Sometimes research is difficult and disappointing. Not so when a patent
number or patent date is marked on an item. The patent office does not
issue patents every day. Patents are issued in batches every couple of
weeks, so with the patent date you can easily find the patent number by
checking patent abstracts. The abstracts show patents issued with a major
graphic and a paragraph or two from the body of the text. There is an
index as to author, assignee and category of the item.
Patents are easy to get if you
have the patent number. For $3.00 you can order a copy of any patent from:
Patent and Trademark Office
Department of Commerce
Washington, DC 20231
So, from the date cast into the top of the barrel of this little cannon I
have I was able to track down the patent and since the patent artwork
looks exactly like the cannon I feel safe to assume my little toy
is the same as was patented by Milton Shimer April 23, 1895.
