From cotton spinning to coffins: specifications for patents of invention

Patents of invention cover a vast range of ideas, from the
industrial and agricultural revolutions, to transport, domestic
life and health. Many are bizarre, and some are even horrific, but
they all have a fascinating story to tell. The specifications are
the written descriptions of how the invention will work, with
drawings where appropriate. This talk focuses particularly on the
drawings, while explaining the process of enrolling the
specifications themselves and exploring a remarkable range of
inventiveness.