The news-democrat. (Providence, R.I.) 1906-1909, 1906-11-07

IDEAS THAT HAVE
BROUGHT FORTH
BIC FORTUNES

The lot of the inventor is undoubtedly
one huge gamble, the odds. in the major
ity instances, being against the inventor.
He may patent ideas year after year
which fall nat and never return a penny
profit on the $40 spent I'm protecting them,
or again. he may hit upon simple con-
trivance the result of which is a fortune.
Take tho case OF the clergyman, hold
ing one ~ the poorest livings I'm England.
who invented and used a stylograph. He
made no attempt " patent his invention
until "A friend, who happened Ia be paying
him visit, advised him strongly TO OBJ
tain provisional protection. which ne did,
defraying the cost OF the same out OF his
meagre income The stylograph lay u.s.
Jess for bout FIVE years for the simple
reason that the reverned gentleman never
made any attempt 10 turn IL To advantage
At last he exerted himself and In the end
his invention was taken up. and for about
six years his income amounted TO ElS,OoO
per annum
! sailmaker employed on a ship trading
| between London and Melbourne brought
| out and patented hose coupling. The
| captain Of his ship advised him TO lose no
time I'm getting it protected. AMI on his
| return to London. after q voyaSS TO Mel
bourne. he did SO, and placed II on the
market II had been out only a week
when the sole rights were bought for
| 5000 lie. needless to say, did not 60 ont
| 10 Melbourne again as sailmaker. but
| settled down In his native village To on
| JOY the fortitude made by the iudicious
| expenditure Of few pounds.
| Living a present i'm the United States
| rs Millionaire whose money was made
bN pdtenttng, before his idea could be
| pirated. cane bottoms for chairs. While
| at home for a few days on sick leave,
| the idea that cane could be utilized az
| material for the manufacture OF chair
seats flashed across his mind 40 he set
| 10 work, and for several hours was kept
| busily employed AT this original idea oC
| his. The first day he returned' to busi-
ness he went direct 10 the patent Office
| and protected his/ invention The idca
| as soon as IL was placed upon the mar
| ket. caught on rapidly. and today he is
| one OF the many American milionaires.
Some years ago a Col Green was out
! they camped I'm a place where there was
| unfortunately, no water. The colonel
who was . handy man. set TO work and
| whereby he and his men were able to
| obtain plenty Of water for their needs
| When he returned 10 civilized parts hc
/ at once patented his idea the drive
| WELL and out of this he made tho nice
| little fortune of over $500 Ofa aud ther.
are some thousands of farmers who year
| ly pay royalty for the privilege of using
| the colonels ingenious invention
| farmer. on the very verge Of
bankruptcy, suddenly struck an idea
which. II successful he thought would
save hi mand his family from penury
! and disgrace. He worked day ana
OF that time he succeeded. and launched
| upon the market an improved shut
| tie for sewing machine The idea
was not long upon tho market before
its good points became evident To the
| manufacturers Of sewing machines
| al
mers income amounted to about Els
600 per annum.
The daughter Of another farmer
made a splendid fortune out Of sim
pie contrivance. \ large part Of tho
| farmers income was derived from hIs
dairy. which was rather expensive. The
daughter superintended" this part Of
| the business. and the farmer TO the
other but annually they lost large
sum through broken eggs At last
this became so great that the farmers
daughter set to work 10 remedy tho
evil In the end she invented. and
her father patented. cardboard
frame that fitted into the egg box, thus
saving the eggs from falling against
one another. and so getting broken.
For a month or so No one took any no.
tice Of the idea until the head OF a arg"
firm Of egg importers noticed this con
trivanca. He at once COMMUNICATED with
the girls father. and offered TO buy the
invention outright, bur tho father be
ing rather shrewd man Of business.
would not consent, but came 10 an
agreement with large firm 10 manufac-
ture and sell his commodity for him.
out Of the sale of this simple idea the
girl obtatued thr snug little fortune of
10 000 pounds.
\ certain gentleman, who used gas as
a r cans of illumination in his house was
much troubled by tho way In which his
ceiling bccam. black. So al last he set
! 20 work and invented, patented, and
ulaced upon the market glass globe.
To be hung above the gas jet, To prevent
tn ceiling from becoming black. II would
ssct1 that he was not tho only person
troubled by this nuisance, as his income,
? ,untlng TO 5000 pounds a year was
ri ,ained from royalties paid by the firms
wnc manufacture and sell this ingenious
q, itrivance.