229

I pulled out the Painter patent and noted that Bernardin applied for his patent on

March 14, 1893 almost two months before Painter

‟

s June 5 application. The major

difference was Bernardin

‟

s tool was, as he wrote,

“

fixed to a counter or other

stationary support, to adapt the bottle to serve as a lever in removing the cap

”

and Painter

‟

s tool was a handheld device.

In early 1982, I located Mr. Alfred L. Bernardin in Evansville, Indiana and inquire

about the patents. In his reply, he writes:

“

The Bernardin Bottle Cap Company was founded in 1881 by A. L. Bernardin,

Sr., my grandfather. I have a book of some twenty patents during his career up to

his death in 1916, including the bottle cap opener.