Chapter XV: Money in Patent Rights (2)

572. PLANT PRESERVER.--“A German chemist,” says _Merck’s Report_, “has prepared a fluid that has the power when injected into the tissue of a plant of anesthetizing the plant. The plant does not die, but stops growing, maintaining its fresh, green appearance, though its vitality is apparently suspended. It is also independent of the changes of temperature. The composition of the fluid is shrouded in the greatest secrecy, but as the process is not patented the secret may be discovered and utilized by another investigator.”

_Section 14. Money in the Mails and in Writing Materials._

573. THE REVERSIBLE PACKAGE.--There is needed a package or paper box in which legal papers or merchandise sent for approval can be turned inside out and remailed to the sender. Such a device would have a large demand.

574. COPYING PAPER.--A paper used for duplicating manuscripts would command a ready sale. The carbon paper now employed is very expensive.

575. WORD PRINTING TYPEWRITER.--Some typewriters have as many as fifty keys. A small increase in number would cover the words in common use. Many words can be omitted, and yet the sense be conveyed. Letters or postal cards, consisting of one, two, or three lines could thus be written in one moment.

576. TRANSPARENT INK BOTTLE.--Produce an ink-bottle of which the glass shall not be so opaque as the one in common use and in which the depth of the ink is clearly seen, thus avoiding the too deep dipping of the pen, with the result of blots on the page and stains on the fingers.

577. DOUBLE POSTAL CARD.--The United States Government would no doubt consider favorably a postal-card made double, so that one part could be readily torn from the other and remailed, the one part containing the message and the other left blank, save for the sender’s name and address.

578. THE SAFETY ENVELOPE.--An envelope such that it is impossible for it to be surreptitiously opened without the fact being discovered. The government seeks such an envelope.

579. COMBINATION COVER AND LETTER.--An envelope to which is attached a half-sheet of paper which folds in the cover, thus making only one piece.

580. ALWAYS READY LETTER PAPER.--There is room for a device whereby letter paper can be fed out to the writer as desired, so that the pen or machine may travel continuously without stopping for new sheets.

581. INK REGULATOR.--An inkstand provided with a tiny wooden disk which floats on the surface of the ink. The slightest touch of the pen depresses the disk and permits the pen to be filled, and at the same time prevents it from dipping too far, and thus making an unsightly daub on the holder and fingers.

582. THE PEN FINGER.--Might not a device be attached to the forefinger which could serve the uses of a pen? Think what ease and speed would be gained if one could write directly with one’s finger instead of employing the entire hand.

583. PEN REST.--There is room for a device which shall rest upon the paper and support the pen while the latter is writing. Those who do every day a vast amount of writing would appreciate this invention.

584. PERPETUAL PEN SUPPLY.--On a slight elevation have an inkstand with an opening at the bottom to which is attached a small piece of hose, the other end being connected with a hollow pen holder, thus insuring a perpetual flow of ink. A saucer on the writing table containing a tiny cup or several tiny cups holds the pen or pens in an upright position when not in use, care being taken that the pens in that position are higher than the reservoir, so as to cut off the supply.

585. LETTER ANNUNCIATOR.--Constructed on the principle of nickel and slot. The weight of the letter in the house letter box pushes up into view a red card, thus announcing the presence of mail matter at a distance, and avoiding the opening of the box in vain.

586. ENVELOPE OPENER.--Most people open envelopes at the end, often with trouble and awkwardly, but almost every envelope has one of the flaps a little loose near the corner. A small flat piece of steel with ivory handle such as could be disposed of for ten cents, would be salable.

587. MAIL STAMPER.--A stamper constructed upon a letter box so that it would be impossible to insert a letter without at the same time stamping it. The United States Government would pay a large sum for such a device.

588. ROTARY STAMPER.--A wheel broad enough to contain the name desired, and which is operated by taking the handle and drawing or pushing the wheel over the matter to be stamped. It would be ten times quicker than the ordinary way.

589. INVISIBLE INK.--An ink which is invisible, and must be treated by some chemical to make it appear. It would be invaluable to those carrying on a secret correspondence.

_Section 15. Money in Dress._

590. BACHELOR’S BUTTONS.--Invent an eyeless and threadless button, somewhat on the style of the envelope-clasp. The million or more bachelors would surely buy them.

591. SHOE FASTENER.--Some device is needed for the quicker and surer way of fastening shoes. The button is inconvenient and the tie is unreliable. The Foster kid glove fastener made the inventor a man of millions.

592. A TROUSERS’ GUARD.--One which will effectively prevent the wear at the bottom. Trousers commonly give way first at the end of the legs. The trousers-wearing world is vexed by garments frayed at the bottom.

593. TWENTIETH CENTURY SHOE.--It will be one without laces or buttons. The upper can be taken off or put on instantly when desired, and yet be waterproof. There is a gold mine in that shoe.

594. COMBINATION TIE AND COLLAR.--A time saver which can be adjusted instantly, and yet be separable when desired. You would not have lost the train but for the delay in fixing your collar and tie. Thousands of minutes saved every day mean as many thousands of dollars in the pockets of the fortunate inventor.

595. SPRING HAT.--Not a hat to be worn only in the spring, but a hat with a padded spring on each side, so that it will fit closely in all kinds of weather, and whether the hair is long or short.

596. THE REAR-OPENING SHOE.--A shoe in which the foot could enter from the back instead of from the top would have the double advantage of ease of adjustment and elegant appearance. The buttons or lacings would then all be upon the sides. There is a possibility of much money here.

597. DETACHABLE RUBBER SOLE.--An invention whereby a rubber sole may be attached to an ordinary shoe in wet weather, or to the shoes of base ball and tennis players to prevent them from slipping.

598. THE INSTANTANEOUS CEMENT.--For the last-named invention as well as for hundreds of other cases, there is required a cement which will set in a minute. The man who will produce it can live at his ease the rest of his days.

599. ELASTIC HAT PIN.--A flexible pin provided with a clasp at the head so that the pin may be bent around and secured, thus lessening the danger from that formidable weapon.

600. STARCH-PROOF COLLAR BAND.--Shirts first wear on the collar. Millions of otherwise perfectly sound garments have to be thrown away because the collar band is worn out by the use of starch in ironing. Here is the inventor’s opportunity.

601. DRESS SHIELD.--Ladies are often inconvenienced in keeping their dresses out of the mud, both hands being occupied. A dress shield attached to the dress does the work.

602. SLEEVE HOLDER.--An elastic cord passes between the fingers with a grip at each end for holding the sleeve of a coat while an overcoat is being donned.

603. THE CONVERTIBLE BUTTON.--The button which can be so contrived as to be made into a flower holder when required would have an unlimited sale.

604. PAPER CLOTHING.--Many of the Japanese wear paper clothing. The idea might be extended to warm climates, and in the summer season to our own climate. Will not the time come when we shall hear of “Moses’ Patent Paper Trousers,” and “Isaacs’ Patent Paper Coats?”

_Section 16. Money in Personal Conveniences._

605. THE POCKET UMBRELLA.--Few things are in more common or universal use than the umbrella, and yet what a cumbersome, awkward thing it is. Who will invent one that can be folded, packed and pocketed? A Mr. Higgins, by the invention of the sliding thimble for umbrellas received $100,000 cash as royalties on his patent. A pocket umbrella should realize for its inventor much more than that.

606. THE MILLION MATCH.--A slow-burning match, which will burn four times as long as the ordinary one. Such a device contains a million dollars, for it would drive all other matches out of the market. “A Hungarian named Janos Irinyi, the inventor of the lucifer or phosphorus match, sold his patent for $3,500.”

607. FINGER-NAIL PARER.--A fine blade, especially adapted to the rounded shape of the finger-nail. It may be attached to an ordinary penknife.

608. THE WATCH PAD.--A small watch set in the center of a square pocket pad, so that the engagements for the day may be marked upon a paper opposite the time fixed. The pad should have a sufficient number of leaves to last a month or more. When all have been torn off, the watch can be attached to a new pad.

609. POCKET BILL HOLDER.--Within a flat, leather case, suitable to be carried in the pocket, construct a device for holding bills for collection on one side and for bills for payment on the other. Every business man wants it.

610. EXTENSION UMBRELLA.--An umbrella capable of extension in one direction so as effectually to shelter three persons. It must be made on a radically different plan from the kind now in use.

611. PORTABLE DESK.--A desk which can be conveniently carried under the arm, hung upon a nail when it is not desired for use, and in unfolding presents a stand and all the materials for writing.

612. FLOWER HOLDER.--A spring between the ends of pieces of wood will cause the opposite ends to press firmly together. These ends will press firmly to the lapel of the coat, and the coil of the spring will hold the stem of the flower.

613. HAT LOCK.--A device for securely locking a hat in a public place so that it can be removed only by the owner; a coat lock also would be useful.

614. SPRING SHOE HEEL.--A spring inclosed within the leather of the heel so as to facilitate walking. It would be of special aid to the sick and the feeble.

615. SELF-IGNITING CIGAR.--Some day an inventor will make a stupendous fortune by a cigar which can be ignited by simply rubbing the end, as a match is now rubbed in lighting.

616. SPRING KNIFE.--A pocket knife in which the blade can be opened by touching the spring, thus avoiding the vexation of broken finger-nails.

617. PHOSPHORESCENT KEY GUARD.--A device which will serve the double purpose of covering the hole when the key is not in use and for finding the hole when the key is inserted.

618. KNOT CLASP.--An effective clasp which will securely hold a knot. Parcels are constantly becoming untied and shoes unlaced when an effective clasp would prevent it. It must be very cheap.

619. SINGLE MATCH DELIVERY.--A penny-in-the-slot machine for use in cigar stores, but operated free of cost. The machine should deliver but a single match at a time.

620. WATCH HEAD CANE.--A small watch fixed in the head of a cane would be a great convenience to walkers.

621. BOOK CASE CHAIR.--An easy chair, provided with a small rack for books on each arm. Specially adapted for invalids.

622. COIN HOLDER.--A device by which coins are in sight in a traveler’s purse, and by touch of a spring he can cause to fall the exact coin he wants. Very convenient for ferries, cars and cabs.

623. THE POCKET PUNCH.--A simple punch by which with a pressure on a pocket one could secretly make a record every time he paid out money, and thus keep an account of his daily expenses without resort to bookkeeping.

624. MOUTH GUARD.--If you can invent a mouthguard which will be both simple and ornamental and prevent contamination when drinking at public fountains or in partaking of the communion cup in churches, you will confer much favor upon the community and reap large funds for yourself.

625. PARCEL FASTENER.--A hook and eye capable of instant insertion in the wrapping of paper parcels would be sold by the million.

_Section 17. Money in Household Conveniences._

626. THE WARNING CLOCK.--A clock which will give notice of its wants when it is nearly run down. A simple device which it should be easy to contrive and quick to sell.

627. A SLOT GAS MACHINE.--One which will operate a certain length of time by the payment of a nickel and automatically close when the money’s worth is consumed. It would be invaluable for small consumers.

628. REVOLVING FLOWER STAND.--A clock-work device so that all plants in a cone or pyramid could get their share of a sun-bath.

629. WINDOW SHADE SCREEN.--The inventor would make a fortune who could devise something for windows which would be a shade or screen or both as occasion required.

630. BABY WALKER.--A light frame, mounted on four casters, partially supporting the baby and permitting him to propel himself in any direction. Only the four posts need to be made of wood. For the rest, two or three light pieces of cloth are sufficient. It should not cost over fifty cents--better at twenty-five cents. Every mother with a baby would want one at the latter price.

631. DETACHABLE SHOWER BATH.--Every house should be equipped with a shower-bath, but few have one which can be readily attached to and removed from the supply pipe of the bath room. A cheap article would have an almost universal sale.

632. CARPET BEATER.--Every husband would buy a machine that would beat carpets and thus save himself that drudgery or the expense of hiring a man.

633. CARPET STRETCHER AND FASTENER.--Unite in one device a stretcher and fastener, thus doing away with the mischievous tack and the damage of piercing the carpet.

634. STEP-LADDER CHAIR.--A chair so contrived that it may be thrown into a short step-ladder. A greatly needed device for the house.

635. A WINDOW FLY-GATE.--Apply the principle of the fly-trap to the window screen. In this way the flies in the house may pass out, but those without will not come in.

636. DOUBLE WINDOW SHADE.--It is often desirable to shade the lower half of a window for the sake of privacy, while the upper half is left open to let in light, but the present window shade covers the wrong half of the window. Construct a shade which will be fastened to the bottom and work up to meet the other, or else a single shade which works exclusively from the bottom.

637. FOLDING BABY CARRIAGE.--One which will occupy no more room than an ordinary chair. Perhaps your ingenuity could make an article which would be a chair and a baby carriage combined.

638. A SCRUBBING MACHINE.--The handle just above the brush passes through a cylinder holding two or three quarts of water, the bottom of the cylinder being pierced with holes so that the brush is supplied with water.

639. CATCH-ALL CARPET-SWEEPER.--A sweeper with an appliance for running into the corners of rooms would supersede the sweepers now in use.

_Section 18. Money in the Saving of Life and Property._

640. SAFETY SHAFTS.--A device for separating the shafts from the body of the carriage in the case of a runaway, and thus insure the safety of the occupants.

641. POCKETBOOK GUARD.--Nearly all ladies carry the pocketbook in the hand. A device should be invented for fastening it securely to the hand so that it could not be snatched by a thief.

642. CHEAP BURGLAR ALARM.--If you can invent an effective burglar alarm which can be sold at ten cents per window, you will have a monopoly in that article.

643. COLLAPSIBLE FIRE ESCAPE.--One which may be folded or rolled and kept beneath the window-sill, and which, when occasion requires, may be extended by throwing the unattached end to the street.

644. AIR TESTER.--We have a barometer to test the vapor and a thermometer to test the heat. Who will make a contrivance that will test the quantity of pure oxygen in our rooms, and also detect the presence of disease germs? Vast possibilities of wealth and fame open in this direction.

645. LIFE BOAT LAUNCHER.--The two ends of the boat should be attached to the arm of a crane, one chain of which swings the boat clear of the ship, while another releases it from its fastenings. To the inventor this will be Fortunatus’ boat.

646. SAW-TOOTH CRUTCH.--Provide a crutch with teeth on the under side so that it can be used on ice or sleety pavements without slipping.

647. ELEVATOR SAFETY-CLUTCH.--Such a clutch has recently been invented, but it acts too suddenly; what is needed is one which in time of accident will bring the elevator to a stop slowly.

648. GUN-GUARD.--A rubber guard for guns which will prevent their accidental discharge.

649. POCKET DISINFECTOR.--One has often to go into unhealthy neighborhoods and places where disease germs lurk. A small flat can, filled with some disinfectant which could be conveniently squirted, would be not only a killer of offending odors, but also a saver of life.

650. AUTOMATIC FIRE ALARM.--Procure some substance easily melted by heat; which, when melted, releases a spring which operates an alarm bell.

651. KEY FASTENER.--A little thought properly applied will invent a device whereby a key in a door will be proof against a burglar’s nippers, it being impossible to turn the key until the device is removed.

652. LIGHTNING ARRESTER.--Why has there been no improvement in the ancient, unsightly, and expensive lightning rod? This is the more remarkable since electricity is so much better understood now than formerly. Invent a cheap means of arresting the deadly fluid, and of turning it into a harmless channel.

653. A WINDOW CLEANER.--One which will do the work as well as human hands, and at the same time do away with the peril of life and limb while cleaning the outside of high windows.

654. SAFETY REIN.--A third rein attached loosely to the others, but capable of being drawn tight under the horse’s chin, thus throwing his head back and stopping him when disposed to run.

655. THE ROPE-GRIP.--A grip which will take a firm hold of a rope of any size and not abrade the hand as in the ordinary method of descending by a rope.

656. SCISSORS GUARD.--An attachment to the scissors which closes over the parts when not in use, and thus prevents accidents to or by children by their unskilful use.

657. THE DOUBLE POCKET.--A pocket in two parts, the lower part easily opened by the owner, but of sufficient difficulty to baffle pickpockets.

658. FIRE EXTINGUISHER.--Now we will give you the secret of a fire extinguisher that will do more with the same amount of chemicals used than any patented fire extinguisher in the world. A small demijohn is filled with a substance that looks like water, but sells for the price of brandy. Half a dozen of these demijohns scattered about a building will protect it from conflagration, for it contains a liquid which is the most inimical to fire that is known. A gallon of it thrown on the flames will subdue any ordinary fire, and yet--here is the secret--it is nothing but aqua-ammonia.

_Section 19. Money in the Laboratory._

659. FLY-KILLER.--There is needed some powerful chemical that will destroy flies the moment they enter the house, and yet be harmless to man. He will become richer than Crœsus who shall give us the much needed boon.

660. ARTIFICIAL EGG.--The art of chemistry is now so far advanced that a clever student of the science ought to compound an egg which will be so cheap and such a clever imitation of nature, as to enable him to make money by his skill.

661. SEDIMENT-LIQUEFIER.--Find a chemical substance that will liquefy the residual substances in barrels. There would be an enormous demand for a composition that would do the work effectively.

662. FIRE KINDLER.--A material which will kindle both wood and coal without addition of paper, shavings, or any other article.

663. EGG PRESERVER.--No process has yet been found for preserving eggs for months and keeping them as fresh as newly-laid ones. Here is the chance for the practical chemist.

664. MOSQUITO ANNIHILATOR.--The greatest pest is the mosquito. If some chemical could be found which could be squirted liberally upon the marshes, which are the breeding place of the mosquito, and thus annihilate the pest, a long suffering public would shower its benefactor with gold.

665. ARTIFICIAL FUEL.--There is needed a fuel that can be produced as cheap as wood for use in the spring and fall, when the weather is too mild for the use of the furnace.

666. THE FLAMLESS TORCH.--There are hogsheads full of money for the man who will invent an igniter which will cause combustible matter to burn, but will not itself flame--a device which can ignite a lamp instantly by a thrust down the chimney, or light the gas without the usual hunt for a match.

667. CHEMICAL ERASER.--Some chemical should be produced which will effectively erase the marks of a pen and leave the paper the same as before.

_Section 20. Money in Tools._

668. THE INSTANTANEOUS WRENCH.--A monkey wrench, the jaws of which may be adjusted instantly, instead of by the screwing process now in vogue.

669. THE DOUBLE CHANNELED SCREW HEAD.--A screw in which the head has two channels instead of one, crossing each other at right angles.

670. THE DOUBLE POWER SCREW DRIVER.--The last invention requires another, a screw driver, also double at the end, by means of which twice the power may be acquired in the insertion of screws.

671. THE MULTIPLE BLADE PARER.--A knife with several blades so arranged as to cut the skin of the fruit on all sides at once, and with a gauge to fit it to any size of fruit.

672. KNIFE GUARD.--A knife with a guard for peeling fruit, preventing the fruit from being pared too deep.

673. THE ALL-TOOL.--A pocket device on the principle of a many-bladed knife, except that instead of blades the things which open from the handle, besides the single blade, are a saw, gimlet, file, cork-screw, screw driver and other useful tools.

674. A NAIL CARRYING HAMMER.--A device for holding nails to a hammer. Carpenters would work twice as fast.

_Section 21. Money in the Cars._

675. A SPEED INDICATOR.--A contrivance for determining the speed of street railway cars. The speed is governed by law, but there is no practical means for determining how great it is. The laws of all our cities will insure the success of such an invention.

676. AUTOMATIC CAR-COUPLER.--A device is needed whereby the simple impact of one car upon another will cause a coupling-pin to be inserted in place. If you can contrive a system by which cars can be coupled by the same mechanism now employed for air-brakes, every one of the million or more cars on our railways will be equipped with it.

677. THE FENDER CAR-BRAKE.--A fender so constructed that when it strikes an obstacle a brake is released which binds the wheels. Hundreds of lives would be saved every year. Companies which now pay heavy sums for loss of life and limb would buy such an invention on most liberal terms.

678. FOLDING CAR-STEP.--To avoid the difficulty of alighting from a car or of climbing into one when a car is not at a platform, invent a step which folds up when not in use.

679. CAR SIGNAL.--A device for signaling would-be passengers when the car is full. The law will soon require such a device, and then there will be a rush of inventors to reap the reward. “The early bird catches the worm.”

680. AUTOMATIC WATER TANK.--Here is a valuable suggestion to railway engineers and mechanics. It is believed that it is entirely feasible to construct a railway water tank that shall work automatically. It is to be done by utilizing the waste steam of the engine. It is a new application of the old principle of the forcing of water into and out of a steam-tight chamber by the alternate admission thereto and condensation therein of live steam. The condensation produces a vacuum, and the pressure of the external atmosphere forces water into the tank. It is only necessary to locate the tank within suction distance of its water supply, and there is the saving of wages, fuel and repairs. It has been recently stated that the cost of pumping at the railway stations of the United States last year amounted to $7,000,000, or an average of $700 per station. Who will put these millions in his pocket by devising an automatic water-tank?

_Section 22. Money in Making People Honest._

681. THE HOUSEKEEPER’S SAFETY PUNCH.--We want a device which will do away with the need of trusting to the honesty of the ice-man, grocer, baker, and others who supply our daily wants.

682. THE UNALTERABLE CHECK.--Invent a small, flat leather case with lock and key, into which the check or checks will securely fit. Only the signer of the check and the officer of the bank have the key. The latter, after paying the check, holds the case for the depositor. This would make it impossible for the check to be raised, or, if lost, for a dishonest finder to have it cashed, as he would be unable to give either the name or the amount. The cases should be made very cheap so that a depositor could possess a number at a trivial cost.

683. EGG TESTER.--One which will test eggs by a new method and grade them according to the length of time they have been laid, such as three days’ eggs, three weeks’ eggs, packed eggs, etc.

684. UMBRELLA LOCK.--A small attachment to an umbrella which will serve as a lock when in place, and will do away with the intolerable nuisance of stolen umbrellas.

685. THE GUARANTEED BOX.--There is sore need of a patented box guaranteed to hold exactly one quart. Not only do present measures differ, but the custom of dealers is not uniform with regard to a heaping or an even measure.

_Section 23. Money in Traveler’s Articles._

686. THE ADJUSTABLE TRUNK.--Some kinds of traveling bags can be adjusted to suit the degree of baggage a traveler needs. Some similar arrangement should be supplied for trunks. A half-filled trunk is more apt to be broken than a full one.

687. THE HOLLOW CANE.--One which will contain many small articles for the use of travelers.

688. THE ELASTIC TRUNK STRAP.--Avoid the hard work of strapping trunks as well as the unsightly straps by inventing an ornamental band which will do by elasticity what is now done by the buckle.

689. THE SLIDE BAG.--An extension handbag in which when required the ends may be slid out so as to treble the space, and when empty may be slid back, making it very small.

690. THE OUTFIT TRUNK.--There should be a trunk with various divisions for the reception of articles, like the drawers of a bureau or the compartments of a writing desk, in which everything can be properly placed.

_Section 24. Money in Toilet Articles._

691. CURLING IRON ATTACHMENT.--A wire frame attached to a lamp. The top part, which is fixed on the lamp chimney, should have a depression for holding a curling iron. May be sold to every lady for ten cents.

692. THE HINGE BLACKING BOX.--Invent a blacking box with a hinge top, and thus avoid the difficulty of opening it in the old way, and also the nuisance of soiled hands.

693. THE MIRROR HAIR BRUSH.--A combined toilet article for travelers, the handle of the brush being enlarged so as to hold the comb, which is released by a spring, and the end of the brush containing a small mirror.

694. THE SOAP SHAVING BRUSH.--A shaving brush with a tin casing containing soap. Turning the brush makes a lather all ready for application to the face. Very convenient for travelers.

_Section 25. Money in Amusements._

695. THE DUCKING STOOL.--A game for seaside resorts. Bathers would like a large pool or tank where, by a system of planks fastened to a central post, two bathers could go alternately up and down, one being in the water while the other was in the air, an arrangement like the see-saw which children are so fond of. It should have sufficient capacity to accommodate a number of bathers at once, and should be as near as possible to the sea, so as to be available by persons in bathing suits, who have already had a salt bath.

696. THE DOUBLE MOTION SWING.--A swing or scup, in which the swinger can raise himself up and down at the same time he is being carried backward and forward.

697. THE FOLDING SKATE.--The man who will invent a skate which can be folded and put in the pocket will not only confer a boon upon millions of skaters, but will also put a snug fortune in his own pocket.

698. BICYCLE BOAT.--A boat in which the pedal movement, as used in the bicycle, is employed for driving power, and the boat is propelled in the water somewhat after the manner that the bicycle goes upon the land.

_Section 26. Money in War._

699. THE SLOW EXPLOSIVE.--A shell that will penetrate the armor of a vessel before exploding and not, as now, at the instant of contact. A military officer in France says that a fortune awaits the man who shall invent such a shell.

700. THE TRANSPARENT CARTRIDGE.--A mica cartridge would have the advantage of being transparent, permitting the slightest chemical change to be detected, and the danger of premature explosion avoided. Mica has the peculiar property of withstanding intense heat.

701. SHIP’S BOTTOM CLEANER.--Here is an invention that would be cheap at any price; one that would clean the bottom of seagoing vessels without the necessity of docking. Even if it cost as much as docking, it would still be a great invention of immense utility, because it would save the time of a long voyage. It is believed that the road to this invention lies in the direction of electricity, whose industrial applications are so rapidly multiplying. There is more fame and fortune in this than in the much-lauded revolving turret.

702. SELF-LOADING PISTOL.--There is room for improvement in small arms. A pistol ought to be invented which will fire eight or ten shots in rapid succession, the discharge continuing simply by the holding back of the trigger. In many kinds of fireworks the balls are sent off in succession in this way, while the piece is held in the hand. Apply the same or a similar principle to the pistol, and your reward will be that of a Mauser or a Maxim.

_Section 27. Money in Minerals._

703. GALVANIZED IRON.--If you can discover a process for galvanizing iron which will save one-tenth of a cent in its present cost, you will, figuratively speaking, sink a shaft into an endless mine of gold, for the amount of galvanized iron now in use is enormous, and the range of its usefulness is constantly increasing.

704. METAL EXTRACTOR.--A solution which will precipitate gold or silver from the ore, and thus save immense sums now expended in the crushing of the ore. Such an invention would revolutionize the mining industry, and make the inventor enormously rich. Mr. Edison says: “I am convinced there is not a single abandoned gold claim in the world, where gold has ever been discovered, from which the precious ore cannot be extracted in quantities to pay a big margin of profit over the cost of operation.”

705. GOLD PAINT.--Henry Bessemer invented gold paint, which remains a secret to this day. At first he made one thousand per cent. To-day it yields three hundred per cent. Here is a chance for the man of brains, as the monopoly lies in a secret and not in a patent.

_Section 28. Money in Great Inventions Unclassified._

706. STORAGE OF POWER.--No man with brains need go to the Klondike. Diggings that pay infinitely better will be found in your own little workshop. Vast fortunes await those who can think out some means of utilizing the natural forces, such as tides, winds, wave power, and sunshine. These forces can be and soon will be stored compactly, so as to respond promptly to sudden drafts of power. The future of the entire world’s work lies along these lines, and there will be inventions and enterprises that in importance will dwarf the discovery of steam power and revolutionize the world’s commerce.

707. PICTORIAL TELEGRAPHY.--One of the greatest fortunes ever made by inventors will be realized by him who succeeds in making a perfect picture by means of the electric wire. Already inventors are at work trying “to send pictures by telegraph,” and some have nearly succeeded; but the first in this hot race will go to the head of millionaire inventors.

708. SOLIDIFIED PETROLEUM.--Here is a fuel which, if possible--and it seems entirely so--will turn the world upside down. It is said that petroleum can be compressed into a solid, and that three cubic feet will represent the bulk of a ton of coal, and will last combustible as long as fifty tons. Think of the immense saving to our merchantmen, steamboat, and war vessels. Instead of five thousand or six thousand tons of coal, they will have only a few petroleum sticks. No invention of early or modern times contains such possibilities of economy in commerce, of revolution in means of transportation, and of limitless fortune to the lucky discoverer, as this one that promises or threatens to displace coal, as yet the greatest factor in the world’s progress. Here is a prize alluring enough to call out the keenest and most devoted powers of the scientific inventor.

709. NON-INFLAMMABLE WOOD.--The vast benefit of a non-inflammable wood has long been realized. As long ago as 1625, a patent for such a process was taken out in England, but the old inventors labored under the disadvantage of being ignorant of the chemical and physical qualities of wood. But the time is now ripe for a successful invention of that kind. The difficulty is to get rid of the combustible gases in the wood without at the same time destroying the cells. This difficulty could probably be overcome by placing the wood in a vacuum, admitting steam, and thus, vaporizing the moisture of the wood, drawing off the product of the vapor. Then, if the wood should be saturated with certain salts, it would doubtless be found that the combustible gases would be destroyed, and the carbonization of the wood under high heat prevented. If the process should be successful, the demand for the wood would be enormous, as it would be immediately required for all vessels, and indeed, for all buildings. The possibilities of wealth from such an invention almost surpass the limit of the imagination.

710. SUCTION PIPE.--There are many delicate operations in manufacture which are now performed at great expense by hand, but which could be done better and cheaper by a gentle air pressure. The inventor of a device of this kind for spreading and shaping the tobacco leaf in cigar manufacture has his patent capitalized for $2,000,000, and it is paying sixty per cent. interest.