George Selden granted the first U.S. automobile patent

Background. George Baldwin Selden was an American patent lawyer and inventor from New York. He filed for a patent on May 8, 1879, choosing George Eastman, later famous for the Kodak camera, as a witness. According to the historical narrative source, Selden filed a series of amendments to his application, which stretched out the legal process, resulting in a delay of 16 years before the patent was granted on 5 November 1895.

Patent Grant. U.S. Patent 549,160, titled "Road-engine," was published on November 5, 1895. Patents are granted by national or regional patent offices, which are administrative authorities. In the United States, only the inventor(s) may apply for a patent, although it may be assigned to a corporate entity subsequently.

Significance. Henry Ford testified that the patent did more to hinder than encourage development of autos in the United States. Patents can generally only be enforced through civil lawsuits, such as actions for patent infringement in a United States federal district court. To prove infringement, the patent owner must establish that the accused infringer practises all the requirements of at least one of the claims.