Question about patents

To all of you out there who know more than I about some of
the records in court houses, were patents granted in the 1800's
for inventions, etc. the same way they are today, or was there
some connection to patents and land granting or something else?
The reason I am asking, I found some records on the net from 
Walker County, AL including a Deed Book 1.  Included with
records of deed transfers were patents, including several patents
to my gggf James Dutton.  This makes me curious.   Also do you
know if patents are listed in Deed records today?

On a personal note, I have been enjoying knowing more personal 
things about all of you, prompted by Susie's revelations of her hobbies,
sports interests and illustrious past romances.  My sister lives in the
shadow of the University of Oklahoma at Norman.  From her front 
yard, one can see the listing of the national championships won by
Oklahoma in the glory days of Bud Wilkinson and Barry Switzer (Alas,
Okla. has not seen such happiness in many, many, moons.  Our family's
college "Rah, Rahs" are bestowed upon Ohio State University where I
received my M.A. and my son his B.S. degrees.  . ..also living in Columbus,
which is obsessed with having a coach who never loses, makes it
likely to be an OSU fan.  Alas, my oldest daughter married a man (a quite
nice one at that) from that "state up north", and he is a fan of our arch-
rival the Michigan Wolverines.  So my only granddaughter has been 
brain washed to root for the wrong team on the day the two teams meet
each year.  But it is a source of lots of family fun, and we are looking
forward to someday beating them again, as we are now displaying two
items favoring the "Big M" in our home--a gumball machine of a Michigan
helmet and a Big M pillow.  This is the result of our losing the last two
years.  If we ever defeat them, then there will be an Ohio State item in
their Michigan home.  My husband seems destined to be disappointed 
since he has been a Raider fan all his life.  He lived in the Bay area as
a young man and bought a season ticket for their first season as the Oakland
Raiders.  Football season is a time of great sadness sometimes for him.
So much for this, but I like knowing things that personalize you all.
Eula