,,learn ,,to ,,invent ,,first ,,steps ,,for ,,beginners ,,young ,,and ,,old ,,practical ,,instruction ,,valuable ,,suggestions ,,to ,,learn ,,to ,,invent ,we should apprentice ourselves as it were to the ,,inventor ,study the original lines of his thoughts ,as ,the young artist studies the master work4 ,copyright #aijg by ,s4 ,e4 ,clark ,illustration ,s4 ,e4 ,,clark ,,philadelphia ,,penna4 ,by mail #be cents ,estb4 #ahhc ,,preface4 ,the booklets ,mental ,nuts and ,a ,book of ,maxims have met with so much favor ,i have decided to try again4 ,i submit this little effort to those young and old who desire information and suggestions on the subject1 in the form of a first step or introduction1 for those who would learn to invent4 ,though it is entirely a subject for the deepest study1 ,i favor a personal talk1 digressing at times in an effort to interest and instruct1 to enliven and cheer4 ,i see little hope for the casual reader4 ,as ye sow so shall ye also reap4 ,my faith rests in the careful1 persevering student4 ,i sincerely hope that as a whole the effort may prove helpful to many4 ,as to the future1 may you all realize4 ,full many a pupil has become more famous than his master4 ,s4 ,e4 ,c4 ,philadelphia1 ,pa41 ,sept4 #c1 #aijg4 ,,introduction4 ,invention is the fountain source of material progress4 ,it would indeed be a fruitless effort to try to express in adequate language its wondrous possibilities and practical worth to mankind4 ,its field of action surpasses all others4 ,it is most apparent in our daily walks of life4 ,every human effort owes it homage4 ,the fame of many inventors has encircled the earth4 ,they have been feted and honored in many ways1 their names indelibly inscribed on the roll of the earth's greatest men4 ,fortune and fame have been showered on them with a lavish hand1 and yet little or no effort is made to direct thought into this vast and unlimited field for study1 that people may learn to invent4 ,the whole subject is left quite in the dark4 ,it is on the go-as-you-please1 hit-and-miss plan4 ,people become inventors by mere chance1 and are viewed as possessing a special gift of nature4 ,i hold that invention is just as tangible as any of the sciences and can just as well be taught4 ,the human mind is naturally inventive4 ,the trend will improve and grow or it will wilt and die1 according to the attention it receives4 ,to learn to invent we should apprentice ourselves1 as it were1 to the inventor1 take up his invention and study the original lines of his thought1 as the young artist studies the master work4 ,first learn to imitate1 and the creative thought will follow and develop4 ,i shall be content to confine my effort to the simplest forms of devices ,i can call to mind1 a first step4 ,but don't mistake nor be discouraged4 ,to the average man and the particular people to whom ,i hope this pamphlet will appeal the small and simple devices are the cream of the field4 ,they are easily handled1 quickly turned1 and many pay fabulous sums4 ,oftentimes the idea will flit before the mind like a will-o'-the-wisp or its zephyr-like touch is not realized4 ,i believe many people have experienced a semi-consciousness of the presence of opportunity and allowed it to pass unheeded by1 that had they taken it up intelligently and properly studied and developed it they would have become famous4 ,we should inform and prepare ourselves4 ,be ready to act on the slightest intimation4 ,there is a tide in the affairs of men which1 taken at the flood1 leads to fortune2 omitted1 all the voyage of their life is bound in shallows and in miseries4 ,the nearer to the practical men keep ,the less they deal in vague and abstract things ,the less they deal in huge mysterious words ,the mightier is their power1 99 99 99 99 99 ,the simple peasant who observes a truth1 ,and from the fact deduces principle2 ,adds solid treasure to the public wealth1 ,the theorist who dreams a rainbow dream ,and calls hypothesis philosophy1 ,at best is but a paper financier ,who palms his specious promises for gold1 ,facts are the basis of philosophy2 ,philosophy the harmony of facts4 ,thomas ,l4 ,harris1 in ,lyrics of a ,golden ,age4 ,,learn ,,to ,,invent ,,small ,,talk4 ,since we will interest ourselves in the very small affairs that hang like a great cloud of fringe on the science of invention1 ,i think it well to make a note of some of the bright little things that have been brought forth4 ,many of these little mites have proven to be veritable gold mines to the fortunate originator or patentee4 ,they are too numerous to classify4 ,they appear so very simple1 embodying but a single thought1 we naturally associate 'luck4 ,indeed1 many did come to mind uninvited1 but it was to an observing mind1 a thinking mind4 ,if we desire to participate in and avail ourselves of these wondrous opportunities we must observe and think4 ,the dents on the old tin tobacco boxes1 one on the box1 the other on the lid1 placed to register with and thus secure it when closed1 was certainly very simple4 ,it is said a man was sewing and the needle would often slip off the end of the thimble when he would attempt to push it through4 ,he became vexed and struck the thimble a blow on the end with a hammer4 ,it was first convex1 but the blow from the hammer made it quite flat on the end4 ,upon renewing the sewing he found the thimble worked splendidly2 the needle did not slip4 ,he became interested and finally took out a patent for a thimble with a concave end4 ,certainly1 to any one who would attempt to get up a machine to do sewing it would appear as a mere matter of force of circumstance to use a needle with the eye in the point1 since necessarily the other end would be attached to the machine4 ,the return ball1 in homely language a wooden ball with a rubber string fastened to it1 was certainly simple enough2 also the metal toe cap formerly extensively used on children's shoes to prolong their wear4 ,the little wheels on the end of the pole on the trolley cars would have been a bonanza were it not that the introduction of the trolley system was so slow4 ,the seventeen years for which patents are granted passed by before the system became in general use4 ,this slowness to become general has ruined many grand opportunities4 ,it is a fact to be reckoned with4 ,many successful inventors have had their hopes blasted at times by the apathy of the people in adopting their inventions in time for them to reap their just reward4 ,while the inventor naturally and perforce must lead1 he should be discreet1 and not go so far ahead that he cannot get the people to follow4 ,some matters must be approached gradually4 ,the little ball fastening so common on our money purses is a gem4 ,it would be rare indeed to provide any other device to take its place1 it is so convenient1 simple and practical4 ,a fastener1 to be a success1 must make a noise in closing2 it becomes the signal to the mind that the work is properly done4 ,the hook and eye see that hump was simple enough1 but ,i fancy it required a splendid campaign of advertising and business push to get it to the front and make it pay4 ,many inventions are virtually lost because they are not properly pushed4 ,my advice is1 if you have an invention and are not situated properly to push it1 sell it4 ,experience leads me to observe that we constantly change our views or see things differently4 ,some things look good to-day and later we do not think well of them1 and vice versa1 other things improve and grow in our estimation4 ,when an idea of a device occurs1 study it2 think how it can best be made2 make a drawing of it2 take up every detail and material best suited4 ,try to get it in the most simple form4 ,when1 after careful consideration1 you feel that you have perfected it in your mind1 have a model made and see that it meets every requirement4 ,if you do not sell the invention you can contract the manufacturing and go into the business of selling1 or you can put it out on a royalty basis4 ,all inventors use certain mechanical principles4 ,the same principle is often found in many different inventions2 hence1 it is well to study these principles1 as the knowledge of them will help you to perfect and bring forth your invention4 ,in this connection ,i would advise that you possess all the little novelties you can2 study them2 examine them closely and ask yourself why did he this and that4 ,take up each one and try to get a clear understanding of it2 practice explaining it to others and impress the points on your mind2 they may be of great service to you some day4 ,many times a good idea is poorly carried out1 the mechanical arrangements are not well adapted either for performing the work or to effect lowest cost in construction4 ,these defects give rise to improvements4 ,it certainly would be a provoking experience to obtain a grand idea and get it up in a defective mechanical way and have someone make a simple improvement and reap the reward4 ,if ,i could control the matter ,i would change the patent laws in this respect4 ,i would foster improvement1 but ,i would not allow the original inventor to be robbed of his just reward4 ,i would not permit him to become arrogant and dictate impossible terms1 but ,i would see to it that he at least got a part of his dues4 ,if he came forward with an original invention he would get a patent2 if another man made an improvement on his method ,i would give him a patent1 subject to a small royalty to the original inventor1 and to continue until the original patent expired4 ,the matter could be judged just as well as law cases are judged4 ,you must duly consider the subjects you attempt4 ,don't bother with perpetual motion2 it would only be a toy at best4 ,i have no faith in a non-refillable bottle3 in all probability it would fill if it were submerged1 and particularly if a hole were drilled in it4 ,an idea in this line is to have a nickel or a dime blowed in the glass of the bottle2 the goods would be sold for the amount more1 and the buyer would break the bottle to get his money back4 ,the idea seems practical1 at least so far as the fact that the broken bottle would be a true non-refillable one4 ,ordinarily ,i do not interest in those inventions that require to be demonstrated1 as they are too expensive to introduce4 ,the people are generally skeptical1 and they have been so for ages4 ,the poets of the early centuries voiced public doubt in verse1 referring to a gun1 gotten up and promoted by a stock company1 thus3 ,a rare invention to destroy the crowd ,of fools at home1 instead of foes abroad2 ,fear not my friends1 this terrible machine1 ,they're only wounded who have shares therein4 ,financial advices are all good before ten and after three4 ,as a rule1 don't buy stocks that are glaringly advertised2 they are working hard to sell4 ,don't go in by the front door3 stocks of such companies can generally be bought on the outside for less than the advertised price and are most always too high at that4 ,many1 indeed1 would be high at the price in counterfeit money4 ,vast sums and much time have been lost on various patents connected with railroads1 etc4 ,once in a great while one may succeed4 ,you should have a book and record your ideas as they occur2 write out enough about them to make the whole thought on the subject clear1 and preserve it for future reference4 ,it would be a splendid idea to write out descriptions of any little novelty you see4 ,state all the particulars2 make your notes so that you will clearly understand every detail at any time you refer to them3 get all the patent papers of small or simple novelties1 etc41 that you can and read carefully what they say about the construction2 note what the inventor claims4 ,i would recommend the ,patent ,office ,gazette4 ,this1 ,i am sure1 will prove the most valuable exercise you can take4 ,they will prove practical lessons of worth and you will gain many helpful ideas4 ,i recently met a gentleman from the ,south1 who had taken out a patent on a hoe that was used extensively in the cotton fields4 ,the blade was extra large and the handle was secured to the middle or central portion in a way that when the edge of the blade in use became worn and battered it could be turned and virtually form a new hoe4 ,in the early days of the linotype or printing machines there were several machines being made and developed4 ,one of the parties took out a patent on what they called an adjuster4 ,it was simply a wedge1 which was operated to spread the type and space the words2 and though a very simple matter1 it became a most important feature and compelled the other companies to pay a royalty for its use4 ,i think it will be found a very valuable point to carefully consider the subject before you rush into developing an invention4 ,many things can be done1 viewed as a mere mechanical possibility1 but circumstances may preclude their use4 ,a party labored on the idea of a device to perforate postage stamps in the operation of canceling them4 ,the thought finally occurred to him to use sand in the mucilage1 so that when the stamp was struck in the usual canceling operation the sand would cut through it4 ,i am informed that he wrote to the ,postoffice ,department at ,washington4 ,in their reply they stated that the sand would also cut the envelope4 ,if ,i desired to work on that idea ,i would first aim to print the stamps with a color that would turn after it was canceled in the usual way1 using1 perhaps1 some acid in the canceling ink1 or ,i would work on the lines of a cancel to tear an embossed stamp1 but ,i don't think the subject worth while4 ,i prefer articles that sell to the many4 ,little and often fills the purse4 ,all inventions originate in thought1 which is often due to casual observance4 ,we see a man stoop on the street1 pick up a straw or splint and run it in the pipe stem4 ,we begin to think4 ,his pipe became clogged2 it did not draw freely2 he was lucky to find the straw2 he might not always find one so readily4 ,it is an idea to provide for such emergency so that he will not have to depend on the chance straw--something convenient2 let me see--suppose we take a fine wire1 double and twist it1 leaving a small ring at one end4 ,he could put it in the pipe-stem and leave it there2 it would not be large enough to close the draft4 ,if the stem became stopped he could pull the wire out1 clean and replace it4 ,now1 we observed1 thought obtained an idea and constructed a device2 can we improve it8 ,we should study1 ask ourselves the questions1 ,does it this8 ,will it that8 ,make a sample and test it1 see that it meets the requirements1 and you have an invention4 ,obtain a patent1 have them manufactured1 and put them on the market4 ,i do not smoke at present1 and certainly do not recommend cigarettes1 but simply as an illustration of an idea3 we could gather up tobacco stems1 etc41 and make them into a paper to be used as a wrapper in making the cigarette4 ,it would come pretty near being an all-tobacco cigarette4 ,why not fit the inside of the watch case with a thin sheet revolving calendar8 ,a hollow rubber ball or spring might be fitted in the heel of the shoe to make walking more comfortable4 ,an instrument to write with1 fitted so that a ball passing over the paper would leave the mark or ink4 ,it would not scratch and would wear longer than a gross of pens4 ,bicycles may have seen their day2 ,i often thought an automatic pump could be arranged to keep them in prime condition4 ,possibly a leather paint could be made to paint the soles of one's shoes1 to make them wear longer4 ,the governor on an engine is a simple idea2 its function is to control--by its use the engine is regulated4 ,if the latter is operating a dozen machines it is exerting a certain power2 if1 suddenly1 ten of the machines were stopped1 the power would run the engine at a terrific rate of speed2 the governor rises and shuts off the power1 and thus controls the engine4 ,the safety valve on the boiler is also very simple2 it controls the steam pressure1 allowing it to escape when it becomes too great4 ,the wood or cold handle sad iron is exceedingly simple and astonishingly profitable4 ,the ,morse alphabet1 used in telegraphing1 was rather on the puzzle order1 and quite easy at that4 ,argand had gotten up his lamp with a circular wick1 in a tube1 the air thus supplying oxygen from within and without4 ,it was a success2 his child brother playfully set a broken flask over the flame1 which was greatly improved thereby4 ,the practical eye of the elder ,argand enabled him to note the birth of lamp chimneys4 ,the four wire prongs to hold chimneys on lamps were crude1 simple1 and very profitable4 ,a good fender for trolley cars should be made so that it could be projected in front of the car1 or drawn in within the line of the car1 bow-shaped in front and governed by springs1 so that it would yield when striking a person4 ,a mechanism might be arranged to show the next station or street on a sign in the car4 ,it could be operated by power taken from the axle1 though the slipping of the wheels would be bothersome4 ,the flying machine is a little too much of a wild fancy for me2 it would do for some fellow who wants to get off the earth4 ,it's me for the simple life4 ,men chew their cigars so much in smoking2 it don't look a bit neat2 an oiled paper end might be worked on under the wrapper to help the matter4 ,for cheap1 machine made cigars1 a toothpick might be worked in1 to be pulled out before lighting1 to improve the draft4 ,please shut the door became a very common saying2 finally it attracted the inventor's attention4 ,a rope1 pulley and weight may have been first2 then springs ordinarily applied came1 finally the spring was placed in the hinge and later still the spring and air cushion were combined4 ,it closes the door and prevents it from slamming4 ,i believe in keeping fairly quiet about ideas ,i am working on4 ,but don't spend your money for a patent too quickly4 ,many times patents are taken out1 and instead of any danger of someone stealing them1 they can't be coaxed to buy at mere cost4 ,unless it is really an important idea1 it pays to get them made and see if they will sell before you take out a patent4 ,in your notebook where you keep a record of novelties and your ideas1 from time to time1 don't fail to record all costs you can learn of and where different things can be made--the more particular you are about these matters1 the more you will improve your ideas and ability to properly promote them4 ,much vexation and lost time can be avoided in getting up inventions by being exact4 ,slipshod won't do4 ,it defeats many perfectly practical ideas4 ,the parts of a machine must be shaped and fitted to a nicety2 whatever is worth doing at all is worth doing well4 ,it seems to me there is no end to improvement4 ,i heard of a ,yankee who was traveling in ,england4 ,he was somewhat of a blower2 no matter what he saw or heard of he claimed they had the same thing in ,america much more improved4 ,the ,englishmen could not stand it1 so they thought they would get the best of the ,yankee4 ,they told him of a wonderful machine1 the most complete ever built4 ,a hog was driven in at one end and came out a cooked sausage at the other4 ,the ,yankee took it calmly and said yes1 they had it in ,america1 but it was a failure until a fellow-,yankee improved it4 ,improve it8 a complete machine like that8 why1 impossible4 ,well1 said the ,yankee1 he put an attachment on so that if you did not like the sausage you simply reversed the machine and the hog walked out again4 ,next to the simple or single idea patents3 ,i think the improvements follow1 and indeed many of them are exceedingly simple4 ,it is all right to improve old patents and new ones1 when the improvement has real merit4 ,i want to take you over an improvement ,i had patented4 ,i secured an old trick1 in the form of a tin box three inches long1 having a cap at each end4 ,a cent would be dropped in through an opening in the top4 ,the central portion was double1 the outer sleeve was loose and could be pushed up and down2 a slot in its side hid by the cap would register1 when pushed up1 with a slot in the inner part2 by tilting the box the cent would drop through these slots into the hand4 ,then the loose sleeve had to be worked back into position so that the cap hid the slot4 ,the operation was slow and somewhat difficult4 ,it occurred to me to make the box of wood and provide it with a slanting bottom on the inside4 ,this would lead the cent right up to the slot1 and it would come out without tilting the box2 also by using a spring it became automatic1 i4 e41 the spring would push it back into position4 ,the trick can be done at least five times while it is done once with the tin box4 ,it made an ,a#a trick box4 ,it would be a good seller on the street1 but in stores they would forget how to work it1 and stores can't spare the time to demonstrate1 so it did not go well in stores4 ,the boxes were made complete for #d4ej per gross1 sold to jobbers at #g and to retailers at #i4 ,they retailed at #aj cents4 ,they were made on a lathe and nicely polished1 packed one dozen in a box4 ,i think in nine cases out of ten it is best to contract with some good firm to make the device4 ,you will have plenty to do selling it4 ,you can easily get some one to make the goods1 but it is not so easy to get one who can sell them and push them properly4 ,i tried manufacturing and don't like it4 ,ideas are common and belong to all1 ,the methods to the first should fall4 ,as a matter of fact1 you can't patent an idea4 ,you patent the method1 or device4 ,some patents may perforce virtually cover the idea as a consequence of there being no alternative4 ,a needle for machines with the eye in the point1 the wedge adjuster in the linotype machines4 ,patents of that class1 when good1 are extra valuable1 because they can't be improved4 ,we also can sometimes make an article in common use by a patented machine and have a very secure thing4 ,i think wire nails come under this head4 ,speaking of wire calls to mind the key ring2 many millions have been sold4 ,possibly a brake could be made in the form of a wedge suspended in front of the wheel by a chain in a way that it could be moved so that the wheel would run on it and thus stop the vehicle4 ,i don't know the particulars1 and so ,i only speak in a general way4 ,a patent was procured on a knife with an irregular or sawlike edge4 ,it was recommended to cut bread1 cake1 etc42 could cut without much downward pressure1 which made the bread1 etc41 soggy4 ,probably a good thing4 ,a party patented an improvement1 making his knife with a wave edge for the same purpose4 ,well1 ,i would have compelled ,no4 #b to pay ,no4 #a a small royalty4 ,have you ever seen the little tugboats doing their work1 taking the big ships into dock8 ,do you know how they steer8 ,they have a propeller close up to the stern2 just beyond is the rudder4 ,both are in line with the centre4 ,the turning of the propeller throws a strong current past both sides of the rudder and away from the tug4 ,by turning the rudder so that the current strikes it the vessel is forced around2 it acts as though pivoted in the centre1 the ends going in opposite directions4 ,in the early days they tried to move the vessel by blowing wind against the sails with a bellows stationed on the vessel4 ,they overlooked the reaction1 and were surprised that the vessel did not move4 ,can you construct a box having a drawer so arranged that you could put an object in it1 close and open it and have the object disappear8 ,i frequently meet the gentleman who got up the ,donkey ,party4 ,it certainly was amusing4 ,the fifteen puzzle took the country by storm4 ,pigs in ,clover was great1 but too many imitations4 ,the idea of printing animals on calico1 so that they could be cut1 sewed and stuffed at home was no doubt profitable4 ,it was clever to shape the crackers like the oysters4 ,an ,elephant or ,teddy ,bears brand of popcorn might take4 ,the old sand box toys took well4 ,they operated mechanical figures on the hour glass principle4 ,millions of little wire hooks have been sold to hang things on ,christmas trees4 ,a simple device to revolve the tree should sell well4 ,a small generative battery could electric light the tree4 ,it injures the showcase to drop the money on it1 and at times it is difficult to pick up the change4 ,the little porcupine-like rubber mat is handy4 ,the cigar cutter is all right4 ,a revolving needle might be used to improve the draft of the improperly made cigars2 it would be more practical than the porous plasters frequently recommended on the back of the head for the same purpose4 ,i guess the hen1 in her quill1 has us all beat on toothpicks4 ,a man who built a large stack at his mill to get a better draft for the fire had an eight-inch pipe leading from the fireplace4 ,it met an obstruction and was divided into two four-inch pipes1 one going on either side of the obstruction and thence to the stack4 ,when the work was completed the fire did no better than before4 ,the builder was much disappointed and puzzled4 ,he could not understand it4 ,can you observe what was the matter8 ,it should be apparent at a glance4 ,he shut off half of the draft4 ,an eight-inch pipe is equal to four four-inch pipes4 ,to observe you must observe4 ,why do people read fiction8 ,a lady was annoyed by her hair coming down4 ,she finally bent the hairpin4 ,her husband patented the idea and they made a fortune4 ,the idea of a paragon frame for umbrellas proved a mint4 ,rubber dress shields1 lined1 made thousands4 ,it is said wooden shoepegs paid millions4 ,truth is stranger than fiction4 ,toy guns are pretty old1 and mama had always been nervous over the arrows1 caps1 etc4 ,i patented the harmless gun in #ahhc--;had it fire a hollow rubber ball4 ,i supplied the trade for twelve years1 and then sold the patent for #a1bjj4 ,the invention has paid in all probably #ej1jjj1 and the guns are for sale in the stores as usual4 ,in fact1 all that my patent covered was the idea of a string made fast to the rear of the plunger and extending back to the outside1 on the bottom edge of the stock1 so that the spring or plunger could be pulled back into position1 instead of using a ramrod to push it back1 as in other toy guns4 ,perfecting the details of this gun called for much more study than did taking out the patent4 ,at first the end of the plunger rod would wedge in the barrel on striking the hollow ball4 ,the end of the plunger was flat1 a very small portion of the ball touched it1 and hence would naturally dent and wedge4 ,it was remedied by making the end of the plunger concave1 so that in striking the ball it would come in contact with a greater surface and not dent4 ,the point where the string1 which was pulled to set the spring1 came out of the stock1 would split out1 and we could not satisfactorily fasten on a brass plate with an eyeletted hole4 ,this was overcome by boring the hole large and gluing in a round piece with a hole through the centre4 ,it was then cut down in the sandpapering1 and was quite unnoticeable4 ,it worked like a charm4 ,it was difficult to get the hollow rubber balls at a low cost3 two cents each was quoted4 ,they took a square piece of thin rubber1 pinched it up with the fingers1 put some water in1 then put cement on the edges1 placed it in an iron mold and put it in the furnace4 ,the water turned to steam and forced the rubber in the shape of the mould2 the vulcanizing would cause it to stay in position1 but many would leak and not shape right4 ,the process was improved by using tubing cut proper length and pieces punched out of a flat sheet to fit over the ends4 ,it was a success1 and few ever failed to properly shape4 ,one gross was made at a time4 ,they cost less than one cent each4 ,for a while #ae per thousand was the best price quoted for the brass eagles used on the stock for ornament4 ,these were finally secured at #f1 and a number of hundred thousand were used4 ,seven small wood turnings were used in each gun4 ,the first lot of one thousand of these turnings cost #g4ej4 ,they were made on a lathe by hand4 ,then they were secured at #b4ej per thousand1 done by machine1 and finally they were contracted at #gj cents per thousand4 ,a paper tube1 painted and silver bronzed1 made a good barrel4 ,i thought these details might interest4 ,they are all wool and a yard wide4 ,one fact is worth a book full of theories4 ,toys present a good field for inventors4 ,they pay well usually1 and are easy to handle4 ,you must hold your prices firmly2 treat all jobbers alike1 no matter whether they buy one or one hundred gross4 ,if you favor one you offend all the rest4 ,be impartial4 ,cities are growing so large1 rents are soaring so high and store space seems to be getting so crowded1 possibly a fixture of store shelves could be arranged on the ,ferris ,wheel plan and put into position above the counter to help the situation4 ,mucilage evaporates so fast4 ,they have fountain pens4 ,can any of you get up a fountain mucilage pen or brush8 ,i guess we are a little late for ink bottles and spittoons that won't spill the contents upon upsetting4 ,a thought in mind seems to constantly annoy4 ,readers1 no doubt1 if they have the patience to read the whole of this pamphlet1 will possibly wonder what it is all about4 ,well1 they need not ponder4 ,the student who is alive to the subject will understand2 he will take the time and allow his thoughts to dwell on each little subject mentioned4 ,i believe in as much original gray matter horse sense and facts as circumstances permit1 that every time you bump up against it you find something out4 ,sabe4 ,have you ever studied the philosophy of trains going around curves4 ,the wheels have a flange on one side and taper to the other side4 ,they stand on the track with the flange on the inside4 ,when they come to the curve1 in which the outside rail is always set higher than the inside one1 and is necessarily longer1 the flange presses against it1 and that wheel is running on its largest diameter while the opposite wheel is on its smallest diameter4 ,this fact1 together with the slipping1 enables the outside wheel to go over a greater length of rail than the inside wheel1 though both are secured rigidly to the same axle4 ,the train has a tendency to go straight ahead2 the outside rail being higher causes it to constantly slip a little4 ,the bent rail keeps prying the flange over1 as it were1 and the train is brought around the curve safely4 ,sometimes it pays to learn some things not generally considered as being immediately connected with one's regular calling4 ,i heard of a noted ,chinese doctor who had a very bright son who was studying medicine at college4 ,an epidemic set in1 the doctor was sent for and went from one case to another4 ,he was quite an athlete and a good swimmer4 ,soon the village people concluded the doctor was the cause of all the sickness and decided to thrash him4 ,the doctor ran for his life1 the crowd close on his heels4 ,finally he came to a river1 plunged in and swam to the opposite side4 ,no one in the crowd could swim--the doctor was safe4 ,he went home and the bright young son answered the door and said1 ,father1 ,i need the money for some books at college the teacher recommends4 ,the father's mind was full of thought of the experience he had just gone through1 and he said1 ,my son1 with due respect to your teacher1 ,i advise that you first learn to swim2 it may some day be more important than any of your studies4 ,don't be an idle spectator of life1 ,create splendor for others' view4 ,do ,i think ladies could invent8 ,well1 at the present moment ,i feel like saying most decidedly yes4 ,why1 you yourself made a splendid observation4 ,don't you recall saying the horses lost a great portion of their food by tossing their heads about while eating8 ,well1 yes1 the flies are annoying1 but ,i think there is another reason4 ,well1 you see they strap the full feed bag to the horse's head4 ,at first the adjustment is good enough1 but as the horse eats the surface of the food recedes and soon the adjustment becomes bad4 ,the horse can no longer reach the food1 and tosses his head about in an effort to get it4 ,well1 we observed1 thought1 and as a consequence have a problem to work out4 ,yes1 ,i think we might overcome the difficulty4 ,why1 exactly1 splendid2 we can properly adjust the springs and fasten them in the handle or hanging straps that hold the feed bag to the horse4 ,then1 as he eats and the weight becomes less1 the springs will cause the bag to rise and the adjustment will be proper throughout4 ,yes1 that is a real invention4 ,we are inventors4 ,we will use a perforated bag4 ,why1 ,i think we might call it ,the ,automatic ,ventilated ,feed ,bag4 ,the horse will thank us1 and we will become so rich4 ,salt cellars don't work good in damp weather--the salt cakes4 ,you should work out that problem by the ,think a little rule4 ,a flagpole to operate the flag on the principle of the spring roller window curtain2 make the political banner collapsible4 ,pass tops by1 too many already2 besides ,i have been sore on them since youth1 when ,i tried to make one to wind up with a key and run all day4 ,it was a long time before ,i replaced my watch1 the works of which ,i used in that top4 ,did it spin8 ,nope4 ,postage stamp affixer4 ,no1 pass it4 ,it may do later on when you are more experienced4 ,i had some dealings with a simple kind3 it looked and worked like a rubber stamp1 but the moisture from the sponge soon got in among the stamps--impractical4 ,it should be quite easy to make a chute wagon that would unload coal while standing lengthwise along the curb1 so as not to block the cars4 ,suppose you wish to cause a toy man to pass around a six-inch circle and at the same time constantly revolve1 could you contrive to make it work by turning a crank8 ,it is good practice to work all puzzles and problems you find4 ,it cultivates reasoning and gives you splendid practice on concentrating your thought4 ,it makes you a close observer and becomes a valuable asset for use in any walk of life4 ,some people don't seem to notice anything--or1 at least1 very few things4 ,i one time had an amusing debate with a man4 ,he insisted he moved his upper jaw in eating4 ,he proved it conclusively to himself by biting on his finger4 ,how many of you know the difference between a horse and a cow in getting up8 ,i hope a half dozen dozen and six dozen dozen don't look alike to you4 ,you must get things exactly as they are in your mind2 then only will you have a true basis to reason from4 ,don't go through life with the idea that everything is about the size of a piece of chalk4 ,many people will say to those who invent1 ,how did you come to think of it8 ,i could never think of anything4 ,the main trouble is they don't think at all4 ,if they would take an interest in things and examine them closely1 study them until they can clearly explain every detail1 it would be a reasonably short time until they would think of other things and invent4 ,the inventor should be sanguine and hopeful4 ,it spurs him on and helps him to wade through discouragement4 ,possibly as like produces like1 like thoughts produce like thoughts1 fear thoughts produce fear thoughts4 ,you must have a little of the big ,i in you4 ,he who dares assert the ,i ,may calmly wait1 while hurrying fate ,meets his demands with sure supply4 ,i don't mean that you should sit down and expect to invent by mere weight of thought4 ,that would be like watching the clock to see the hour pass by4 ,i mean you should make the start4 ,begin by noticing how things are done4 ,interest your thoughts on the subject4 ,keep the matter in mind4 ,time will pass by pleasantly and some morning you will find your mind engrossed with an idea of an invention or an improvement on one1 and that day will appear the brightest in your life4 ,the more you study over what others have done1 the sooner you will do something yourself4 ,i fear you won't study4 ,now let me see2 take that trick box4 ,in ,no4 #a they tilted the box to get the cent out4 ,well1 by tilting the box they simply put the flat bottom on a slant and the cent slid out4 ,that could be improved in working by making a slanting bottom4 ,again1 in ,no4 #a1 after they worked the outer sleeve up so that the openings registered and allowed the cent to slide out1 they then worked the outer sleeve back into position1 so that the side of the cap hid the slot4 ,that work could be saved by inserting a spring1 and so you should take up each feature1 learn the reason why1 and impress it on your mind4 ,confine yourself to the very simple things4 ,later on you will take interest in the larger ones1 but at first they would likely discourage you1 though the large inventions are only a combination of simple ideas4 ,the telegraph sounds big4 ,in the first place1 it was simply a discovery4 ,the electric current magnetized the wire so that it attracted metal1 and would do so no matter how long the wire 7within reason74 ,now1 they could not well arrange to move the magnet over the paper to do the writing1 so they thought to make it stationary and move the paper4 ,the machine to do this was the biggest part of the invention4 ,the code or ,morse alphabet followed1 by arranging the dots and dashes to represent the letters4 ,if a massive structure were built of bricks1 broad1 high walls1 square and round towers1 high1 commanding1 arched doorway1 facades1 ledges1 etc41 you would stand and gaze in bewildering admiration at the grand1 colossal structure4 ,yet it is only a combination of bricks4 ,and what are bricks1 pray8 ,only clay molded into shape and baked in an oven4 ,no man ever invented a great machine unless he was an adept in the line of simple things1 or he engaged assistance from those who were4 ,don't underrate the importance of these simple ideas4 ,take each one up1 consider and go over it as carefully as though it were new--your own thought--and as though you were going to apply for a patent on it4 ,if you can't enthuse and work or study in earnest on these matters you are surely on the wrong line for you4 ,get off and devote your time to some other pursuit4 ,you must be in earnest and willing to persevere4 ,keep everlastingly at it4 ,dabblers rarely ever succeed at anything4 ,i saw a patented churn4 ,it was a plain tank and a long round handle with propeller blades set on the end4 ,the propeller was pushed down through the cream4 ,it did not revolve1 and hence agitated the cream very much4 ,then1 when it was pulled up to the top1 the propeller revolved and the cream was scarcely moved4 ,in going down the propeller would move up about one inch and lock4 ,in pulling up it would move back and unlock4 ,i remember the man who patented an iron ore washer4 ,it was a large tank affair1 say eight feet long1 three feet at one end and six feet at the other4 ,inside it was lined with iron plates having a flange projecting upward4 ,these were fastened so that the flanges formed a spiral from the large to the small end4 ,an axle was placed in the centre by braces4 ,the large end almost touched the ground2 the small end was1 say1 two feet above the ground4 ,the ore dirt was shoveled in the big end4 ,a stream of water entered the small end4 ,the washer was revolved4 ,the dirt ran out with the water4 ,the ore was worked by the flanges up to and fell out of the small end4 ,i met a party who had a patented bung for barrels4 ,it looked like a straight piece of round wood4 ,i inquired1 what is the patent4 ,he said1 bungs blow out of barrels1 but his would not1 because it was first made larger at one end than the other1 then by driving it through a tube it was forced equal at each end4 ,the original big end was marked and put in the bung hole4 ,the liquid would cause it to swell to its former size4 ,it could not blow out1 and to tap the barrel it was driven in4 ,the shores of ,lake ,superior are full of fine iron ore1 probably millions of dollars worth4 ,a party got up an electrical separator4 ,to reclaim the iron sounds big4 ,let us see4 ,an iron cylinder1 an electrical battery or dynamo to charge and magnetize it1 a long trough with a moving belt in the bottom4 ,the sand and fine iron were shoveled on the belt and carried up to and fell on one side of the revolving magnetized cylinder4 ,the iron adhered1 and as the separator revolved it was scraped off on the other side4 ,some ten years ago ,i wrote to a number of chewing gum firms and proposed they make sugar-coated tablets4 ,they did not enthuse and ,i dropped the matter4 ,to-day it forms quite a business4 ,about twenty-five years ago ,i proposed to put ,india-rubber along the water line of war ships1 so that when struck the hole would close and prevent the water going in4 ,to-day every war ship is equipped with that idea1 using cellulose instead of rubber4 ,so1 don't give up your ideas too quickly4 ,become well convinced before you drop them4 ,during the past month ,i read an article stating that the railroads required a heavier rail4 ,i thought the added weight might be used to make the rail alike top and bottom--a double rail--so that when one side wore out the rail could be turned and virtually have a new one1 and it being on the ground would save the handling in the second case4 ,a special shoe would secure it to the tie4 ,first costs are often increased to get economic results4 ,i simply advance the idea4 ,any one interested can put it in their pipe and smoke it4 ,if any of you use a rubber ball in the heel of the shoe to make walking comfortable you may be able to fit a small tube and have it arranged to ventilate the toe of the shoe4 ,a party made a horseshoe having a toe piece of three parts4 ,the centre was very hard steel2 the outsides were soft4 ,they wore down and the hard centre stuck up4 ,it was always sharp4 ,he said the blacksmiths would not handle them because it hurt their business4 ,it always seemed a good idea to make a wheel so that the spokes formed a hub at the centre4 ,if all the people were alive to their needs all hats would be ventilated4 ,the corrugated band is a good idea1 as far as it goes4 ,it should be supplemented with vents in sides or top4 ,do you know they paint ships without brushes8 ,simply spray it on with an atomizer and sweep with a suction hose4 ,i hope it will be after my day when some of you get up a machine to do the eating4 ,a cannon was mounted with mechanism to absorb the recoil and other service4 ,a hole was drilled through the side of the cannon about one foot from the end or muzzle4 ,a tube was fitted and extended rearward to the mechanism4 ,when the cannon was fired the pressure became very great in the chamber1 and the instant the projectile passed the drilled hole1 and until it left the gun1 this high pressure or power went through the tube and worked the mechanism at the rear of the gun4 ,i know hoopskirts are long out of style4 ,could a flexible metal band be arranged at the bottom of pants and end of coat sleeves1 so that they need not be sewed and could be worked to shorten or lengthen them1 as desired8 ,i saw a funnel that had a wire rod running down to the small end4 ,a ball on the end of the rod was used to close or open the funnel4 ,when the bottle was full you could close the funnel1 and no more would run out of it4 ,i don't think there is a good nutmeg grater on the market4 ,the price at retail should not be above #aj cents4 ,it should have a good appearance1 convenient and practical4 ,it should all be enclosed1 fly proof and dust proof--a sanitary grater4 ,there is a chance to improve a match box to hang on the wall1 something that won't show the marks4 ,you should be alive to the difference between goods being on sale at stores and taking hold of a specialty and pushing it4 ,sometimes the horses are driven with slack lines1 and shy or scare suddenly4 ,often the driver is bothered to take up the slack4 ,could you invent handles to put on the lines that could be moved forward easily1 have them grip so not to slip back until a spring or catch released them8 ,i don't understand why they don't connect the shafts to the vehicle so that they could be instantly disconnected in case the horse ran away4 ,they sell a number of popcorn roasters4 ,one to revolve should prove a good seller4 ,the shaking plan is very tiresome4 ,some arrangement should be put on the bootblack boy's box to prevent the foot from slipping off4 ,a propeller rocket could be made to go very high4 ,could you make a metal frame that any one1 by using a strong manila paper1 could make a pocketbook to hold notes1 bills1 etc48 ,how do you like a wire device to be put on rolls of ribbon to keep them from unwinding in the retail stores8 ,a watch might be made so that the opening and closing of the lid would keep it wound up4 ,i have not been inside a school for a long time4 ,perhaps they have holders to prevent the chalk crayons from breaking4 ,did you ever cut a round piece of cardboard in a strip1 say one-half inch wide1 cutting round and round to the centre1 then set it on a knitting needle1 place it over the stove and see it turn8 ,the heat from a small wax candle should turn a ,christmas tree lamp on the same principle4 ,now they make wood lead pencils that require no sharpening4 ,the lead is loose4 ,a slot down the side of the pencil enables one to advance the lead as required4 ,elections call forth many ideas as to the best form of balloting4 ,i think a very safe form of voting would be to have two large iron boxes with mechanism and a long roll of paper1 proper width1 with the ballots printed on it2 a flat space or table between the boxes2 the long paper tape of ballots would be wound up on a roller in one box and unwound into the other1 the ballots to be numbered consecutively4 ,a voter steps up and proves his right to vote2 then he marks his vote on ballot ,no4 #a1 which shows on the flat place between the boxes4 ,the judges then turn a crank4 ,that ballot moves into the other box and the next adjoining ballot appears on the flat place4 ,such a plan would be free from stuffing1 and ought to give reasonable satisfaction4 ,the various styles of folding boxes are good illustrations of the single idea inventions4 ,many flourishing concerns are based on same4 ,to be an inventor one should be a close observer4 ,they should make sure of just what they see4 ,i heard of a business man who had a very valuable horse4 ,he left particular orders that great care should be taken and see that the horse did not get loose and go in the new clover field4 ,he went off to his business1 some distance away1 and soon a neighbor came at top speed and said1 ,your horse is in the clover field4 ,the business man left his office in great haste and ran home1 where he found the horse in the stable where he had left him4 ,the cow had been put in the clover field4 ,the neighbor said he did not look so very close4 ,he saw an animal in the field4 ,it seemed to have four corners1 with a leg from each corner to the ground1 and thought it might be the horse4 ,he wouldn't make an inventor--,a left-over in the process of nature's selection4 ,a device to turn the sheets of music for piano players should be worthy of study4 ,some one ought to get up a paste that could be put in a tooth and adhere4 ,it should become hard and be lasting4 ,most anything to obviate the barbarous riveting process4 ,has it ever occurred to you the vast amount of waste going on in putting up goods in tin packages8 ,it presents a great field for invention of the simple lucky kind4 ,the person who hits the right thing will become vastly wealthy4 ,try to devise a shape of package that will answer and be useful after it is emptied4 ,now1 simply to illustrate the idea1 say we put tomatoes up in a tin cup with a lid that would serve as a cake cutter4 ,nice little buckets might answer4 ,smoking tobacco packages ought to answer for match boxes to hang on the wall4 ,come1 now1 there is a fortune waiting4 ,who among the students will be first to claim it8 ,nothing would please me more than to hear of some one or more of you making a hit4 ,think4 ,he who would eat the nut must crack it4 ,some people think there have been so many patents taken out already there is no chance to get up any more4 ,the truth is1 no doubt1 the chances are on the increase4 ,new sciences are being developed1 as for instance1 electricity1 and each new machine turns out work that enables the inventor to do something he could not well do before4 ,machinery now will shape wire to any required form2 castings are greatly improved2 wood turnings are cheap and in almost every imaginable shape4 ,the inventor of to-day has almost every possible detail want at hand1 and so he can undertake things heretofore out of reach4 ,naturally1 as the country grows things come into demand that were not worth while before4 ,indeed1 from every point of view the field seems to broaden4 ,suppose a two-inch tube has a one-inch hole through the side4 ,it is desired to cover the hole with a band1 so arranged that when the band is turned it will revolve a rod inside of the tube4 ,can you reason how to do it8 ,grates used under boilers for steam purposes expand when heated4 ,when cast in one piece the bars warp and soon wear out4 ,a grate was patented made in pieces2 each single bar was loose2 due allowance was made for expansion4 ,they are oval on top1 broad and tapering4 ,they do not warp4 ,the space between the bars widened towards the bottom1 hence the ashes would not clog4 ,draw an end view of such bars2 the idea will show plainly4 ,i favor drawing to impress thought4 ,the matter rests with yourself4 ,you can lead a horse to water1 but you cannot make him drink4 ,since so simple a device as an air cushion will render the fall of an elevator harmless1 there should be something doing with trains of cars4 ,no telescoping4 ,who will quiet the awful noise of the trolley car1 particularly in cities8 ,overhead they might slide the cars to advantage1 using a cog motor on third rail4 ,method is a species of invention4 ,it lends force to action4 ,what day of the week was ,march #bj1 #ahhf8 #a4 #hf--,the last two figures of the date4 #b4 #ba--,take one-fourth2 don't use fractions4 #c4 #bj--,the day of the month4 #d4 #f--,ratio2 see table below4 ---- #e4 #g_/acc--;,divide by #g4 ---- #ai and no rem42 ,sat41 #a rem42 ,sun41 #b rem42 ,mon41 etc4 ,table of ratio1 #cffbdjbeacfa1 being a figure for each month1 beginning ,january #c1 etc4 ,now1 ,i wish you to practice this method to memorize the table of ratio3 #a4 ,please remember #c4 #b4 ,think double double1 and you have #f #f #cff #c4 ,it is #bdj1jjj miles to the moon #bdj #d4 ,add #aa to the unit side #bea #e4 ,add #aa to the hundred side #cfa ,you should get that in a minute4 ,for dates in the #bjth century add #e before dividing by #g4 ,for leap years make the ratio for ,january and ,february one less than in the table4 ,try this for the ,presidents ,washington ,jackson ,adams ,adams ,jefferson ,monroe ,madison ,w ,a ,j - ,m - ,m ,a ,j ,van ,buren and ,harrison ,tyler ,polk and ,taylor ,fillmore ,pierce ,buchanan ,lincoln ,johnson ,grant ,hayes ,garfield and ,arthur ,cleveland ,harrison ,cleveland ,mc,kinley and ,roosevelt ,read across the page4 ,begin with the seven large initials1 they will soon impress on the mind1 then get the names they stand for4 ,then simply remember ,van ,buren and ,harrison1 the remainder in the form given across the page have a sort of a sing song that soon grows fast4 ,incidentally learn the given names4 ,when we look at the watch we must make a mental calculation to state the time4 ,i heard of a watch that had three circular openings in the front case1 one on each side and one on the bottom2 the latter showed the second hand4 ,the one on the left showed the hour1 and on the right the number of minutes past the hour were shown4 ,if it were twenty minutes past ten we would see ten and twenty4 ,there was no mental calculation required4 ,no doubt you have all seen the little egg separator1 a circular piece of sheet metal having a concave centre with little slots near the top of the concave portion4 ,it is placed on a cup4 ,the egg broken and contents placed in the separator1 the white runs through the slots into the cup and the yolk remains in the separator4 ,a good ink tablet should be a good thing4 ,they certainly would be a great convenience1 and should do for fountain pens too4 ,i have often thought that chairs are not made right4 ,when you lean back the front part of the seat rises and it tends to stop circulation in the limbs4 ,could the seat part be so hinged or arranged that the front portion would not rise1 or would it answer to simply have the back hinged8 ,the stem wind on the watch was a very simple thought1 and should have been forced on the mind every time the key was lost4 ,necessity is the mother of invention4 ,i advise all who have any idea of inventing to practice drawing4 ,it is an excellent practice and makes one a close observer4 ,in thinking of subjects combining several movements or features the drawing clinches them2 oftentimes the idea will slip the mind1 and puzzle as we will we can't recall it at the desired time4 ,now you shall wish1 but wish in vain to call the fleeting words again4 ,when you draw it it is there4 ,you can leave it and take up any part you wish to consider4 ,there is a lot of studying to do to equip yourself well for inventing4 ,the better you are equipped the better your chances4 ,but you should look upon the work as a pleasure4 ,then each thing you learn will please4 ,i don't believe in scolding the learning into people4 ,we should aim to make learning pleasant and agreeable4 ,i know the subject is dry to many4 ,i don't wish to weary1 remember4 ,it's pennies for labor and dollars for thought4 ,a contractor was building a pier at the seashore4 ,when he tried to drive the piles down into the sand they would continually bounce up4 ,he became very much discouraged2 he was completely puzzled4 ,it baffled his wits4 ,a gentleman from the ,west was visiting at the resort4 ,he became very deeply interested in the little clams4 ,he was amused to see how quickly they could go down in the sand4 ,he visited the pier and learned of the contractor's troubles4 ,he sought him and advised that a hose be attached to the pile and force a stream of water ahead of it as it was driven down4 ,the idea worked very satisfactorily4 ,observation4 ,yes1 ideas are good things4 ,a cow had fallen in a well that was being dug4 ,the neighbors gathered about the well1 which was ten feet deep4 ,no one could suggest a means to rescue the cow4 ,an old darkey passing by was attracted by the crowd4 ,he looked down into the well and saw the cow apparently unhurt4 ,he said1 ,let's git her out4 ,how8 they sang in chorus4 ,why1 jist shovel de sand back inter de well2 she'll keep on top4 ,during the siege of ,paris they wrote letters and reduced them in size until they looked like mere dots to the naked eye4 ,they were then sent out on pigeons and magnified to the original size4 ,that is possibly the basis of a freak thought4 ,suppose a #a bill was placed on a hillside2 we go a distance away and take a photograph of one mile square of the hillside1 having the bill exactly in the centre4 ,say the photograph is one foot square4 ,now we cut off one and three-quarter inches all the way around the picture1 leaving say one-half of the same4 ,then we enlarge this to one foot square and repeat until the foot square picture shows say ten feet square of hillside with the bill in plain view in the centre4 ,if that could be done we could examine the moon and planets too1 very closely4 ,one science only can one genius fit1 ,so vast is art1 so narrow human wit4 ,probably the most uncertain feature of a majority of patents is1 will the people buy them8 ,the theory of most patents is plausible enough4 ,but often the practice or fact is very doubtful4 ,the public seem to be whimsical and act as the spirit moves them1 oftentimes without rhyme or reason2 things become a fad or are turned down4 ,they spring up and die like a flower4 ,there is no rule4 ,you must take your chance4 ,it is a natural stumbling block4 ,you must be sanguine to invent and cautious to keep off of wrong leads4 ,take the matter philosophically4 ,don't allow it to irritate4 ,you can counsel with practical people and those whom you expect to use your device4 ,feel your way the best you can4 ,when ready1 take your plunge1 and be satisfied to settle the matter1 either as a success or failure4 ,if the latter1 make your bow1 ,nor with weight of words offend the ear4 ,there seems to be no rule2 they come and go4 ,the first time ,i saw a match with the handle end fire proofed1 so not to burn the finger1 it looked good4 ,i thought all matches would be made that way4 ,now ,i scarcely ever see one4 ,the little brass-like boxes with a spring lid and about sixty matches1 all for one cent at retail1 tells the story of cheap labor by machinery4 ,i saw a match box in the form of a house4 ,the low chimney in the centre of the roof was as long as a match and very narrow2 a flat piece with a gutter in the top edge filled the inside of the chimney4 ,the house would be pulled up and then pushed down2 always a match would be in the guttered end of the piece in the chimney4 ,i did not examine it1 but it no doubt had a slanting bottom on the inside4 ,the piece in the chimney was stationary4 ,the house would rise high enough so that the top of the guttered piece would be at the bottom of the slanting sides4 ,the matches would roll over it1 and one would lodge in the guttered top4 ,when the house was pushed back it was at the top of the chimney1 ready for use4 ,it embodies an idea1 and so ,i will give it4 ,some houses become infested with active insects1 to the very great annoyance of the occupants4 ,if you ever happen to have the occasion1 put a few sheets of sticky fly paper on the floor at night2 place a small piece of raw meat in the centre of each4 ,they will all be there in the morning4 ,they hop for the meat and linger on the paper4 ,stop laughing and think4 ,suppose you had no sticky fly paper nor molasses1 would you think to try a plate with water on it and the meat in the centre8 ,thinking how to substitute one plan for another is good exercise4 ,look out when you do it1 or you will invent4 ,the gyroscope top is certainly very peculiar in its movements4 ,it is an enigma to science4 ,it is proposed to run a car on a single rail by having two gyroscopes mounted within the car4 ,in rowing a boat the position is such that the power does not continue in full to the extreme end of the stroke4 ,possibly the blade could be pivoted to the oar1 so that at the best point in the stroke for the purpose it would press a spring1 which would release itself at the end of the stroke to advantage4 ,the elbow for stove pipes was a fine idea1 also the spring rollers for window curtains4 ,the mail box in use is good4 ,indeed1 it should be quite natural for a person to enthuse4 ,i patented a child's riding stick1 hollow wheels at one end1 horse head with moveable jaw at other4 ,can you reason how to make the jaw work8 ,no doubt you rode on summer trolley cars and pushed up and pulled down the curtains4 ,but do you know how they are constructed8 ,the curtain is attached to a spring roller1 and has an iron tube on the end4 ,two wire cords1 one on either side of the frame1 are fastened at the top4 ,each passes through the tube and is fastened again at the bottom4 ,thus the cords cross in the tube1 which can be pushed up1 the spring roller taking up the slack curtain2 or it can be pulled down1 the curtain unwinding4 ,if you will only observe closely you will see ideas carried out on every hand4 ,when you come to invent the knowledge of them will give you confidence and help you very much4 ,but it will not suffice to simply read of them4 ,you must study1 learn and impress the principle on your mind4 ,it is learning1 not reading1 that counts4 ,it has always seemed queer to me that so many ideas spring up and flourish for a while1 then die and are forgotten4 ,many good ideas for the personal benefit of the buyer don't seem to go at all4 ,if an article pleased one generation1 why not the next8 ,it is so in many things and not so in many others4 ,judgment is required to distinguish standard from transient4 ,a life preserver1 say of oiled goods1 with a spring inside1 flat1 the size of a plate when operated1 three feet long and able to float a person4 ,convenient fasteners for room doors with poor locks1 burglar alarms and portable fire escapes1 all worth their weight in gold when required4 ,a few poles and strands of wire1 an electrically controlled carriage and an operator would drop a life preserver every few feet of the bathing surface4 ,they are all good subjects for the people in the troubles1 but you would go to bed hungry trying to sell the goods4 ,two wire cables across the street from the big hotels1 to operate a draw bridge1 at times would save hundreds1 as would a tunnel from amusement places4 ,steel cars would prevent the terrible fires when wrecked1 and save many lives4 ,it seems the people want something to eat1 wear or to amuse for their money4 ,it has been a much mooted question1 and as it involves an idea it may not be amiss4 ,how to make fire from wood3 ,you would get very tired rubbing two pieces of rotten wood together4 ,select a dry1 well-seasoned block2 nick or deeply dent the surface with a sharp stone4 ,provide an arrow-like stick1 and a bow and string much like the bow and arrow4 ,stand the arrow-like stick in the dented surface of the block4 ,the bow has the string fast at each end4 ,make one wrap of the string around the arrow1 which you steady with one hand and work the bow back and forth with the other4 ,mechanics would call it a fiddle drill4 ,the arrow-like stick will turn rapidly4 ,the friction will create a dust-like1 fibrous mess1 which will soon burn4 ,then blow and have a flame4 ,make a currycomb with wire teeth3 ,have a sheet of metal proper shape perforated to receive the wire teeth1 and rest at the bottom of the brush4 ,after cleaning the horse pull the metal sheet up1 thus cleaning the comb4 ,for a window sash without weights follow the trolley curtain4 ,if a stirrup had an open bottom1 save a small cleet on each side to rest the foot on1 in case the rider was thrown the foot would turn and come out4 ,i don't believe in the strenuous life4 ,it is the happy medium that appeals to me4 ,we must have time to think4 ,i don't mean to hesitate4 ,we should think in advance as far as possible4 ,think1 so that you will know better what to do4 ,try not to become confused2 act with good judgment4 ,a doctor was expecting a load of hay4 ,on returning home at noon he noticed a load upset in front of his gate4 ,a boy with a fork in his hands looked bewildered4 ,the doctor inquired and was told the hay was for him4 ,ah1 well1 he said to the boy1 come in and have some dinner4 ,oh1 indeed1 sir1 ,i can't2 my father would not like it4 ,i must move the hay4 ,oh1 yes1 said the doctor1 come4 ,the boy was hungry and willing1 but insisted his father would not like it4 ,finally he reluctantly yielded4 ,but he ate so fast the doctor cautioned him in vain4 ,he would reply1 ,i am sure father won't like it4 ,finally the doctor asked1 ,where is your father8 ,why1 said the boy1 he's under that load of hay4 ,i noticed in a paper that the ,government desired a device to secure packages of letters in transit from one place to another4 ,they use string1 and it costs over #bjj1jjj per year4 ,a billion of packages are tied up annually4 ,at first glance1 considering security1 etc41 ,i rather think a telescopic box would be best4 ,but the cost1 wear and tear1 extra weight in freight all act to make the box impracticable4 ,indeed1 if the matter is to be governed by cost1 ,i advise our dear old ,uncle ,sam to stick to his string4 ,the common shipping tag which has the washer-like piece of cardboard to reinforce the tie hole is simple and good4 ,it is cheap and stronger1 indeed1 than the metal eyelets4 ,the ball and socket fastener used on gloves1 suspenders and many other things is very good4 ,it fell in the lap of a ,frenchman4 ,a great variety of fasteners to hold sheets of paper together have a large sale4 ,in most all cases they aim to hold the paper without puncturing it4 ,the name ,uneeda was coined1 tied fast to a biscuit and became famous4 ,s4 ,t4 #ahfj ,x was an oldtimer4 ,i believe it meant sure thing in ten years from #ahfj4 ,i think a good ash sifter could be made with a box1 say two by three feet1 and a cylindrical sieve on an axle with a crank handle4 ,the sieve to be provided with a door or lid1 the ashes put in and the sieve revolved4 ,the operation should be easy4 ,it was a good idea to make circular zinc pieces to put under stoves2 also the circular pieces used in pipe holes to close them in summer4 ,the little bell-shaped guards hung from the ceiling to protect it from the gas jets was good1 very simple and quite natural4 ,the little burners on the gas fixtures are fine4 ,i met a gentleman who was blind4 ,he took out a patent for a handle for a scrub brush4 ,it could be attached and detached at will4 ,the barn doors hung on wheels on a track was a good job2 also the gates that open when the team approaches4 ,the lawn mower was not slow4 ,games are a very uncertain field to work in1 though some of the standard games have been very profitable4 ,they must be gotten up in elaborate manner1 and as a rule must be well advertised4 ,many little puzzles have paid well1 but they are invariably greatly exaggerated4 ,the matters that come under the head of copyright are1 ,i think1 a good field to work in4 ,the money success of these things depends principally on how well they are handled4 ,there are many ways to make sales1 many channels to work in4 ,i am of the opinion that a large per cent4 of inventors would do better to put their inventions out on royalty or sell4 ,i am sure those who have invented will do so again and again if they are not too busily engaged otherwise4 ,hence ,i claim it best1 generally speaking1 to sell or place on royalty1 and then invent something else4 ,inventing is really a profession--so is manufacturing4 ,let the cobbler stick to his last4 ,the strenuous life1 like baby's suit1 is soon outgrown4 ,then what to do becomes important4 ,i think every city of fair size in the country should have a trades exchange4 ,a man or woman opens a store and announces they will receive goods of all descriptions to sell or exchange1 give a descriptive receipt for the goods1 charging1 say ten per cent4 for services1 when sold or exchanged4 ,you can make a good white soap for say two cents per pound2 put it up in one and a quarter pound cakes and sell direct to the consumer for five cents--give premiums for your wrappers4 ,take a contract to increase the circulation of your country or town paper2 then visit the people1 prepare an article on the city or town1 and write up sketches of those who subscribe4 ,mail order business will pay fairly well from any point if you deal right4 ,never sell anything unless it is worth the money1 and don't introduce any fake schemes4 ,get some good novelties1 household articles1 books1 etc42 select good leaders to advertise1 and when you make a sale enclose circulars of the other goods2 soon you can have a catalogue4 ,study the papers you advertise in2 there are many quacks--you can tell them by the character of their advertising4 ,public catalogues soon become too common2 also you should handle the goods you sell4 ,then you can control the matter better4 ,lists of names are generally drummed too much before you get them4 ,once you begin to advertise you will get informed of live papers and live goods to push4 ,for personal canvassing a clothes bar made of half-inch round pieces1 fastened to ends in the form of an ,x with an inverted ,v on top2 they open and close1 and will form a dryer1 a basket and a sort of table to air a bed on4 ,they should weigh six pounds and sell for #a4be2 cost1 say forty to fifty cents4 ,say a country weekly1 single sheet1 one fold1 wants to boom the subscription list4 ,reserve suitable space1 say at the double corner1 for four pages of any book chosen4 ,in a year they have a #bjh page book4 ,full many a gem of purest ray serene1 ,the dark1 unfathomed caves of ocean bear4 ,full many a flower is born to blush unseen ,and waste its sweetness on the desert air4 ,yes1 the woods are full of them4 ,the future inventions will rival those of the past4 ,you should prepare and cast your net4 ,if you choose luck may come your way1 opportunity may faintly knock4 ,you should be alert1 comprehend and intelligently pursue4 ,you must know the form and touch1 lest its presence be unknown4 ,of all sad words of tongue or pen1 ,the saddest are these3 it might have been4 ,those who would be inventors should take up the helpful studies to that end1 viz43 ,mathematics in all its branches1 philosophy1 physics1 all mechanical works and drawing4 ,interest yourself in all kinds of puzzles1 observe closely4 ,begin early in life to study4 ,children1 like tender osiers1 take the bow1 ,and as they first are fashioned always grow4 ,finished6 ,don't say you do not like it4 ,we can find reasons to like anything4 ,it all depends on the way we view it4 ,i heard of an ,irishman who imbibed too freely in a ,western town and was ridden through the place on a rail4 ,the people lined the streets and cheered lustily4 ,after it was all over some one asked him what he thought of it4 ,be gorra1 says he1 if it wasn't fur the honor of the thing ,i'd about as lave walk4 ,if this little pamphlet turns out to be a cue which directs new thought into the vast unlimited field of invention1 its mission will be filled4 ,possibly some day the subject will be taught in the schools2 possibly those scholars will be the most practical people on the earth2 possibly their influence in the land will wield a mighty ,niagara of power4 ,,the ,,end4 ,mental ,nuts ,can you ,crack 'em8 ,a superb collection of #ajj old time catch and prize problems2 famous debaters4 ,they have puzzled the people of all times4 ,pleasingly referred to in old schoolday talks4 ,quaint1 curious and interesting puzzles1 calculated to call forth the best mental effort4 ,an unique curio of intense interest4 ,a great home entertainer4 ,on heavy paper1 bronzed and embossed4 ,by mail #aj cents1 stamps or silver4 ,a ,book of ,maxims ,illustrated and ,alphabetical ,those terse old sayings1 so pleasing to the ear1 so convincing to the mind2 the flowers of thought1 word pictures of speech1 #ajjj lines of prose and verse4 ,a desirable reference book4 ,now you shall wish1 but wish in vain1 ,to call the fleeting words again4 ,to those who fear misquoting1 this book will prove a valuable treasure4 ,many times a well-chosen maxim conveys the trend of thought better than otherwise a full page would do4 ,on heavy glazed paper1 bronzed and embossed4 ,by mail #aj cents1 stamps or silver4 ,tales of ,yarnville ,it is to laugh4 ,funniest book ever happened4 ,o4 ,k4 anywhere and everywhere4 #fh ,subjects1 each a ,pearl ,entertain your friends4 ,don't be a wall flower4 ,if you can't sing1 dance1 or play the fiddle1 learn to tell a good one4 ,compact vest pocket size1 round corners4 ,by mail #aj cents1 stamps or silver4 99 99 99 99 99 ,transcriber's ,note3 ,page #d1 treasuse changed to treasure 7solid treasure to the7 ,page #e1 maters changed to matters 7are about these matters7 ,page #e1 geting changed to getting 7getting up inventions7 ,page #aa1 period changed to a comma 7pushed up1 with a slot7 ,page #ae1 porus changed to porous 7the porous plasters7 ,page #ae1 shelfs changed to shelves 7of store shelves7 ,page #ah1 period added to abbreviation 7,no4 #a they7 ,page #ai1 willling changed to willing 7and willing to persevere7 ,page #bj1 corrigated changed to corrugated 7,the corrugated band7