The competition between males and females has been observed since the beginning of the 19th century. Feminist, suffragist and other rights defending movements occurred in the most developed countries at the time. However, massive demonstrations and petitions are not the sole arena, where women could compete with strong half of mankind. Science and technology were among them as well. Surprisingly, common sphere of technics and patents, distant from womanish image, appeared to be full of inventions and ideas, introduced and appreciated by society. There are some creations and devices that could be much evaluated by modern people, but less of them know who were their true creators.

A clash with severe and typically mannish social rules was experienced by Sybille Masters. While watching a work of Indian women, she created a method of transforming corn into flour. Therefore, in order to obtain a patent she travelled to London, but received a firm refusal. English legislation at the time was totally on males’ side, preventing from women engagement in any activity, but home stuff. For example, any possessions, including intellectual property, should have been issued to a father or a husband. No women allowed! Eventually, the patent on flour making was issued in 1715, but Sybille was not meant to be its author. Her husband was, on the contrary.

The other way men opposed female attempts was sarcasm and irony. It is related to the story of the first woman, who received a patent signed on her name. Marie Kies patented the method of weaving straw hats in 1809. Could any Englishmen guess that female invention enrich the whole nation? Indeed, her patent enlarged trade connections and revenues of state budget. Moreover, Marie Kies led a way for other women in technology and patent field.

Among female advancement in technics it is hard not to mention Tabitha Babbitt and her creation of buzz saw. Everyone would agree that this instrument is of males’ prerogative, but surprisingly it was created by a real woman in 1810. In particular, she lived in Massachusetts, in the religious community preserving gender equality. For a long time she watched men sawing wood with common movements back-and-forth. It gave a push to her technological achievement – introduction of a saw with circular blade. Later it became a reason of prosperity of wood-carving industry in the United States.

In contrast, there are some patents, which protect common women activities. How about chocolate cookies? Brownies were offered by Ruth Wakefield, and, pay attention, they were created by accident. In particular, she and her husband open a motel and a restaurant down the road from Boston. Nestle products were one of the most distributed at the time, so it was no surprise that dietarian Ruth Wakefield would use them while cooking. She has broken Nestle chocolate into small pieces and put it into the dough. Ruth assumed that chocolate can melt on its own. But it turned out that cookies obtained a special form. This was the birth of the first chocolate chip cookie. In 1939 they were produced on the whole factories around the USA.

Natalia Krasnyanskaya, an author for Patentsbase.com

Natalia Krasnyanskaya, an author for http://patentsbase.com/items/US-20050037124-A1-Shelf-stable-cookie-and-brownie-batter-ready-to-bake Patentsbase.com

Author Bio: Natalia Krasnyanskaya, an author for Patentsbase.com

Category: Advice
Keywords: female patents, first patents, saw patent, sweet stuff patents, flour patents, cooking patents