WASHINGTON, July 31 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Following is the daily "Profile America" feature from the U.S. Census Bureau:

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SATURDAY, JULY 31: PATENTS

Profile America — Saturday, July 31st.  The U.S. Patent Office opened for business on this day in 1790, established to protect the work of young America's inventors.  The first patent granted was to Samuel Hopkins of Vermont, for a new method of making fertilizer.  The office has been busy ever since.  Annually, more than 185,000 patents are granted.  The Patent and Trademark Office also is a partner in the National Inventors Hall of Fame in Alexandria, Virginia.  Among those inducted this year was Arthur Fry, inventor of the adhesive for the now universal Post It Notes. Individuals receive 8 percent of patents — the remainder are almost equally split between U.S. and foreign corporations.  You can find these and more facts about America from the U.S. Census Bureau, online at www.census.gov.

Sources:  Chase's Calendar of Events 2010, p. 394

National Inventors Hall of Fame

Statistical Abstract of the United States 2010, t. 754

Profile America is produced by the Public Information Office of the U.S. Census Bureau. These daily features are available as produced segments, ready to air, on a monthly CD or on the Internet at http://www.census.gov (look for "Multimedia Gallery" by the "Newsroom" button).  

SOURCE U.S. Census Bureau

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