Anderson, Norman. Ferris Wheels: An Illustrated History. Madison, WI: Popular Press, 1993.
Norman Anderson writes a thorough history of the Ferris Wheel. The earliest ideas of the amusement ride, dating back almost 400 years, are chronicled and followed to the present day. It is a scholarly work with many illustrations, photographs, and drawings.
Charnov, Bruce H. From Autogiro to Gyroplane: The Amazing Survival of an Aviation Technology. Westport, CT: Praeger, 2003.
Dr. Charnov investigates the history of the autogiro aircraft in this detailed book. Why did the helicopter become a widely used aircraft, while the cheaper and more stable autogiro became virtually unknown? The author investigates the effects of the Great Depression, World War II, and business decisions upon the autogiro industry.
Russo, Thomas A. Mechanical Typewriters: Their History, Value, and Legacy. Atglen, PA: Schiffer, 2002.
This book provides a scholarly look at early typewriters. They took many forms: some had typebars, others had a rotating type wheel, some moved the paper past the type, and still others held the paper stationary while the typewriter itself moved. Christopher Sholes, the inventor of the typewriter, is given considerable attention, along with many other American innovators of the device.
This website provides information and photographs (both historic and contemporary) of significant airfields in the northwestern Philadelphia area. Included is information about the first Pitcairn Field in Bryn Athyn, PA, and the second Pitcairn Field in Willow Grove, PA. Historic photos show exactly where the first autogiros were developed and tested.
Invent Now http://www.invent.org
This website is dedicated to the National Inventors Hall of Fame in Akron, OH. Users can search members of the hall of fame. Also, this website has useful information about the patent process.
Science Museum, "Online Stuff - Typewriters," http://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/onlinestuff/stories/typewriters.aspx
This website from the Science Museum in London, England. It provides a thorough history of the development of the typewriter, including many interesting facts about why the QWERTY arrangement of keys was ultimately accepted on all keyboards. Information on Christopher Sholes is also included.
USPTO, "Kids Page," http://www.uspto.gov/go/kids
This page is a part of the United States Patent and Trademark Office website. It is geared for children of all ages, with links, puzzles, and games. There is even a tool to help students search the USPTO website for patents.
