The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1860-01-18
4 List OF Wonders.

4 List Of Wonders.
Among the thousands of marvellous in
ventions which American genius has pro-
duced within the last few years, are the fol-
lowing, compiled from the Patent Office re-
port:
Tn, report explains the principles Of the
celebrated Hobbs Lock. Its "unpickabili-
ty" depends upon secondary or false set
OF tumDlels, which touches the real ones.-
Moreover, the lock is powder proof, and
may be loaded through the key-hol and
fred off till the burglar is tired Of his fruit
less work, or fears that the explosion will
bring to view his experiments more wit
nesses than he desires.
A harpoon is described which makes the
whale kill himself The more he pulls the
line, the deeper goes the harpoon.
An ice making machine has been paten-
we'd which is worked by steam engine. In
an experimental trial it froze several bottles
of cherry 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 fur
mace, it will make a ton Of ice.
Frem DR.. Dale's examiners report we
gather some idea Of the value Of patents
\ man who had made slight Improvement
in straw cutters, took model of his ma
chine through the Western States, and az
ter tour Of eight months, returned with
$4,000 Another man had machine to
thresh and clean grain, which in fifteen
months he sold for 100000. These are
ordinary cases-while such inventions as
the telegraph, the planning machine and In
dia rubber patents arc 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 dcath.p-
Another is an electric magnetic alarm, which
rings bells and displays signals in case of
fire and buglars. 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," sort Of a
huge ear trumpet, to be placed in front of a
locomotive, bringing to the engineers ears
all the noises ahead, perfectly distinct, not
withstanding the noise of the train.
There is an invention that picks up pins
from q confused heap, turns them around
with their heads up, and sticks them in
papers in regular rows.
Of cigar making, taking in leaves and turn
ing out finished cigars.
One machine cuts cheese; another scours
the knives and forks; another rocks the
cradle, and seven or eight take in washing
and ironing
There is a parlor chair patented that can.
not be tipped back on two legs-and rail-
way chair that can be tipped back in any
position without any legs at all
Another patent is for a machine that
counts passengers in an omnibus and takes
the fare. When very fat gentleman 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
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. tits
played like piano forte. And speaking
Of pianos, it is estimated that nine thousand
are made every year in the United States
giving constant employment to one thous
and nine hundred persons, and costing ovel
two millions of dollars. Baltimore Sun.