The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-02-05
THE FLOOD OF PATENTS.
Articles of Everyday Use the Subject q
Thousands of Inventions.

o. Thousands of Inventions.
1T Is becoming harder every year for a man
to get out a successful invention" remarked a
patent attorney. 1.-The other day / was in
Washington and my work required me to
search the old patent list. The thing that at
tracted my attention was the great number Of
patents taken out on common. everyday ar
ticles. Why. theJ. are SO covered with patents
that 1t seems absolutely impossible for an in
ventor to make any improvement upon them
without Infringing upon somebody else.
o instance. take knives, forks and
spoons. How many patents do you suppose
are taken out on these three articles OF every
day necessity A dozen or two? Why. bless
you. they are protected by 2,1O3 patents.
Then take brooms and scrubbing brushes.
You. wouldn't. think that any number OF
geniuses could invent more, than a hundred
are patents for them to the number OF 3. 1S4.
1t seems ridiculous. doesn't it2 1t did to me,
and for a time l thought / would 90 home and
advise every one OF my clients to give up the
Il had the curiosity to go a little deeper into
Der OF patents taken out on other small things.
Games and toys are protected by 1853 differ.
looked. for games and toys are as varied and
uncertain as our winter weather. The laun-
dry business is hedge IN pretty well with pat
laundry articles. Burglars ought never to be
able to get through our locks and latches, for
they are protected by 5.976 patents; but then
this is partly Offset by 4.299 patents for saws
and saving apparatus which burglars might
use for destroying locks. Altogether. how.
ever. the farmer seems to be the man for
whom the inventors have labored most. There
are $4,000 patents recorded which in one way
or another tend to benefit the farmer. 1t mutt
DC, that this is a pretty fertile and profitable
Held for the inventor or, else he would not de-
vote so much time and labor TO it.
"Manufacturing interests OF all kinds are
pretty well loaded down with patents. In the
furniture trade alone there are IS patents
to protect the business outside of those which
pertain to chairs. These latter necessary ar
ticles for the home are covered with ovor 500
patents. When you take up a piece of paper
TO write a letter you probably do rot realize
that the manufacture OF stationery is handi-
capped. or protected. whichever way you
please TO put it. by 1882 patents. That fact
ought to make one careful how he attempts to
invent a new style OF envelope. blotter or writ
ing paper. He would have TO be a remarkable
genius to get around all OF these and establish
a. clean bill OF health for his invention.
When | look at one OF the tall buildings In
now and view it with more interest than I ever
did before. That builder has had a host Of
inventors laboring to make his work easier.
His cranes and derricks are, protected by 500
patents. the roof he may put.on has 6 pat
ents and the elevators he may put in the
building have 1885 patents. Then the.stone
workers who carve the front for him use tools
which are covered by 2.1SS patents. ] sup
pose II the builder had to stop and think OF all
this he would not be able to finish his work.
But a patent attorney must know it."