The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1859-09-06
The Wonders OfInvention.

| Among Tue tnOuSanQ marvellous lnVen-
tons which American genius has produced,
within the last few years, arc the follow
ing, compiled in an abstract from the Pat.
ent Office Report. Read them over, and
then say if you can, that there is nothing
new under the sur.
Tho report explains the principle of the
celebrated Hobb Lock. Its "unpickability"
depends upon the secondary or false set of
tumblers, which prevent Instrument used
in picking from reaching the real ones
Moreover the lock is powder proof and may
b, loaded through the key hole and fired
off Till the burglar is tired Of his fruitlcss
work, and fears the explosion will bring to
view his experiments moro witnesses than
he desires.
Doors and shutters have been patented
that cannot be broken through with either
pick or sledge-hammer. The burglars oc
cupation is gone.
A harpoon is described which makes
the whale kill himself. The more he pulls
the line, tho deeper goes the harpoon.
An ice-making machine has been pat
tented, which is worked by q steam-en-
gine. In an experimental trial, it froze
several bottles Of sherry, and produced
blocks Of icv the size or cubic foot when
the thermometer was up to eighty degrees.
1t is calculated that for every tun Of coal
put into tho furnace, it will make tun Of
ice.
From ono examiners repoit, we gather
some idea of the value Of patents. A man
who had made n slight improvement in
in straw cutters, took n model of his ma
chine through the western States, and-af
ter tour of eight mo2ths, returned with
$4,000. Another man had machine to
thrcsh and clean grain, which in Is months
he sold for 100000. These arc ordinary
cases, while such inventions rs tho tele.
graph, the planning machine, and india
rubber patents, are worth millions each.
Another examiners report describes new
eectrial inventions, Among these is an
electrical whaling apparatus, by which the
whale is literally shocked to death" An
other is an electric magnetic alarm which
rings bells and displays signals ii case of
fire and burglars. Another is an electric,
clock, which wakes you up, tells you what
tine it is, and lights lamp for you at
any hour you please.
There is ''sound gathcrer," a sort of
huge car trumpet, 10 be placed in front OF
4 locomotive, bringing to the engineers
ears all the noise ahead perfectly distinct
Notwithstanding the Eoise of the train.
There is an invention that picks up pins
from confused heap, turns them around
with their heads up, and sticks them in
papers in regular rows.
Another goes through the whole process
of cigar making, taking in leaves, and
turning out finished cigars.
One machine cuts cheese; another scours
knives and forks; another rocks the cradle;
and seven or eight takes in washing and
ironing.
There is parlor chair patented that
be tipped back on two legs, and a railway
chair that can be tipped back in any posi-
tion without any legs at all.
There is also patent hens nest, go COM
pletely arranged that the hen is complete
iy cheated into the belief that it has real
egg to sit upon although the genuine de-
posit is carefully slowed away out OF her
sight.
Another patent ia for machine that
counts passengers in an omnibus and takes
their fares. When very fat gentleman
gets in, it counts two and charges double.
There is variety Of patented guns that
load themselves; fishing line that adjusts
its own bait. and rat trap that throws
away the rat, md then bats itself and
stands in the corner for another.
Thore is a machine also, by which man
prints, instead Of writes his thoughts. 1t
is played like piano forte. And speak
ing of pianos, it is estimated that 5000
are made every year in the United States,
giving constant employment to 300 per-
sans, and costing over S2,oO0,00O.
We copy the above from an exchange.
1t is convincing proof that romance and re.
ality are charmingly combined in the do
velopment Of inventive genius.