Patents: creation and invention in Mexico in the second half of the nineteenth century

Innovation was not restricted to the economic sphere, as one of the most notable records of the early years of the ministry linked art and education. In 1859, a year after the start of the War of Reform, Simón Dieudonné requested the registration of a method of teaching music through numbers, which he sought to use in the classroom.

The application for privilege for the system of teaching music with numbers presented by Dieudonné had a special character. Although it was not an entirely new invention, the patent was part of the right that the law of November 3, 1858 provided to foreigners to introduce a foreign discovery or procedure not practiced in the country. In this way, he sought to take advantage of the mechanism to accelerate and facilitate the teaching-learning processes of vo

Recall that by then great efforts had been made to improve the instrument, but the gradual generalization of the Telegraph in Morse code was only a couple of decades old. Therefore, Nava's proposal for a directly alphabetical telegraph offered greater advantages and less expense both in construction and in its use.

Mexico had gone through different armed conflicts that raised the need for an apparatus to transport wounded and bodies in armed conflicts, but also in civilian life. In 1963, during the second French intervention, with battles such as that of Puebla and the capture of Mexico City, the issue was reconsidered, although by the hand of the invading army that took possession of the responsible office.  In that same year, the marshal of trenistas and part of the French expeditionary army, A. Tardy, stood out as an inventor by requesting the privilege to benefit from a bunk to transport the wounded.

The invention consisted of a steam-powered carriage with the use of firewood and charcoal, a stretcher and a compartment for transporting utensils, which made care easier and faster.  Tardy submitted his application for exclusive bunk privileges to transport the wounded in October 1863, to which he added the request for recognition. 

The French soldier and inventor argued in his application that his device had a life of 10 years and requested the privilege of its use for 12 years, under the aspiration of taking the instrument to the entire territory, which he already envisioned as an empire.

In 1881, after great distribution competition and privilege demands for the electric light bulb, Thomas Alva Edison prevailed over Hiram Maxim and obtained the patent on the electric lamp.  The certificate granted by the patent office of the United States of America, 14 explanatory sheets of its operation and manufacture, and a manual with described schemes were part of an application for privilege in Mexico.

Between 1881 and 1883 Edison allowed José María Arzac to patent and request exclusive privileges in Mexico for his invention of improvements in electric lamps and in the methods of manufacture, distribution, regulation and measurement of electric currents to be used in the production of light, heat and force.

Molera relied on a proxy to process his application, A. Laborio, who made the payment for the privilege in September 1882. From the gloss to the communication to the Secretary of Development we know that a month later he received a favorable solution. However, we do not know the reasons why it was not put into practice.

Rendón patented three distinct methods for revealing easy postures and complicated postures, and it should be noted that his procedure received a positive response. Unlike other patents that had the approval of the Ministry of Development or even reached Congress, the request made had the issuance of the patent by Porfirio Díaz himself.

The method might seem simple, but it set an important precedent for the use of solar energy in Mexico. It would not be until 1980 when this source of energy became relevant in the country.

This was a selection from among many patents of the second half of the nineteenth century today protected within the AGN. Such creations, sometimes from previous experiences and sometimes from nothing, filled with ideas the patent offices of the Ministry of Development, whose primary function was to ensure the promotion and protection of the mining and colonization industry, as well as in the agricultural and communication fields. Relevant patents set precedents for improvements in inventions that we can take advantage of today.