JF Ptak Science Books   Quick Post

 This is the first in a new series of posts on the history of the invention of early applications of electricity to, well, whatever.  This first example, far from being the first patent granted for an electrical apparatus, is interesting because of how relatively modern its outcome looks–if we defined “modern” at about 1975.  Digital displays have replaced most signage whose basis was formed in this patent, though various palm readers, “loose” gold buyers and tent revivalists continue to use the things.  But for the times in which machines like this were new commodities, they were sensational–not only did they actually utilize electricity (many things advertised during this period were named “Electric _____  or  _____” but had absolutely nothing to do with the application of a current–they were simply using the name in a fad for brand recognition, much like Atomic Bakery and Nuclear Toasties did) seeing the electrically-lighted words must’ve felt a little like the exhilaration in seeing your first television.  [An earlier post on this blog on very early electrical signs appears here.]

The patent reads (below):