A recent re-evaluation of patenting during the British Industrial Revolution argues patentees were responsive to demand-side conditions. This view does not consider supply-side factors, such as a patentee’s skill or access to financial resources, as an alternative mechanism. I exploit a rich dataset of patentee occupations to investigate the role a patentee’s economic or social background played in their patenting behaviour. I find skilled patentees were intensive users of the patent system and frequently patented more economically valuable inventions. I also find patent value mattered more than patentee skill for patent extension, which likely indicates the existence of financiers willing to back the acquisition of patents for valuable inventions. The composition of Britain’s patentees, and their use of the system, reasonably relates to the value of the inventions they sought to protect.

最近对英国工业革命期间专利的重新评估认为，专利权人对需求方的条件做出了反应。这种观点没有考虑作为替代机制的供应方因素，例如专利权人的技能或获得财务资源的机会。我利用丰富的专利权人职业数据集来调查专利权人的经济或社会背景在他们的专利申请行为中所起的作用。我发现熟练的专利权人是专利制度的密集用户，并且经常为更具经济价值的发明申请专利。我还发现专利价值比专利权人的专利延伸技能更重要，这可能表明存在愿意为有价值的发明获得专利提供支持的金融家。英国专利权人的构成，以及他们对该系统的使用，