PRESS RELEASE Contact: Kim Byars 703-305-8341 kim.byars@uspto.gov April 24, 2002 #02-29 Patent for Ironing Board issued April 26, 1892 African American woman invents predecessor to modern ironing board Sarah Boone, of New Haven, CT, received patent #473,653 for the ironing board on April 26, 1892. Boone's ironing board was made of a narrow wooden board, with collapsible legs and a padded cover and was specifically designed for the fitted clothing worn during that time period, particularly the sleeves and bodices of ladies' garments. Prior to her inventions, people resorted to simply using a table or being creative in laying a plank of wood across two chairs or small tables. Boone' s patent, as well as the more than six million patents issued since the first in 1790 and the 2.3 million trademarks registered since 1870, can be seen on the Department of Commerce's U.S. Patent and Trademark Office Web site at www.uspto.gov. Last year USPTO issued 187,824 patents and registered 102,314 trademarks. # # #