The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1890-12-24
PATENT R0MANCES.
HUGE FORTUNES REARED FROM
THRILLING INVENTIONS.
Honors and Emoluments for the
Originators of Valuable Ideas
The "Drive Well" Paid Its
Inventor $3,OO0,OO0.

"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 a box of paper
collars portion of the price goes to the
inventor; if we buy a sewing machine the
probability is that we pay royalty to
as many as dozen or fifteen inventors
at once" Lord Brougham often said
that he would gladly have exchanged his
honors and emolumcnts for the profits and
renown of the inventor of the perambu-
lator or sewing machine. We are not
wishful to lead our readers to covet what
are termed "large fortunes" as really
conducive to happiness or usefulness.
Fortune" is itself heather and not
| Christian word. But ''invention" is an
other thing, and the renumerative results
are fitting element for consideration in
these days. Howe, the originator of the
sewing machine, derived $500, 00Oa a year
it, and from their mechanical improve
ments the celebrated Wheeler & Wilson
are reputed to have divided for many
! years an income of ST., ,OO0,0O0 while the
author of the Singer sewing machine left
at his decease nearly $15, ,000,O 900. The
telephone, the planning machine and the
rubber patents realized many millions,
while the simple idea of heating the
blast in iron smelling increased the
wealth of the country by handreds OF
millions. The patent for making the
lower ends of candles taper instead OF
parallel, so as to more easily
fit the socket, made the present
enormous business of a well-known
firm of London chambers. The "drivc
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 a pump. This simple con.
trivance was patented, and the tens of thou
sands of farmers who have adopted it have
been obliged to pay him a aroyalty, esti-
mated at So, 900, 900. A large profit
was realized by the inventor who
patented the idea of making umbrellas
out of alpaca instead of gingham, and
the pate1tee of the improved paragon
frame" Samuel Fox lately left BY will
$3.50, 900 out of the profits of his in
vention. The weaving, dyeing, lace and
ribbon making trades originated and &C.
pend for their existence upon ingenious
machinery, the result of an infnity of
inventive efforts.
The discovery of the perforated sub
stance used for bottoming chairs and fol
other purposes has made It's inventor q
millionaire. George Yeaton, the inventor
in question, was a poor Yankee cane-seatei
in Vermont. He first distinguished him.
self by inventing q machine for weaving
cane, but he made no money out of it,
as some one stole his idea and had the
process patented. After a number oi
years. experimenting Ycaton at last hit
upon this invention, which consists of o
number of thin layers of boards of diff
ferent degrees of hardness glued together
! to give pliability. He formed com.
pany. and to-day he has plant valued
at $500, 900, and is in the receipt of
princely annual revenue derived from
this invention. Carpet beating, from
being an untold nuisance, has become a
lucrative trade through inventive genius
and mechanical contrivance. 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 com,
panies owning the patents. The most
profitable inventions have been the i'm
provements in simple devices, things OF
everyday use, that everybody wants.
Among the number of patents for small
things may be mentioned the "stylo'
graphic pen," and pen for shading
in different colors, producing $500, ,0OC
per annum. A large profit has been
reaped by a miner who invented meta
rivet or eyelet at each end of the mouth
of coat and trousers pocket to resist the
strain caused by the carriage of pieces
of ore and heavy tools. In recent legal
action it transpircd in evidence that the
inventor of metal plates used to protect
soles and heels of boots from wear sold
upward of 100000 plates in 1879,
and in 1882 the number reached 143,'
900, 900 producing realized profits of
Quarter of million of money. Another
useful invention is the "dar ling weaver,
a device for repairing stockings, under
garments, etc., the sale of which
is very large and increasing. Al
large a sum as was ever obtained fol
any invention was enjoyed by the inven'
tor of the inverted glass-bell to hang
over gas to protect ceilings from being
blackened, and a scarcely less lucrative
patent was that for simply putting emery
powder on cloth. Frequently time and
circumstances are wanted before an in
vention is appreciated, but it will bt
seen that patience will be we'll rewarded
for the inventor of the roller skate made
over 81, 900, 900, Notwithstanding the
fact that his patent had nearly expired
before its value was ascertained. Tn,
gimlet-pointed screw has produced more
wealth than most silver mines, and the
American who first thought Of putting
copper tips to children's shoes is as vel
off as if his father had left him 81, COO
| OOO in TTnited States bon1s Inward