The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1901-04-06
PROFITABLE PATENTS.
About One Invention in Twenty Ave Pays
for Expense Of Patenting 1t.

About One Invention in Twenty Ave Pays
for Expense Of PatentinG 1t.
An article by the late E. V. Smalley.
In the Century, tells how patents 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 in.
dicated by the number OF patents is
sued each year. has been by success
sive waves rather than by a regular
and continuous advance. Taking the
first year CT each decennial period, we
find that in 1900 the number of pat
ents granted was Al; in 1910. 223; in
1920. 1856; in 1880. 554; in 1910. 473;
In 1850. 995; In 1860. 453S. The great
increaae in inventions during the de-
cennial period 1S50-G0 is a remarkable
feature in patent Office history. This
period was one of rapid national de-
velopment, and was characterized by
the great extension of steam-transpor.
tation, the general introduction Of the
telegraph. ard the perfection 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 a wonderful fer
tility Of invention was displayed.
Ideas that had been developing in the
,1o 80 III %hofv fn
in the camps were put into models by
the thousand and sent to Washington.
In 1865 the number Of patents granted
was CG16. and in 1867 it had run up to
/. 1926. 1t remained for a time at
about that annual figure. being. In
the Centennial exhibition, which
powerfully stimulated inventive gen.
ius. 1t reached the highest number yet
attained, 17O2s. Then there was a
steady recession. and by 1880 the pat
ert crop had fallen back to 13,947.
nually issued has exceeded 10000.
During the calendar year 1899 there
were issued 25.527 patents.
One OF the old examiners in the
patent office estimates that about one
invention in 25 repays the cost of TAX
ing out patent. Yet inventors as a
class are sangine men. and no knowl-
edge of the enormous percentage OF
chances against them will deter them
from multiplying ingenious devices.
Every one expects fortune from his
particular piece Of mechanism. Every
one has heard not only Of the enor-
nous sums realized from the great in
ventions Of the last half-century. but
also of the large returns yielded by
things apparently triAing which have
struck the public fancy or met the
public need. The toy called the re-
turnball. a small ball attached to an
elastic string, is said to have produced
a profit of $4,000 year; the rubber
tip on lead pencils has yielded a COM
petence to the inventor; more than
81 ,0O0 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 mas
yielded $1.OOO,0oO after the patentee
spent $12S,0O0 in England fighting in
fringements; the dancing Jim Crow is
set down for $4,000. and the copper
tip for children's shoes at $4,000, 900:
the spring window-roller pays $780,
900 a year. the needle-threader $10..
900 a year; from the drive-well $3,000,-
900 have been realized; tie stylograph-
ic pen IS credited with 100000
year; and the egg-beater, the rubber
stamp, and the marking-pan for shad-
ing different colors. with large sums.
These are only few examples amcag
hundreds that might be cited. No
wonder inventors are hopeful when
they reflect that comfort for life and
fortune for their children may come
from \ single fortunate idea.