1957: The Tastiest Patent in History
The word "patent" usually brings to mind cars, airplanes, instruments, and various objects consisting of gears, screws, and bolts. It might be a bit strange then to think of a patent for something we eat, but the documents belonging to Mr. Locatelli of Milan speak for themselves. A dripping cone designed on tracing paper and the surrounding signatures, official certifying seals, along with revenue stamps, point to a bureaucratic procedure for intellectual property of the new invention.
Brevetto per modello industriale del cono gelato.National Museum of Science and Technology Leonardo Da Vinci
Along with the design, Locatelli's patent details a description and study of ice cream types: the "da trasporto" (take away), or scoops that had reached a high degree of perfection, and "sfuso," or bulk, ice cream which, according to him, still needed to be developed.
Brevetto per modello industriale del cono gelato.National Museum of Science and Technology Leonardo Da Vinci
His patent, a Patent for an Industrial Ornamental Model from 1957, consists of a wafer cone with ice cream and a solid chocolate covering, which gives it a long shelf life, even when not stored in a fridge.
Ice cream must stay cold before being consumed. This became possible thanks to German engineer and physicist Carl von Linde who, at the end of the 19th century, started by building locomotives and then went on to devote himself to scientific research.
For the first time, he succeeded in liquefying air, reaching temperatures of up to 200 degrees below zero. An ideal technique to preserve food.
Fattura N.225 dell'Agenzia italiana brevetti e marchi by Carlo LocatelliNational Museum of Science and Technology Leonardo Da Vinci
The archive of payment invoices for the filing of the patent application shows that the sum total in 1957 was 1,020 lire. It was reasonable figure at the time, which made it a small investment to safeguard his invention.
Brevetto per modello industriale del cono gelato.National Museum of Science and Technology Leonardo Da Vinci
"Ice-cream cone surmounted by a ball of ice-cream, covered with solidified chocolate partially covering the cone"
Brevetto per modello industriale.National Museum of Science and Technology Leonardo Da Vinci
“This picture shows the wafer with its sustaining shape.
"Wafer is usually preferred to the cone because it is thin and does not release powder during the application of the ball”
“To further prevent the formation of such powder the top rim of the wafer is covered in chocolate, and then the ice-cream ball (2) is applied by pressure”
“The ice-cream ball usually has a cherry (3) on top."
"This ball is then covered with melted chocolate that partially trickles on the wafer (1), causing the formation of drop-like shapes (4)"
Applying for an Industrial Patent
What was needed to obtain an industrial patent in the 1950s in Italy?
Brevetto per modello industriale del cono gelato.National Museum of Science and Technology Leonardo Da Vinci
First of all, what is a patent? A patent is a legal title that grants exclusive rights to an object and prevents others from producing, selling, or using this invention without the authorization of the patent holder.
The patent allows the recognition and protection of intellectual property, protecting the rights of the inventor. The inventor has the right to enjoy and use the industrial invention that he has created exclusively for a limited period of time.
Its duration is 20 years and it cannot be renewed. At the end of the 20-year period, the invention enters the public domain.
Brevetto per modello industriale del cono gelato.National Museum of Science and Technology Leonardo Da Vinci
Who can apply for a patent? Anybody, whether a person or entity, can file a patent application for an industrial invention.
What are the basic requirements?
Innovation: The invention must not have been disclosed or made known to the public in Italy or abroad.
Originality: The invention must be the result of an inventive effort.
Industrially useful: The invention must be capable of being manufactured and used in the industrial field.
Lawfulness: The invention must not be contrary to public order and morality.
Fattura N.225 dell'Agenzia italiana brevetti e marchi by Carlo LocatelliNational Museum of Science and Technology Leonardo Da Vinci
Considering that in the 1950s, the average salary of a worker was 25–30,000 lire, that 2 pounds of meat cost 800 lire, a gram of gold cost 918 lire, the "Fiat 500" cost 465,000 lire, or 14 salaries of a Fiat worker (as stated in the Average Monthly Wholesale Prices document in the Piazza di Roma, 1957, Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture), the cost for the application alone is quite remarkable.
It's a small price to pay to safeguard one’s own invention.
Brevetto per modello industriale del cono gelato.National Museum of Science and Technology Leonardo Da Vinci
How to file for a patent application today? Have a good idea and fill out a pre-printed form… just as Carlo Locatelli did more than half a century ago.
Exhibition by Museo Nazionale della Scienza e della Tecnologia Leonardo da Vinci
Via San Vittore 21
Milano
www.museoscienza.org
