Thomas Edison

1) Edison is also famous for being a dogged worker: he often slept no more than four hours per night and made the famous statement, "Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration."

2) Edison was never easily discouraged. He said that even if he had tried 500 or 1000 different variations on an experiment and not one had worked, then he had learned 500 or 1000 ways not to proceed with the experiment. Edison's hard work and perseverance paid off. There are many ideas and inventions that Edison never had time to work on during his life, but the ones that he did give to use have helped to advance our society in so many ways. On the day of Edison's death the entire United States of America paid their respect to him by spending an entire minute without electricity. Edison was 'the last of the great all-round inventors'.

3) Thomas Edison, a famous American inventor, was almost deaf, but did not
want to be operated on because he said his deafness helped him concentrate better.

4) Thomas Edison*s middle name is Alva. Al was his nickname within the family.

5) The nicknames of Edison*s first two children were Dot and Dash. Given Thomas's connection with the telegraph, it being the partial inspiration for his future works, it makes sense that his first two kids would be named for the two symbols of Morse code!

Below is a list of Edison patents. Thomas Edison was an inventor who, it is said, accumulated 1500-plus patents worldwide for his inventions. Nearly 1100 of Edison's patents were in the United States, but other patents were approved in countries around the globe.

1. U.S. Patent 0090,646 -- Electrographic Vote-Recorder : Edison's first patent. Premitted a "yes" or "no" vote via one of two switches. Washington congressmen were not interested in the device and the invention was a failure. (1869)
2. U.S. Patent 0091,527 -- Printing-Telegraphs
3. U.S. Patent 0096,567 -- Printing-Telegraph Apparatus
4. U.S. Patent 0096,681 -- Automatic Electrical Switch for Telegraph Apparatus
5. U.S. Patent 0102,320 -- Printing-Telegraph Apparatus
6. U.S. Patent 0103,035 -- Electro-Motor Escapements
7. U.S. Patent 0103,924 -- Printing-Telegraph Instruments
8. U.S. Patent 0111,112 -- Governors for Electro-Motors
9. U.S. Patent 0113,033 -- Printing-Telegraph Apparatus
10. U.S. Patent 0113,034 -- Printing-Telegraph Apparatus
11. U.S. Patent 0114,656 -- Telegraphic Transmitting Instruments
12. U.S. Patent 0114,657 -- Relay-Magnets for Telegraph Instruments
13. U.S. Patent 0114,658 -- Electro-Magnets for Telegraph Instruments
14. U.S. Patent 0121,601 -- Machinery for Perforating Paper for Telegraph Purposes
15. U.S. Patent 0123,005 -- Telegraph Apparatus
16. U.S. Patent 0123,006 -- Printing-Telegraphs
17. U.S. Patent 0123,984 -- Telegraph Apparatus
18. U.S. Patent 0124,800 -- Telegraphic Recording Instruments
19. U.S. Patent 0126,528 -- Type-Wheels for Printing-Telegraphs
20. U.S. Patent 0126,529 -- Type-Wheels for Printing-Telegraphs
21. U.S. Patent 0126,530 -- Printing-Telegraphs
22. U.S. Patent 0126,531 -- Printing-Telegraphs
23. U.S. Patent 0126,532 -- Printing-Telegraphs
24. U.S. Patent 0126,533 -- Printing-Telegraphs
25. U.S. Patent 0126,534 -- Printing-Telegraphs
26. U.S. Patent 0126,535 -- Printing-Telegraphs
27. U.S. Patent 0128,131 -- Printing-Telegraphs
28. U.S. Patent 0128,604 -- Printing-Telegraphs
29. U.S. Patent 0128,605 -- Printing-Telegraphs
30. U.S. Patent 0128,606 -- Printing-Telegraphs
31. U.S. Patent 0128,607 -- Printing-Telegraphs
32. U.S. Patent 0128,608 -- Printing-Telegraph Instruments
33. U.S. Patent 0130,795 -- Electro-Magnets
34. U.S. Patent 0131,334 -- Rheotomes or Circuit-Directors
35. U.S. Patent 0131,335 -- Printing-Telegraphs
36. U.S. Patent 0131,336 -- Printing-Telegraphs
37. U.S. Patent 0131,337 -- Printing-Telegraphs
38. U.S. Patent 0131,338 -- Printing-Telegraphs
39. U.S. Patent 0131,339 -- Printing-Telegraphs
40. U.S. Patent 0131,340 -- Printing-Telegraphs
41. U.S. Patent 0131,341 -- Printing-Telegraph Instruments
42. U.S. Patent 0131,342 -- Printing-Telegraph Instruments
43. U.S. Patent 0131,343 -- Transmitters and Circuits for Printing-Telegraphs
44. U.S. Patent 0131,344 -- Unison-Stops for Printing-Telegraphs
45. U.S. Patent 0132,455 -- Paper for Chemical Telegraphs etc.
46. U.S. Patent 0132,456 -- Apparatus for Perforating Paper for Telegraphic Use
47. U.S. Patent 0133,019 -- Electrical Printing-Machines
48. U.S. Patent 0133,841 -- Type-Writing Machines
49. U.S. Patent 0134,866 -- Printing-Telegraph Instruments
50. U.S. Patent 0134,867 -- Automatic Telegraph Instruments

Since there*s too many and I cannot put all of them here. You can go to this website and take a look:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Edison_patents