The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1901-01-17
PROFITABLE PATENTS.

An article by the late E. V. Smalley,
in the January Century, tells how pa
tents are taken out at Washington,
what they cost, and what some of them
(; yield to the inventors:
The progressive development of in
ventive genius in this country, as indi-
Gated by the number of patents issued
each year, has been by successive
waves rather than by regular and con-
tinuOus advance. Taking the first year
OF each decennial period, we find that
in 1900 the number of patents granted
was Al; in 1870 223; in 1920, 1855; in 1880,
554; i'll 1910, 473; in 1880. 995; in 1860,
4,53S. The great increase in inventions
during the decennial period $4,000 is a
remarkable feature in Patent Office his
tory. This period was one of rapid
national development, and was charac-
terlzed by the great extension of steam
transportation, the general introduce
ton OF the telegraph, and the perfec-
ton OF the sewing-machine, the reaper,
the mower and many other valuable de-
vices. During the Civil War the pro-
duction of patents fell off, but no soon
er had the volunteer troops returned to
their homes than wonderful fertility
of invention was displayed. Ideas that
had been developing in the minds of the
soldiers during their life in the camps
were put into models by the thousand
and sent to Washington. In 1865 the
number of patents granted was 6,616,
and IN 1867 it had run up to 1926 1t
remained for a time at about that an
nual figure, being, in 1870 1891: but in
1876, the year of the Centennial Exhibit
ton, which powerfully stimulated in
ventive genius, it reached the highest
number yet attained, 17,026. Then
there was a steady recession, and by
1880 the patent crop had fallen back to
1891. Since 1883 the number of pa
tents annually issued has exceeded 30
600. During the calendar year 1899
there were issued 25,527 patents.
One of the old examiners in the Pa
tent Office estimates that about one in
vention out of twenty-five repays the
cost of taking out patent. Yet in
ventors as a class are sanguine men,
and no knowledge Of the enormous per
centage of chances against them will
deter them from multiplying ingenious
devices. Every one expects fortune
from his particular piece of merchan-
ism. Every one has heard not only
OF the enormous sums realized from the
great inventions of the last half-cen-
fury, but also of the large returns
yielded by things apparently trihing
which have struck the public fancy or
met the public need. The toy called
the return-ball, small ball attached to
an elastic string, is said to have pro-
duced profit of $4,000 year; the
rubber tip on lead-pencils has yielded a
competence to the inventor; more than
81, 200, 900 has been earned by the gimlet-
pointed screw, the inventor of which
was so poor that he trudged on foot
from Philadelphia to Washington to
get his patent; the roller-skate has
yielded sl,O00,OOO after the patentee
spent $4,000 in England fighting in
fringements; the dancing Jim Grow is
set down for 49, 900, and the copper tip
for children's hoes at $1,000, 900; the
spring widow-roller pays 100000
year; the needle-threader $4,000 year;
from the drive-well $1,000 600 have been
realized; the stylographic pen is credit
ed with 100000 a year; and the egg
beaten, the rubber stamp and the
marking-pan for shading different col
ors, with large sums. These are only a
few examples among hundreds that
might be cited No wonder inventors
are hopeful when they reflect that com
fort for life and fortune for their chill
dren may come from a single fortunate
idea.