On 20 January 1885, LaMarcus Adna Thompson received US Patent No. 310,966 for a “Roller coasting structure”.
The drawings look almost modest, just track, trestles, and a clear path from start to finish. But the idea was anything but small. Thompson took the simple human joy of coasting and turned it into something repeatable, ticketed, and scalable.
That is where innovation meets intellectual property. Not just a clever build, but a documented asset. Not just a thrill, but a defensible business.
Patents like this do more than protect an inventor’s pride. They give innovators room to invest. They make partnerships and financing more realistic. They push competitors to invent the next improvement instead of copying the last one.
Modern roller coasters are wildly more advanced, but the blueprint for the industry is already here in these images. A bold idea, captured in a patent, tested on paying customers, and scaled into a global category of entertainment.
Drawings from US Patent No 310,966 for a “Roller coasting structure”.
| Country | Kind | No. | Published | Title | Download |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | Patent | 310,966 | 20.01. 1885 | Roller coasting structure |
Last updated on 18 February 2026