Heinrich Göbel, a precision mechanic and inventor,…

Heinrich Göbel, a precision mechanic and inventor, makes a claim for the invention of the first practical bulb which he claims to have designed in 1854, a quarter of a century before Edison's patent.

When Edison is finalizing other law suits against his incandescent lamp in 1893—preparing to enjoy the benefits of his patent for the first time—the German-born American watchmaker brings a new legal suit to the U.S. Patent office (called "interference").

Previously, Göbel had made an offer to sell his invention to Edison in 1882 for a few thousand dollars, but Edison did not see enough merit in the invention to accept the offer.

Lewis Latimer demonstrates that the bulbs Göbel had purportedly built in the 1850's had in fact been built much later, and actually found the glassblower who had constructed the fradulent exhibits for Göbel.