Patents

[slowhike]

check this one out
http://www.google.com/patents?id=sg1...s_maxy_is=1924

hey... i recently got an email w/ a picture of that! they called it a "redneck tree swing"

[warbonnetguy]

i can't believe that didn't fall under too simple/obvious/stupid

[Youngblood]

There was one time period when there were several patents for shock absorbers, springs, etc to attach on the suspension lines for suspended couches and swings. There seems to be a 'time grouping' with some of the ideas/areas that patents were filed on related to hammocks, suspended couches, suspended chairs, and swings. At one time there was a flurry of 'design patents' about weaving patterns, fringe, and the like.

Oh, and Brandon you are right about the winter tarp, hammock tarptent stuff. I thought I had done some pioneering work a few years back with that, I didn't realize what was done a century or so earlier. Hammocks certainly had a great deal more interest on a historical perspective than I was aware of. There are dozens, or maybe hundreds, of forgotten patents and no telling how many other ideas and products we have no record of. That data base of old patents is like an archaeological record... neat stuff.

[nickelanddime]

Wow, looks like I missed the party on this thread this weekend...
Lot's of great stuff, that Palmer character had it down pat a century ago, makes you wonder what he would have cranked out had he made use of artificial silk(rayon, later nylon) with the intent for camping.
One thing that got me laughing though was

Besides, none of the patents prevent the individual do-it-yourself stuff anyway. So you/we can play with all these ideas all we want. We just can’t take them to market. But realistically, how many of us are going to do that anyway?

I count four people/organizations - speer, jack's-r-better, warbonnetguy, and that company overseas that hennessy brought legal action against... (I don't care about the last one due to moral issues) but as someone else said, one is enough.
I had a very scandalous boss once who in regards to legal issues would say if it looks like the other guy's dog looks too big to beat in a fight, go borrow someone elses dog... All it takes is a real manufacturer to have the info to defend against legal actions, once that happens the path is clear for the cottage industry. JMO.

[Drop]

So if somebody cottaged some commemorative historical IE Palmer hammocks, utilising the the concepts in his patents (not forgetting to have a nice brochure with antiqued facsimiles of the patents and a write up of all his deeds and a link to the foundation).
Then that cottager (or anybody inspired by these designs) wouldn't be running into trouble when they release the 'What IEP would make if he had access to modern materials' hammocks?

Drop
(wondering if back in IEP's days the telegraph wires were buzzing with people getting het up about this characters patenting everything hammock related...'Mark my words STOP These constraints on hammock manufacturers will put lead to people sleeping on the ground untill at least the 21st C STOP')

[Youngblood]

(wondering if back in IEP's days the telegraph wires were buzzing with people getting het up about this characters patenting everything hammock related...'Mark my words STOP These constraints on hammock manufacturers will put lead to people sleeping on the ground untill at least the 21st C STOP')

Palmer versus Curnen, January 10, 1898.

http://bulk.resource.org/courts.gov/...84.f1.0829.pdf

I suspect there were others.

[Youngblood]

During the time period between 1861 and 1865 there was a Civil War going on in the USA. I found 10 hammock related patents that were issued, at least one was from a soldier, probably others were too. They covered two main themes, knapsack hammocks for soldiers and covered structures that could efficiently handle a number of hammocks. A link to them is listed below for those interested.

http://www.google.com/patents?as_drr...=100&scoring=2

[slowhike]

During the time period between 1861 and 1865 there was a Civil War going on in the USA. I found 10 hammock related patents that were issued, at least one was from a soldier, probably others were too. They covered two main themes, knapsack hammocks for soldiers and covered structures that could efficiently handle a number of hammocks. A link to them is listed below for those interested.

http://www.google.com/patents?as_drr...=100&scoring=2

interesting stuff!
the 8th one on that google page is a 4 person hammock... but i got my doubts about how well it worked<G>.
more like a set of suspended cots.

and the one after that uses end covers at the head & foot ends!!!

[creekfisher]

During the time period between 1861 and 1865 there was a Civil War going on in the USA. I found 10 hammock related patents that were issued, at least one was from a soldier, probably others were too. They covered two main themes, knapsack hammocks for soldiers and covered structures that could efficiently handle a number of hammocks. A link to them is listed below for those interested.

http://www.google.com/patents?as_drr...=100&scoring=2

Thanks for sharing the info!!

[Youngblood]

This is the earliest patent of this type of hammock that I recall... but not the last. It will give you something to think about. http://www.google.com/patents?id=rKtJAAAAEBAJ . I'm betting that this style of hammock would win an award at a 'retro' hang out.