Edison's filament innovations
At least 57 of Edison's 1093 patents relate specifically to the design, manufacture, or testing of incandescent light filaments.
The carbon filaments were also called "carbons" or "incandescents."
| Patent Number | Title of Patent | Date of application | Date of issue |
|---|---|---|---|
| 223898 | Electric Lamp (Edison's original carbon-filament lamp) | 1879-11-04 | 1880-01-27 |
| 238868 | Manufacture of Carbons for Incandescent Electric Lamps | 1880-05-24 | 1881-03-15 |
| 239148 | Treating Carbons for Electric Lamps | 1880-10-30 | 1881-03-02 |
| 239151 | Method of Forming Enlarged Ends on Carbon Filament | 1880-11-24 | 1881-03-02 |
| 239372 | Testing Electric Light Carbons (with Charles Batchelor) | 1880-08-09 | 1881-03-29 |
| 242900 | Manufacturing Carbons for Electric Lamps | 1880-11-11 | 1881-06-14 |
| 248416 | Manufacture of Carbons for Electric Lamps | 1881-01-11 | 1881-10-18 |
| 248417 | Manufacturing Carbons for Electric Lights | 1880-06-30 | 1881-10-18 |
| 248423 | Carbonizer | 1880-08-11 | 1881-10-18 |
| 248426 | Apparatus for Treating Carbons for Electric Lamps | 1880-11-24 | 1881-10-18 |
| 248427 | Apparatus for Treating Carbons for Electric Lamps | 1881-01-11 | 1881-10-18 |
| 248437 | Apparatus for Treating Carbons for Electric Lamps | 1881-01-11 | 1881-10-18 |
| 251540 | Carbon for Electric Lamps | 1880-08-06 | 1881-12-27 |
| 263139 | Manufacture of Carbons for Electric Lamps | 1880-08-06 | 1882-08-22 |
| 263141 | Straightening Carbons of Electric Incandescent Lamps | 1881-06-24 | 1882-08-22 |
| 263144 | Mold for Carbonizing Incandescents | 1881-11-11 | 1882-08-22 |
| 263145 | Process of Making Incandescents | 1881-04-26 | 1882-08-22 |
| 265777 | Method of Treating Carbons for Electric Lamps | 1880-12-15 | 1882-10-10 |
| 274291 | Mold for Carbonizing | 1882-12-08 | 1883-03-20 |
| 274296 | Manufacture of Incandescents | 1882-08-14 | 1883-03-20 |
| 287520 | Incandescing Conductor for Electric Lamps | 1882-11-09 | 1883-10-30 |
| 287522 | Mold for Carbonizing | 1883-03-16 | 1883-10-30 |
| 297585 | Incandescing Conductor for Electric Lamps | 1883-10-10 | 1884-04-29 |
| 298679 | Method Treating Carbons for Electric Lights | 1880-07-03 | 1884-05-13 |
| 307029 | Filament for Incandescent Lamps | 1882-10-12 | 1884-10-21 |
| 334853 | Mold for Carbonizing | 1882-08-14 | 1886-01-26 |
| 354310 | Manufacture of Carbon Conductors | 1883-04-17 | 1886-12-14 |
| 365509 | Filament for Incandescent Electric Lamps | 1882-08-07 | 1887-06-28 |
| 370124 | Manufacture of Filaments for Incandescing Lights | 1883-04-20 | 1887-09-20 |
| 390462 | Process of Making Carbon Filament | 1888-03-02 | 1888-10-02 |
| 395963 | Incandescent-Lamp Filament | 1884-04-05 | 1889-01-08 |
| 411016 | Manufacture of Carbon Filaments | 1882-10-20 | 1889-09-17 |
| 411017 | Carbonizing-Flask | 1883-04-17 | 1889-09-17 |
| 411020 | Manufacture of Carbon Filaments | 1886-12-06 | 1889-09-17 |
| 430933 | Filament for Incandescent Lamps | 1882-11-09 | 1890-06-24 |
| 438299 | Manufacture of Carbon Filaments | 1883-03-16 | 1890-10-14 |
| 438300 | Gage for Testing Fibers for Incandescent-Lamp Carbons | 1883-06-07 | 1890-10-14 |
| 439393 | Carbonizing Chamber | 1882-09-13 | 1890-10-28 |
| 446669 | Manufacture of Filaments for Incandescent Electric Lamps | 1883-03-16 | 1891-02-17 |
| 454262 | Incandescent-Lamp Filament | 1886-10-27 | 1891-06-16 |
| 470922 | Manufacture of Filaments for Incandescent Lamps | 1883-10-10 | 1892-03-15 |
| 470925 | Manufacture of Filaments for Incandescent Lamps | 1888-07-02 | 1892-03-15 |
| 484184 | Manufacture of Carbon Filaments | 1886-10-27 | 1892-10-11 |
| 484185 | Manufacture of Carbon Filaments | 1886-12-27 | 1892-10-11 |
| 485615 | Manufacture of Carbon Filaments | 1886-12-15 | 1892-11-08 |
| 485616 | Manufacture of Carbon Filaments | 1886-12-15 | 1892-11-08 |
| 485617 | Incandescent Lamp Filaments | 1888-07-17 | 1892-11-08 |
| 490954 | Manufacture of Carbon Filaments for Electric Lamps | 1886-11-06 | 1893-01-31 |
| 492150 | Process of Coating Conductors for Incandescent Lamps | 1882-10-26 | 1893-02-21 |
| 525007 | Manufacture of Carbon Filaments | 1886-12-15 | 1894-08-28 |
| 525888 | Manufacture of Carbons for Electric Lamps | 1880-03-20 | 1894-09-19 |
| 534206 | Filament for Incandescent Lamps | 1884-01-04 | 1895-02-12 |
| 534207 | Manufacture of Carbon Filaments | 1886-12-27 | 1895-02-12 |
| 543985 | Incandescent Conductor for Electric Lamps | 1882-08-07 | 1895-08-06 |
| 543987 | Filament for Incandescent Lamps | 1882-10-20 | 1895-08-06 |
| 626460 | Filament for and Process of Manufacturing Incandescent Lamps | 1898-03-31 | 1899-06-06 |
| 1163329 | Filament for Incandescent Electric Lamps | 1907-05-31 | 1915-12-07 |
(the last one is for a metal filament)