The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-07-22
10 SCATTER PATENT MODELS.
UNCLE SANS BIG COLLECTION TO
GO TO THE ASH HEAP.


WASHINGTON, July Ala sad man 10
r. c. Gill. for nearly forty years keeper OF
the models OF the United States Patent
Office. He wanders aimlessly through the
long corridors on three foors OF the big
Union Building on q street between Sixth
and Seventh streets Northwest, taking q last
farewell OF his wards. He seems q part OF
the mustiness and %quaintness OF the place,
his tall form bent, his eyes piercing the
dusk, his bald head and white beard con-
trasting sharply with his surroundings.
Only a few days more and then. by act Of
Congress, his treasures, the accumulation
of all the years since the patent system was
established in 1890, will be distributed he
knows not where.
Nc one knows the great value and sin
gIlar interest attached to the lS7. 900 models
better than the old curator. The arrange
ment in the cases lie his; the labelling Is his;
everything but the right to say what shall
he lone with the models 10 his. They are
his pride and he has never been 60 happy
az when showing some visitor through the
labyrinth OF curiosities.
The keeping Of these models 10 costing
Uncle Sam too much money. Congress has
said 40 and the Commissioner OF Patents
agrees-or rather he agreed before Con-
gress said anything about the matter.
A rental Of $40, 500 a year is being paid for
a place to store them and keep the most
interesting on exhibition. The great move
ment for economy, started at the beginning
Of the last session, has reached to this
detail and all is over. A special COMMITTEES
is looking over the lot with a view 10 find
ing which models will have To be retained
under the United States statute as being
q part OF the record OF the inventions In con-
nection with which they were made. The
records OF patents, II they are essential,
must not be destroyed. in order that the
patentee may be amply protected against
infringement; n in some cases, although
only a very few. the inventors specif1ca-
tons refer to models and may not be under
stood without the models.
This is only a drop in the bucket. how
ever, for the authorities Of the Office de-
clare that o. per cent, and perhaps more
will be scattered. Those to which special
historic interest Is attached, such as the
original Howe sewing machine model,
the original model Of the electromagnetic
telegraph Instruments patented by s. F, B.
Morse in ls4e, and the first model Of a
patented gasolene automobile will doubt
less go the national museum in this city.
Some OF the others will be sold or given
away to any colleges or technical institu-
tons that want them. 1t Ia possible that
large patent soliciting firms which main-
tain small exhibits may desire to have
some and If they do they can get them
for a song. As for the rest-the ash heap,
Mr.. Gill has expended years Of thought
and labor in making the models tell the
complete story Of American invention.
When a visitor enters the model room on a
tour Of inspection he takes him first to a far
corner on The uppermoet foor and there in a
food OF light, next a big window, he points
to Case No. /. In it are the beginnings Of
things. A model of Eli Whitney's cotton
gin Is. there, but this 10 nos the one made !
under that inventors direction. The
famous patent Office fire Of September "a.
1877, destroyed that and Mr.. Gill had another
made from the original drawings. which
are, of course, IN record in the Office.
Another model that is in Case No. 1 Is that
of the first patented steam railway engine.
It is crudely constructed OF brass. but
serves to show what in the dawn Of steam
invention was a new principle in mechanics
the piston and cylinder applied to the
operation OF a carriage.
While these historic inventions hold the
attention Of the visitor. there Is another
which Is not so well known, but which
deserves notice. 1t is the oldest model in
the collection, a curious circular affair
like a table. with big brushes arranged to
operate upon 1t. The card tied to it reads.
Cloth shearing machine. Samuel S. Dorr.
October 20, 1892" Further along Is another
cloth-shearing machine, the work Of this
same Dorr and patented in 1907.
Pains are always taken by the aged
curator to say that those models are not
of the very first patents. The man who.
had the distinction Of first securing patent
rights from the United States Government
was Samuel Hopkins. There is nothing on
the record to show where he lived. His
scheme was for making potash and pearl
by a new and improved method.
His claim was allowed by a board consist
ing Of the Secretary Of State, the Secretary
OF War and the Attorney General in 1890.
the year OF the creation Of the patent system.
That same year two other patents were
issued, one on a machine for manufacturing
candles and the other for a four and meal
making machine.
Six cases are filled with sewing machine
models. From the first successful machine,
by Elias Howe. Jr., the claims on
which we're allowed September 10, 1s4s, |
In the same year with the telegraph, the
models show the development down the
years until the complicated but perfectly
smooth running delight Of the modern
housewife is reached. Then there are the
freaks. Mr.. Gill has humor stored up for
the occasion when any Of these are under
inspection.
Here's a pocket sewing machine invented
by a lady he says invariably. SHE In
tended that It should be carried around to
afternoon tea parties so that when oonversa-
ton Jagged it might be produced and a little
work accomplished
Then he waits q moment to give his hear
ers time to absorb his meaning before he ,
concludes, with a sly, sidelong glance. as il
Judge the wit of the stranger.
4 But there was never much use for these,
and the inventress didn't get ricli."
Women, always jealous OF the accom-
plishments Of their sex, have bsen accus-
toned in the past and present to inquire
Of the curator what other things" have
Neen tatented by women. So frequent has
AIS question been p~ropounded tina Mr..
all some time ago had nearly all Of the !
Of women's inventions collected In
in opa part ~ The h,,ildipo ucra l..