Wear "America's sports car" with this retro-cool 1962 Corvette Stingray patent application collage on another classic American invention, the T-shirt. It has been restored and digitally enhanced while maintaining the integrity of the original document.

Introducing a new name, "Sting Ray," the 1963 model was the first year for a Corvette coupe. The Sting Ray featured a distinctive tapering rear deck with a split rear window, hidden headlamps, non-functional hood vents, and an independent rear suspension.

The patent act of 1790 established the rules for submitting a patent application. Each application had to be submitted with specifications, a patent drawing, and if possible a model of the invention. Eventually, models were no longer required.

The National Archives holds nearly three million patent case files from 1836-1956.