The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1873-01-10
NUMBER 40.


obtained 4 patent for lifting steamboats,
over river bars bat it may be doubted If
that patent has ever been used, OF would
have been applied for 10y marine engineer
The amount OF misaPrhcd talent engaged
on inventions that can never De used Is as
wonderful as il Is prolific. There ls a lu-
d.yrous clement in many Of the patents,
and more of the applications, which i well
worth Investigation, and We extract from
the records OF the Patent Office an account
,,C .olue of these that show more genius
THAI, common sense, and Eaye produced
more l;,u. !rter thaA pYo=Et.
In 1870 ;hc owner of certain beehives,
irritated by the loss Of his honey 10y the
lee moth, asked for patent for com
biucd hen-roost and beehive. lie had no
ticed that the bee moth tlaVcIS At n-&sls
while the busy lee works by DAY ilis u--
sire, therefore was for device that shouiC
admit the worker by day and keep out tie
thief by night. This his ingenuity effect
cd by tie erection OF q hon ToOst giysted
Upon Z beehive provided with gates. The
J bees were expected to le in their cells just
before dusS: tie hens, lighting en- their
loosts. we're then 10 close the gates Of the
hive and keep them shut al night. The
early rising of The foS7ls would automats-
callv opeu the gates again and release the
bees their honey all saic-to the ans OF
heaven ana the flowers of earth. He re-
ceiyed his patent.
Auoshcr applicant asked for Il patent
rizrLt for an artificial moon. that should
li.rht each town that used 1t without eX-
ueIiSe. His ewes had often been struck 10y
the reflection of distant windows at sunset,
and how far that light travelled He there
fore proposed balloon for each town, sut-
fiCieutly large to raise a huge reflector that
was 20 be hoisted every evening ut dusk
(aOOuU the time the hens had shut IN the
bees. The reflections Of the suns rays,
cas- downward upon the village. was sure
TO light ii through all the darkness OF night.
Fortunately for himself this inventor pre-
seuted his application through a patent at
togney, who tod him II was doubtful If it
could he obtained.
Ii the faI Of 1871. gentleman, probably
from California, applied for and received
patent for building houses on wheels or
rollers. 50 that in case Of earthquakes they
might roll forward UF backward, Uut not be
shaken to pieces.
Only three years have passed away since
a very ingenious gentleman from the rural
districts applied for a patent to prevent
cows from switching their tails :. He pre-
sented two mUdeis-OnG shaped like "a bot
lie, around tlc neck Of which the cow :
tail was 10 lie curled; tie other consisted
Of 4 square block, with Il hole through the
centre. wherein the tail was 10 be put. and
then tied in "a knot, 80 that the aninlGE could
not Withdraw it.
Noticing how vessels are delayed by the
necessity Of pushing aside the water that
OGstrTIcrs their way, an Ingenious gentle
man asked for patent FOR putting IN front
uf the vessel series OF hollow wheels,
whose blades should act as paddles. These
wheels could lift the water 50 speedily ont
Of the wav tl,at tle vessel would have to
rush in to liil the void. This motion OF the
vessel would give The wheels another turn.
au.l then the wheels would once more lift
away the water and thus draw the vessel
o, And 80 the mOziou Of the vessel wouid
turn the 5hos.s, and tha turn OF the wheels
would dlaw the vessel. LAis applicant Tor
perpetual motion was so certain Of success
Thar. t. provide for the only difficulty he
could torCsee-which was in the too rapid
motion Of the vessel, that would tear itself
- p.cccs--he contuvcd au anchor, with 4
spring cable To It, that he might check the
vts q firm its TOO rapid speed.
An applicant for patent for wooden
payen.caJs proposed to mount each block
Of wood on springs. He claimed that THIS
would remove al jar III riding. and Ubyiate
the necessity OF springs on carriages.
Another gentleman applied for patent
for heating canals by steam, SO that boat
ing could so on ia winter Wei Is IN sum
mer. The oifCc decided that this iuyru-
tiUn WAS worthy Of protection, and g-ys
him his patent.
Another applied for combination Of
clock and bed, 50 iH-aeiaiously cuutares
that IS bon che ciock struck, the bottom u
the bed dropped out. lie claimed that TINS
plan would probably awaken the sIeeners.
Speaking Of combinations, he musU have
come from Missouri or Kansas who asked
for a patent for a combination of cannon
and PlOW. For this purpose he fled three.
applications, making the elongated handles
OF the plow hollow, 50 as to form two can
mons. These were to be kept loaded until
the guenllas were after him; the cannons
were then to be fired, the guerilias shot
down, and The farmer 10 so on his plowinr
way, rejoicing
Aud he, too, must lave come from tile
borders who asked for a patent of comb
nation of trunk and house The trunk
was made with triple Sides moving up and
down. Doing duty all day in guarding
clothes, when night came on, and no cabin
near the goods were 10 be taken out. the
triple walls elevated into one. and the be-
nightel traveller safely housed
As early as 111S Mr. James Pashile Pat
entcd a swivel-gun in England. The nov
city OF this plan was that his gun fired two
kinds of ball--a square ban and round
one. The round ball was to be used in all
fights gainst Christian nations: the square
balls, that would mangle the flesh more.
only in contests with Turks and other hea-
then. This gentleman of old must have
been the ancestor of Mark Twain, OF this
country, Hho so lost his temper because the
Secretary of War refused to recommend
his gun for a patent. Mr.. Twain's idea
was to have a swiN cl gun that should load
at the centre and fire of at both ends. In
case of 4 siege he proposed to load the gun,
set ii 4 whiriing. and drop it Just outside
the city wall. Before the balls lett the
mouth of the cannon they would acquire
such rotary rlotion .l1at they would sweep
round the wallis outside Of the town, killing
of all of the Jesieging host. We must ac-
L-,,o,..1a5ore. however, that we have looked
- "a the records Of the Office for NJ
Twain : name, and hence we infer he never
received his patent. Applstoa's JgalruuL
4 TOPPER got so mach on his stomach
the other day that said organ repeIied the
load. As he leaned against lamp post