The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1913-04-25

5000 patents had been granted to
women according to a report issued
by the patent office that year. AS the
last patent included in this list was
No. 10,939, the report would indicate
that nearly a third OF the patents
granted had been issued to women.
Following this first report upon the
patents granted to the women in
ventors of the country, the patent Of
flee issued two appendices carrying
the list down to February 26, 1895,
when patent No. 534,76O was awarded
to Sarah ]. Root of New Haven, Conn.
for a locking device for fastening cor
sets. Since that date the office evil
IDENTIFY had assumed that there is
no sex in invention, and has not kept
separate lists of the women inventors.
While fewer h 10 per cent of the
patents now taken out are in women's
names, the wide diversity of their
subjects indicate that there is no linn
itation to the channels followed by
the woman inventor. Her patents
cover everything from a pin to an
automobile, a corset fastening to a
steam shovel.
III lIS SnRoSASAchi iSia
in Philadelphia in 1875, little account
had been taken Of women's inventions.
| During that year and the year pre-
ceding. however, nearly 200 patents
had beer awarded to women, the sub
jects ranging from hair crimping pins
to steam generators n inchding
many unique household ~conveniences,
as well as appliances for factories,
farm implements and clothing. When
all these inventions were gathered
under one roof and exhibited as the
results of feminine ingenuity the in
terest in women's patents Immediately
went up several degrees.
1t was noted then, as the patent at
torney observes is still the case, that
many inventions made by women are
patented by r1en. In the early sixties
a large foundry in the city of Troy
began to manufacture horseshoes by
machinery, turning out one in about
three seconds. an unheard of speed
before that period. 1t was found that
the machine which accomplished this
was invented by a woman, although
the patent was held in a mans name.
The first moving machine having an
attachment by which the knives are
thrown out of gear whenever the
driver leaves his seat, was invented by
a women who did not patent, so she
receives no credit, although the in
v%entors of modern machines have
adopted her idea because it lessons
the danger of accidents. One of the
best of early heating stoves, carrying
out benjamin Franklin's discovery of
IN iron-lined fireplace, was invented
by a woman, although a man patented
her idea.
When women become the heads of
industrial concerns or began to hold
important positions in which needs
for improvements presented them
selves in a practical manner, their
inventive genius began to assert it.
self. One of the most important of
the patents granted during the CEN
tennial year vas an overseaming ma
chine which has become invaluable to
manufacturers of knitted fabrics and
of various articles of ready-made
clothing. 1t was invented by Miss
Helen Augusta Blanchard who estab-
lished a large company in Philadel-
phia. 1t has formed the basis of nu-
merous other patents which have
brought about the marvellous mechan-
ism found in all the great modern
factories for this class of work.
The entrance of women into the
profession of trained nursing has been
responsible for the invention of a large
number of hospital helps and surgical
| appliances which have greatly added
- H. ~ ~~$ 80
the average hospital. Invalid chairs,
bed-tables, electrical appliances, sur
geons' Instruments, sterilizing ma
chimes, inhalers, exercising machines.
hot water bags of special design, and
an almost unlimited variety Of
bandages are among the patents TAX
en- out by women for c~onveniences for
the sick room.
The business woman frequently de-
velops an inventive genius. Mrs.
Sophie Huelbrin of Illinois recently
has devised a simple little machine
which will open 400 letters a minute.
She was in charge of a large mail
order department and the possibility
of lessening her work gave her the in
centive for the invention which it is
fISblNttu Will tNSlludllS idH IL :"
rich woman. A number of type
writer appliances have been invented
by women, including a guide shield, a
new reel and several varieties of pads
designed to lessen the noise.
Women are continually inventing
new things in the way of wearing APP
parel, although it is still noteworthy
that many of the articles of clothing
for women are patented by men. n
of the newest patents a been award
ed to Mrs. Jennie Swift for an auto
mobile veil which is adjusted with a
draw string. Mrs. Swift secured more
than $500 from her small patent with
in a few months. She said: II was
in church when l thought of it and |
could hardly wait until I could get
home to try my idea. l really couldn't
pay attention to the sermon, l felt so
excited over it. When I tried 1t 1t
seemed so easy, l don understand
why some other did not think
of it long ago"
While men are credited with in
venting women's clothing, women also
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