St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-06-28
MEN WHO WANT PATENTS.
Pecultarities of Inventors Not Pos
sessed of Business Ability.
Few of Them Make Money! Cranks
With Old Inventions.

- y" VI lhcLH Make uOney..CranKS
With Old Inventions.
The more impracticable the invention,
the higher it is valued" said patent solicit
tor of this city, whose connection with a
scientific association has brought him in
contact with a large number of inventors.
1.-The inventor is usually poor" he con-
tlnued, land is often made still more so by
Che expenses of experiments A goodly
proportion OF them appear almost like
tramps. yet will astonish you in converse
ton with deep and accurate knowledge Of
mechanical and scientific facts, and hold
| theories that prove them close and careful
students. They will spend their last penny
upon scientific works. observe closely all
they see, and dig down for the reason of ev-
| cry IDEA presented to them. Such men often
develop some brilliant device, but, being en-
lowed with more inventive genius than
business ability, are prevented from realiz-
| ing the financial benefits through the cum
ming OF others. A case in which the two
qualities were combined, to the great adj
vantage OF the patentee occurs to me- A
farmer in Dakota desired patent on al
farm gate. He appeared to be poor, and I
advised him that it might be possible to get ]
a patent, but it would be very narrow
claim and would not pay, He insisted and
got his patent. Instead of advertising for a.
partner with capital he travelled through the
state and put up his gate himself,
TAKING MONEY
when he could, but accepting broken-down
horses, hogs, cOrd-wOod, OF ANYTHING else he
could get in trade. These he would sell
again, end he told me himself that he
cleared 81, 600 the first year, and has since
| averaged nearly twice that sum per annum.
This was management, and not one out of
thousand inventors could or would have
| done likewise"
| Many odd and peculiar inventions have at
times been brought to the notice of the pa
| tent Office. Numbers of them have been
refused, as being incompatible with fixed
and well-known physical laws, and others
on the ground of their being immoral OF in
consistent with the welfare of society. In
| the latter category may be mentioned a
| pOliceman'S club provided with numerous
Issharp teeth which would spring out from
| the club the instant blow was struck
| Among the applications for patent is said
| to be one for combined saw, file and chisel,
described as being intended for use in effect
| ing an entrance where doors and other OBJ
structions were secured ON the inside A
| patent was refused on the ground that il
was too effective
| A TOOL FOR BURGLARS
and not of special utility in mechanical
| trades. Such an instrument would certainly
| be a treasure in the hands of professional
| houSe-breaker.
| A shrewd young drummer for large fac
| tory laid the foundation of a vast fortune
few years ago by the simple invention of
pole. His firm manufactured flat files. and
large percentage of the finished article
was lost by the breaking off of the blade,
just where the shank or handle began. The
process of manufacture consisted of seven
stages, and the last or tempering process,
caused the break. The drummer conceived
the idea that the expansion and contraction
of the steel in the blade and the iron in the
shank was the primary cause of the trouble
and found that the boring Of a small
hole where the jointure was made gave
room for the expansion and obviated the
difficulty. He got patent, and is now a
partner in the firm.
A genius on the western frontier took Out
a patent some years ago for combined plow
and cannon. The beam of the implement was
made hollow and constituted the weapon of
war; The inventor of this unique combi-
nation said that the prairie farmer could
practice his peaceful vocation mdismayed
by the
APPROACH OF INDIANS,
for he could unhitch his team and blaze
away at the foe unmindful of their threats.
1t is not said whether he stood in any dam
ger of being killed while releading, or how
the gun was to be recharged in the face of
the enemy. Such detail was not in the
province of the inventor. a witty back
wOodSman was heard to assert that the can
nOn-plow could be utilized in times of peace
to fire the seed over the freshly-plowed
| field, and thus save the labors of sower
An ingenious dairyman has obtained a
patent on an attachment to cows tails, to
prevent the caudal appendage from swing
ing to and fro during milking-time. 1t is
a clamp with two swing rods. to which are
| attached heavy troy balls. This is expected
| to supplant the rural custom of tying the
tail to the bovine's off leg while the tactical
| fluid is being drawn.
The reward of 100000 offered by the
state of New York some years ago for
canal-boat that could make three miles an
hour and not create wave to wash away
the bank was productive of the greatest
number of So-called
CRANK INVENTIONS
that ever bothered the patent Office. The
most absurd of the lot was one by an Ohio
man. He had a theory of a compressed air
well in the center of the boat, Theoretically
sealed at the top, and inclined toward the
stern at an angle of 45o The water,
when the craft was afioat, would compress
the air in this well, and the constant pres
sure on water would propel the boat for
ward No amount of explanation or ridi-
cule could make him see the absurdity of
his notion, and no one ever went to the ex-
pense of testing it.
A great many men waste their time and
the patience of others by re-inventing
things that have been discarded for some
thing better long ago. These inventors are
the worst sort of crankS, for they show
their ignorance of mechanical works by offer
ing their work as original Even in this day
of perfected reapers and mowers men offer
the scythe and sickle movement for reapers.
1t was the first movement used in the con-
struction of this implement but has long
been laid aside for the vibratory reciprocal
movement of sharp blades seen to-day in
the best machines.
Women invent good many articles, but
nearly all are in the line of personal adorn-
lnent or wearing apparel. Different kinds Of
supports for clothing, corsets, and contri-
yances for retaining the hair in place, are
being patented by women. The introduce
ton of the sewing machine was an incen-
| tive to some, and various kinds of attach
ments have been patened by women.