The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1882-05-18
Funny Patents.

Some Of the applications made fol-
patents are very amusing, but, however
funny the idea, if it is only original with
the applicant, the patent can be secured.
The rights Of tho American inventor are
sacred, and no Commissioner Of Patents
dares infringe upon them. II will be
sad news TO many housewife TO learn
that every time she pricks q hole in an
egg with pin she is violating the patent
Of an American inventor, but such is the
case Years ago an inventive genius
devoted himself to discovering method
to prevent eggs from cracking during the
process of boiling. He solved the prob.
lem by pricking a pin hole In one end of
the egg, through which the air in the
shell was allowed to escape, and this pin
hole he duly patented according to law.
Precisely how he manages to collect his
royalty is q mystery, but the fact remains
that he has legal claim for royalty on
every pin hole made in an egg before
boiling
An application has recently been made
for the patent of machine TO prevent
young orphan chickens from being lone
ly. This is an invention which should,
and probably will, commend itself to Mr.
Bergh. The inventor claims that hun
dreds Of chickens Matched out in the
artificial incubators become lonely be.
cause they miss the "Cluck cluckw of
the mother hen, which IS the lullaby of
all well regulated chickens matched in
the natural way, and many are killed by
this loneliness. lie has arranged sys.
tenn of clock work, which produces
noise somewhat similar to that Of the
hen, which he proposes 10 attach to the
incubator, and on this machine the pat
en-. is asked. A patent has been issued
on clog for fowls, designed to prevent
them from scratching in gardens. 1t
consists of wire in the shape of hair
pin, sharp at the points. This is at
tached to the feet Of the fowl in such
way that, when It attempts to scratch,
the points enter the ground and prevent
the claws from reaching it.
Hens have ever been the subject OF
much patient thought on the part of in.
ventora. A nest designed to deceive
them into laying more than enc egg
daily, which every respectable bird con.
tributes 70 the farmers larder, has been
devised and patented. 1t has false
bottom, through which the eggs drop as
soon rs laid, and the patient hen, feeling
that she has failed in her duty, proceeds
to lay another until her treasury becomes
exhausted or she discovers the deception.
A bee hive has been patented, the doors
Of which are attached to the hen roost in
such manner that when the fowls go to
roost they close the hive and thus secure
the inmates against the ravages of the
bee moth, and at daylight, when the hens
leave the roost, the hive doors are opened
and the = bees act at liberty. Even the
faithful horse has been made the subject
Of optical deusion by the inventors. A
patent has been secured for what is
known as horse fence. 1t consists sim
ply of wire frame placed oyer the head
of the horse, so othatwhen he approaches
fence with the laudable desire Of Jump.
ing il, he sees the wires above his head,
mistaken them for par. of the fence, and
concludes that it is too high for him to
leap.