Waffle iron history

B

Bryan T.

New member
From what I've read, the general consensus is that the first patent for a waffle iron was issued to Cornelius Swartwout on August 24th 1869. With that said, I stumbled across the name "John A. Goewey" and his waffle iron from 1865, as shown in the image below. Is it safe to assume Swartwout, Goewey and others were using this general design, but Swartwout was the first to try and capitalize on it via patent ? I know waffle irons have been around far longer than 1865 ... just curious about this particular design as I have a Swartwout/Foxell Jones.

attachment.php
 

Attachments

  • 796d6a80976094d061965072fa8ee98e.jpg
    796d6a80976094d061965072fa8ee98e.jpg
    85 KB · Views: 80
So he's basically of no importance then, just someone who copied an existing design, made an improvement/special handle on that design, then patented the whole thing ? "National Waffle Day" in the US honours him/the anniversary of his patent. Should they be honouring someone else ? Who patented this original design before the 'special handles' (ie... the Goewey design and similar ones prior) ?
 
I doubt anyone holds a patent on the concept of a waffle iron. Swartwout makes no claim in regard to the iron itself in the patent referenced, only the handle attachment he devised. If someone is calling him the inventor of the waffle iron based on that patent, they are mistaken.
 
In 1853 Nathaniel Waterman came up with a ornamental design for the half plate of a waffle baker, Pat. USD578 which was published July, 5th, 1853. The attached link; http://www.google.com/patents/USD578?printsec=drawing#v=onepage&q&f=false.
Makes me think that possibly Cornelius Swartwout may have gotten his idea from Waterman thus applying for his full patent in 1869. I have NO documentation to prove my theory but it sure looks like the idea was out there at least 16 years before the patent.
According to Wikipedia waffle irons have been around since the 14th century and cast iron cooking pieces longer than that, (but not in the USA).
 
Everyone, please take the time to read the Swartwout patent in its entirety. It has nothing to do with the waffle iron, only a handle that attaches to several different but similarly designed existing waffle irons. Similarly, Waterman's patent is for the ornamental design, not the waffle iron.
 
Thank you MDFraley, this is the type of information I was actually looking for.

Everyone, please take the time to read my original post "just curious about this particular design as I have a Swartwout/Foxell Jones".
 
I have read your original post, and in it, you appear to indicate that you are under the mistaken impression that Cornelius Swartwout patented the design for and/or produced an actual waffle iron. If you found this page: http://swarthoutfamily.org/Famous/Waffle.htm it is clear that those folks also need to read the US design patent USD94043 and realize their alleged ancestor did not invent the waffle iron. So, even if your waffle iron has Foxell's, Jones', or Swartwout's names actually embossed on it, it still does not mean Swartwout had anything to do with the inventing or even the manufacture of the waffle iron part, but instead only the invention of the novel turning handle.
 
Bonnie, thank you very much for that link.

Doug, your reference of US design patent USD94043 is incorrect - you're actually referencing a pretty jar. The correct patent id doesn't include a "D".

Regardless, type "waffle iron history" into google, the very first result references Swarthout. Various other websites mention him when discussing the complete history of waffles - ie: http://www.thenibble.com/reviews/main/cereals/waffle-history.asp As previously mentioned, National Waffle Day in the US honours him. Forgive my ignorance in thinking he had the first patent, but can you blame me with all of the references about him ? The Smithsonian of all places references him. I was after all questioning those references by inquiring here, you know best after all.

I just wanted to know more about the particular design in question - not the old super long handled paddles, not the scissor types as shown in Bonnies link, I'm looking for information on the hinged type with base & handle along with the hook to open the iron, as per the photo included above.
 
Bryan T. said:
Doug, your reference of US design patent USD94043 is incorrect - you're actually referencing a pretty jar. The correct patent id doesn't include a "D".

Regardless, type "waffle iron history" into google, the very first result references Swarthout. Various other websites mention him when discussing the complete history of waffles - ie: http://www.thenibble.com/reviews/main/cereals/waffle-history.asp As previously mentioned, National Waffle Day in the US honours him. Forgive my ignorance in thinking he had the first patent, but can you blame me with all of the references about him ? The Smithsonian of all places references him. I was after all questioning those references by inquiring here, you know best after all.

I just wanted to know more about the particular design in question - not the old super long handled paddles, not the scissor types as shown in Bonnies link, I'm looking for information on the hinged type with base & handle along with the hook to open the iron, as per the photo included above.
Click to expand...
The correct patent is properly linked in the first reply above. It's a shame that so many internet references don't take the time to actually verify the misinformation they proliferate. To elaborate on what I said earlier, in addition to the basic concept of a waffle iron not being patentable, the design of the one pictured, with opposing journals and only a projecting hook for opening/turning was for its time period extremely common, generic, and simple enough for most any foundry to cast. Who invented it is a question about as unanswerable as who invented the skillet.
 
Thanks for that reply Bonnie, I had absolutely no idea Wikipedia wasn't a reliable source.

Doug, I realize the first reply above linked the correct patent, I was referring to your follow up reply referencing the incorrect patent. It's a shame the Smithsonian has to be lumped in with other internet sources of 'misinformation'. Regardless, my original post was just looking for information about that particular design. I didn't know the design was extremely common, generic, simple for the time period as you say - that would have been useful to include in your initial reply.
 
It's also interesting to note that "#nationalwaffleday" is also Good Friday, a day in which women have been preparing flat breads for thousands of years.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top