The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1882-04-15

earthen floors sprang up like magic. The
value of the patent on the roller skates
to it's holder is estimated at over 81 ,0O0,-
900, and he expended over $4,000 in
legal expenses alone to prevent the patent
from Infringement in England. The
dancing negro, which can be seen in any
toy shop, and which is simply figure OF
Dinah or Jumbo balanced by wire.
which is moved rapidly up and down by
system of clock work in the box upon
which it dances, provides an income for
its inventor of $50, 900 year. The COM
mon needle-t hreader, to be found OH sale,
at nearly every street corner, is worth
$4,000 a year 10 the man who thought
out the problem which might easily have
been solved by boy of ten years. only
it was not.
Green's drive well is now very extern
sively used throughout the country " here
ever water is to be drawn from the
ground. The thought suggested itself
to Col. Green while engaged with the
army during the war. The troops were
suffering for want of water, and it occur.
red to him to relieve their wants by sim
ply driving 4 two-inch tube into the
ground with heavy hammer. The
water was reached and drawn to the SUI
face by means Of 4 pump attached to the
upper end of the tube. This simple con-
trvance was patented after the war and
the inventor charged royalty of $40 ON
each well driven. As the Western farm
ing lands are filled with these drive wells
some idea of the immense value of this
patent can be obtained. An entire revo-
luton was practically effected III well
digging, and moderate estimate of the
money value of the patent of $4,000, 000.
The ordinary spring window shade
which is to be found now in almost every
house. So cheaply is it manufactured anG
hung. is patented, and yields annually to
the inventor an income equal to that of
1000, 600 judiciously invested.
The photographic pen patent is also
worth 81 900, 900 to it's holder, and that
OF the marking pen, for shading in differ
ent colors, and of the ordinary rubber
stamps. $1,000 each.
In 1912. Jacob w. Davis. of Reno,
New, bent his powerful mind to the sub
ject of providing some remedy for the
wear and tear on the pockets of miners
and other laborers. He noticed that the
sewed seams were ripped and started by
frequent pressure caused by putting the
hands into the pockets and loading them
with ore and other articles which miners
affect. He proposed to put metal rivet
or eyelet at each end of the pocket open
ing. upon which the strain would natur-
ally fall. This idea was patented in May.
1873; it took the fancy of the miners and
other Western laborers, and Davis has
reaped 4 rich reward from his ingenuity.
Rivets would hardly prove an ornament
on the trousers of a New York swell, but
they are remarkably effective for the pur-
pose designed on the pockets of the min
ers.
The ingenuity of the inventors has not
been confined to efforts to add to the
comforts and necessities of the living.
They have devoted their energies also t-,
improving the resting places of the dead,
and new designs and appliances for cot
fins and baskets are being constantly pre-
sented to the Patent Office with applica-
tions for patents. The stealing of A. r.
Stewards body started n host OF invent
ors into new line of labor, the object
being to prevent the repetition of so hor
rible crime. Among the designs which
secured patent, is the coffin torpedo,
the idea being to place torpedo in such
a position in the grave that any attempt
to disturb the remains, except by those
duly authorized and know the location OF
the Internal machine, would cause an ex-
plosion, and thus alarm the neighborhoud.
even if it did not blow the ghouls to
atoms. Whether the inventor of this
plan has reaped large returns it is i'm
possible to say, as his business, from its
very nature, prevents publicity from fol-
lowing his actions. The danger of being
buried alive has haunted the mind OF
many a dying man, and worried his
friends long after the body has been laid
in the ground. An improved burial case
desi sned to quiet the fears of such PEG
pie was invented and patented by Franz
Vester, of Newark, n. j., in 1865. His
plan consists in placing Oh the lid of the
coffin, and directly over the face of the
body, square tube, which extend
from the coffin up through and over
the surface of the grave. This tube con-
is placed in the hand OF the person laid in
the coffin, and the other is attached to 3
bell on the top of the square tube. The
object of these preparations is to provide
Il means OF escape should 4 person sud
denly regain consciousness after being
dead and buried. If he is
dltCi uhpICdsdup
perience, he will crawl from the coffin to
the ladder and mount from the grave to
the surface by this means. If, however,
he finds himself too much exhausted 10
avail himself of this grave-escape, he can
pull the rope in his hand, which will Iins,
the bell and give the alarm, when the
authorities will proceed to dig
him up. After a sufficient time has elaps-
ed, no signal being given, to satisfy his
friends that the man is really dead, the
tube can be removed and laid away for
future use. It's removal acts upon the
spring in the lid of the caskct, which
closed a glass door over the face OF the
corpse.
Some of the applications made for pat
ents are very amusing, but however fun
ny the idea, if it is only original with the
applicant, the patent can be secured
The rights of the American inventor are
sacred. and 10 Commissioner of Patents
dares infringe on them. 1t will be sad
news to many Il prudent housewife to
learn that every time she pricks hole
in an egg with pin she is violating
patent OF an American inventor. but such
is the case. Years ago an inventor de-
voted himself to discovering 4 method I"
prevent eggs from cracking during the
process of boiling. He solved the prob
lem by prickiug pin-holc in one end OF
1 L. .l,..,.,.rl IL In In, AhI.