RESEARCHER’S CORNER
Four Corner or Mirror Eagle Quilt
Circa 1870 – 1900
Google United States Patents (1790 to Present) Search Engine
Web Site: http://books.google.com/
Digitized – remember that word because it means more opportunities for research online.
Google has created a book search engine which allows you to search through a variety of books (mainstream and rare) using a simple keyword search.
There are actually two ways to search – simple and advanced.
Simple Search (My Recommendation)
- Type in your keyword -- e.g. “Dexter Yarn Company”
- Click enter and a series of hits come up
- Work your way down the list
Advanced Search
It is good, but I have never used it for “initial” research.
Hit Information
Once you click on a hit, a new page comes up with the book you have chosen.
Viewing
This is what is neat about this search engine -- When your individual book hit comes up you will find one of the following ways of viewing the book:
- Full Text
- Snippet View
- Limited Preview
- No Preview Available
If you are lucky the book you are interested in will have been digitized and you will be able to read the “Full Text” version online without having to travel to a library across the United States to do it. Even if you aren't lucky enough to find the full text version, you will still know the book on your particular research subject exists and might be available through an interlibrary loan from your home library.
Printing
Printing capability varies from book to book– depending on the view (Full Text – Snippet View – Limited Preview). Personally I have printed off Snippet Views for my research files and have marked the top of them with the proper citation.
Special Note
Check your local colleges and universities to see if they have digitized any of their collection. I do know the library at the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana has started this process – maybe a university or college near you has too.
GOOGLE UNITED STATES PATENTS (1790 TO PRESENT) SEARCH ENGINE
Web Site: http://www.google.com/patents
This search engine sponsored by Google allows you to search the estimated 7 million patents in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
There are two ways to search – simple and advanced.
Simple Search (My Recommendation)
- Type in your keyword -- e.g. “Dexter Yarn Company”
- Click enter and a series of hits come up
- Work your way down the list
Advanced Search
- I have never used it for “initial” research.
Hit Information
When you click on a hit, a new page comes up with your selection and the following information:
- Patent Number
- Patent Date
- Patent Summary
- Invention Image
- Name of the Patent Holder
Viewing and Printing
Click on the PDF version of viewing (My Recommendation)
I like the PDF viewing because I like to be able to print off a hard copy for my research folder.
Special Notes
- Patents issued in the United States are public domain government information.
- Google Patent Search currently does NOT include international patents, but they are hoping to expand in that direction in the future.
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