Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1853-11-03
The Patent Office Reports for
1859.

general inventive industry of the coun.
try. Commissioner Hodges presen,
one is full Of valuable and interesting in
formation. There were 2,639 applica.
tons received for patents during the
year. aud 1000 patents issued. Anap.
plicaiion is rarely disposed Of without,
being examined at leas. twice and some.
times six times. Probably those 1920
patents have cost 1000 examinations.
This is the larges, number ever granted
in one year, except during the FIRST year
of Gen. Taylor's administration, when
Commissioner Ewbank issued l,O76.-
Extensive additions have been made to
the Patent Office buildings, and there is
still want of space.
Prof. Renwick's examiners repor,
explains the principle of the celebrated
Hobbs lock. Its "unpickability" de-
ponds upon a secondary or false set Of
iumblers, which prevent the instruments
used in picking from reaching the real
ones. Moreover, the lock i. powder
proof. and may be loaded through the
keS hole and fred off until the burglar is
tired OF his frui,less work, or fears that
The report of his explosions will bring
to view his experiments more witnesses
than he desires.
Doors and shutters have also been pat.
en.ed that canno, be broken through
with either pick or sledge hammer
The burglars occupations gone"
The caloric ship is described and com.
men'ed on at some length. but The report
admits tha. ats end is not vet fully at.
tained."
A harpoon is described which makes
the whale kill himself. The more he
pulls the line, the deeper cues the har
poon. u. .,
An ice making machine has been pat
enied. which goes by steam engine
Ia an experimental trial. il iroze several
bottles of sherry. aud produced several
blocks Of ice Of the size of cubic foot.
when the thermometer was standing a,
30 deg. |. is calculated that for ever,
ton of c"al put into the furnace, il will
make ton Of ice.
From DR.. Gales examiners report
We gather some idea Of The value Of pat.
cuts. ..a .
A man who has made a Sigh, i'm.
I provement in straw cutters, took u mod
ell OF his machine through the western
States, and after tour of eight months
returned with $4,000.
Another had machine 10 ihresh and
clean grain, which, in fifteen months, he
sold for 100000.
A man obtained paten, for printers
ink, refused $4,000 for il, and finally
sold il for 100000 These are ordinary
cases; while such inventions as the tele
graph, the planning machine. and the In.
dia-rubber patents, are worth millions
each. . ....
Twenty seven harvesters, is plows
26 seed planters, 8 threshing machines,
% corn hullers, and horse rakes have
been patented during the year. in addi-
ton 10 those new in use.
Six new saw mills. 7 shingle split,ers
and 20 new planning machines have been
paienieG within the year.
Seven new machines that spin, 90 that
weave, and. Z that sew, are ais, describ.
ed. t..r ......- .....
Examiner Lanes report describes Va
rious new electrical inventions. Among
these is an electric whaling apparatus,
by wEich ihe whale is literally shocked
10 death. Another is an electro mag.
nellie alarm which rings bells and dis
plays signals in cases of fire. or bur.
lglars. Another is an electric block, tina,
wakes you up, tells you what time il is,
and lights lamp for you a. any hour
you please. ... .....s ... ...
There is 'sound gathers" a sort of
huge ear trumpet. 10 be placed in from.
OF locomotive. bringing to the Eugi.
neers ear all the noise ahead. perfectly
distinct, Notwithstanding the rattle of the
train.
There is an invention tina, picks I'D
pins from confused heap. turns them
all round with their heads up. and sticks
them IN papers, in regular rows. An.
other goes through the whole process of
cigar making, taking in tobacco leaves,
and turning out the perfect article.
One machine cuts cheese; another
scours knives and forks; another blacks
boots; another rctks the cradle; and sew
en- or eight take in washing and ironing.
There 10 a parlor chair patented, iha,
cannot be tipped back Oh two legs. and
railway chair that Can be tipped back
into any position, without any legs a,
all.
Another patent is for machine tina.
coun's the passengers in an omnibus and
takes their fares. When a yer. fat man
gets in, il counts two, and charges dou.
BILE.
There are variety Of guns patented
that load lhemtelves; a fish line tina, AL
lnsts It's own bait; and rat trap ,ha,
throws away the rat, and then bal,s and
sets itself, and stands in the corner for
another.
The truths of the pa,e1, Office are
stranger than fiction.
There is machine also by which
man prints instead of writing his ia ,',s
tits played on like piano. And speak.
ing OF pianos, il is estimated thar nine
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