The times., 1899-07-02
FREAKS IN new PATENTS
Effect of the Recent War on Invent
i've Genius.
Flying Machines That VIII Not Fly,
intended to Drop Earthquakes Into
the Enemy's Country-An Electric
Gas Lighter which Prevents Sui
cide-An Odd Blanket Fire Escape.

The Patent Office is one of the Meecas
OF tourists TO Washington. 1t is also a
source of endless interest to many old
Washingtonians. who make frequent visits
to its crowded corridors, and hundreds OF
show cases. In way the collection that
reposes in this Office is one of the wond-
ers OF the world. II contains more OF less
accurate model OF everything in the way
Of a machine that has been invented by
Yankee ingenuity. not to mention medi-
cines, processes, and new applications OF
old IDEAS Machines that work and ma
chimes that have never been made to work
are here. Successes and failures. simple
contrlvanees that have made millionaires
of people and complicated mechanisms that
have ruined others, are grouped side by
side.
Flying machines on which thousands OF
dollars have been spent with no result
and fifteen puzzles" worth 2 cents to
make. that have distracted the entire
world even more than the problem Of ty-
ing may be seen.
People who follow the records of the
Patent Office have learned the curious
fact that inventive genius follows grooves
as almost all people wear one kind OF hat
or coat when they are the fashion There
are fashions in patents When one man
invents a flying machine and 1t is written
about in the newspapers there spring up
Immediately a hundred other geniuses WHO
believe they can solve the problem OF nav
igating the air. And when one man makes
a success with a puzzle or a game the
number of eontrivanees Of the same kind
that follow is legion.
A curious instance of this, which is per-
haps more easily understood, however. is
the immense impetus TO inventions con-
nected with the art of war that has been
given by the Spanish American conflict
Smokeless powder, Improvements in quick
firing apparatus and in disappearing gun
carriage machinery and projectiles. are
some of the more legitimate and perhaps
practicable lines of experiment that are
taken up. But, aside from these, there has
flooded the office great number of in
fernal machines, warranted to destroy en-
tire armies, cause earthquakes, and sink
fleets. Another craze that breaks out pc
riodically is the invention of bullet-proof
armor. Still another is the flying ma
chine that is also an air warship. to cary
destruction into the enemy's country, and
let it drop on his head. These range from
the simple balloon which has been tried
practically by the War Department to the
elaborate steel engine, weighing many
tons, that is intended to fly through the air
with the rapidity of the wind itself at the
will of its navigator.
Among the recent freak inventions.
some of them plausible enough, and even
perhaps practical, and some otherwise, are
rubber shoes for the horse, to prevent the
jar on his feet, and not to keep it dry; the
patent blanket fire-escape into which the
victim of the confagration jumps from
the upper stories of the tall office build
ing; the electric gas lighter that in addi-
ton makes it impossible for gas to es-
cape from the tip without being ignited.
and thus prevents suicides; the pool table
that gathers its own balls after they have
been put into the pockets and has them
ready in a bunch after the game is over,
and the small writing pad for the palm
of the hand, for the use of newspaper merfs
who do not care to be seen taking notes.
These are, it might almost be said, the
grist OF one day at the Patent Office mill.
A description of some of them is inter-
esting.
The care which 1t is necessary to give
the collection and removal Of the balls
from the pockets in playing pool is a de-
traction which stands in the way of the
full enjoyment of the game. BY means of
an attachment recently made to the pool
table, the designed patent of Thomas A.
Griffin, of Milford, Conn, this task is re-
duced to a minimum. An inclined race
way extends all around the table. having
a connection with each pocket at the bot
tom and at the outlet at the end OF the ia
bic is a trap arrangement by which each
players worries are collected and held un-
til the end of his run, when the balls are
released and fall down into a common re-
ceptacle. This latter is movable vertical
ly, its action being controlled by lever
convenient to the feet and at the end OF
the game the whole set OF balls is raised
by means of the lever to a point on the
level with the table, where they are in
very convenient position for setting up
The cushion principle has been so sue
cessfully applied to vehicles that efforts
are being made to utilize IL as a means Of
saving the horses joints by devising some
sort of horseshoe which will relieve the
animal of the many rapidly succeeding
shocks as he pounds the hard road with
his hoofs. Elias A. Powers, Of Chicago
has recently designed and patented horse
shoe having rubber heels which is said to
successfully afford the animal relief. The
shoes are made recessed at the ends for
the purpose of receiving broad rubber
heels, which not only take up the force o.
the blow as the foot strikes the ground.
but also acts as a protector for the frog o.,
the foot which is exceedingly sensitive
The rubber blocks are interchangeable and
are held firmly in place by means OF
pin passing through the shoe.
The blanket method of rescuing persons
from burning buildings is a very effective.
one. but the only drawback is that it is
often difficult TO get together a sufficient;
number of experienced persons to hold the,
sheet. George Kirschenhoffer of Balti-
more. Nd, has patented a portable and
collapsible framework, to answer the pur-
pose, capable of being folded. 1t can be
readily carried on any fire apparatus ane
quickly thrown up for use.