Hi All,  While I've previously mentioned that I use the Google Patent
Search feature to research patent numbers that I find on player pianos,
I found something this evening that's a real game changer.  Getting
right to the point, I stumbled onto a link which led to one of Google's
site maps.  Here's the first one I found:

https://www.google.com/patents/sitemap/en/Sitemap/Unknown_Category/1914_434.html 

Once I figured out that I could pick any year, followed by the
underscore sign '_' and then a 3-digit number (of less than 500),
I found that I could find both any patent number and any date that
a patent was issued.  This is important because many times the
manufacturers (who did list their patents on a nameplate) quite often
only list a patent date, and not a patent number.

Also, it's been my experience (as it was this evening) that even
though I had a patent number, the Google Patent Search feature couldn't
find it.

Knowing what I now know, I'll never use the Google Patent Search feature
again.  Instead, I'll modify the above link as needed to 'get in the
ballpark' and go from there.  Happy searching!

Musically,
John A Tuttle
Player-Care
Brick, New Jersey, USA