The Delta independent., 1893-11-29
ARE VALUABLE PATENTS
SMALL INVENTIONS MAKE
LARGE FORTUNES.
Noteworthy Instances OF Lucky Hits
Tho Valuable Invention Is One Th.t
Supplies = Widespread w.nt-rhs
Value Of an Idea.

Small ideas are sometimes worth
fortunes. The patent Office records
are full Of trifling suggestions that
have won riches for lucky thinkers.
NJ Ire than half OF them have been
hit upon by accident. Most thoughts
are blanks in the lottery OF the hu-
man mind, but now and then out
pops prize. Catch it on the hy
and you needn't do any more work.
For example. take a little metal
paper fastener, used to keep the
pages OF documents or manuscripts
together. Though but triae It
made wealth for j. W. McGill, who
invented IL in 1867. Tho rubber
pencil tip was devised by Philadel-
phia man. Hyman l. Lipman, In 1858.
1t earned 500. 900 for him. 1t was
in the same year that George A.
Mitchell got a patent for the metallic
shoe tip. His application for ex-
elusive rights covered shoe tips of
silver and all other metals, but cop
per was preferred. From that time
on every bootmaker who sold shoe.
with copper toes had to pay royalty.
which enriched the originator OF the
idea An immense amount OF money
was made by William u. Ewart out
OF an improved attachment for ma
chine harvestcrs, called drive
chain"
An improved pattern OF thumb
latch was produced by Philos. Eli
and John A. Blake, OF New Haven.
Thirty Thousand wero sold during
Hr.f nd h..
reapcd a small fortune. II is reck-
oned that 81. 500. 900 has been made
out OF the simple device OF metal
plates for protecting the heels and
solcs of boots and shoes. No less
than las. 900, 900 OF them were manu-
facturcd In 1887. The notion OF usil-
izing the feathers OF chickens, tur-
keys, geese and other domestic fowls,
as substitute for whalcbonc in
womens corsets, has been worth
more than fairly productive silver
mine to Its inventor. The quilts are
woven into strips OF what is called
"ieatherbonc. A man named Can
field first conceived the notion O!
making armpit dress shields seam
less. with u sheet OF cloth-covcred
rubber. II brought him IN income
OF many thousands year. A.
Hcaton, who hit upon the notion
OF metal fastenings for buttons. doing
away with sewing, got fortune by
It A wooden screw proved mint
for Thomas j. Sloan In 1886. Tho
man who invented wooden pegs for
shoes was B +. Sturtevant The%
idea brought him millions Of dollars.
He lived near Boston and went crazy
later on. The barb.wire fence was
worth more than $1,000. 900 in royal.
ties to its originator
Formerly many eggs got broken on
their way TO market by rail. says tho
Philadelphia Times. A countryman
conceived the plan OF packing them
in trays OF uastoboard. with a sep
arate compartment in which each
egg might stand upright Tho happy
thought was worth fortune. and
such trays are now universally used.
An ingenious Chinaman OF san Fran.
cisco named Chcang- Quan-Wo. made
quite pile OF money out of y gussct
for reinforcing the pockets of over
alls. miner was equally lucky
with an eyclct to be sewn at tho
mouth OF the coat or trousers pocket.
SO as to resist the strain caused by
carrying heavy tools or pieces OF ore.
There was fortune in tho inverted
glass bell hung over "A gas-jct to pro-
vent the ceiling from being black
encd. Big money has been madc out
OF pen for shading In different
colors and "darning weaver" for
repairing stockings has likewise been
immensely profitable. The ball-and-
socket e-fasteucr was patented
In this country by Frenchman
named Raymond. whose idea has
proved golden. Rogers got an inde-
pendencc for life out OF his screw
wirc-nail. A common ncedle-thrcader
has brought an income Of 10000
year to its inventor. Patents for
gold. silver and copper tinsel yarns
for upholstery have fetched profit
OF $4,000. A peculiar crook in
the wire of recently pat
cnted hook.andcyo Is producing
hundreds OF dollars day. Tho
roller-skate earned cool million
for tho person who caught the idea
AS 1t Hoatcd In his brain and put It
into tangible shape
A self.made millionaire was quoted
q while ago as saying that ono OF tho
post ways for young man to mako :,
money quickly was to rack HIS
brains until he found something the
public wanted. and to supply IL.
Common sense may be more useful to
tho inventor than mechanical edu-
cation. In using bath bricks for
cleaning knives, housewives formerly
found that tho most troublesome part
OF the job was scraping the powder
from tho brick. One day 1t occurred
to somebody to sell tho brick ready.
powdered IN neat packages. and he
got q fortune by it. Every body