Edwin G. Bates

Edwin G. Bates (died 1907) was an American inventor and patent attorney who developed the Bates numbering machine, a tool for organizing office documents.

The Bates Numbering Machine

In the late 19th century, the growing volume of paperwork in business and legal environments made manual page numbering increasingly inefficient. Bates’ machine was developed to address this challenge by providing a more efficient method for applying sequential identifiers to documents. ^[1]

The invention improved upon earlier numbering devices through the incorporation of a self-inking feature and an automatically advancing rotating number wheel. Earlier devices typically required the operator to manually advance the numbering mechanism after each impression. ^[2]

The machine was rapidly adopted by law firms, courts, business offices, and government agencies. By automating the numbering process, it reduced clerical errors and increased efficiency in document management. The Bates Manufacturing Company produced the device in large quantities for widespread commercial use. ^[3]

Later years and legacy

In the mid-1890s, Edwin G. Bates left Bates Manufacturing Company and later organized a competing firm, originally known as the Bates Machine Company. In 1909, that company adopted the name “Bates Numbering Machine Company,” prompting litigation. A federal court held that the name caused public confusion because “Bates Numbering Machine” had become associated exclusively with the earlier company’s product, and enjoined its use under unfair-competition principles. ^[4]

The Bates Numbering Machine Company was later sold to William C. Roberts and renamed the Roberts Numbering Machine Company. ^[5]

The Bates Manufacturing Company continued with Edison, selling the company in 1921 to Clarence S. A. Williams, who served as president of the company until 1958. The company stayed in the Williams family until Thomas M. Williams sold it to the General Binding Corporation (GBC) in 1993. ^[6]

Edwin G. Bates died in 1907.^{[ citation needed ]} His numbering system continued to be used after his death, and its principles were later integrated into digital tools for PDF and electronic record indexing.^{[ citation needed ]}

Recognition

In 1895, Bates received the Longstreth Award from the Franklin Institute for his contributions to office technology. ^[7]

Patents

Bates obtained several U.S. patents related to his invention:

• US Patent 484,391 (1892) for a "Numbering Machine." ^[8]
• US Patent 587,913 (1897), which introduced an improved frame and drop-cipher mechanism. ^{[8] [9]}
• US Patent 676,082 (1901), which enabled number repetition and a simplified self-inking stamp. ^[10]

See also

• Bates numbering
• Document management
• Office equipment

References

1. Smith, Justin (2024-01-19). "The Comprehensive Guide to Bates Numbering". Cloud-Native Ediscovery Software | Everlaw. Retrieved 2025-05-10.
2. "Numbering Machines - Jaap's Mechanical Calculators Page". www.jaapsch.net. Retrieved 2025-04-30.
3. Miki, Sharon (2023-07-12). "Your Guide to Bates Numbering". Clio. Retrieved 2025-04-30.
4. "Bates Mfg. Co. v. Bates Numbering Mach. Co., 172 F. 892 (1909) | Legal Calculators". calculators.law. Retrieved 2026-01-05.
5. "Numbering Machines - Jaap's Mechanical Calculators Page". www.jaapsch.net. Retrieved 2026-01-05.
6. International directory of company histories. Vol. 10. Internet Archive. Detroit, Mich. : St. James Press. 1995. ISBN   978-1-55862-651-5.
7. toddviola (2014-01-13). "Edwin G. Bates | The Franklin Institute". fi.edu. Retrieved 2025-04-30.
8. "Unique application numbering" . World Patent Information. 19 (2): 139–140. June 1997. doi:10.1016/s0172-2190(97)85562-7. ISSN   0172-2190.
9. US587913A,"bates",issued 1897-08-10 
10. "automatic page numbering" , SpringerReference, Berlin/Heidelberg: Springer-Verlag, 2011, doi:10.1007/springerreference_8525 (inactive 1 July 2025), retrieved 2025-04-30