How Arnold Beckman Invented the Modern pH Meter
A 1936 invention by Arnold Beckman that created the first reliable, portable device for measuring the acidity of chemical solutions using electronic sensors.
Original patent title: “Apparatus for testing acidity”
A 1936 invention by Arnold Beckman that created the first reliable, portable device for measuring the acidity of chemical solutions using electronic sensors. Granted to Arnold O. Beckman in 1936 with 17 forward citations.
Key facts
Coverage
What does this patent actually cover?
This patent describes an apparatus designed to measure the acidity or alkalinity of a substance, known as pH. It utilizes a glass electrode system to detect electrical potential differences in a solution, which are then amplified to provide a readable measurement. By converting chemical activity into a stable electronic signal, the device allowed for precise monitoring of industrial and laboratory processes that previously relied on imprecise color-matching indicators.
The gap
What does this patent NOT cover?
- Does not cover digital, microprocessor-based pH sensors developed decades later.
- Does not cover non-electronic methods of measuring acidity, such as litmus paper or chemical titration.
- Does not cover the underlying scientific theory of ion concentration in solutions.
These exclusions are unique to PatentBrief — derived from the actual claim language, not patent-office boilerplate.
What made this novel
Beckman realized that the high electrical resistance of glass electrodes required a specialized vacuum tube amplifier to provide a stable reading, solving the problem of signal interference that plagued earlier attempts.
The Patent Drawing
Schematic visualization of the patent's claim structure. Hand-drawn diagrams in progress for each landmark patent.
Where you've seen this
Real-world examples
Modern digital pH meters used in water quality testing
Laboratory equipment for chemical synthesis
Industrial process control for food and beverage production
Why it matters
The bigger picture
This invention was the foundation of Beckman Instruments, a company that became a titan in scientific instrumentation. It transformed chemical analysis from a slow, manual task into a rapid, electronic process, which was essential for the growth of the modern chemical and pharmaceutical industries.
Granted
October 27, 1936
Market context
Who's building on this
Companies in this space
Companies like Thermo Fisher Scientific and Mettler Toledo continue to refine the electrochemical sensing technology pioneered by Beckman. The fundamental principles remain a staple in analytical chemistry instrumentation.
Market impact
The invention effectively created the market for electronic analytical instrumentation. It allowed industries to standardize quality control for products ranging from wine and citrus to pharmaceuticals, shifting the entire field toward automated, high-precision measurement.
Claim 1 — Plain English
What this patent covers
This patent describes an apparatus designed to measure the acidity or alkalinity of a substance, known as pH. It utilizes a glass electrode system to detect electrical potential differences in a solution, which are then amplified to provide a readable measurement. By converting chemical activity into a stable electronic signal, the device allowed for precise monitoring of industrial and laboratory processes that previously relied on imprecise color-matching indicators.
The clever bit
Beckman realized that the high electrical resistance of glass electrodes required a specialized vacuum tube amplifier to provide a stable reading, solving the problem of signal interference that plagued earlier attempts.
What it does not cover
- Does not cover digital, microprocessor-based pH sensors developed decades later.
- Does not cover non-electronic methods of measuring acidity, such as litmus paper or chemical titration.
- Does not cover the underlying scientific theory of ion concentration in solutions.
PatentBrief Score
Impact Score
Early stage
Citation count
25/40
Moderately cited
Claim breadth
0/20
Narrow claimsclaimsThe numbered statements at the end of a patent that legally define what the inventor owns.Read more →
Recency
0/20
Older than 20 years
Assignee scale
0/20
Independent or smaller assigneeassigneeThe entity that owns the patent — usually the inventor's employer or a company.Read more →
PatentBrief Impact Score — based on citation count, claim breadth, recency, and assignee scale. Not a legal assessment.
Heuristic Value Estimate
What this patent might be worth
$14K – $43K
Midpoint $27K · expired or expiring · industry ×1.5
Heuristic only — blends forward/backward citation counts, claim scope, time remaining, litigation history, and CPC-derived industry baseline. Real valuations need a professional appraisal.
Concepts involved
Citations
Patent lineage
Cite this patent
(1936). How Arnold Beckman Invented the Modern pH Meter (U.S. Patent No. 2,058,761). U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/2058761/ph-meter-beckman
Auto-generated from the patent record. Double-check author order and the issue date against the official USPTO document before submitting.
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Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What does How Arnold Beckman Invented the Modern pH Meter cover?
A 1936 invention by Arnold Beckman that created the first reliable, portable device for measuring the acidity of chemical solutions using electronic sensors.
Who owns patent US 2058761?
Arnold O. Beckman owns this patent, granted in 1936.
When does this patent expire?
This patent has expired and is now in the public domain — anyone can use the invention freely.
What is patent US 2058761 cited by?
This patent has been cited by 17 later patents that build on its ideas.
What problem does this patent solve?
This invention was the foundation of Beckman Instruments, a company that became a titan in scientific instrumentation. It transformed chemical analysis from a slow, manual task into a rapid, electronic process, which was essential for the growth of the modern chemical and pharmaceutical industries.
What does this patent NOT cover?
Does not cover digital, microprocessor-based pH sensors developed decades later.
Patent monitoring