The Portland daily press., 1894-05-23
FREAK PATENTS.
Curious Inventions Filed for Pro-
lection by Law.


Washington starr
American invention has given birth to no
end of freaks, which have been embalmed
at the patent office in order that they may
not perish. Some of the queerest of them
are devices for entrapping beasts, bugs,
fishes and even human beings. What, for
example, could be funnier than the notion
of using imitation flowers with poisoned
honey to attract noXious insects? The ar
tificial blossom, each containing a small
quantity of sugary liquid properly prepared,
are to be fastened to twigs. Moths of de-
structive species sip the deadly nectar and
die A more elaborate device of a similar
description is intended for the protection OF
apple trees. 1t is tin can covered as to
its upper half with luminous paint. On
the outside of the lower half apple blossoms
are represented withsthe same sort OF paint.
inside of the receptacle is a small quantity
of cider. The can is to be hung on branch
of an apple tree at night. Insects attracted
by the pictured flowers light upon the can
The smell of the cider induces them to en-
ter through holes provided for the purpose;
they drop into the cider and are drowned.
DIFFERENCE NOT EASILY SEEN
= 1t is not always easy to distinguish be-
DW66n CTduk 1dod olio Il uoOAuA UASSS 'S@ ; .
The poisoned counterfeits of flowers above
described are said to work very well. Many
years ago man got patent for method
of killing bugs on trees by lncloslng tne
whole tree in a sort of balloon of canvas,
into which an asphyxiating gas was to be
poured for the purpose of suffocatlng the
insects Everybody thought he was luna
tic. But now that his patent has run out
the merits of the plan have suddenly OBJ
tanned appreciation and its adoption Is
alleged to have saved the orange-growing
industry in California.
Several kinds of luminous bats for fish
have been patented. One of these is min
now of hollow glass coated on the inside
partly with solution of gold or silver and
partlyswith luminous paint. The result is
a very brilliant object in the water, calcu-
lated to attract any predaclous creature
with fins. Another interesting contrlvance
is for making frog bait more seductive
The Jerking of the line equipped with this
device causes the frogs legs to move as II
he were swimming.
Contrivances for catching insects are more
numerous than any others. One of them is
a furnace for slaughtering potato bugs.
To begin with,a deep and wide furrow is to
be plowed all around an infested field.
Through this trench smooth log is dragged
to make the surface hard and smooth. The
bugs in migrating to other grounds are
unable to scale the trench, and the furnace,
which is a cylinder of iron filled with fuel,
is drawn along the furrow and destroys
them. Other odd devices are cartridges in
tended to be inserted in the mouths of the
ant holes and to be fired, thus communicate
ing sitting vapors to the subterranean
chambers; also many kinds of lamps for at
tracing and burning up the moths of va
rious worms in cotton fields. There is toy
pistol for insects which sucks them in
when the trigger is pulled.
TO CATCH THE HORN FLY.
An ingenious westerner has invented a
trap for catching the horn fly, which is such
an enemy to cattle in some parts of the
country. 1t consists most Importantly of
a great frame, to which brush is attached
in such a manner THAT when the beasts
walks through, eager, as they always are, to
scratch themselves, the flies will be scraped
from their bodies by the branches. Finally
the frame is closed up by means of doors
and the captured insects are destroyed.
Nearly everybody has heard of the gold
tapeworm trap, which thespatient swallows.
Bedbug traps are of several varieties, all of
them sbeing intended to afford attractive
hiding places for those bloodsuckers and to
be burned or scalded out afterward
Much ingenuity has been expended in rat
traps. Some of them are SO elaborate that
no full-witted rat would go near them. One
requires Mr.. Rat to come in through door.
which drops behind him and makes him
prisoner. Seeing a bright light above, he
ascends fight of little steps and trots
across a small plank that is SO nicely adjust
ed as to balance that his weight causes it to
tip and throw him into a tank of water.
Another continuance consists of a double
chamber One chamber has a glass end,
through which Mr.. Rat sees two or three
imitation rats having nice time with
bit of cheese. Wishing to join them, be
runs around the box, gets into the other
chamber, and is caught.
There are number of devices which en-
ploy mirrors for the purpose of Turing MIR.
Rat to his fate He mounts on top of a bar
rel and sees toothsome piece of cheese
AS he approaches it, he beholds another
rodent-in reality his own reflection, in a
piece of looking glass-coming for the
cheese from the opposite direction. He
makes dash to get there first, and a piv-
Gifted board drops him into the cask, which
is half-full of water. Rats will swim for
long time, so one humanitarian has patent
ed a water trap with little shelves around
the edge and just 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 the hooks, gets it fastened in his
mouth, dislodges the piece of lead and is
carried to the bottom by the latter.
TO CATCH THIEVES.
Sparrow traps of many different
kinds. Most of them invite the birds to
walk in through door which drops behind
them, making them prisoners. When next
seen, in the restaurants, they are reed birds
on toast. Of greater interest are contri-
vances for catching thieves. One Of them
is designed to discourage bank sneaks.
The sneak puts his hand il through the
teller's window and Internationally actu-
ates a mechanism which causes a slide
with spikes to close suddenly upon his paw
and impale it. A trap of a somewhat similar
character is steel shutter for house
window so disguised with covering and
fringes to look like an ordinary curtain