This week, Google launched Google Patent Search, which lets you search the entire collection of patents made available by the USPTO. As of the launch date, Google Patent Search covered patents issued from the 1790s to the middle of 2006. Now, this is not the first patent search engine, so let’s take a look and compare them.

I ran a search for “chinaman” on the USPTO website (4 matches), on the Patent Storm web site (3 matches) and on the Google Patent Search website (17 matches).

Aside from the fact that Google found more matches than these other two services, I was also surprised that there were any matches at all. Now, you may be curious to see what types of patents will invoke the term “chinaman.” After all, when we think about patents and intellectual property, our minds naturally gravitate towards cutting edge inventions and not racial slurs.

But, sure enough, Patent Number D12733 for a Design for a Toy for Exploding Caps and Fulminates shows a “Chinaman walking or running along the said barrel-like portion of the hand-piece” and an Irishman with a leg acting as the hammer “which operates with a kicking movement.” The inventor also asserted, “My design . . . makes the toy a source of great amusement to children using it.” On the handle of the toy gun are the words: “The Chinese Must Go.” Presumably, this won’t be a great source of amusement to Chinese children.