Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-05-26
FREAKS IN PATENTS,
Some Curious Inventions PILED for Pro
lection by The Laws.
CRANK IDEAS And ODD DISCOVERIES
They Arc Not Easily Distinguished In
Some Applicstions-sonc Of the
Specimens Given.
,fjxashlngton Evening starr


est OF them are devices Cor entrappine
beasts, bugs. fishes. and even human De
ings
What, for example. could be fLhhiei
than the notion OF using imitation flowers
with poisoned honey to attract noSicus
Insects? The artificial blossom. each con
tanning a small quantity Of sugary liGuio
properly prepared. are 20 he fastened &c
twigs. Moths OF destructive species sip
the deadly nectar and die. A more tlaoo-
rate device Of a similar description is in
tended for the protection Of apple-uees
1t Is a tin can covered as to It's uDpes
half with luminous paint. ON he OUTSIDE
of the lower half apple blossoms are rep
resented with the same sort Of paint
Inside of the receptacle Is a small quan-
tity Of cider The can is to be hung on
a branch Of an apple-tree at night. IN
sects attracted by the pictured h"wers
light upon the can. The smell Oh inc
cider induces them to enter through holes
provided for that purpose lheJ drop into
the cider and are drowned.
DIFFERENCE NOT EASILY SEN.
II is ndt always easy To distinguish be-
tween a crank idea and a useful discov-
cry. The poisoned counterfeits OF Bowers
above described are said TO work very
well. Many years ago a man got patent
for a method of killing bugs On trees by
jnclosing the whole tree In a sort or pal
loon OF canvas. into which an asphyX-
iating gas was TO be poured for the pur-
pose OF sudocating the insects Every
body thought he was a lunatic. But now
that his patent has run out The merits OF
the plan have suddenly obtained apprecia-
ton, and its adoption Is alleged 10 nave
saved the orange growing industry in
California.
Several kinds OF luminous bats for nsh
have been patented. One Of these IS
minnow OF hollow glass. coated on the IN
side partly with n solution OF gold or SUI
yer and partly with luminous paint. Inc
result Is very brilliant object IN the
water. calculated to attract any preua-
cious creature with fins. Another inter
esting contrivance is for making frog bait
more seductive. The Jerking or the line
cauIpped with this device causes the
frogs legs to move as II he were swim
ming.
Contrivances for catching Insects are
more numerous than any others. ohe oi
them Is a furnace for slaughterlng po-
tato-bugs. To begin with, deep and
wide furrow Is 10 be ploughed all around
an infested field. Through this trench a
smooth log Is dragged 10 make the sur
face hard and smooth The bugs IN
migrating to other grounds, are unaole
10 scale the trench. and the furnace
which Is a cylinder of iron hiled WIN
fuel. is drawn along the furrow, ana de-
stroys them. other odd devices are cart
RIDGES intended to be inserted in the
mouths of the ant-holes and to be fired,
thus communicating sitting vapors to the
subterra mean chambers; also, many kinds
of lamps for attracting and burning M
the moths OF various 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
tran for catching the horn fly. which Is
such an enemy 10 cattle in some parts
OF the country. 1t consists most impoi-
family of "A great frame. TO which brush
is attached in such maner that when
the beasts walk through, eager. as they
flies will be scraped from their bodies
by the branches. finally the frame Is
closed by the means of doors. and the
captured insects are destroyed. Nearly
everybody has heard OF the gold tape
worm trap which the patient swallows.
Red-bug trans are Of several varieties,
all OF them being intended to afford at
iractlve hiding-places for those blood
suckers and 10 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 a door. which drops behind MIN
and makes him a prisoner Seeing
bright light above. he ascends flight OF
little steps, and trots across small plank
that Is so nicely adjusted as TO balance
that his weight causes IL to tip and
throw him into a tank or water. An
other contrivance consists OF double
chamber. One chamber has a glass end.
through which Mr.. Rat sees two or
three imitation rats having a nice time
with a bit of cheese. Wishing to join
them. he runs around the box. gets into
the other chamber. and is caught.
There are a number OF devices which
employ mirrors for the purpose OF Turing
Mr. Rat 10 his fate. lie mounts on
top Of barrel. and sees toothsome piece
OF cheese. As he approaches IL he be-
holds another rOdent-in reality his own
reflection, in "A piece Of bookings glass
coming for the cheese from the opposite
direction. He makes dash to get there
first and a pivotted board drops him into
the cask. which is half fun OF water
Rats will swim for long time, so one
humanitarian has patented water-trap
with little shelves around the edge and
just above 'rhe 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 II fastened In his mouth,
the piece Of lead. and Is carried
to the bottom by the latter.
TO CATCH THIEVES.
Sparrow traps are Of many different
kinds Most Of them invite the birds TO
walk in through door which drops be-
hind them, making them prisoners. When
next seen, in the restaurants. they are
reed birds on toast. OF greater interest
are contrivances for catching thieves
One OF them is designed to discourage
bank sneaks. The sneak puts his hand
In through the teller's window and unin-
tentionally actuates a mechanism which
causes a slide with spikes to close sud
denly upon his paw and impale IT, A
trap of somewhat similar character Is
a steel shutter for a house window. so
disguised with covering and fringe as to
look like an ordinary curtain. IL burg
lar tries to enter at night 1t shuts down
upon him. the spikes hidden by the fringe
helping TO hold him fast.
American inventors have been fruitful
" queer ideas In musical Instruments
Patents have been sought for yiolins
made OF metal, OF earthenware, OF glass,
Of leather, and even OF glue. Plain wood.
however. maintains its place as the ac-
cepted material for this purpose. How
many people have ever heard OF the
'doorophone?' IL consists OF a frame
and sounding board, with tuned wires
md little metal balls suspended. The
,ontrivance is hung upon a door When
the latter Is opened. the balls swing back
md forth and strike Harmonious chords.
There Is a 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
,ircuit. Mechanical fingers thus actuated
pick the strings and depress them at the
frets. Another instrument Is so arranged
hat one may play the banjo by manipu-
ating the keys of a. keyboard like that
II plano on a small scale. The same
dea Is varied by a combination OF piano
md tnli ha sfPir Of he l.r hi.