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Paper clip
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====Norwegian claim==== {{Summary style section|date=September 2021}} {{main|Johan Vaaler}} [[File:Vaaler kopi.jpg|thumb|right|[[Johan Vaaler]] in 1887 as a student of the [[University of Oslo|Christiania University]]]] [[File:Vaaler clip.svg|thumb|right|The paper clip patented by Johan Vaaler in 1899 and 1901]] Norwegian [[Johan Vaaler]] (1866β1910) has been identified as the inventor of the paper clip. He was granted patents in [[Germany]]<ref>Application dated 12 November 1899, Patentschrift no. 121067, patent granted 6 June 1901.</ref> and in the United States<ref>US Patent No. 675,761 June 4, 1901.</ref> (1901) for a paper clip of similar design, but less functional and practical. Because it was more complicated to insert into the paper, Vaaler probably did not know that a better product was already on the market, although not yet in Norway. His version was never manufactured and never marketed because the superior ''Gem'' was already available. Long after Vaaler's death, his countrymen created a national myth based on the false assumption that the paper clip was invented by an unrecognized Norwegian genius. Norwegian dictionaries since the 1950s have mentioned Vaaler as the inventor of the paper clip,<ref>"Binders" ''Aschehougs konversasjonsleksikon'', Oslo 1975, vol. 2, p. 695.</ref> and that myth later found its way into international dictionaries and much of the international literature on paper clips. Vaaler probably succeeded in having his design patented abroad, despite the previous existence of more useful paper clips, because patent authorities at that time were quite liberal and rewarded any marginal modification of existing inventions.<ref>Petroski, Henry "The Evolution of Artifacts", ''American Scientist'', Volume 80, 1992, pp. 416β20.</ref> Johan Vaaler began working for ''Alfred J. Bryns Patentkontor'' in [[Oslo|Kristiania]] in 1892 and was later promoted to office manager, a position he held until his death.<ref>Holst, Wilhelm: "Johan Vaaler", ''Studenterne fra 1887'', Kristiania 1912.</ref> As the employee of a patent office, he could easily have obtained a patent in Norway. His reasons for applying abroad are not known; it is possible that he wanted to secure the commercial rights internationally. Also, he may have been aware that a Norwegian manufacturer would find it difficult to introduce a new invention abroad, starting from the small home market. Vaaler's patents expired quietly, while the "Gem" was used worldwide, including his own country. The failure of his design was its impracticality. Without the two full loops of the fully developed paper clip, it was difficult to insert sheets of paper into his clip. One could manipulate the end of the inner wire so that it could receive the sheet, but the outer wire was a dead end because it could not exploit the torsion principle. The clip would instead stand out like a keel, perpendicular to the sheet of paper. The impracticality of Vaaler's design may easily be demonstrated by cutting off the last outer loop and one long side from a regular Gem clip.
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