Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1860-02-02
4opnlar 4eaai1g,
MARVELLOUS INVENTIONS.

Among the numerous marvellous inven.
tions which American genius has produced,
within the last few years, are the following,
compiled from the Patent Office Report
The report explains the principles of the
celebrated Hobbs lock. Its 'unpickabili
ty' depends upon secondary or false sci
of tumblers, which touch the real ones.-
Moreover, the lock is powder-proof, and
may be loaded through the key-holo and
fired off till the burglar is tired of his fruit,
less work, or fears that the explosions will
bring to view hisexperiments, more witness.
es than he desires.
A harpoon is described which makes the
whale kill himself The more he pulls the
line the deeper goes the harpoQn.
An ice-making machine has been patent,
ted which is worked by a steam engine
In an experimental trial it froze several
bottles of sherry, and produced blocks Of
ice the size of cubic foot, when the ther.
mometer was up to eighty degrees. 1t is
calculated that for every ton of coal put
into the furnace it will make a ton of ice.
From Mr.. Examiner Dale's report we
gather some idea of the value of patents
A man who had made q slight improve.
ment in straw cutters, took model of bis
machine through the Western States, and
after tour of eight months returned with
forty thousand dollars. Another man had
machine to tbresh and clean grain, which
in fifteen months be sold for sixty thousand
dollars. These are ordinary cases, while
such inventions as the telegraph, the pla-
ming machine, and India rubber patents
are worth millions each.
Examiner Lanes report describes new
electrical inventions. Among these is an
electrical whaling apparatus, by which the
whale is literally shocked to death An
other is an electromagnetic 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
hour you please.
There is Sound gatherer,' a sort of
huge ear trumpet, to be placed in front of
locomotive, bringing to the engineers
ears all the noise ahead, perfectly 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, and then sticks them
in papers in regular rows.
Another goes through the whole process
of cigar making, taking in leaves and turn
ing out finished cigars.
One machine cuts cheese; another one
scours the knives and forks, and another
rocks the cradle and seven or eight take
in washing and ironing.
There is parlor chair patented that can
not be tipped back on two legs !; and rail-
way chair that cannot 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 fare. When very 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 which throws
ouo1 tho rat and then hats itself and
stands in the corner for another.
There is machine, also, by which a man
prints instead of writes his thoughts. 1t
is played like piano-forte. And, speak
ing of pianos, it is estimated that nine thou
sand are made every year in the United
States, giving constant employment to one
thousand nine hundred persons, and cost
ing over two million dollars.
n~ Lucy Stone saws sthere is cotton in