Hi there; USPTO has a link to a very nice, full-featured freeware TIFF viewer for Windows (AlternaTIFF: <http://www.mieweb.com/alternatiff>) and the site should remain free unless it's privatized. Full text till '71, but images to 1790 (numbering started in 1836, I guess earlier stuff can be located by classifications). Write down all the Mehlin patent numbers and go to <http://www.uspto.gov/main/patents.htm> Clark
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