How to Succeed as an Inventor by Goodwin B. Smith

How to Succeed as an Inventor (1909) by Goodwin B. Smith, a Registered Attorney in the U.S. Patent Office, serves as both an inspirational guide and a cautionary handbook for those aspiring to achieve wealth through patents. Smith aims to clarify the “wonderful possibilities” in invention while detailing the pitfalls and “dangers to be avoided”. The core message is that success is rarely accidental; it requires prudence, persistence, and rigid adherence to fundamental business and mechanical principles, specifically embodied in the Six Cardinal Tests. The book champions patents as the greatest source of modern wealth, provided the inventor undertakes necessary practical development and market analysis before securing the patent.

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Who May Benefit from the Book

• Aspiring inventors and mechanical geniuses.
• Patent applicants seeking strong legal protection.
• Entrepreneurs developing new products.
• Individuals interested in history of technology.
• Those seeking investment strategies based on patents.

Top 3 Key Insights

1. Patents currently represent the greatest avenue for accumulating significant wealth, replacing older sources like natural resources or real estate.
2. Invention success hinges on meeting the Six Cardinal Tests (e.g., patentability, cost efficiency, market demand), not just novelty.
3. Inventors must prioritize comprehensive practical development and market testing over rushing to secure a patent.

4 More Lessons and Takeaways

1. A new invention must possess conspicuously superior merit and be manufactured at a lower cost than comparable devices already available on the market.
2. The vast majority (estimated 90%) of issued patents are commercially worthless, often due to weak claims or lack of public demand.
3. Avoid overcrowded fields like car couplers, adding machines, and railway ties due to “killing competition”.
4. Expert, unprejudiced advice is crucial, as the inventor’s own judgment is naturally biased toward the success of their idea.

The Book in 1 Sentence

Invention success depends on diligent testing and market knowledge, ensuring the idea is truly better and cheaper than existing alternatives.

The Book Summary in 1 Minute

The field of invention offers fabulous wealth, surpassing all other investments, provided the patent is “good”. However, history shows that the immense majority of patents fail due to a lack of business knowledge and rushing the patent process. Smith advises that before seeking a patent, the inventor must determine if the idea can be profitably manufactured and if there is a large, constant public demand for it. Every idea must pass the Six Cardinal Tests, which evaluate its legal strength, mechanical viability, superior merit, low cost, market demand, and freedom from crushing competition. Success requires persistence and seeking objective counsel to avoid expensive, worthless patents.

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Chapter-wise Book Summary

CHAPTER I. LOOKING FORWARD

“Patience and the investment of time and labor for future results are essential factors in every inventor’s success.”

The potential in the field of invention is open to everyone, including the mechanic, the day laborer, the busy housewife, and the plodding clerk. Civilization continually generates new needs, multiplying opportunities for new inventions many thousand-fold compared to previous ages. A truly universal invention has the potential to bring enormous honors and fabulous monetary returns. Though each age assumes human ingenuity has peaked, the future is guaranteed to hold forces, principles, and combinations that will benefit mankind. Examples of marvelous current results include the development of airships by the Wright Brothers and others. The author suggests the possibility of a “perfected telephote,” which could transmit light and color, allowing one to see a friend while speaking on the telephone.

• Key Points:
  • Field of invention is open to all.
  • Opportunities are constantly multiplying.
  • Future inventions will be greater than the past.

CHAPTER II. LOOKING BACKWARD

“Intelligent study and the application of unremitting effort to a definite purpose are the factors that overcome obstacles.”

This chapter provides a chronological history of major inventions and their creators, starting from 1620 (spirally grooved rifle barrel) and extending through 1901 (automobile mower). The list includes globally significant creations such as the cotton gin (Eli Whitney, 1794), the electric telegraph (Prof. Morse, 1832), the sewing machine (Elias Howe, 1846), and the telephone (Dr. Alex. Graham Bell, 1876). More recent breakthroughs include the discovery of radium by Professor and Madam Curie in 1898, which exerted abnormal energy without appreciable loss, and Guglielmo Marconi’s 1903 wireless message transmission over 3000 miles. Historically, Benjamin Franklin famously refused a patent on his stove, preferring to share his invention for public good. The development of complex modern achievements, such as wireless telegraphy, relies completely on foundational factors that preceded it, emphasizing that current knowledge serves as the foundation for future progress.

• Key Points:
  • Chronological list of inventions provided.
  • Radium and wireless telegraphy highlighted as recent wonders.
  • All modern achievement rests on past efforts.

CHAPTER III. PATENTS THE GREATEST SOURCE OF WEALTH

“Upon what meat does this, our Caesar, feed, that he has grown so great?”—Shakespeare.

This chapter analyzes modern wealth accumulation. The author identifies four main sources of wealth: Natural Wealth (mining/drilling), Real Estate, Transportation, and Patents. The first three avenues are now largely closed or require tremendous capital and specialized internal knowledge (like oil wells, growing city lots, and railway lines). Patents, however, based on inventions in manufactures, the arts, and the home, are proclaimed as the greatest source of wealth today. The list of rich patentees includes Carnegie, Edison, Bell, Westinghouse, and Marconi. The path to invention-based wealth suggests that “Genius, that power which dazzles mortal eyes, / Is oft but perseverance in disguise”.

• Key Points:
  • Patents surpass traditional wealth sources.
  • Wealth from patents is based on universal demand.
  • Perseverance is fundamental to genius.

CHAPTER IV. SUCCESSFUL INVENTORS

“Lives of great men all remind us, / We can make our lives sublime, / And departing, leave behind us, / Footprints on the sands of time.”—Longfellow.

Fame and fortune are achievable not only through “large calibre” inventions but also through “small inventions”. Examples of small inventions that brought enormous fortunes include Mrs. Pott’s Sad Iron, the Gillette Safety Razor, the De Long Hook and Eye, and Mennen’s Talcum Powder. Many successful inventors demonstrate extreme persistence: Ottmar Mergenthaler worked twenty years developing the linotype machine, which later paid $20 million in dividends in 14 years. Charles Goodyear struggled extensively, even pawning his children’s schoolbooks, before accidentally discovering vulcanization. Oscar Hammerstein, known for his theaters, earned over $250,000 from royalties on his cigar-making machine patent. The writer emphasizes that successful inventors, regardless of the size of their invention, must not lose sight of the Six Cardinal Tests.

• Key Points:
  • Small, simple inventions can yield massive fortunes.
  • Persistence is a recurring trait among famous inventors.
  • All successful patents satisfy the Six Cardinal Tests.

CHAPTER V. FIELD OF INVENTION

“If a man can write a better book, preach a better sermon, or make a better mouse-trap than his neighbor, though he build his house in the woods, the world will make a beaten pathway to his door.”—Emerson.

An invention must supersede similar market devices in utility, possess conspicuous superior merit, and have the capacity for production at a lower cost to achieve commercial merit. The chapter lists numerous specific inventions and improvements needed across categories such as Electrical (e.g., a simple, powerful, cheap electric motor), Chemical (e.g., a substitute for paper pulp or flexible glass), and Mining (e.g., method for hardening and tempering copper). However, inventors are strongly advised not to pursue certain areas, such as car couplers, metal railway ties, and present-style typewriters, because these fields are absolutely overcrowded, leading to “killing competition”. The proper strategy is to invent something the public already wants, following “the lines of least resistance,” rather than trying to force the public to want a new device.

• Key Points:
  • Must have superior merit and lower production cost.
  • Specific needed inventions are listed.
  • Avoid fields with killing competition (e.g., car couplers).

CHAPTER VI. GROWTH OF THE FIELD OF INVENTION

(No direct quote provided for this chapter in the source.)

This chapter demonstrates the exponential growth of invention since primitive times, when human focus was limited to three fundamental wants: Food, Clothing, and Shelter. Charts illustrate how these basic needs expanded into the countless necessities and complexities of 20th-century life. For example, the need for Food expanded from simple sickles and hunting tools into sophisticated processes like distilling, grain elevators, and specialized Milking Machines. Shelter grew to encompass advanced engineering, complex heating and lighting systems (gas, electricity), and defensive technologies like armor and battle ships. Transportation evolved from simple animals and carts into modern rail, steam, electric, automobile, and airship technologies, alongside related services like telegraphy and banking infrastructure. This growth underscores the nearly illimitable sphere of invention.

• Key Points:
  • Invention scope has expanded immensely from basic needs.
  • Illustrates growth across Food, Shelter, Clothing, and Transportation.
  • The field of invention is illimitable.

CHAPTER VII. NECESSARY STEPS

“In any business, it is to-day’s unknown facts that wreck the machine tomorrow. Therefore, find out the facts.”

The common tendency for inventors to rush a patent application before practical demonstration or market investigation is considered “all wrong”. A strong patent depends on having carefully drawn specification and claims. Inventors should avoid filing a caveat, as it is often worthless and can lead to expensive interference suits. A simple way to document an idea for priority is through a dated rough sketch and description signed by two competent witnesses. Inventors are strongly cautioned against spending time or money until their idea successfully passes the Six Cardinal Tests: 1) Patentability (strong, basic protection); 2) Mechanical Practicability; 3) Low Cost of Production; 4) Conspicuous Novelty/Superior Merit; 5) Large, Constant Public Demand; and 6) Low Competition. Expert, unprejudiced counsel is necessary because the inventor’s own judgment is heavily biased.

• Key Points:
  • Do not rush patent filing before testing.
  • Use competent witnesses to prove priority of idea.
  • Evaluate against the Six Cardinal Tests (Patentability, Practicability, Cost, Merit, Demand, Competition).

CHAPTER VIII. SOUNDING THE MARKET

“People are always to be found who think anything with which they are not familiar cannot be good.”

The advice received from friends regarding an invention is typically worthless and misleading because they are not “skilled in the art” and only seek to encourage the inventor. Instead, the inventor must seek the advice of a specialist. Sounding the market requires asking critical business questions: Will a stranger buy the device in preference to existing market alternatives? Can the product be manufactured and sold at a good profit? Will wholesalers handle it profitably? This investigation directly relates back to the market aspects (Fifth and Sixth) of the Six Cardinal Patent Tests.

• Key Points:
  • Friends’ opinions on invention success are valueless.
  • Consult a market specialist for honest feedback.
  • Market success depends on selling points and profitability.

CHAPTER IX. PRACTICAL DEVELOPMENT

“Everything in this world is a development. Nothing happens by chance.”

The invention process is defined as a series of constant improvements, substitutions, alterations, and rearrangements until the device attains a marketable shape; no invention is complete when first conceived. The successful inventor must constantly search for “something better,” questioning if parts can be cheaper, simpler, or more efficient (e.g., using a cotter pin instead of a nut). The process requires immense patience, hard work, unwavering belief in success, and competent theoretical and practical knowledge in fields like mechanics, physics, mathematics, and salesmanship. The goal is to develop a product that dominates its particular field because it is superior to all others.

• Key Points:
  • Development is a continuous process of refinement.
  • The inventor must seek simplification and optimization.
  • Success requires extensive technical and business knowledge.

CHAPTER X. LOWER COST—SUPERIOR MERIT

“An idea of itself may be good, but still not of itself be of any value.”

To achieve even moderate commercial success, a patented article must address a “human necessity” or “luxury”. Fundamentally, the invention must meet two intertwined criteria: it must cost less and be better than any similar article already present on the market. If the invention costs more to make, it will be heavily handicapped from the start.

• Key Points:
  • Focus on necessity or luxury goods.
  • Product must be superior in quality.
  • Product must be cheaper to manufacture.

CHAPTER XI. APPLICATION FOR PATENTS, DESIGN PATENTS, TRADE-MARKS LABELS AND COPYRIGHTS

“The man who does things is the man who is doing things. The busiest man in the city is the man who is always ready for new business.”

A patent may be granted for an art, machine, manufactured article, composition of matter, or an improvement thereof, provided it has not been in public use or on sale for more than two years prior to the application. The estimated cost for a simple, one-sheet case is approximately $65, covering search, drawings, specification, and first and final government fees. However, complicated machines can cost up to $1000, especially if interference suits develop. Patents are valid for seventeen years and cannot be renewed. Foreign patents are generally risky and only recommended after careful study. The crucial value of a patent lies in the careful preparation of the Specification and Claims, which necessitates selecting competent counsel.

• Key Points:
  • Patents cover arts, machines, and processes.
  • Standard patent cost is about $65 for simple cases.
  • Patents grant protection for seventeen years.

CHAPTER XII. MARKETING

“Anybody can slide down hill, but it takes good legs and good wind to go up.”—Silent Partner.

Marketing is the central challenge in the business world. Successful marketing requires a “good, virile mind,” honesty of purpose, quality product, absolute fair-dealing, push, and untiring energy. Success is a steady, gradual development. New businesses should secure the best expert advice before spending significant money. When calculating profitability, it is generally safe to add one hundred percent to the manufacturing cost to cover administrative and fixed charges. The chapter provides standard wholesale pricing lists, noting that a typical 5c retail item might sell wholesale for 35c to 40c per dozen.

• Key Points:
  • Marketing requires hard work and attention to detail.
  • Seek expert business advice early.
  • Administrative costs often double manufacturing cost.

CHAPTER XIII. DISCOURAGEMENTS AND DANGERS

“To quit in the chasms is to fail. See always in your mind’s eye those sunny summits of success! Don’t quit in the chasm! Keep on!”—System.

The path of invention is filled with discouragements, delays, and dangers. Since 1837, the United States Government has issued approximately 900,000 patents, yet the number of commercial successes is “pitifully small”. Patented ideas usually fail because they did not stand the Six Cardinal Tests, failing due to weak claims, impracticality, excessive cost, lack of novelty, no market demand, or being “frozen out” by major competitors. The author warns against unscrupulous patent attorneys who issue virtually worthless patents with highly restricted claims. Authorities estimate that 90 per cent. of the patents issued today are worthless from a commercial standpoint. Despite the high failure rate, successful patents (like the Bell Telephone or Harvester) have yielded profits far exceeding the total amount spent on all patents combined.

• Key Points:
  • Invention involves significant risk and potential disappointment.
  • Most patents (90%) fail commercially.
  • Major competitors (e.g., Standard Oil, Bell Telephone) crush weak ideas.

CHAPTER XIV. SELLING PATENTS

“It is not so much how you sell your patent. It is what you get for it.”

A patent possessing commercial value can be disposed of in four primary ways: selling outright for cash, selling restricted rights (state, county, shop rights), placing it with an established concern on a royalty basis, or organizing a new company for production. If selling outright, the price should cover the inventor’s time, patent costs, models, expert counsel, and a modest sum for goodwill. The author recommends placing the patent on a royalty basis with a reliable firm as the best and most profitable method, citing Oscar Hammerstein, who earned $250,000 on royalties for his second invention after selling his first outright. Capitalists are wary; they are unlikely to invest unless the idea has already been proven patentable and practicable.

• Key Points:
  • Selling methods include cash, rights, royalty, or new company formation.
  • Royalty payments are usually the most profitable option.
  • Cash sale price must include development time and goodwill.

CHAPTER XV. CONCLUSION

“Be sure you are right and then go ahead—don’t THINK you are sure—BE SURE!”

The most essential advice for inventors is to conduct an investigation that is strictly impersonal and unprejudiced to ensure they are “right”. This requires buying sound expert advice rather than chasing a “mirage or will-o’-wisp”. The small cost of a reliable investigation is money well spent, as a good patent may bring enormous wealth, making it one of the most profitable investments possible. This prudent approach is contrary to the aggressive “don’t hesitate” marketing tactics used by some firms.

• Key Points:
  • Pursue only ideas verified by unprejudiced investigation.
  • Spending money on expert advice is economical in the long run.
  • Good patents are highly valuable investments.

CHAPTER XVI. STATISTICS OF THE COUNTRIES OF THE WORLD

(This chapter consists primarily of tables detailing populations and areas of various countries globally, including the United States, around the turn of the 20th century).

• Key Points:
  • Presents global population figures.
  • Provides U.S. state population census data.

CHAPTER XVII. MECHANICAL MOVEMENTS AND EXPLANATION THEREOF

(No direct quote provided for this chapter in the source.)

This chapter focuses on the necessity of selecting proper mechanical movements during the development and construction of models. Inventors should strive to use mechanisms that simplify the invention, minimize friction, and maximize power. The goal is to produce any mechanism with the fewest parts possible and the greatest amount of simplicity. The chapter offers numerous diagrams and descriptions of various mechanical devices, including transmissions (pulleys, gearing), rotary and rectilinear motions (cams, cranks), specialized movements (escapements, governors), and various types of pumps and engine components.

• Key Points:
  • Mechanical design must prioritize simplicity and efficiency.
  • Movements must minimize friction and add power.
  • Provides guidance on selecting mechanisms for model construction.

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Notable Quotes from the Book (Not used in Chapter Summaries)

1. Failure is want of knowledge; success is knowing how.
2. WEALTH is the brain that organizes the metal.
3. No one enjoys accepting advice, but no one needs competent, unprejudiced advice as the inventor.
4. Our judgment is like our watches,—none go just alike, but each believes his own.
5. The field of invention has no bars up,—you, all of us, are free to enter.
6. There are no elevators in the house of success.
7. Victory belongs to the most persevering.
8. Anybody may drink at the fountain of knowledge, but you’ve got to bring your own cup.
9. Waste is criminal.
10. Economy in these matters [patents] is a poor policy to pursue.

About the Author

Goodwin Brooke Smith is identified as the author of How to Succeed as an Inventor, published in 1909. Smith was a Registered Attorney in the United States Patent Office. In addition to his legal practice, he was officially connected with a number of industrial enterprises that were established based on United States Patents. The book itself was copyrighted by Smith and issued by the Inventors and Investors Corporation in Philadelphia, U.S.A.. Smith advertised his legal services as a Patent Specialist, offering counsel on Patents, Trade-Marks, and Copyrights, and providing comprehensive reports on the commercial potential of inventions. His services included offering to finance or market inventions of superior merit. Specific details regarding other books written by Smith or further personal details are not available in the provided sources.

How to Get the Most from the Books

Use this guide to rigorously apply the Six Cardinal Tests to your idea and ensure you obtain reliable, unprejudiced counsel before committing capital.

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Conclusion

Goodwin B. Smith establishes that the field of patents offers unparalleled financial rewards, evidenced by the vast fortunes built upon both large and small inventions. Yet, he provides a stern warning against the “enormous waste and loss” resulting from inventors’ lack of necessary business knowledge. The ultimate determinant of success is not initial genius but the careful execution of market analysis and development, ensuring the product is superior and cost-effective. By adhering to the Six Cardinal Tests and committing to intelligent, persistent effort, the inventor can navigate the dangers and secure a truly profitable patent.