Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1888-12-20
FORTUNES IN PATENTS.
Phenomenal Sums Realized from
Various Inventions.

The Commissioner of Patents esti-
mates that s'from six to seven eighths of
the entire manufacturing capital of the
United States, or six hundred millions
of dollars, is directly or indirectly based
upon patents" A calcu alton of the
same kind in England, according to our
English contemporary, the London In
rent0r, reveals still more surprising re-
suit, the capital invested being enor-
nous. 1t has been computed that Sic
mems inventions have produced more
than twenty-five million dollars.
''There is, says an eminent author
ity, scarcely an article of human con-
venience or necessity in the market to-
day that has not been the subject of a
patent in whole or in part. The sale of
every such article yields its inventor a
profit. If We purchase box of paper col
lars, portion of the price goes to the
inventor, if we buy sewing machine,
the chances are that we pay a royalty
to as many as dozen or fifteen inven-
tors at once"
Lord Brougham often said that he
would gladly have exchanged his hon
ors and emolunenis for the profits aud
renown of the inventor Of the perambu-
lator or sewing machine.
The writer here states the profits nm
nually divided 10y our several sewing
machine manufacturers, which are phe-
nomenal in amount, adding that "more
money has been, and always can be,
made out of patented inventions than by
any other investment or occupation. !"
The telephone, the planning machine,
and the rubber patents realized many
millions, while the simple idea of heat
ing the blast in iron smelling increased
the wealth of the country by hundreds
of millions. The patent for making the
lower end of candles taper instead of
parallel, SO as to more easily fit the
socket, made the present enormous bust
ness of n we'll known firm of London
chambers. The drive well was an idea
of Colonel Green, whose troops, during
the war, were in want of water. He
conceived the notion Of driving a two
inch tube into the ground until water
was reached, and then attaching pump.
This simple contrivance was patented,
and the tens of thousands of farmers who
adopted it paid him royalty until the
recent decision of the Supreme Court,
which was adverse TO sustaining the
patent. A large fortune was realized by
the inventor who patented the idea of
making umbrellas out of alpaca instead
of gingham, and the patentee of the inn
proved "paragon frame" Samuel Fox
lately left by will SS50,0O0 out of the
profits of his invention. The weaving,
dyeing, lace ami ribbon making trades
originated and depend for their exist
enoe upon ingenious machinery, the re-
suit of an infnity of inventive efforts.
Carpet beating, from being an untold
nuisance, has become lucrative trade
through the same inventive genius and
mechanical continuance. Even natural
curiosity has been turned to account in
the number of automatic boxes for the
sale of goods Of all kinds, and fabulous
dividends have been paid by the public
companies owning the patents. In fact,
any one can be n successful inventor.
In proof of this, the most profitable in
ventions are the improvements in simple
devices, things of every day use that
everybody wants, and which are in the
power of everybody to invent A lady
derived large income for inventing a
moving belt for drying egge, albumen,
etc