The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1880-03-05

How They Are Made. Ne Exempliied by
the Late Mr. Bigeiow.


easy sort 81 mechanic who Il always ex-
cutting ard trying. with a
vague expectation II some day hitting
upon something novel and possibly use
full. Doubtless there are In almost
every community men who waste their
time and means in brainless labor Of
that character. would-be inventors who,
having no clean-cut or well-considered
purpose in view. are ever busy al moth
Ing, making show Of invention without
ever inyent,ng any thing. But such men
are no more worthy Of the name 81 in
yent0r than the corner loafer who wran-
giles over the affairs Of local politics is
worthy Of the name Of statesman.
The real inventor is a man Of an en-
tirely different type. He knows pre-
cisely what he j. driving AZ, and very
frequently his invention j. entirely
thought out before the first stoke j.
made to put il upon paper or 70 shape
il in more material form. "when
You strike difficulty, what do you dof"
was asked Of an inventor whose fame i
worldwide for his many achievements
in overcoming alleged impossibilities.
>. sit down and think" was the sufii-
cienr reply.
The capacity to think j. the invent
or's first and most essential endowment,
and no amount II tinkering. however
patient and mechanically skillful, can
ever take its place. A striking exam
ple II the true inventors ability 10 think
crcatively j. furnished in the inventions
II the late Erastus b. Bigelow. He was
not mechanic. he had no practice in
the use If tools. he could not even han
die pencil with skill and facility. His
inventions were made in the recesses ~
his brain. where the complicated ma
chinery of each was created thought
out in detail, before any attempt was
made 10 give il material embodiment
To a writer in the last issue Of the Bui-
fsffa Of the National Association If Wool
Manufacturers. MIR. Bigelow said that
his most recent carpet-loOm-one upon
which seyenty-two yards ~ Brussels
CARPET have been woven by one girl in
ten hours-was completely worked out
in his mind and mapped out in his
brain, not in his study or factory. but IN
railroad cars while making his last visit
to Europe. After sating his mind and
ewes with foreign lands and scenery, an
\ irresistible fit Of inventioncame over him.
Retiring within himself. the machine
-oon assumed in his mind complete
form IN every part and detail. Showing
q rough sketch Of the invocation. the
only drawing OF il that had been made
Mr.. Bigelow said ssAll have now u
do is to direct a draughtsman - work n
the Details Subsequently the narrator
saw the draughtsman in the inventor
study, under his direction. AZ work up
on the drawings from which the ma
chine was 10 be constructed. The IN
ventor, copying from the plan imprint
ed On his brain. dictated 70 the draughts
man (who acted as mere photograph,
every line. circle and curve which WA
10 be transferred 70 the paper. givins
the exact place. length and dimensions
The result was working drawing
from which alone the machinists wer'
able "a construct \ perfect machine
working without experiment or adjust
; ment exactly as il was contrived BY th
inventor
The difference between the workin,
Of mind like Mr.. Bigelow's and tina
Of an inferior inventor j. one Of degree
not OF kind The same kind Of thinkin
: i done with more or less thoroughnes
I, by every true inventor. And those VIII
; stop short in their creative thinkin
4 and begin to materialize their inventIo
I too soon only multiply their chances f.
> going wrong, increase their labor neet
e lcssly. and demonstrate their incapacit
; to reach the higher levels Of the art I
n invention. To begin to build when n
Q object is hat vaguely apprehended i
invite confusion and failure by turnin
q the mind IF from the highway Of invel
e ton to the bewildering by-paths Of VI
:, intelligent experimentation
In tbs. wide field Of invention
which the self-imposed task Of u
worker u to accomplish a new result
a wise choice and combination Of know
re means. the rules to be followed are a
ir mirably set forth in Mr.. Bigelow's d
4, scription Of the working Of his ov
"a mind in developing the inventions I
]. which he is so honorably known. Spea
4: ing upon this point, he said:
~ my first step toward an inventic
re has always been TO get closer idea
~ the object aimed at. learn is requir
ID ments as = whole, and also As compos'
a. OF separate parts II, for exampl
" that object be the weaving Of Goa
e. lace, ascertain the character Of I
q several motions required. and the rel
re tons these must sustain 70 each 9th
b. in order TO effect the combined resul
IS, secondly, devise means to prodn
az those motions; and thirdly, comb
rs those means and reduce them 10 = 81;
y Of harmonious cooperation To ear
= an invention through the first and =
u ond stages is comparatively easy;
ro- first Is simply an investigation Of fac
the second, 80 far as l can trace
\, operations Of my own mind, con