The Greatest Inventors You've Probably Never Heard Of

Look around you and the chances are you'll see plenty of inventions that were created by now world renowned individuals. Telephones, televisions, light bulbs and medicines have all been discovered, developed and explored by inventors whose work became their namesake. Becoming a famous inventor isn't the norm however as plenty of today's most popular inventions would quickly stump the general public if you asked about the genius behind their creation. Here, we take a look at three inventors whose work we now take for granted but - as people - few of us know a lot about.

The world wide web is a global phenomenon that connects millions of people and businesses on a daily basis, 24-7, all year round. Credited with creating the internet, British engineer and computer scientists Sir Timothy Berners-Leefirst came up with the idea for the net in the late 80s. By the early 90s he and a fellow colleague at CERN (European Organisation for Nuclear Research) has completed the first successful communication via what we now know as the internet. Berners-Lee currently works with the British Government to make the internet a more accessible and open place.

Have a wander down your street or a stroll along one of L.As infamous boulevards and you'll no doubt come across rollerblades. Invented in the early 80s by brothers Scott and Brennan Olson, the product was first known as in-line skates before being trademarked as 'rollerblades'. The company Rollerblade Inc now contributes on a regular basis to charity and fans of the boots have been known to skate across states to raise money against hunger and poverty.

Finally, the next time you go to that 'hole in the wall' to withdraw cash, check your balance or top up your mobile why not spare a moment's thought to the inventor behind the automated teller machine AKA the ATM. Scottish inventor John Shepherd-Barron was credited with inventing the world's first ATM machine in the 1960s where a branch of Barclays in London first installed the machine. Using the idea of a chocolate bar dispenser as the catalyst for his creation, Shepherd-Barron went on to create the monetary equivalent that was first operated using chemically coded cheques. Nowadays ATM software is a multi-billion pound industry that extends right across the globe.

Thinking of turning your mind to inventing? Just remember to make sure everyone knows who to credit when your idea makes it big!

So! You've had an innovative idea. You nurtured it. You tested it. You tweaked it. You've done preliminary patent searches online, and you think you've got a viable, marketable idea.

Now what? Well, now you need to protect your idea so that no one can steal it. Additionally, you need to get your foot in the door -- so to speak -- with the patent office, so that no one can 'beat you to the punch'. But there's a problem...

As a first time inventor, you may have put all of your expendable funds into developing your idea. You cannot afford the many thousands of dollars to hire an expensive patent attorney or patent agent.

So here's your plan: you need to protect your idea and you need time to contact prospective backers or manufacturers. With your idea or prototype safe, you can then negotiate for license fees, royalties, signing fees -- the list of ways to monetize your invention is unlimited.

But what about that "protection" ? What's keeping your new potential business partners from stealing your idea? It's a PROVISIONAL PATENT APPLICATION! It's fast. It's inexpensive. It's easy to complete.

Benefits? Without "judging" the patentability of your submitted invention, the US Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO) will date- and time-stamp your properly completed application, and award you 'Patent Pending' status for your innovation. Bingo! You now have a full twelve months to do your negotiations and the find the right partners to bring your product to market. Before the year is up, someone you assign will foot the bill for the full patent, and you will receive the negotiated signing fees, royalties, and any additional monies that you may have negotiated.

Can you write a provisional patent application and successfully submit it yourself? Certainly! You'll need a drawing and a written description of your invention. Then you'll need to complete the proper forms with the proper information on the proper lines. Mail the package to the USPTO. If you successfully figured out the right combination of forms, and filled them out properly, you should soon be notified of the awarded 'patent pending' status for your invention.

Then it's time to get to work negotiating -- your idea is now SAFE!