The Norfolk weekly news-journal., 1907-03-22
new LOCK IS PATENTED
THE NORFOLK LOCK-" INVENTED
HERE, FOR MAIL POUCHES.
MAY BE SOLD TO UNCLE SAM

r. S. Benser, Postmaster at Hoskins,
and M. M. Faucet Of Norfolk, Are
the Inventors And 1t May Mean a
Fortune for Them.
Is the Norfolk lock-" invented by
two northeast Nebraska men, destined
to supercede the present government
mail pouch lock, bring fortunes to its
inventors and help advertise the name
of Norfolk wherever the mails go?
M. M. Faucet of Norfolk and Post
master f. S. Benser of Hoskins have
invented lock designed for the eX-
press purpose of supplanting the pres
ent arrangement for locking the gov
eminent mail pouches. A government
patent was granted the inventors last
week. If they can prevail upon the
postoffice department to adopt their
lock the invention will net them a for
tune.
There are several million mail
pouches in active use over the coun-
try in the various postoffices and mail
cars. AS soon as an assignment OF
letters is placed in one of the pouches,
the pouch is locked and hurried on its
journey. The present system involves
the use of a detached paddock. Here
is where the inventors base their prin-
cipal claims. Their lock is firmly at
tached to the strap which wraps
around the neck of the mail pouch.
Its Features.
The principal merits of the new lock,
according to its originators, are it's
compactness, the ease with which it
can be snapped shut and the fact that
it abolishes the seperate paddock. If
adopted they declare that the new
method of locking will be of great
convenience to mail clerks the country
over.
The new lock was given practical
test yesterday afternoon at the Nor
folk postoffice by experienced mail
men. While the lock worked under
disadvantage on account of not being
riveted to the pouch, the invention was
pronounced practical. Certain minor
changes were also suggested by the
postoffice men,
The idea of the new lock originated
with Postmaster Benser at Hoskins
partly as a result of the annoyance
occasioned by the use Of the present
form of locking. He communicated
his ideas to M. Nj. Faucet of Norfolk,
who soon had the plan worked out in
a crude form. During the past year
the lock has been brought to the pres
ent form in which it has been sub
mitted to the patent office.
Would Sell to Uncle Sam.
The aim of the inventors is to dis
pose of the patent rights to the govern
ment, provided that the postoffice de-
partment puts it's stamp of approval
on the invention. Here of course re-
poses the greatest obstacle in the path
of the Nebraska inventors If the de-
partment can be made to approve the
lock the inventors probably stand to
realize several hundred thousand dol
lars. Such approval, however, cannot
be looked forward to until after
months have passed. In fact the gen.
eral experience seems to be that new
ideas are not met by a smiling recep-
ton committee at the Washington de-
partments.
M. M. Faucet, one Of the inventors
and holder of half interest in the
patent, is the president of the Faucet,
Carney, Hager Co., owners of the To-
cal candy factory. His home has been
in Norfolk for two years past.
The new lock has been officially des-
ignated as "The Norfolk Lock-"