Women Invent!: Two Centuries of Discoveries That Have Shaped Our World
To my mother Joan Hampton Casey
Contents Acknowledgments VII Introduction 1 Necessity Calls 2 Accidents Happen 19 3 Turning an Idea into a Model 35 Awards Bring Recognition 49 5 Women Gain Patents 65 6 From Model to Product 81 7 Women Sell Their Inventions 97 8 An Inventor s Resource Guide 115 Index 35
Acknowledgments I woULD LIKE to thank Carolyn See and Dr Joseph Lifschutz who were both significant in my development as a writer In the course of writing this book I received invaluable help and assistance from many people and extend a sincere thank you to all of them In par ticular I want to thank Helen Haskell and Billie Connor of the Los Angeles Public Library Patent Department Ruth Nyblod of the U S Patent and Trademark Office and patent lawyer Charles Schroeder I greatly benefitted from the suggestions of several classroom teach ers who make invention an integral part of their curriculum Sue Windham Nancy Gerardy Pat Bradel and Nick Frankovits Douglas Scharmann Rachelle Romberg and Lillian Ross provided extensive and invaluable suggestions I am also grateful to my young readers Nicole Hutchinson and Zane Welte and to their mothers Pamela Hutchinson and Patsy Casey for encouraging them to help me Thanks also to my friends Rachel Clark's weekly encouragement helped tremendously The support of Mary Rose and Stephen O Leary Susan Brooke Scotty Embree Donvieve Richie Bob and Deanna Drake and Louise and Bernice Sheehy sustained me And many thanks go to Jimmy and Alma Casey who fed me when I stag gered in from the library to Bill Welte Mike and Tina Casey Kevin and Bobbie Casey and Katie Casey and Russ Anderson for their interest and to Brian Jason Eric Carlos Mikie Nathan Karissa and Micah Casey Carson Welte and Christine Anderson for being their wonderful selves Sincere thanks to my editor Cynthia Sherry for her helpful com ments and open mindedness and for her sunny disposition Last but most important I would like to thank all the inventors their families and the companies affiliated with their inventions for their generous cooperation and
