Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-10-13

perfecting of some radical innovation are
contemporaneouSly expressed in the models
filed with the patent office. Though the
rule is not without exceptions, the greatest
inventions were first protected by models
of such crudity as to be scarcely recognize
able as forerunners of the finished article
of today
Take the telephone, for instance. In the
patent Office are two cones of wood with
memDraneous ends and a confusing tangle
of metal and wire Each of the cones
could be hidden in ones hand. Yet they
are the beginning of idea that has been
perfected to the elaborate instrument of to-
day. out of which millions have been made,
and by the use of which continents are
bridged.
Failed to Recognize Them.
No one at first glance would associate
these insignificant bits of wood and metal
with the telephone of today. AS a matter
of fact. the inventor himself recently did
not. One day some photographs of the
original telephone instrument were shown
to Alexander Graham Bell, the inventor OF
the telephone, and he was asked some ques-
lions concerning the instrument.
Il don't know what this is. said Mr.
Bell. Il have never seen the instruments
here represented
1t was explained that the pictures were
accurate representation of the models
Of his first telephone, the crude idea on
which he had built his fame and fortune.
Aided by this explanation, Mr.. Bell re-
called the principles of his first model. But
association with the perfected instrument
of today had so blurred recollection OF the
crude model by which he first protected his
invention that the memory had for the mo-
ment been obllterated. Mr.. Bell manifested
the greatest interest in the models and said
he would take the first opportunity to visit
the patent office and renew acquaintance
with the old creatures of his brain.
Though small and insignificant, these two
crude models of the telephone were suffi-
cient to secure the patents on the principles,
which, as set forth in the patent granted
Mr.. Bell March I, 1876. were: The method
Of and apparatus for, transmitting vocal
and other sounds geographically, by caus-
Ing electrical undulations. similar in form
to the vibrations of the air accompanying
the vocal or other sounds"
Early Electric Lighting.
OF scarcely less commercial Importance
are the arc and incandescent lights The
arc light has undergone little change in gen.
eral form since it was patented by Colner
and Baker on May IS, 1883. There have
been wonderful changes in its mechanism.
but the hour-glass form of the first model
is still preserved.
With the incandescent light it is different.
There is not the slightest resemblance be
tween the first model and the bulb light OF
today. Its inventors had an idea that the
light would be valuable as signal light.
SO they patented it as such. The nature
of invention" they said. consists in
effective equivalent, with a transparent sig
nal lantern, said combination being effected
by arranging the coil within the lantern
upon two conducting wires, which are con-
nected with IAN electro alVanic battery.
By our invention the most intense and bril-
liant light can be constantly kept up, as the
electric current Is concentrated by the plati-
mum coil in such manner that said coil
will always be heated to the color of a brill
liant white flame, which will be seen at a
great distance through the unshaded CEN
trail part of the lantern, and its reflected
rays through the colored portions of the
transparent front"
The Folding Bed.
Thousands have used the folding bed
with varying emotions. Some have been
inclined to bless, others to curse, the in
yentor He poor SOUL wholly inno-
cent of any conception of the instrument of
torture that has been evolved from his in
vention. He pictured himself as a benefac-
tor and as student of economy. 1T can
be thrown into several convenient and ac-
commodatng positions he said In his APP
pIication for patent, land can be folded
up into form easily removable in case of
fire." etc. He pictured his colapsibe bed
stead when provided with a convenient
mattress, adjustable as reclining chair for
inyalids and in other useful positions.
The washboard was patented by a man
In Manlius, n. Y, back in 1888. He copied
the legs from the old four-poster bedstead.
Between the posts he put a piece of fiuted
sheet metal, and got it patented. The model
isn't thing Of beauty, and 1t isn't much