The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1925-02-12
SELLS
FlLAMENT PATENT
FL. I'll. Slater Gets $4,000
for Important Light
Invention.
Is BIG AID FOR AUTOS
General Electric Company to
Produce FiIament Lamp
as Standard Light.

An invention that promises to revo-
lutionize the manufacture of automo-
bile headlights, has just brought its
inventor, Harvey H. Slater, 52f South
Chicago street, the sum of $4,000 from
the General Electric company, Sche-
nectady, N Y, who purchased it out
right. The patent is an electric bulb
with double filament giving it double
the life of an ordinary lamp and COM
bining certain new features that are
highly desirable for the purpose for
which the invention was adapted. 1t
is particularly designed for use in
automobile headlights.
Ever since 1912 when Harvey Slater
conceived the idea of placing electric
has been working on several ideas for
perfecting such a possibility. Now
the invention has been completed and
as soon as it was patented the Gen
eral Electric company began dickering
for the purchase of all of the rights
to it's manufacture and an agreement
was reached in which the Kenoshan
accepted the sum of $4,000 for his
rights in his invention.
Has Long History.
The idea which Slater has perfected
has a long and interesting history. 1t
began in 1912 when automobiles were
using many different forms of power
for headlight illumination. At that
time he was employed by the Badger
Brass company in Kenosha where he
was able to work out his idea. When
the time came for a hearing before
patent commissioners at Washington
it was discovered that another inven-
tor from Detroit had an idea along
similar lines which he too was seek
ing to patent. As a result an agree
ment was reached in which both in
ventions were not patented and the
local mans idea was purchased by
the Detroit inventor
Some time later Slater conceived
still another idea which was distinct
step in advance in headlight construc-
ton for automobiles. He drew up a
lamp which could. be constructed any
each would be a departure from the
In0n cuTI0HC lQ6aS.
Gets Patent and Sells.
Slater labored over his latest plan
which was worked out almost en-
tirely on paper-and year ago pre-
sented it at the patent office in Wssh-
ington for patent. On May 15, 1923,
he was granted patent number 1,455,033
for mis- Multiple Filament Electric
Lamp Headlight" and short time
later the General Electric company of
Schenectady sent representatives to
Kenosha to arrange for a purchase.
The negotiations have just been com
pleted.
The invention has many features
which makes it an extremely valuable
one. 1t has a double filament which
can be so regulated that one of the
filaments may be used without the
other. 1t operates as DINNER, and
it can also operate as full light
when one of the filaments should burn
out, thus lending the bulb twice as
long a life as the ordinary one
bulb. The candlepower nee
essary to operate the lamp is the same
as that required by the present forms
of headlights. An added feature is
that the flaments are placed in YER
tical position in the bulb when in
stalled in ar automobile headlight and
thic focuses the light through the re
Hector to downward position, provid-
ing most desirable anti-glare facility.
May Be Made Universal
Advance information from the la
boratories of the General Electric COM
pany indicate that the Kenoshan's in
ventiQns is now being manufactured
and that it will be made standard
equipment on many automobiles. The
General Motors corporation at De-
troit is among the first to adopt such
an innovation.
AT the various automobile shows re-
Gently an exhibition of the product
brought the most favorable comments
and considerable interest has been
aroused in the marketability of the
lamp It is pointed out that it can
be made as cheaply as an ordinary
lamp and with the variety of uses to
which it may be put it is expected that
it will go even beyond present expec-
tations in universal recognition.
The sum paid for the invention is
eclipsed in the mind of the inventor
by the consolation and satisfaction that
he is reaping knowing that pet idea
that he has harbored and labored over
has finally come to fruition. Slater
declares that he has always been in
terested in things automotive and
electrical and he admits that he still |
has a few pet ideas that he is trying |
to develop. He is now employed at
the Simmons company plant here, is
married and has three children.