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The Dangers of Insufficient Oversight in the U.S. Patent Office: A Case Study in Bureaucratic Overreach

Saturday, May 31, 2025 7 Am EDT

ZAMBONI PATENT 1949 “Ice Rink Resurfacing Machine”

By Miriam Kleiman, Public Affairs, in honor of Zamboni drivers Alex B (NGA's Sculpture Garden Ice Rink) and Uncle Hank (Northern MI University).

Alex rocks the Zamboni at the National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden Ice Rink, 12/29/22, image by Miriam Kleiman.

Ever wonder about the incredibly cool “Ice Rink Resurfacing Machine” (aka Zamboni)?

We’ve got the patent! See all 124 pages in our Online Catalog (NARA ID 117724382).

Thanks to the Zamboni, the ice was smooth enough for this talented monkey! See Ice Skating Chimpanzee, 1963 (The Unwritten Record).

Excerpt from the release sheet: SPORTS MONKEY SHINES! THIS CHIMP IS A GAY BLADE: Usually, summer is the whacky season, but this winter things aren’t on an even keel in Germany. They’ve taught a Chimp to Skate and he’s a real swinger! After some tricks “Archibald” leads a Conga that proves he’s a real gay blade with quite a line figure-8-atively.

“Ice Rink Resurfacing Machine” Patent file excerpts:

PROBLEM: "The maintenance of a satisfactorily smooth surface on the ice is one of the major problems in connection with the operation of a skating rink… The squeegees have no effect on the hard-frozen rough ice, and the ice therefore remains rough 'until the next time that it is scraped."

BEFORE the Zamboni: "Heretofore, the usual method of cleaning off and smoothing the surface of the ice has been to send attendants out onto the ice to sweep off the cut ice with scrapers or sweeps that are pushed ahead of them; while in other instances, the ice is scraped clean by scraper blades mounted on towed sleds towed sleds or on automotive vehicles such as the small, four-wheel drive vehicles formerly used in the military services and known popularly as the jeep In either case, after the surface of the ice has 'been scraped clean, a thin film of water is spread over the ice to fill in the cracks and low spots, and surplus water is then squeegeed away, usually by a number of attendants on skates, pushing the squeegees ahead of them… 

GOAL of ZAMBONI: "[An] object of the invention is to provide a self-propelled vehicle that can be operated by one man, and which functions automatically to shave the ice, convey the shaved ice to a large receptacle attached to the vehicle, and then squeegee a thin film `of water over the surface of the ice so as to provide a like-new surface when the water has frozen."

Full citation: Frank J. Zamboni & Co., Inc. RG 241: Records of the Patent and Trademark Office, 1836-1978, Patent Case Files, 1936-1976, Patent Case File No. 2,642,679, Ice Rink Resurfacing Machine, Inventor Frank J. Zamboni. NARA ID 83876135

Much more online! 

Ice Skating in the National Archives, National Archives News special topics page

Records Reveal Winter Olympics History, National Archives News: 

Ice Skating at Rockefeller Center, 1937, The Unwritten Record: 

The Office Café Tribe Spy Love Letter Season Episode 9b of 12 @NCAA @Stanford @Harvard @uspto Dear Stanford, When my spy network checked in with Harvard University; Harvard checked in with party people of Massachusetts and returned with "This competition will have a rowdy and raucous crowd at Harvard." And I believe in that attitude. Certainly there is an element of respect that needs to be shown by the home town crowds in order to appreciate the intricacies of the dialog that is taking place, and likely the rules will have points to deduct from the hosting university for a crowd that acts disrespectfully and out of turn. I believe we will use cheer leaders to get the crowd aware that it is time to make noise and show their support, the cheer leaders could be accompanied by dancers and create a scene or even make it part of the competition in terms of having a physical performance associated with an otherwise mental engagement (just an idea to consider). Certainly it will be determined by the host university and local laws that govern alcohol sales, but I believe we will sell beer at The Office Café Collegiate Competition (The OCCC). The Saturday events are going to be epic because the contestants will have only had Friday night and early morning Saturday to prepare their content for debate and scientific demonstration; so there certainly will be the elements of human error and human creativity that can be a spark for greatness. The fans are going to want to listen because so much is on the line; its definitely going to be a different group of people buying tickets than purchase basketball and football tickets but I firmly believe alumni and local businesses will be excited to show up and support their university in this competition. We must think creatively to create the pomp and circumstance that is going to attract television advertisers and television viewers. We have to think through scheduling the event and organizing the event so that it flows for fans in attendance and television viewers.

Understanding when tickets are valid: Some people will want to attend The OCCC Friday night events such as friends and family that have someone that is going for an ON RECORD Policy plus we want the public to be able to bear witness to the events that are happening. I would like to have an app that will make a microphone live so that people can listen to a specific ON RECORD Policy applicant dialog about their idea. I think that is an important idea that needs to be fully vetted; we have an ongoing dialog on my spy network about The International Original Content Office Café providing that kind of scenario where you can listen into a specific seated table and possibly access the cameras as well. Everything is being recorded with an ON RECORD Policy not necessarily for posterity but for review of the content discussed while they are researching the ON RECORD application prior to issuing a policy. Some fans will want to view this process because getting an ON RECORD policy is such a big deal. Pomp and circumstance will drive interest of bringing fans again and again into the venue for this type of entertainment. Always with My Best, Alexander Erickson

March 27, 2021

For this week’s Favorite Design Patent Friday, a classic retro-futuristic design from the golden age of water guns. Charles Arliss’ original “toy water pistol” was copied dozens of times over ensuing decades, and the version I had in the 70′s was even more Buck Rogers than the original. But the artistry and passion for design is evident in every detail of Arliss’ work, all the more amazing as his target customers were unlikely to fully appreciate the beauty in those swoopy lines and carefully sculpted laser beams. These molded plastic works of art have become valuable collectibles, from an era of design where even inexpensive toys tried to capture the dreams of a high-tech future.

USPTO Black History Month celebrations

Three Contemporary Black Women Inventors

On February 10, get valuable insights from inventors Aprille Ericsson, Ayanna Howard, and Arlyne Simon during the “Three contemporary Black women inventors” online event. The panelists’ careers include success in areas as varied as mechanical engineering, robotics, writing successful books for young inventors, and more. 

Slots are limited, so register today for this free special event at https://www.eventbrite.com/.../black-history-month...

A Focus on Business

On February 12, learn firsthand from Philadelphia-based artist Elizabeth “Liz” Montague and Google Doodle team art director Angelica McKinley about how large scale creative projects are produced from concept to launch. During “A focus on business—The collaboration between cartoonist and illustrator Liz Montague and Google art director Angelica McKinley,” get a behind-the-scenes view of how they created the first guest artist Google Doodle slide show featuring groundbreaking Black cartoonist and activist Jackie Ormes.