Patent drawing - for T. A. Edison's Incandescing Electric Lamp Public domain image

Famous patent drawings from The National Archives, Washington DC There are many famous patent drawings from a wide range of inventors and inventions. Some notable examples include: The light bulb: Thomas Edison's patent for the light bulb, which was filed in 1879, included detailed drawings of the bulb's design and construction. The phonograph: Edison's patent for the phonograph, which was filed in 1877, included drawings of the device's components, including the cylinder and the needle. The motion picture camera: Edison's patent for the kinetograph, which was filed in 1891, included drawings of the camera's mechanisms and components, such as the rotating lenses and the film roll. The airplane: The Wright brothers' patent for their airplane, which was filed in 1906, included detailed drawings of the aircraft's design and construction, including its wings, fuselage, and propeller. The telephone: Alexander Graham Bell's patent for the telephone, which was filed in 1876, included drawings of the device's components, such as the transmitter and receiver, as well as a diagram of the electrical circuit. These are just a few examples of famous patent drawings. Many other inventors and inventions have also been represented in detailed drawings in their patent applications.

Thomas Alva Edison (February 11, 1847 – October 18, 1931) was an American inventor and businessman who is best known for his work in the field of electricity. He developed many devices that greatly influenced life around the world, including the phonograph, the motion picture camera, and the long-lasting, practical electric light bulb. Dubbed "The Wizard of Menlo Park", he was one of the first inventors to apply the principles of mass production and large-scale teamwork to the process of invention, and because of that, he is often credited with the creation of the first industrial research laboratory. He is credited with the development of many important devices and technologies, including the light bulb, the phonograph, and the motion picture camera. Edison was a highly successful and influential inventor, with more than 1,000 patents to his name. He was also a pioneering entrepreneur, founding companies such as General Electric and the Edison Electric Light Company. "Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up."

In the first grade, students summarize the need for money, how money is earned, and how money and credit are used in order to meet needs and wants including the costs and benefits of spending and saving. Students define and explain the roles of consumers and producers in the American economy. Students summarize how historic inventors and entrepreneurs contributed to the prosperity of the nation including Samuel F. B. Morse, John Deere, Alexander Graham Bell, Orville and Wilbur Wright, and Thomas Edison.