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The Case of Mr. Richard Arkwright and Co.

Richard Arkwright · 1782

Arkwright's own 1782 printed defence of his patents, explaining his view of his inventions and his rivals.

Written by Arkwright to defend his own patents against rival claims to his inventions.

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About this source

What it is

This is a printed pamphlet written in 1782 by Richard Arkwright himself, held at the British Library. In it he sets out the case for his patents on cotton-spinning machinery.

Why it matters

Arkwright's inventions made him wealthy, but other manufacturers copied his machines without paying for the right to use them. This document shows Arkwright defending his claim to the invention and arguing for the importance of protecting inventors, giving a direct sense of how he saw his own achievement and his conflicts with rivals.

Look closer

  • What reasons does Arkwright give for why inventors should be protected by law?
  • Why might Arkwright have felt the need to publish his case rather than rely on the courts alone?
  • Whose side of the story is missing from this pamphlet?

This document is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Richard Arkwright on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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