How the Modern Paper Drinking Straw Was Invented
A 19th-century patent for a paper tube coated in wax, designed to replace natural rye grass straws for drinking beverages.
Original patent title: “District”
A 19th-century patent for a paper tube coated in wax, designed to replace natural rye grass straws for drinking beverages. Granted to Marvin C. Stone in 1888 with 7 forward citations.
Coverage
What does this patent actually cover?
The patent describes a method for manufacturing a drinking tube by winding strips of paper around a mandrel to create a cylinder. The cylinder is then coated in paraffin wax to prevent it from becoming soggy when submerged in liquid. This mechanism provided a durable, sanitary alternative to the hollow rye grass stems commonly used at the time.
The gap
What does this patent NOT cover?
- Does not cover plastic or metal drinking straws.
- Does not cover the use of natural plant-based stems like rye grass.
- Does not cover non-cylindrical drinking implements.
- Does not cover methods of manufacturing straws using non-paper materials.
These exclusions are unique to PatentBrief — derived from the actual claim language, not patent-office boilerplate.
Key facts
What made this novel
The innovation was the application of a paraffin wax coating to a paper substrate, which solved the fundamental engineering problem of structural integrity when exposed to moisture.
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
Paper straws found in modern cafes
Biodegradable beverage tubes
Why it matters
The bigger picture
This invention marked the transition from natural, inconsistent drinking tools to mass-produced, sanitary consumer goods. It established the standard for the paper straw industry that persists today as a primary alternative to single-use plastics.
Granted
January 3, 1888
Market context
Who's building on this
Companies in this space
Modern manufacturers of sustainable food service packaging continue to refine the paper-winding and coating processes pioneered by Stone. Companies focused on plastic-free alternatives rely on these fundamental principles of material coating to meet current environmental standards.
Market impact
The patent enabled the creation of a new category of mass-produced, sanitary beverage accessories. It effectively standardized the paper straw, which remains a relevant product today as global regulations move to phase out single-use plastics.
Claim 1 — Plain English
What this patent covers
The patent describes a method for manufacturing a drinking tube by winding strips of paper around a mandrel to create a cylinder. The cylinder is then coated in paraffin wax to prevent it from becoming soggy when submerged in liquid. This mechanism provided a durable, sanitary alternative to the hollow rye grass stems commonly used at the time.
The clever bit
The innovation was the application of a paraffin wax coating to a paper substrate, which solved the fundamental engineering problem of structural integrity when exposed to moisture.
What it does not cover
- Does not cover plastic or metal drinking straws.
- Does not cover the use of natural plant-based stems like rye grass.
- Does not cover non-cylindrical drinking implements.
- Does not cover methods of manufacturing straws using non-paper materials.
Patent timeline
Application published, typically 18 months after filing
Patent officially issued
PatentBrief Score
Impact Score
Limited data
Citation count
18/40
Early citations
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
$5K – $15K
Midpoint $10K · expired or expiring · industry baseline
Heuristic only — blends forward/backward citation counts, claim scope, time remaining, litigation history, and CPC-derived industry baseline. Real valuations need a professional appraisal.
Claim text not yet imported for this patent
Concepts involved
Citations
Patent lineage
Cite this patent
(1888). How the Modern Paper Drinking Straw Was Invented (U.S. Patent No. 375,962). U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/375962/drinking-straw-stone
Auto-generated from the patent record. Double-check author order and the issue date against the official USPTO document before submitting.
Embed
Add this patent to your site
Drop this plain-English patent card into any blog post or article — free, no signup. It always links back to the full breakdown here.
<div data-patentlens-widget data-patent-number="US375962"></div> <script src="https://patentbrief.org/embed.js" async></script>
Stay in the loop
Get a weekly digest of new patents.
One email per week. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Keep exploring
Related patents you should know
US 4683195 · 1987
How to Make Billions of Copies of a DNA Segment
This patent describes the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), a method to rapidly create many copies of a specific piece of DNA or RNA, enabling its detection and analysis.
Cetus Corp
US 8697359 · 2014
How to Edit Genes in Human Cells Using an Engineered CRISPR System
This patent describes an engineered CRISPR-Cas9 system for precisely cutting DNA in eukaryotic cells to change how genes work, opening the door for gene editing in complex organisms.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
US 7657849 · 2010
How the iPhone's Slide-to-Unlock Gesture Works
Apple's 2010 patent describes unlocking a device by dragging a specific graphical image across the touchscreen along a predefined path, a gesture that became iconic with the original iPhone.
Apple Inc
US 4733665 · 1988
How Doctors Implant a Permanent Stent Using a Balloon
This patent describes the method for placing a permanent, expandable wire mesh tube inside a blood vessel or other body tube using a balloon-tipped catheter to widen it and keep it open.
Expandable Grafts Partnership
US 4965188 · 1990
How to Make Many Copies of a DNA Piece with Heat
This patent describes the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) method, a technique to make millions of copies of a specific DNA segment using a heat-resistant enzyme and repeated temperature changes.
Cetus Corp
US 4235871 · 1980
How to Encapsulate Active Materials in Lipid Bubbles Efficiently
This patent describes a method for trapping biologically active substances inside tiny, multi-layered fat bubbles called liposomes, using a specific water-in-oil emulsion and gel-forming process to improve how much material gets captured.
Individual
Semantically similar
You might also find these interesting
US 1032557 · 1912
How the Modern Disposable Paper Cup Was Invented
US 1721815 · 1929
How the First Cotton Swabs Were Mass-Produced
US 116842 · 1871 · Margaret E. Knight
How Margaret Knight's Machine Made Flat-Bottom Paper Bags
US 3997676 · 1976 · Nissin Shokuhin KK
How Cup Noodles Are Designed to Cook Perfectly
More to explore
More in Consumer Electronics
US 7657849 · 2010 · Apple Inc
How the iPhone's Slide-to-Unlock Gesture Works
US 7479949 · 2009 · Apple Inc
How Touchscreens Understand Your Finger Swipes and Scrolls
US 4528643 · 1985 · FPDC Inc
How Stores Make Custom Products On-Demand with Remote Approval
US 7469381 · 2008 · Apple Inc
How Touchscreens Show and Snap Back When You Scroll Past an Edge
New to patents?
Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What does How the Modern Paper Drinking Straw Was Invented cover?
A 19th-century patent for a paper tube coated in wax, designed to replace natural rye grass straws for drinking beverages.
Who owns patent US 375962?
Marvin C. Stone owns this patent, granted in 1888.
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 375962 cited by?
This patent has been cited by 7 later patents that build on its ideas.
What problem does this patent solve?
This invention marked the transition from natural, inconsistent drinking tools to mass-produced, sanitary consumer goods. It established the standard for the paper straw industry that persists today as a primary alternative to single-use plastics.
What does this patent NOT cover?
Does not cover plastic or metal drinking straws.
Patent monitoring