British Patents of Invention 1617‐1977: A Guide for Researchers

The first patent was awarded in 1617, and in 1977 a major overhaul of patent legislation and the introduction of international patents marked a major change in patent administration. This book is a guide to the patents and the secondary literature during this 360‐year period. It is not, as the author freely admits, a guide to patentability and patent law.

The book covers the history of the patent system and the various changes in legislation, and how the patenting procedure, the specifications and the journals have changed over time. The problems of searching for people, patent numbers, name (both corporate...