult to navigate. Try the GB one first and see how you go.

Very interesting. Over 200 hits on "hot air engine" - should take me a while to work though :-)

Not true, and I say this in a helpful rather than combative tone of voice.

There's a thin 'menu' bar at the top with a 'Save full document' option on it. This opens a pop-up window where you have to enter a verification code contained in an image that's displayed, which then downloads the whole shebang as a PDF.

HTH.

Thank you, Peter. *