Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-11-09

time there rs great deal OF complaint from
inventors and attorneys that the bureau is slow
In its work; but it is understood that Commits
sioner Mitchell has given some attention to the
matter and proposes to do all in his power to
rectify it.
The application for the issue of letters pat
ent come in to the commissioner by the score
every day, by MAIL by express and through at
torneys. First of all the little bundle upon
which so much thought has been given, so
much midnight oil consumed, passes into the
hands of the financial clerk, whose duty it is to
collect and account for the entrance fee of S15,
which must in all cases accompany the appllca-
ton. Then he sends the drawings and specifi-
cations to the application clerk, who makes
record of the name of the appli-
cant, his residence, the title of the
invention, name of attorney, day of
receipt and the name of the examiner to whom
forwarded to the examiner the drawings go to
the draftsmans division for inspection as to
the mechanical execution, for a drawing must
be clear before it Is accepted. If upon exami-
nation it is discovered that the drawing is de-
fectiSe the inventor is notified. On the other
hand If found all right it travels back to the
application room, where it is given q serial
number and forwarded to the examiner in
whose division it belongs.
WITH THE EXAMINER.
A patent examiner has of necessity to be
man of more than ordinary requirements. His
is most responsible position and it is his bust
ness to make himself fully acquainted with
every application that is brought under his no.
tice. To do this requires an immense amount
of labor, for it is necessary that he study every
invention bearing upon the case under consId-
Grafton for the purpose of learning whether or
not 1t conflicts with patent already issued
either IN this or any other country. Sometimes
men attempt to steal other mems ideas, and the
examiner has to guard against this. If he dis
covers that there Is a similarity in the applica-
ton to some other already patented he has to
point out this to the inventor or his attorney,
and then ensues an argument that lasts some
times for months before the patent has been
sufhclently modified so as not to conflict with
the previous one. The position of patent ex-
amlner Is by no means a sinecure. He sits in
the capacity OF judge over the patent on
trial; he hears the speeches OF counsel, he looks
up his authorities and then he makes his de-
clslon. Whatever he decides is final, although
there can be an appeal to the board OF exam
liners. Should an examiner make mistake it
might cause law suits costing thousands of dol
lars and extending over period of years Of
litigation.
There are thirty subjects of invention divided
into elghty-eight classes and assigned for ex-
animation to the thirty examining divisions of
the office IN charge of the following examiners:
Fox, Rice, MacLean, Pond, Burke, Antisell
Skinner, Halnes, Tryon, Sanders, Hyer, Augh
limbaugh, Jayne, Maxson, Hudson, Catlin (tirst
oeolota III CharSe1, SOOhe, Fowler, steward,
wilkinson, Randall, Seaton, Seely, Pierce,
Wynne, G: D. Seely, Gould, Townsend, Tyler,
Woodward.
After examination, if the device is found
patentable, the examiner forwards the papers
to the issue division with his signature at
tached. After all minor mistakes have been
corrected the papers then go to the drafting
division where they are put in the file and re-
turned to the issue division. The patent is then
allowed and the inventor notified of its allow
ance and issue upon the receipt of $40, the
nnal fee. Ii the inventor decides to take the
patent out at once he SO notifies the Office and
the specifications 20 down to the government
printing Office where they are put in type and
printed. The drawings 60 to the photographer
and after completion the printed specifications
and drawings are bound together and may be
had for 10 cents a copy. Next the patent is
made out and signed by the Secretary of the
Interior and Commissioner Mitchell. The voy-
age OF an application to the harbor of issuance
Is long and tedious one sometimes requiring
years.
SOME QUEER CHARACTERS.
The wide, well-lighted corridors of the patent
office form rich field for the study of human
nature of the most remarkable kind and day
spent in wandering about them taking note of
the visitors is by any means q profitless one
Many of those inventors are rather tatterGd
specimens. They come to the capital from
every section of the country and nearly every
one of them has a scheme in his head which is
to revolutionize the world. They are all ami
mated with the spirit that pormeated the body
OF Colonel Sellers. There's millions in it."
They say that theirs is the greatest invention
OF the age. but if you question them closely
they will tell you confidentially that it needs
money to push it. Their eyes flash when they
talk about thoir Inventions and they are the
most sanguino class of men imaginable, never
doubling for moment that their efforts will
De crowned with success. great rendezvous
for these frequenters of the building is