The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-06-10
THE FREAK PATENTS.
CURIOUS INTENTIONS FILED TOR
PROTECTION BY Law.
Crank ideas and Useful Discoveries are
Not Easily Distinxuished In Some Ap-
plioations-soms Specimens Given.

American invention has given birth to
no end OF freaks. which have been en-
oaimed at the patent Office in order that
they may not perish. Some OF the queer
est OK them are devices for entrapping
beasts bugs, fishes and even human be-
ings.
"nat' for example. could be funnier
tnan the notion OF using Imitation flowers
with poisoned honey to attract noxious
insects! The artificial blossom. each con-
tanning small quantity OF sugary LIQUID
| properly prepared, are 10 be fastened 10
| twlgs. Moths OF destructive specie, sin
the deadly nectar and die. A more elab-
| orate device OF a similar description Is
| intended for the protection OF annie trees
1t is TIN can covered as to its upper
| halr With luminous paint. On the outside
or the lower half apple blossoms are rep
resented with the same sort OF paint
! INSIDE OF the receptacle is n small guam
/ tlty OF cider The can is 10 he hung on
branch Of an apple tree at night. In
/ sects attrated by pictured flowers
! ilgh. upon the tan. The smell of the cider
induces them to onttr through holes pro-
elder and are drowned.
| IL Is not Away. easy 10 distinguish be-
| tween crank Idea and a useful discov-
| cry. The poisoned counterfets of flowers
above described are said 10 work very
| well. Many years ago a man got patent
| for model OF killing bugs on trees by
| incOsng the whole tree I'm sort or bal
| loon Of canvas. into which an asphyxiat-
| ing gas was to be poured for the purpose
| Of suf1ocating the insects. Everybody
| thought he was a lunatic. But now that
| plan have suddenly obtained appreciation
| and its adoption Is alleged TO have saved
| the orange-srowing industry in California.
Several kinds OF luminous bats for fish
| have been patented. One OF these Is
minnow OF hollow glass coated on the In
side partly with solution OF gold or
silver and partly with luminous paint.
| The result Is n very brilliant object In
the water. calculated to attract any pre-
| dacioue creature with nns. Another in
| terestlng contrivance is for making frog
bait more seductive. The Jerking OF me
line equipped with this device causes tne
frogs legs TO move as If he was swimming.
Contrlvances for catching insects are
more numerous than any others. one ol
them is a furnace for slaughtering potato
bugs. TO begin with. deep ana Woe
furrow is TO be plowed all around an III
tested field Through this trench
smooth log Is dragged 10 make the sur
Taco hard and smooth. The bugs in NIL
grating TO other grounds are unap.e ~
scale the trench. and the furnace, wniC m
lie a cylinder of iron filled with luel IL
drawn along the furrOw and destroys
them other odd devices are cartridges
intended to he inserted IN the NOUNS Is vi vi
the ant holes and 10 be nreu' mus In
nnunlcating sitting vapors 10 tne suptVI
"anaon chambers; also many KINDS OF
iamns for attracting and burning ny uie
moths of various worms In cotton ne'ui,
There is a toy pistol for insects' Wiz
sucks them In when the uIssett , 20 a
Az Ingenious Westerner has inVehteu a
.-on for catching the horn fly, wnlcn ~
such an enemy 10 cattle In soult va. =
of the country. II consists nSS99C nrrvsb
antly Of a great frame 70 WhlSn wbnn
Is attached in such manner th1t IL,
tho beasts walk through, eager; as ~
always are to scratch themseiEeS, 49, IL
dies will be scraped from thelr pouies
r. tho branches Finally the frame
cioaed m bv means Of doors ana tile
cantured insects are destroyed. Nearly
EVERYBODY has heard OF the gold ny
worm trap, which the patient SWalom11i
Bedbllg traps are Of several varieties an
~ theTn being intended to afford attIac-
tive hiding places for those bioods ucKers
and 10 be burned or scalded out after
ward. - oordes IN
rat trans. Some OF them are so elaborate
that no full-witted rat would 20 neS,
them. one requires MIR. KAT 10 come III
through a door, which drops behind MIN
and makes him prisoner. seems q,
bright lleht above. he ascends A nignt vi
little steps and trots across sina,l pIaun
that i so nicely adjusted as TO Da,anC
thaf his weight causes II TO tip and throw
him into a tank OF water. Another CON
trivance consists of a double chamDer,
one chamber has glass end, I'M ousH
which Mr. Rat sees two or three lIHlt9-
ZION rats having a nice time with a bit
OF cheese. Wishing TO JON them, ne
runs around the box. gets into the other
chambers, and is caught ,.,... .h,oh
There are a number or devices Whicn
employ mirrors for the purpose OF turing
Mr. Rat to his fate. He mounts on Top
II \ barrel and secs toothsome piece
holds another rodent-in reality his own
yedecti0n. in a piece OF looking glass
coming for the cheese from the opposite
direction He makes dash to get there
first. md a pivotted board drops him INFO
The cask. which is half-full Of water
Rats viii swim for n long time, so one
Humanitarian has patented a water trap
with little shelves around the edge anu
;uat above the surface. on the shelves
are placed small lead weights with fish
hooks hanging from them. The captured
rat. in trying to escape, grasps one OF
dls.odges the piece Of lead, and is carried
20 the bottom by the latter
Sparrow traps are OF many different |
kinds. Most OF them invite the birds to
walk In through a do ,F which drops
When next seen. In the restaurants they
are reed birds on toast. or greater In
terest are contriyances for catching
thieves one OF them is designed to dis |
courage bank sneaks. The sneak puts
hts hand in through the teller's window |
and Internationally actu1tes Il mechan-
ism which causes slide with spikes |
10 close suddenly upon his paw and i'm |
pale H. trap OF a somewhat similar !
character Is a steel shutter for a house |
window so disguised with covering and !
fringe as 10 look like an ordinary curtain. |
II n burglar tries 10 enter al night It |
shuts down upon him, the spikes MD |
den by the fringe helping 10 hold him /
fast.
American inventors have been fruitful |
OF queer ideas in musical instruments. !
Patents have been sought for Violins |
made OF metal, of earthenware. OF glass. |
OF leather, and even Of glue. Plain wood, |
however. maintains its place as the !
many people have ever heard Of the !
dOOrOphOne? II consists OF a frame and |
sounding board, with tuned wires. with |
little metal balls suspended. The con- |
trivance is hung upon a door. When the /
latter is opened the balls swing back and |
forth. and strike harmonious chords
There IS patented device for playing |
the banjo by electricity. II requires |
no Skill the instrument being operated by |
a sheet OF paper with perforations which |
control the making and breaking Of /
a circuit. Mechanical fingers thus actua- |
at the frets. Another instrument is so |
arranged that one may play the banjo |
by manipulating the keys of a keyboard |
like that Of a piano on a small scale. |
The same idea IS varied by a combination !
OF piano and violin the strings OF the
latter being fingered by the use Of piano
Ike keyboard. or course. that Is the !
difficult part Of violin-playing. the hard
ling OF the bow being simple enough.
The bow is he'd IN the right hand. while
the fingers OF the left hand strike the
Keys.
Within the last few years many musical
Instruments that play themselves have
fHNanfIn a |