1.86—The last two figures of the date.2.21—Take one-fourth; don't use fractions.3.20—The day of the month.4.6—Ratio; see table below.——5.7/133—Divide by 7.——19and no rem.; Sat., 1 rem.; Sun., 2 rem.; Mon., etc.
Table of ratio, 366240251361, being a figure for each month, beginning January 3, etc.
Now, I wish you to practice this method to memorize the table of ratio:
1. Please remember 3.2. Think double double, and you have 6 63663. It is 240,000 miles to the moon2404. Add 11 to the unit side2515. Add 11 to the hundred side361
You should get that in a minute.
For dates in the 20th century add 5 before dividing by 7.
For leap years make the ratio for January and February one less than in the table.
Try this for the Presidents
WashingtonJacksonAdamsAdamsJeffersonMonroeMadison
W A J - M - M A J
Van Buren and HarrisonTylerPolkandTaylorFillmorePierceBuchananLincolnJohnsonGrantHayesGarfieldandArthurClevelandHarrisonClevelandMcKinley and Roosevelt
Read across the page. Begin with the seven large initials, they will soon impress on the mind, then get the names they stand for. Then simply remember Van Buren and Harrison, the remainder in the form given across the page have a sort of a sing song that soon grows fast.
Incidentally learn the given names.
When we look at the watch we must make a mental calculation to state the time. I heard of a watch that had three circular openings in the front case, one on each side and one on the bottom; the latter showed the second hand. The one on the left showed the hour, and on the right the number of minutes past the hour were shown. If it were twenty minutes past ten we would see ten and twenty. There was no mental calculation required.
No doubt you have all seen the little egg separator, a circular piece of sheet metal having a concave centre with little slots near the top of the concave portion. It is placed on a cup. The egg broken and contents placed in the separator, the white runs through the slots into the cup and the yolk remains in the separator.
A good ink tablet should be a good thing. They certainly would be a great convenience, and should do for fountain pens too. I have often thought that chairs are not made right. Whenyou lean back the front part of the seat rises and it tends to stop circulation in the limbs. Could the seat part be so hinged or arranged that the front portion would not rise, or would it answer to simply have the back hinged?
The stem wind on the watch was a very simple thought, and should have been forced on the mind every time the key was lost. "Necessity is the mother of invention."
I advise all who have any idea of inventing to practice drawing. It is an excellent practice and makes one a close observer. In thinking of subjects combining several movements or features the drawing clinches them; oftentimes the idea will slip the mind, and puzzle as we will we can't recall it at the desired time. "Now you shall wish, but wish in vain to call the fleeting words again." When you draw it it is there. You can leave it and take up any part you wish to consider. There is a lot of studying to do to equip yourself well for inventing. The better you are equipped the better your chances. But you should look upon the work as a pleasure. Then each thing you learn will please. I don't believe in scolding the learning into people. We should aim to make learning pleasant and agreeable. I know the subject is dry to many. I don't wish to weary, remember.
"It's pennies for labor and dollars for thought."
A contractor was building a pier at the seashore. When he tried to drive the piles down into the sand they would continually bounce up. He became very much discouraged; he was completely puzzled. It baffled his wits. A gentleman from the West was visiting at the resort. He became very deeply interested in the little clams. He was amused to see how quickly they could go down in the sand. He visited the pier and learned of the contractor's troubles. 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 down. The idea worked very satisfactorily. Observation. Yes, ideas are good things. A cow had fallen in a well that was being dug. The neighbors gathered about the well, which was ten feet deep. No one could suggest a means to rescue the cow. An old darkey passing by was attracted by the crowd. He looked down into the well and saw the cow apparently unhurt. He said, "Let's git her out." "How?" they sang in chorus. "Why, jist shovel de sand back inter de well; she'll keep on top."
During the siege of Paris they wrote letters and reduced them in size until they looked like mere dots to the naked eye.They were then sent out on pigeons and magnified to the original size. That is possibly the basis of a freak thought. Suppose a $1 bill was placed on a hillside; we go a distance away and take a photograph of one mile square of the hillside, having the bill exactly in the centre. Say the photograph is one foot square. Now we cut off one and three-quarter inches all the way around the picture, leaving say one-half of the same. 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 centre. If that could be done we could examine the moon and planets too, very closely.
"One science only can one genius fit,So vast is art, so narrow human wit."
Probably the most uncertain feature of a majority of patents is, will the people buy them? The theory of most patents is plausible enough. But often the practice or fact is very doubtful. The public seem to be whimsical and act as the spirit moves them, oftentimes without rhyme or reason; things become a fad or are turned down. They spring up and die like a flower. There is no rule. You must take your chance. It is a natural stumbling block. You must be sanguine to invent and cautious to keep off of wrong leads. Take the matter philosophically. Don't allow it to irritate. You can counsel with practical people and those whom you expect to use your device. Feel your way the best you can. When ready, take your plunge, and be satisfied to settle the matter, either as a success or failure. If the latter, make your bow, "Nor with weight of words offend the ear."
There seems to be no rule; they come and go. The first time I saw a match with the handle end fire proofed, so not to burn the finger, it looked good. I thought all matches would be made that way. Now I scarcely ever see one.
The little brass-like boxes with a spring lid and about sixty matches, all for one cent at retail, tells the story of cheap labor by machinery. I saw a match box in the form of a house. The low chimney in the centre of the roof was as long as a match and very narrow; a flat piece with a gutter in the top edge filled the inside of the chimney. The house would be pulled up and then pushed down; always a match would be in the guttered end of the piece in the chimney. I did not examine it, but it no doubt had a slanting bottom on the inside. The piece in the chimney was stationary. The house would rise high enough so that the top of the guttered piece would be at the bottom of theslanting sides. The matches would roll over it, and one would lodge in the guttered top. When the house was pushed back it was at the top of the chimney, ready for use. It embodies an idea, and so I will give it. Some houses become infested with active insects, to the very great annoyance of the occupants. If you ever happen to have the occasion, put a few sheets of sticky fly paper on the floor at night; place a small piece of raw meat in the centre of each. They will all be there in the morning. They hop for the meat and linger on the paper. Stop laughing and think. Suppose you had no sticky fly paper nor molasses, would you think to try a plate with water on it and the meat in the centre? Thinking how to substitute one plan for another is good exercise. Look out when you do it, or you will invent. The gyroscope top is certainly very peculiar in its movements. It is an enigma to science. It is proposed to run a car on a single rail by having two gyroscopes mounted within the car. In rowing a boat the position is such that the power does not continue in full to the extreme end of the stroke. Possibly the blade could be pivoted to the oar, so that at the best point in the stroke for the purpose it would press a spring, which would release itself at the end of the stroke to advantage.
The elbow for stove pipes was a fine idea, also the spring rollers for window curtains. The mail box in use is good. Indeed, it should be quite natural for a person to enthuse. I patented a child's riding stick, hollow wheels at one end, horse head with moveable jaw at other. Can you reason how to make the jaw work? No doubt you rode on summer trolley cars and pushed up and pulled down the curtains. But do you know how they are constructed? The curtain is attached to a spring roller, and has an iron tube on the end. Two wire cords, one on either side of the frame, are fastened at the top. Each passes through the tube and is fastened again at the bottom. Thus the cords cross in the tube, which can be pushed up, the spring roller taking up the slack curtain; or it can be pulled down, the curtain unwinding. If you will only observe closely you will see ideas carried out on every hand. When you come to invent the knowledge of them will give you confidence and help you very much. But it will not suffice to simply read of them. You must study, learn and impress the principle on your mind. It is learning, not reading, that counts. It has always seemed queer to me that so many ideas spring up and flourish for a while, then die and are forgotten. Many good ideas for the personal benefit of the buyerdon't seem to go at all. If an article pleased one generation, why not the next? It is so in many things and not so in many others. Judgment is required to distinguish standard from transient. A life preserver, say of oiled goods, with a spring inside, flat, the size of a plate when operated, three feet long and able to float a person. Convenient fasteners for room doors with poor locks, burglar alarms and portable fire escapes, all worth their weight in gold when required. A few poles and strands of wire, an electrically controlled carriage and an operator would drop a life preserver every few feet of the bathing surface. They are all good subjects for the people in the troubles, but you would go to bed hungry trying to sell the goods. Two wire cables across the street from the big hotels, to operate a draw bridge, at times would save hundreds, as would a tunnel from amusement places. Steel cars would prevent the terrible fires when wrecked, and save many lives. It seems the people want something to eat, wear or to amuse for their money. It has been a much mooted question, and as it involves an idea it may not be amiss. How to make fire from wood: You would get very tired rubbing two pieces of rotten wood together. Select a dry, well-seasoned block; nick or deeply dent the surface with a sharp stone. Provide an arrow-like stick, and a bow and string much like the bow and arrow. Stand the arrow-like stick in the dented surface of the block. The bow has the string fast at each end. Make one wrap of the string around the arrow, which you steady with one hand and work the bow back and forth with the other. Mechanics would call it a fiddle drill. The arrow-like stick will turn rapidly. The friction will create a dust-like, fibrous mess, which will soon burn. Then blow and have a flame.
Make a currycomb with wire teeth: Have a sheet of metal proper shape perforated to receive the wire teeth, and rest at the bottom of the brush. After cleaning the horse pull the metal sheet up, thus cleaning the comb. For a window sash without weights follow the trolley curtain. If a stirrup had an open bottom, save a small cleet on each side to rest the foot on, in case the rider was thrown the foot would turn and come out.
I don't believe in the strenuous life. It is the "happy medium" that appeals to me. We must have time to think. I don't mean to hesitate. We should think in advance as far as possible. Think, so that you will know better what to do. Try not to become confused; act with good judgment. A doctor was expecting a load of hay. On returning home at noon he noticeda load upset in front of his gate. A boy with a fork in his hands looked bewildered. The doctor inquired and was told the hay was for him. "Ah, well," he said to the boy, "come in and have some dinner." "Oh, indeed, sir, I can't; my father would not like it. I must move the hay." "Oh, yes," said the doctor, "come." The boy was hungry and willing, but insisted his father would not like it. Finally he reluctantly yielded. But he ate so fast the doctor cautioned him in vain. He would reply, "I am sure father won't like it." Finally the doctor asked, "Where is your father?" "Why," said the boy, "he's under that load of hay."
I noticed in a paper that the Government desired a device to secure packages of letters in transit from one place to another. They use string, and it costs over $200,000 per year. A billion of packages are tied up annually. At first glance, considering security, etc., I rather think a telescopic box would be best. But the cost, wear and tear, extra weight in freight all act to make the box impracticable. Indeed, if the matter is to be governed by cost, I advise our dear old Uncle Sam to stick to his string. The common shipping tag which has the washer-like piece of cardboard to reinforce the tie hole is simple and good. It is cheap and stronger, indeed, than the metal eyelets.
The ball and socket fastener used on gloves, suspenders and many other things is very good. It fell in the lap of a Frenchman.
A great variety of fasteners to hold sheets of paper together have a large sale. In most all cases they aim to hold the paper without puncturing it.
The name Uneeda was coined, tied fast to a biscuit and became famous.
S. T. 1860 X was an oldtimer. I believe it meant "sure thing in ten years from 1860."
I think a good ash sifter could be made with a box, say two by three feet, and a cylindrical sieve on an axle with a crank handle. The sieve to be provided with a door or lid, the ashes put in and the sieve revolved. The operation should be easy. It was a good idea to make circular zinc pieces to put under stoves; also the circular pieces used in pipe holes to close them in summer. The little bell-shaped guards hung from the ceiling to protect it from the gas jets was good, very simple and quite natural. The little burners on the gas fixtures are fine.
I met a gentleman who was blind. He took out a patent for a handle for a scrub brush. It could be attached and detachedat will. The barn doors hung on wheels on a track was a good job; also the gates that open when the team approaches. The lawn mower was not slow. Games are a very uncertain field to work in, though some of the standard games have been very profitable. They must be gotten up in elaborate manner, and as a rule must be well advertised. Many little puzzles have paid well, but they are invariably greatly exaggerated. The matters that come under the head of copyright are, I think, a good field to work in. The money success of these things depends principally on how well they are handled. There are many ways to make sales, many channels to work in. I am of the opinion that a large per cent. of inventors would do better to put their inventions out on royalty or sell. I am sure those who have invented will do so again and again if they are not too busily engaged otherwise. Hence I claim it best, generally speaking, to sell or place on royalty, and then invent something else. Inventing is really a profession—so is manufacturing.
"Let the cobbler stick to his last."
The strenuous life, like baby's suit, is soon outgrown. Then what to do becomes important. I think every city of fair size in the country should have a trades exchange. A man or woman opens a store and announces they will receive goods of all descriptions to sell or exchange, give a descriptive receipt for the goods, charging, say ten per cent. for services, when sold or exchanged. You can make a good white soap for say two cents per pound; put it up in one and a quarter pound cakes and sell direct to the consumer for five cents—give premiums for your wrappers. Take a contract to increase the circulation of your country or town paper; then visit the people, prepare an article on the city or town, and write up sketches of those who subscribe. Mail order business will pay fairly well from any point if you deal right. Never sell anything unless it is worth the money, and don't introduce any fake schemes. Get some good novelties, household articles, books, etc.; select good leaders to advertise, and when you make a sale enclose circulars of the other goods; soon you can have a catalogue. Study the papers you advertise in; there are many quacks—you can tell them by the character of their advertising. Public catalogues soon become too common; also you should handle the goods you sell. Then you can control the matter better. Lists of names are generally drummed too much before you get them. Once you begin to advertise you will get informed of live papers and live goods to push.
For personal canvassing a clothes bar made of half-inch round pieces, fastened to ends in the form of an X with an inverted V on top; they open and close, and will form a dryer, a basket and a sort of table to air a bed on. They should weigh six pounds and sell for $1.25; cost, say forty to fifty cents. Say a country weekly, single sheet, one fold, wants to boom the subscription list. Reserve suitable space, say at the double corner, for four pages of any book chosen. In a year they have a 208 page book.
"Full many a gem of purest ray serene,The dark, unfathomed caves of ocean bear.Full many a flower is born to blush unseenAnd waste its sweetness on the desert air."
Yes, the woods are full of them. The future inventions will rival those of the past. You should prepare and cast your net. If you choose "luck" may come your way, opportunity may faintly knock. You should be alert, comprehend and intelligently pursue. You must know the form and touch, lest its presence be unknown.
"Of all sad words of tongue or pen,The saddest are these: it might have been."
Those who would be inventors should take up the helpful studies to that end, viz.: Mathematics in all its branches, philosophy, physics, all mechanical works and drawing. Interest yourself in all kinds of puzzles, observe closely. Begin early in life to study.
"Children, like tender osiers, take the bow,And as they first are fashioned always grow."
Finished! Don't say you do not like it. We can find reasons to like anything. It all depends on the way we view it. I heard of an Irishman who imbibed too freely in a Western town and was ridden through the place on a rail. The people lined the streets and cheered lustily. After it was all over some one asked him what he thought of it. "Be gorra," says he, "if it wasn't fur the honor of the thing I'd about as lave walk."
If this little pamphlet turns out to be a cue which directs new thought into the vast unlimited field of invention, its mission will be filled. Possibly some day the subject will be taught in the schools; possibly those scholars will be the most practical people on the earth; possibly their influence in the land will wield a mighty Niagara of power.
The End.
Mental Nuts
Can you Crack 'em?
A superb collection of 100 old time catch and prize problems; famous debaters. They have puzzled the people of all times. Pleasingly referred to in old schoolday talks. Quaint, curious and interesting puzzles, calculated to call forth the best mental effort. An unique curio of intense interest. A great home entertainer. On heavy paper, bronzed and embossed.
By mail 10 cents, stamps or silver.
A Book of Maxims
Illustrated and Alphabetical
Those terse old sayings, so pleasing to the ear, so convincing to the mind; the flowers of thought, word pictures of speech, 1000 lines of prose and verse. A desirable reference book.
"Now you shall wish, but wish in vain,To call the fleeting words again."
To those who fear misquoting, this book will prove a valuable treasure. Many times a well-chosen maxim conveys the trend of thought better than otherwise a full page would do.
On heavy glazed paper, bronzed and embossed.
By mail 10 cents, stamps or silver.
Tales of Yarnville
It is to laugh. Funniest book ever happened. O. K. anywhere and everywhere.
68 Subjects, each a Pearl
Entertain your friends. Don't be a wall flower. If you can't sing, dance, or play the fiddle, learn to tell a good one.
Compact vest pocket size, round corners.
By mail 10 cents, stamps or silver.
Transcriber's Note:Page 4, "treasuse" changed to "treasure" (solid treasure to the)Page 5, "maters" changed to "matters" (are about these matters)Page 5, "geting" changed to "getting" (getting up inventions)Page 11, period changed to a comma (pushed up, with a slot)Page 15, "porus" changed to "porous" (the porous plasters)Page 15, "shelfs" changed to "shelves" (of store shelves)Page 18, period added to abbreviation (No. 1 they)Page 19, "willling" changed to "willing" (and willing to persevere)Page 20, "corrigated" changed to "corrugated" (The corrugated band)
Transcriber's Note:
Page 4, "treasuse" changed to "treasure" (solid treasure to the)
Page 5, "maters" changed to "matters" (are about these matters)
Page 5, "geting" changed to "getting" (getting up inventions)
Page 11, period changed to a comma (pushed up, with a slot)
Page 15, "porus" changed to "porous" (the porous plasters)
Page 15, "shelfs" changed to "shelves" (of store shelves)
Page 18, period added to abbreviation (No. 1 they)
Page 19, "willling" changed to "willing" (and willing to persevere)
Page 20, "corrigated" changed to "corrugated" (The corrugated band)