PATENT OFFICE. A Government depart ment or bureau established by act of Congress in 1836, with a commissioner at its head charged with performing, all duties relative to the grant ing of patents. In 1849 the Patent was transferred to the newly created Interior De partment, where it has since remained. From the beginning provision was made for the collection and preservation of models, as a result of which an immense collection of specimens and designs has been gathered. In 1836 the building in which the models were kept was burned and of them were destroyed, but Congress made an appropriation of 8100,000 to procure duplicates of the most valuable ones. Again in 1877 a part of the building was burned together with tunny models, hut the most of these were replaced by the manufacture of new ones.
The business of the Patent Office during the early years of its existence was small, the number of patents granted varying front 400 to 600 an nually during the period from 1837 to 1847. In 1840 the applications for patents amounted to 735, while the number of patents actually issued was 458. In 1899 the number of applications was 35.352. while the number of patents granted was 23,550. The receipts of the Patent Office usually exceed the expenditures. although there
have been exceptional years. In 1840 the receipts and expenditures were respectively $38,056 and 839.020; in 1899 they were 81,325.457 and $1, 211.783. The Commissioner of Patents is required to make an annual report of the business of the °dive. giving with other information a list of patents issued (luring the year. with the names of the patentees. Speeifieations and drawings of all inventions are likewise published in a monthly volume. Until 15(12 the Patent Office also published an animal volume on agrieulture. An official gazette containing lists of patent:, issued together with brief descriptions and drawings, decisions of the office on important questions arising in the course of the administra tion, and important judicial decisions affecting patents, is now one of the regular weekly pub lications of the office. The Commissioner of Pat ent, is aided by an assistant commissioner, three examiners in chief, and a large number of ex aminers, each of whom has charge of a distinct class of inventions. Besides these there are sev eral hundred assistant examiners, clerks, mes sengers, etc.