Great Maritime Inventions 1833-1950 is a delightful look at how innovative Maritime ideas changed the world. Between 1833 and 1950, over 3,300 patents were granted to residents of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and PEI. From the scuba tank to the variable pitch propeller to two-piece long underwear, Great Maritime Inventions profiles the best of the best. Included are inventions that are considered to be great advances in science, those that have substantially changed the course of development of technology, or those that have enjoyed a lasting success that can still be remembered or observed to this day.

All of the inventions described in the book were completely novel in their day. Each patent is first in its classification, or else its claims are so broad that the intellectual property protection it gave covered every possible precursor. Before a patent was granted, an applicant had to declare that their invention was entirely new. Each application then underwent a thorough examination by expert examiners at the patent office. Each of the patents in Great Maritime Inventions were found to represent knowledge newly available to the public, and to be an important step forward in engineering or in developing consumer products that enhance our lives. Not all inventions were spectacular. In fact, many of these inventions never made it into the history books. It is only after fifty years or more that we realize the influence that every one of these inventions has had on our society. Each invention, large or small, was an important link in the chain of evolution of science and useful arts and has improved the way we live today.

Mario Theriault is passionate about patents. A professional patent agent from Fredericton, New Brunswick, he is a graduate of the Université de Moncton and has more than 20 years of engineering experience in electric power distribution, pulp & paper, metal working, machine design and quality systems. In 1995 he became a registered patent agent and currently runs Mario D. Theriault and Company, his own firm.

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"Patently ingenious . . . It's extraordinary to flip through these pages and witness the beginnings of some of the technologies and products we use today without a thought."

<i>Atlantic Books Today</i>

"In writing this fascinating account of Maritime ingenuity, Theriault has produced an informative . . . introduction to technological innovation and has ably illustrated the creative spirit of Maritimers."

<i>Archivaria</i> (National Archives of Canada)