The Pioche weekly record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1877-1900, 1891-05-14
PROFIT FROM PATENTS
Rich Returns Received by Ingen.
ious Inventors


The Value of Ideas.
There is says an eminent authori-
ty, scarcely an article of human con
venience or necessity in the market TO-
day that has not been the subject of
patent in whole or in part. The sale of
every such article yields its inventor a
profit. II we purchase 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 a dozen or fifteen inven-
tors at once" Lord Brougham often
said that he would gladly have ex-
changed his honors and emoluments for
the profits and renown of the inventor
of the perambulator or sewing machine.
We are not wishful, says the Chicago
Herald, to lead our readers to covet
what are termed ''large fortunes" as
really conducive to happiness or useful
ness. Fortune" is itself heather
and not Christian word. But "inven-
ton" is another thing, and the remuner-
alive results fare fitting element for
consideration in these days. Howe, the
rived 100000 n year from it, and from
their mechanical improvements the eel
ebrated Wheeler & Wilson are reputed
to have divided for many years an in.
come OF 100000, while the author of
the Singer sewing machine left at his
decease nearly f3,0O0,000. The tele-
phone. 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 hundreds of
millions. The patent of making the
lower ends of candles taper instead of
parallel, so as to more easily fit the
socket. made the present enormous
business of well-known firm of Lon
don 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 two-inch tube into the ground
until water was reached, and then at
taching pump. This simple contriv-
ance was patented, and the tens of thou
sands OF farmers who have adopted it
have been obliged to pay him royalty,
estimated at 100000. A large profit
was realized by the inventor who pat
ented the idea Of making umbrellas out
of alpaca instead of bingham, and the
patentee OF the improved paragon
frame" samuel Fox) lately left by will
el70,U00 out of the profits of his inven-
ton. The weaving, dyeing, lace and
bbonmal1ing trades originated and de-
pend for their existence upon ingenious
machinery, the result II an infnity of
inventive efforts.
The discovery Of the perforated sub
stance used for bottoming chairs and for
other purposes has made its inventor a
millionaire George Yeaton, the inventor
in question, was poor Yankee cane
scatter In Vermont. He first distin-
guished himself by inventing ma
chine for weaving cane, but he made no
money out of 1t, as some one stole his
idea and had the process patented.
After number OF years experimenting
Yeaton at last hit upon this invention,
which consists OF a number of thin lay
ers OF boards of different degrees OF
hardness glued together to give plia-
bility. He formed company, and to.
day he has plant valued at $500, 900,
and is in the receipt of princely an.
nual revenue derived from this inven,
ton. Carpet beating, from being an un
told nuisance, has become lucrative
trade through inventive genius and me
chanical continuance. Even natural Gu
riosity has been turned to account in
the number Of automatic boxes for the
sale OF goods Of all kinds, and fabulou.
dividends have been paid by the com
panies owning the patents. The mos
profitable inventions have been the i'm
provements in simple devices, things O
everyday use, that everybody wants
Among the number of patents Ter small
things may be mentioned the "stylo
graphic pen, and pen for shading il
different colors, producing $40, 900 pc
annum. A large profit has been reapet
by miner who invented metal rive
or eyelet at each end of the mouth o
coat and trousers pocket to resist tn,
strain caused by the carriage of piece
of ore and heavy tools. In recen
legal action it transpired in evidenc,
that the inventor Of metal plates used t,
protect soles and heels of boots from
wear sold upward of Il, ZOO, 900 plates il
1879, and in 1887 the number reache,
143,000,000, producing realized profits o
aquarter OF million of money. An
other useful invention is the "darnin,
weaver device for repairing stock
ings, undergarments, ETC., the sale o
which is very large and increasing. A
large sum as was ever obtained TO
any invention was enjoyed by the in
ventor of the inverted glass bell t.
hang over gas to protect ceilings from
being blackened, and scarcely les
lucrative patent was that for simpl,
putting emery powder on cloth. Ere
quentiy time and circumstances ar,
wanted before an invention is appreci
ated, but it will be seen that patience i
well rewarded, for the inventor of tn
roller skate made over a2OO, 900, not
withstanding the fact that his paten
had nearly expired before its value wa
ascertained. The gimlet-pointed sore,
has produced more wealth than mos
silver mines, and the American VIII
first thought of putting copper tips t
children's shoes is as well off as if hi
father had left him 100000 in Unite
States bonds. Upward of as, 900 yea
was made by the inventor of the con
mon needle threader. To the foregoin
might be added thousands OF trifiin
but useful articles from which hant
some incomes are derived.