Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1901-05-08
JEFFERSON AS AN INVENTOR.

JEFFERSON AS AN INVENTOR.
Opposed to Patents, He Gave to the
World Many Proofs of Ingenuity.
Thomas Jefferson was himself an in
ventor; but, consistent in his belief In
the natural right Of all mankind to
share useful Improvements without res
traint, he never applied for patent.
His first original device was a fold
ing chair, which he used to carry to
church in early days, when services were
held in the court house at Charlottes-
VILE and the seating conveniences were
insufficient. His grandson tells US how
he would mount his horse early In the
morning during the later years Of his
life, canter down the mountain and
across the country to the site Of the
university, and spend long day there,
directing the work, carrying with him
a walking stick Of his own invention,
now familiar to all, composed Of three
sticks, which, being spread out and Gov
cred with a piece of cloth, made toll
erable seat" Mr.. Bacon, his overseer,
in his "reminiscences says: "His SER
wants came with him and brought a
seat, kind Of camp stool Of his own in
vention. After Mr.. Jefferson got old
and feeble a servant used to go with
him and carry that stool so that he
could sit down while he was waiting
for anybody or attending to any work
that was going on.
He invented the revolving chair, now
a familiar and necessary article of fur
niture in all offices and counting rooms.
The Federalist newspapers used to call
it "Mr. Jefferson Whirl-i-gig," and de-
clared that he had devised it $50 as to
look all ways at once"
He also designed light wagon, or
sulky, with a comfortable seat and two
wheels, with which he drove around the
country when he was too feeble to ride
horseback.
Mr.. Jefferson invented the copying
press. He writes to Mr.. Madison In
1887: Having great desire to have a
portable copying machine, and having
studied over some experiments with the
principle or large machines made to ap-
ply in the smaller one, planned one In
England and had it made. 1t answers
perfectly. I have set a workman to
making them, and they are Of such
demand that he has his hands full.
send you one. You must expect to
make many essays before you succeed
perfectly. A soft brush, like a shaw
ing brush, Is more successful than
sponge" He also sent copying press
to the Marquis de Lafayette as pres
ent.
Another of his inventions was hemp
break, which he says "has long been
wanted by the cultivators Of hemp, and
as soon as can speak Of its effect with
certainly shall describe it anonymous
ly in the public papers, in order to fore
stall the prevention Of its use by some
interloping patentee."
He invented a pedometer to measure
the distances he walked. He sent one
to James Madison, with the following
explanatory letter: ITO the loop at the
bottom Of it you must sew a tape, and
at the other end Of the tape small
hook. Cut little hole in the bottom
of your left watch pocket, pass the
hook and tape through it, and down
between the breeches and drawers, and
fix the hook on the edge Of your knee
band, an inch from the knee buckle;
then hook the instrument itself by Its
swivel hook, on the upper edge of your
watch pocket. Your tape being adjust
ed in length, your steps will be exactly
measured by the instrument"
His most important invention was a
plough. Mr.. Bacon, his overseer, says:
He was very ingenious. He invented
plow that was considered a great
improvement on any that had ever been
used. He got great many premiums
and medals for it. He planned his own
carriage, buildings, garden and fences,
and many other things. He was nearly
always busy upon some plan or model.
Jefferson's plough received a gold
medal in France in 1890. During his
European tours he had been struck
with the waste Of power caused by the
bad construction of the ploughs in COM
mon use. The part Of the plough called
the "mouldboard," which Is above the
share and turns over the earth, seemed
to him the chief seat Of error, and he
spent many Of the leisure hours OF his
last two years in France In evolving
a mouldboard which should offer the
minimum Of resistance. He sent the
original design to the Royal Agricul-
tural Society of the Seine. The medal
which they awarded for it followed the
inventor to New York, and 18 years af-
terward the society sent him superb
plough containing his improvement
Chicago Record-Herald.