The story of Chester Carlson's invention and development of xerography is a classic tale. A result was the creation of the Xerox 914 plain paper photocopier, which Fortune magazine once described as 'the most successful product ever marketed in America'. The story provides axioms about commercialiation and immunises us against get rich quick schemes. It is essential reading for innovators. 

Chester Carlson's path to commercialisation of the photocopier

The inspiration for this article is David Owen's original book on Chester Carlson, the inventor of xerography. It adds considerably to what we know about Carlson and the pre-history of Xerox Corp. The book is titled Copies in Seconds: Chester Carlson and the Birth of the Xerox

Machine (Simon & Schuster, New York, 2004). 

Carlson's story is also the story of a decent human being. Drawing from Owen's book, this article focuses on the legal and business aspects of the Carlson story, leaving aside the technical and personal.

The structure of this article draws from experience in legal work for inventors, investors, researchers and manufacturers in numerous cases.

If you are new to the concept of commercialisation, a definition may be found here . On the commercialisation path it is vital to know what is important and how and when to deal with each priority, whether it is business or personal. Carlson's path is an instructive story about collaborative entrepreneurship.

Commercialisation Axioms 

1.  Do what will interest you over the long haul

There is considerable evidence that printing and copying were subjects on Carlson's mind since as early as 1916 when he received a typewriter as a gift from an aunt. Given the length of time and level of effort ahead in his life, Carlson's early interest in printing and copying was useful.

2.  Overcome personal obstacles

Gifts were rare for young Chester. He grew up in great difficulty, bearing the burden of his family's invalid father, poverty and uncertain future. By the time he was 12 or 13 he had become his family's principal provider.

His father's ill health dominated Carlson's childhood, and his mother's early death shocked him. Despite setbacks he completed high school and tertiary education, a CalTech science degree in 1930 and a New York Law School degree in the late 1930s.

3.  Search for opportunity, think differently

In his career Carlson worked in numerous jobs. They included working at Bell Labs and being a patent attorney in the patent firm of P. R. Mallory and in the patent department of Bell Labs.

In both offices he often witnessed the making of a dozen or more copies of a patent specification by someone writing an original and then others retyping it on a typewriter. Copies were needed to distribute to associates in foreign countries, to companies, to inventors, and others. There were other ways to make copies but you had to leave the office and wait half a day or even 24 hours to get the copy made say with a Photostat or a Rectigraph machine using an outside vendor. Then you had to take the vendor's bill, record the bill information and manage the resulting accounts. Quite a chore.