Johan Vaaler

Johan Vaaler (15 March 1866-14 March 1910) was an inventor and the patent office clerk Norway who received a patent for a type of paper clips (clips) in 1889. Actually, the clip has been used since before the patent, but Johan Vaaler still remembered as the inventor of the clip.


Aurskog born in Vaaler, Norway as the son of a farmer, and died in Kristiania. At that time, Norway has only limited patent protection. Vaaler is a type of paperclip design must go abroad to patent his invention.



In Germany, he enrolled to obtain a patent on 12 November 1989, and acquired it on June 6, 1901 (No. 121 067). He also enrolled in the American paperclip on January 9, 1901, and received U.S. patent no. 121 067 on June 4, 1901.


Patented clip that was never mass produced. A more practical clip it had already been produced Gem Manufacturing Ltd. plant. in the UK, but not yet marketed in Norway. The resulting clip factory in England called the clip "Gem". Material from wire oval-shaped curve coincide. Clip model of Gem was never patented invention that year can not be known, but the clip Gem models have predicted a few years before Vaaler register patent for her music.



Vaaler clip findings successfully registered abroad, although there has been a better product. Some types of paper clips have been registered with the U.S. patent office since 1867, but the model of "Gem" has not and never patented. As a patent clerk Bryns in Kristiania, Vaaler very familiar with patent law and patent registration procedures in Norway, while the reasons for registering her "discovery" in foreign countries may never be known.


However, the clip as a "creation" Johan Vaaler it was already embedded in the minds of Norway, and the clips used as a symbol of Norwegian nationalism. At the time, people are prohibited from wearing a pin bearing the image of King Haakon VII of Norway. Norwegian folk opposed the Nazi German occupation during World War II by placing a clip on lapel or shirt collar. Clip is used as a symbol of unity Norway as "clip was created Norwegians and its function to unite".