The Buchanan County guardian. (Independence, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1858-1864, 1859-09-08
A List Of Wonders.

A List Of Wonders.
Among the thousands of marvellous
inventions which American genius has
produced, within the last few years. arc
the following. compiled in an abstrac,
from the Patent Office report, Read
them over, and then say that there is
nothing new under the sun :
The report explains the principle ot
the celebrated Hobb-lock. Its "unpick-
ability" depends upon a secondary or
false set of tumblers. which prevent in
struments used in picking from reaching
the real ones. Moreover, the lock Is
powder proof and may be loaded through
the key hole and fred off till the bur glar
is tired of his fruitless works, or fears
that the explosions will bring to view his
experiments more witnesses than he de-
sires.
Doors and shutters have been patent
ed that cannot be broken through with
either pick or sledge hammer. The bur-
glars occupation is gone.
A harpoon is described which makes
the whale kill himself The more he
pulls the line, the deeper goes the har-
poon.
An ice making machine has been pat
ented, which is worked by steam en-
gine. In an experimental trial, it froze
several bottles of sherry, and produced
blocks Of ice the size Of cubic foot
when the thermometer was up to eighty
degrees. 1t is calculated that for every
ton of coal put into the furnace, it will
make ton of ice.
From DR.. Dale's examiners report, we
gather some idea of the value of patents.
A man who had made slight improve
ment in straw cutters, took a model OF
his machine through the western States,
and after tour of eight months, return
ed with forty thousand dollars. Another
man had machine to thresh and clean
grain, which in fifteen months, he sold
for sixty thousand dollars. These are
ordinary cases-while such inventions as
the telegraph. the planning machine, and
India rubber patents, are worth millions
each.
Examiner Lanes report described new
electrical inventions. Among these is an
electrical whaling apparatus. by which
the whale is literally shocked to death, I"
Another is an electro magnetic alarm,
which rings bells and displays signals in
case OF fire and burglars. Another is an
electric clock. which wakes you up, tells
you what time it is, and lights lamp for
you at any time you please.
There Is sound gatherer." a sort
of huge ear-trumpet, to be placed in front
of locomotive. bringing up to the en-
gineer's ears, all the noise ahead, per-
fectly distinct, Notwithstanding the noise
Of the train.
There is an invention that picks up
pins from confused heap. turns them
around with their heads up, sticks them
in papers in regular rows.
Another goes through the whole pro-
cess of cigar making. taking in the leaves
and turning out finished cigars.
One machine cuts cheese another
scours knives and forks another rocks
the cradle; and seven or eight take in
washing and ironing.
There is a parlor chair patented that
cannot be tipped back on two legs, and
a railway chair that can be tipped back
in any position without any legs at all.
Another patent is for machine that
counts passengers in an omnibus and
takes their fares. When fat man gets
in, it counts two and charges double.
There are variety of guns patented
that load themselves fishing line that
adjusts its own bait, and rat trap that
throws away the rat. and then bats itself,
and stands in the corner for another.
There is a machine also, by which a
man prints instead of writes his thoughts.
It's played like piano forte. And
speaking Of pianos. it is estimated that
nine thousand are made every year in the
United States, giving constant employ.
ment to one thousand nine hundred per-
sons. and costing over two millions of
dollars.