John Landis Mason

John L. Mason

John Landis Mason (1832 - February 1902) was a native of Philadelphia, a tinsmith and the patentee of the metal screw-on lid for fruit jars that have come to be known as Mason jars. Many such jars were printed with the line "Mason's Patent Nov 30th 1858".^[1] He also invented the first screw top salt shaker in 1858.

Some assert that John Mason was at least partially of Native American ancestry.^[2]

United States patent 22,186, dated November 30, 1858, is primarily on the use of exterior threads in the jar and a corresponding metal cap. Later patents such as 102,913 improved upon this in various ways such as the addition of rubber rings.

Patents

• U.S. Patent 22,186
• U.S. Patent 102,913

References

1. ^ The Federation of Historical Bottle Collectors Feature Article at www.av.qnet.com
2. ^ http://www.schoolnet.ca/aboriginal/handbook/technology_screw-top-jar.html

• MANUFACTURE OF FRICTION-MATCHES. U.S. Patent 68 at www.todayinsci.com Text of 1858 patent
• Consolidated Fruit-Jar Company v Wright, Supreme Court, October 1976 term
• Biography at National Inventors Hall of Fame

Persondata
Name	Mason, John L.
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	1832
Place of birth
Date of death	1902
Place of death