Washington sentinel., 1900-11-03
T>T1T EI> SENTINEL
AbsurditIes Found In the Patent
ONCE

OAuGGs
p, professor Of political economy
in one OF our great universities was
wont to say that the United States
Patent Office was to him the most
melancholy place in the world.
He referred, of course, to the inn
mense amount OF energy that is
wasted by would-be inventors on
absurd or impracticable devices.
This vast collection Of absurditieS,
however, may furnish amusement
as we'll as food Tor fearful rehec-
tio7s. In Popular Science (Oct.),
A. Livingston Bogart sets forth
some Of the things that strike him
as particularly o6d or laughable in
the Patent Office museum.
The original custom OF filing
working models with specifications
has now fallen into disuse, Mr..
Bogart tells use, owing to lack OF
space tor the storage oi such col
lection. The discontinuance OF
this requirement, he thinks, has
not contributed to the PRACTICABLE
ity OF recent patents. The neces-
sitY for producing a model and
testing it gave opportunity for the
inventor to develop his first crude
ideas and remedy defects. The
examination OF host OF patents
proves, Mr.. Bogart tells US, that
while the inventor premises are
correct and the methods extremely
ingenious, they have often over
looked the disadvantages incident
to the use OF the device which are
overwhelmingly against its EN-
ployment. He says:
"As an example could be cited
the expedient patented to prevent
horses from running away. This
consisted OF strong chain passed
about the forelegs Of the animal
and kept supported against his
breast by a line secured to the
dashboard. Should the animal
take fright and run, the liue is SIM
ply loosened, when the chain tails
to the horses knees, throwing him
and breaking his legs. Another
genius, after citing the danger iron
runaways, not only to the pas
senger but the steed himself, CALL
attention to the absolute waste o
energy exerted by the horse IL
descending hills. He also men
tionS the exposure the animal is
subjected to from storms and rays
OF the sun in summer. With one
bold stroke he leaves all conven,
tional methods behind. The horse
is placed under the wagon insteac
Of in front oil It, the vehicle being
arched above him. Thus he i:
perfectly protected from the
weather and leaves an unob
structed view. A strong canva.
and leather band encircles the an
imals body, the ends OF which pas!
upward through the bottom OF the
wagon and are attached by chain!
20 a windlass above the flooring
Should the horse be descending ;
hill or undertake to bolt, the drive
calmly winds on crank and lit
him of his feet,
This latter scheme is certainly
brainier than the one for i'm proved
canal boat propulsion, which, al
though not patented, is related By
some writer. The object to be at
tanned was to continue the use o
the mule, but while protecting hin
from the weather, flies, ETC., to dC
away with the loss of time neces
STATED in having to stop the boa
and run out gangplank to tn
towpath in changing animals. Tht
mule is kept in the boat at all times
The bottom Of the canal is leveleC
Of and the towpath disposed oi
Four holes are made in the bottom
oi the boat through which the leg
Of the mule pTotrude. He really
walks on the bed ofthe canal, al
though thoroughly protected b.
the surrounding boat structure
and the driver may recline at hi
ease beside him. In his report @
his first experiment 10 the director
and stockholders OF the compan'
which he had formed, the Invento
stated that there was a failuT
owing to one reason only, VIZ, tina
he could not find a single cana
boat that was not leaky, ant
strange to say lin spite oil the as
surances OF the owners OF the boat
to the contrary, this trouble in
variably made its appearance a
soon as ne had prepared the bot
tom OF the boat tor his mule ant
launched it,"