Washington sentinel., 1901-05-18
PATENTS.
A GOVernmentAl Beehive ana
Curiosity shop
By Patrick O'FayreH

is one OF the most important Gov
ernmental institutions. 1t occu-
pies a massive Doric structure,
which is, within, a vast human bee
hive. 1t is the only bureau or de-
partment Of the Government that
pays its own way. In 1900 the
earnings from fees amounted to
SI,3so,SaS So, while the total ex-
penses were only SI,a6o, ,oIe Ga.
leaving surplus of 500, 8oS.oI.
The Office organization embraces
a trained force OF examiners,
clerks, and officials, a majority OF
whom have been in service many
years. and nearly all of whom are
skilled experts possessing the
highest qualifications for the work
to be performed. AT the present
time the entire force consists Of the
Commissioner, who is supreme,
the Assistant Commissioner, three
Examiners.in- chief, and thirty-six
principal examiners, and many
other assistants. making in all
about 100 persons on the roll. The
archives OF the Office are valuable
and interesting.
The model room in the third
story OF the bui ding, Is a veritable
curiosity shop. Here, in impense
glass cases, arranged in balconies
three stories high, are stored many
models of all sorts and sizes, per-
talning to all kinds oil inventions.
The hre Of September "a, 1877, de-
stroyed a large number OF models
which have never been replaced,
but the collection that. remains fur
nishes material for more than one
day Of Interesting study. The COL
lection comprises m odels oil almost
every implement Of human use,
from the Hotchkiss machine gun
TO the toy pistol, from a steam
engine TO a common wood screw,
from the great windmill to bot
tle stopper, from steam ship to a
rat tap, from a threshing ma chine
% an ice cream freezer, from a
esadle to a tombstone, and from a
oivsls machine or a folding bed 60
a~hsh hook and toy hoop. There
are jumping jacks, dosing bottles,
and lite saving boats, cooking
stoves, printing presses, and gate
openers, horse shoes, rail road
irogs, and sausage machines, corn
planters. corn shelters, corn ex-
tractors, fans, corset stays, and
glove fasteners world without end.
Science and art have outgrown
many OF the contrivances which
he model room displays; but in
heir day they were regarded as
perfection in the various lines for
which they were designed, and
made fortunes for those who in
vented them. There IS a strikinglY
humorous side to Patent Office re-
search, growing out of the many
peculiar and funny things Tor
which patents have been obtained
Dr. sought. Among these oddities
IS a tape worm trap, to be inserted
through the mouth and catch the
lnw lry tape worm when he ven
lures too TAR off his reservation; an
Eliminated cat, metal cat show
ing eyes OF fire, etc. designed
10 be a holy terror to rats and
mice; the irontiersman's cannon
Dlow-beam OF plow loaded with
grape and canister shot, in case
Of sudden attack by Indians;
cyclone house, house anch
ored at the four corners as a pro-
lection against cyclones; an artifi
cial tail tor horses, to improve
their appearance; a device for
hens lay-when the hen
deposits her egg in the patent nest
It Immediately disappears into an
incubator and she feels compelled
TO repeat herself; a steering sppa-
fan attached to hunting
dogs tails to enable them TO turn
sharp corners.
These are only a few 1.-THE many
similarly unique DEVICES that
might be mentioned.
In the line oil toys there is an
endless display, some Of which
have been amongst the most prof.
table patents issued. The little
return ball with a rubber string
attached to the hand, is one OF
them. 1t made an immense for
tune for the inventor, simple as it
is. There are over one hundred
different toy banks, some exceed
ingly ingenious and unique. and
dolls without number.
To novice, or one who has
never given the subject thought,
the great number of patents in
some OF the classes is surprising.
Covering so simple a thing as a
wood-screw, there are over 200
I.G..H a