The inventor of the ATM earned his idea of ​​$ 15 for 50 years

The patent system enables innovators of many popular things now earn millions of dollars. I remember at some point to beat the American comedy, where one of the characters is very wealthy special because her grandmother invented a spring for a toaster, and the entire family still receives royalties from manufacturers of toasters. In general, it is close to the truth, despite the fact that the film - a comedy.

But there are exceptions. James Goodfellow (James Goodfellow), patented a device for automatic issuing of paper money the bank's clients, virtually nothing is earned. He earned $ 15, and that's all. But ATMs are billions of people, the devices themselves - millions (3,000,000 to be exact).

Recently the edition The Guardian published an interview with Goodfellow, in which the inventor of the shared history of the creation of the ATM. Rather, its prototype, there are still some differences between the original invention and modern ATM. The inventor claims that the very concept of the machine on the issue of money came up with not only him, but the idea that led to the creation of an ATM - it is his. Here he recalls the Wright brothers, who did not create the concept of the flight with them (and them) that a lot of people engaged. But they created a working prototype of the plane, who was able to fly, and so they are considered the creators of the aircraft.

Goodfellow says that few people know about his patent, and he did not say anything to anyone until 2005, when the award for the invention of the ATM was a completely different person, John Shepherd-Barron (John Shepherd-Barron). The award - the Order of the British Empire. Interestingly, Goodfellow received the same order, but not for the invention of the ATM, and the idea of ​​the introduction of pin-code for these devices. At Shepherd-Barron, by the way, there is no patent on the dispenser of cash to customers of banks, although he created a similar device about the same time as the Goodfellow.

cash system of money customers bank at any time Goodfellow was established in the mid 60s. Then he worked in a large company Kelvin Hughes. Setting develop a system of issuing money after work completion has been received from the authorities. As a result, the inventor invented a system that could give out money bank client after client identification. The identification process was two-factor - the client had to be inserted into a special slot of a plastic card with punched holes (their location was unique for each client), plus enter your PIN (10-digit)

. to issue money system was created, and the first such machine installed in 1967 in one of the offices Westminster Bank.

A similar system of another inventor authorship Shepherd Burrow was also installed in 1967, and a month earlier than the system Goodfellow. However, the patent belongs to the hero of this publication. Patent applications he filed in 15 countries Office. The analogue also gave money after the identification of the client, but is not used a plastic card and a check with the carbon isotope, carbon-14.

Authorship Goodfellow already recognized in the government. And the book Life in the United Kingdom (it should study those who would like to receive British citizenship) Goodfellow is already listed as the creator of the ATM.

According to him, the invention is not changed his life. But Goodfellow all happy. "I liked to do their work," - says the inventor of the ATM.





Source: geektimes.ru/post/275206/