Description des Machines et Procédés(…) : a guide to bibliographical references

MACHINES ET PROCEDES...

Publications' guide :

The Conservatoire des Arts et Métiers (now known as C.N.A.M.) was in charge of the conservation of expired patents and their publication. The later were intended to make sure no one asked for similar patents, and might have threatened inventors who had to pay on time every year, to keep their rights running. Many things could have caused the ever changing publishing policies, first of which whole new invention fields were created during the XIX^th century, just like photography. New invention classes had to be made, splat and reconsidered. This all sounds pretty messy. It would certainly be so, if no logic order could be found, which is not the case.

Distinctive editorial choices succeeded to one another up to 1901. The recent book on I.N.P.I.'s archives¹ gives an incorrect analysis of those publication periods, considering six different "séries" out of only five volume divisions. Their hypothesis contradicts a serious american XIX^th century publication² on French Patents, which listed them all from the books we are talking about Description des Machines et Procédés (...). The fact that the recent splitting of the second volume numbering into two artificial "series" is arbitrary could seam an unimportant detail, but it is not so when one needs bibliographical references or consult one page out of than 400 heavy volumes. Since this recent classification wasn't originally intended, there is no way to recognise those imaginary divisions on the books themselves either. Hence my choice of sticking to the volume numbering that appears effectivly on the bind, like those sound XIX^th century american archivists did. The references you will get from those web pages do not consider the recent classification. The second volume numbering entity (1 to 116) is not to be splat whatever the setup looks like. There only are five volume numbering Entities in all, not six unclear "series". They are numbered E.1 to E.5 in this work.

Those 5 volume numbering entities are all entitled Description des Machines et Procédés (...). The last 3 entities have no title difference at all :

description des machines et procédés pour lesquels des brevets d'invention ont été pris sous le régime de la loi du 5 juillet 1844 […] nouvelle série.

They all were called "new serie" from the begining. The only way to differenciate them is by the voulme numbering sequences or entities. here is a brief description of each of the 5 entities :

- Entity 1 _ could be nicknamed "first laws sequence" (1791 patent laws), which ran until the 5^th July 1844's new patent law (93 numbered volumes, publishing patents chronologically under independant numbers that have nothing to do with the official patent's number). Full title :

description des machines et procédés consignés dans les brevets d'invention, de perfectionnement et d'importation.

- Entity 2 _ Those are the first patents under the 5^th July 1844's law [116 numbered volumes two of which have two parts ; from the volume n° 80 onwards, published patents do not receive a publication number that differ from their official one. From there on, photographic patents are grouped under class number 17,3]. This is the entity that has been considered two different series. Full title :

description des machines et procédés pour lesquels des brevets d'invention ont été pris sous le régime de la loi du 5 juillet 1844.

- Entity 3 _ The first Nouvelle série which publishes photographic patents until 1895, and other patents until 1896 (99 numbered volumes of which many are in two or thre parts). Full title :

description des machines et procédés pour lesquels des brevets d'invention ont été pris sous le régime de la loi du 5 juillet 1844 […] nouvelle série.

- Entity 4 _ The second so called Nouvelle Série which publishes patents from 1^st January 1899 until the 31^st July 1900 only. There is a big gap between Entity 3 and 4. (12 numbered volumes just for the 1899 patents, and 7 volumes for those of 1900). Full title :

description des machines et procédés pour lesquels des brevets d'invention ont été pris sous le régime de la loi du 5 juillet 1844 […] nouvelle série.

- Entity 5 _ The third Nouvelle Série is really different from the others. It is a subject compilation of the entities 1 to 3 included, for patents taken from 1861 to 1895. It is most handy because one volume suffices for all photogaphic patents in that date range. However, it is most difficult to access. It is stored out of Paris, an hour north in Compiègne's I.N.P.I. archives. Full title :

description des machines et procédés pour lesquels des brevets d'invention ont été pris sous le régime de la loi du 5 juillet 1844 […] nouvelle série.

Most patents haven't been published. It is somewhat difficult to even understand the way patents were selected. Those taken under the 1791 law were more frequently published than the folowing ones. After the 1844's law, patents for which a 2^nd year's rights were payed for had a chance to be published, but only after they expired. This could be compared as a natural selection. Patents of which parts only were published, can be considered a reliable and representative content resumé.

E.1, T.7, 1824.................................................................................................... [1812] 12

E.1, T.16, 1828.................................................................................................. [1823] 5

E.1, T.46, 1842.................................................................................................. [1827] 15

E.1, T.56, 1845.................................................................................................. [1842] 3

E.1, T.57, 1845.................................................................................................. [1842] 3

E.1, T.58, 1845.................................................................................................. [1843] 2

E.1, T.59, 1846.................................................................................................. [1843] 3

E.1, T.65, 1847.................................................................................................. [1842] 5

E.1, T.66, 1848.................................................................................................. [1842] 6

E.1, T.69, 1849.................................................................................................. [1843] 6

E.1, T.72, 1850.................................................................................................. [1840] 10

E.1, T.75, 1851.................................................................................................. [1840] 11

E.1, T.76, 1852.................................................................................................. [1841] 11

E.1, T.83, 1855.................................................................................................. [1843] 12

E.1, T.89, 1858.................................................................................................. [1842] 16

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Entity 2 :

Références of the 4 books indexing the first 80 volumes :

- s.a., Description des Machines et Procédés pour lesquels des Brevets d’Invention ont été pris sous le régime de la loi du 5 juillet 1844 publiée par les ordres de M. le Ministre de l’Agriculture du Commerce et des travaux publics – Table Générale des vingt premiers volumes, Imprimerie Nationale, Paris, 1856, section Daguerréotype et Photographie, p.42. This is the index for volumes numbered 1 to 20.

- s.a., Description des Machines et Procédés pour lesquels des Brevets d’Invention ont été pris sous le régime de la loi du 5 juillet 1844 publiée par les ordres de M. le Ministre de l’Agriculture du Commerce et des travaux publics – Table Générale des tomes vingt et un à quarante, Imprimerie Nationale, Paris, 1866, section Photographie et Daguerréotype pp.159-160. This is the index for volumes numbered 21 to 40.

- s.a., Description des Machines et Procédés pour lesquels des Brevets d’Invention ont été pris sous le régime de la loi du 5 juillet 1844 publiée par les ordres de M. le Ministre de l’Agriculture et du Commerce – Table Générale des tomes quarante et un à soixante, Imprimerie Nationale, Paris, 1870, section Photographie et Daguerréotype pp.144-145. This is the index for volumes numbered 41 to 60.

- s.a., Description des Machines et Procédés pour lesquels des Brevets d’Invention ont été pris sous le régime de la loi du 5 juillet 1844 publiée par les ordres de M. le Ministre de l’Agriculture et du Commerce – Table Générale des tomes soixante et un à soixante dix neuf, Imprimerie Nationale, Paris, 1873, section Photographie et Daguerréotype pp.101-102.This is the index for volumes numbered 61 to 79.

Few exceptions aside, the following volumes (80 to 116) have an index of their own. Patents are published by subjects. The photogrphic calss number is 17,3. All the volumes containing those patents are listed below :

The below références indicate : the Entity number 1, the volume number, its publication year, then in the midle of the doted line, the year of the patents recorded (if mentionned) and after the doted line, you will find the year of registration of the patents really mentionned (it can be different from what is claimed, and finally, the numer of years that separates the publication from the first registration.

E.2, T.3, 1850.................. publication par numéros et non par année............... [1845] 5

E.2, T.4, 1850............................................... idem............................................ [1845] 5

E.2, T.12, 1853............................................. idem............................................ [1847] 6

E.2, T.18, 1854............................................. idem............................................ [1850] 4

E.2, T.19, 1855............................................. idem............................................ [1851] 4

E.2, T.21, 1855............................................. idem............................................ [1852] 3

E.2, T.22, 1856............................................. idem............................................ [1852] 4

E.2, T.23, 1856............................................. idem............................................ [1852] 4

E.2, T.24, 1856............................................. idem............................................ [1852] 4

E.2, T.26, 1857............................................. idem............................................ [1853] 4

E.2, T.27, 1857............................................. idem............................................ [1853] 4

E.2, T.28, 1858............................................. idem............................................ [1853] 5

E.2, T.29, 1858............................................. idem............................................ [1853] 5

E.2, T.31, 1859............................................. idem............................................ [1853] 6

E.2, T.32, 1859............................................. idem............................................ [1853] 6

E.2, T.33, 1859............................................. idem............................................ [1854] 5

E.2, T.34, 1860............................................. idem............................................ [1854] 6

E.2, T.36, 1860............................................. idem............................................ [1854] 6

E.2, T.38, 1861............................................. idem............................................ [1854] 7

E.2, T.39, 1861............................................. idem............................................ [1854] 7

E.2, T.40, 1862............................................. idem............................................ [1854] 8

E.2, T.41, 1862............................................. idem............................................ [1855] 7

E.2, T.43, 1863............................................. idem............................................ [1855] 8

E.2, T.45, 1863............................................. idem............................................ [1855] 8

E.2, T.46, 1864............................................. idem............................................ [1855] 9

E.2, T.48, 1864............................................. idem............................................ [1855] 9

E.2, T.49, 1865............................................. idem............................................ [1855] 10

E.2, T.50, 1865............................................. idem............................................ [1855] 10

E.2, T.51, 1865............................................. idem............................................ [1855] 10

E.2, T.52, 1866............................................. idem............................................ [1855] 11

E.2, T.53, 1866............................................. idem............................................ [1856] 10

E.2, T.54, 1866............................................. idem............................................ [1856] 10

E.2, T.55, 1866............................................. idem............................................ [1856] 10

E.2, T.56, 1867............................................. idem............................................ [1856] 11

E.2, T.57, 1867............................................. idem............................................ [1856] 11

E.2, T.58, 1867............................................. idem............................................ [1862] 5

E.2, T.59, 1867............................................. idem................................... [1856-1857] 11

E.2, T.60, 1867............................................. idem............................................ [1857] 10

E.2, T.61, 1868............................................. idem............................................ [1857] 11

E.2, T.62, 1868............................................. idem............................................ [1857] 11

E.2, T.63, 1868............................................. idem............................................ [1857] 11

E.2, T.64, 1868............................................. idem............................................ [1857] 11

E.2, T.65, 1869............................................. idem................................... [1857-1858] 12

E.2, T.67, 1869............................................. idem............................................ [1858] 11

E.2, T.68, 1869............................................. idem............................................ [1858] 11

E.2, T.69, 1870............................................. idem............................................ [1858] 12

E.2, T.70, 1870............................................. idem............................................ [1859] 11

E.2, T.71, 1870............................................. idem............................................ [1859] 11

E.2, T.72, 1871............................................. idem............................................ [1859] 12

E.2, T.73, 1871............................................. idem................................... [1859-1860] 12

E.2, T.74, 1871............................................. idem............................................ [1860] 11

E.2, T.75, 1871............................................. idem............................................ [1860] 11

E.2, T.77, 1872............................................. idem................................... [1859-1860] 13

E.2, T.78, 1872............................................. idem............................................ [1860] 12

E.2, T.81, 1873, sans table................ dite "Année 1861"........................ [1861-1861] 12

E.2, T.83, 1874, sans table................ dite "Année 1862"........................ [1862-1863] 12

E.2, T.86, 1877.................................. dite "Année 1863"........................ [1862-1864] 14

E.2, T.90, 1878.................................. dite "Année 1864"........................ [1864-1864] 14

E.2, T.94, P.2, 1879........................... dite "Année 1865"........................ [1864-1865] 14

E.2, T.98, 1881.................................. dite "Année 1866"........................ [1866-1866] 15

E.2, T.102, 1883................................ dite "Année 1867"........................ [1867-1867] 16

E.2, T.106, 1883, sans table.............. dite "Année 1868"........................ [1868-1868] 15

E.2, T.110, 1884................................ dite "Année 1869"........................ [1869-1869] 15

E.2, T.114, 1884................................ dite "Année 1870"........................ [1870-1870] 14

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Entity 3 :

E.3, T.1, 1874, sans table.................. dite "Année 1871"........................ [1871-1871] 3

E.3, T.3, 1874, sans table.................. dite "Année 1872"........................ [1872-1872] 2

E.3, T.7, 1876.................................... dite "Année 1873"........................ [1873-1873] 3

E.3, T.11, P.2, 1877........................... dite "Année 1874"........................ [1874-1874] 3

E.3, T.15, P.2, 1879........................... dite "Année 1875"........................ [1875-1875] 4

E.3, T.19, P.2, 1880........................... dite "Année 1876"........................ [1873-1876] 4

E.3, T.23, P.2, 1882........................... dite "Année 1877"........................ [1874-1877] 5

E.3, T.27, P.2, 1884........................... dite "Année 1878"........................ [1877-1878] 6

E.3, T.31, P.3, 1885........................... dite "Année 1879"........................ [1877-1879] 6

E.3, T35, P.3, 1886............................ dite "Année 1880"........................ [1877-1880] 6

E.3, T.39, P.3, 1886........................... dite "Année 1881"........................ [1874-1881] 5

E.3, T.43, P.3, 1887........................... dite "Année 1882"........................ [1874-1882] 5

E.3, T.47, P.1, 1887........................... dite "Année 1883"........................ [1874-1883] 4

E.3, T.51, 1888.................................. dite "Année 1884"........................ [1883-1884] 4

E.3, T.55, 1888.................................. dite "Année 1885"........................ [1883-1885] 3

E.3, T.59, P.1, 1889........................... dite "Année 1886"........................ [1885-1886] 3

E.3, T.63, P.1, 1890........................... dite "Année 1887"........................ [1882-1887] 3

E.3, T.67, P.1, 1891........................... dite "Année 1888"........................ [1884-1888] 3

E.3, T.71, P.1, 1892........................... dite "Année 1889"........................ [1884-1889] 3

E.3, T.75, P.3, 1893........................... dite "Année 1890"........................ [1884-1890] 3

E.3, T.79, P.3, 1894........................... dite "Année 1891"........................ [1887-1891] 3

E.3, T.83, P.3, 1895........................... dite "Année 1892"........................ [1888-1892] 3

E.3, T.87, P.3, 1897........................... dite "Année 1893"........................ [1891-1893] 4

E.3, T.91, P.3, 1899........................... dite "Année 1894"........................ [1890-1894] 5

E.3, T.95, P.3, 1900........................... dite "Année 1895"........................ [1892-1895] 5

The photographic volume of 1896 is either lost or was never published

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Entity 4 :

The 4^th entity covers a small period of time (01/01/1899 to 31/07/1900). All types of patents are mixed. There is no more subject publication but one can easily find a patent by its number. Hence I didn't need to make a list of those. Besides, manuscripts for patents become rarer by that time.

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Entity 5 :

The 5^thentity has been described in the introduction. I whish it could be stored in the I.N.P.I.'s library in Paris, instead of Compiègne.

NOTE 1 _ Gérard Emptoz, Valérie Marchal, Aux sources de la propriété industrielle, guide des archives de l'I.N.P.I., Paris, I.N.P.I., 2002

NOTE 2_ S.a., Subject-matter index of patents for inventions (brevets d'invention) granted in France from 1791 to 1876 dont il est spécifié "translated, compiled and published under authority of the commissioner of patents", publié à Washington par le government printing office en 1883.