PATENTS. 



PATENTS, DESIGNS, REISSUES, AND ADDITIONAL IMPROVEMENTS 



GRANTED BY THE PATENT OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES 



DURING THE YEAR 1854. 



Patents ......... 1,871 



Designs ......... II 



Reissues ......... 46 



Additional Improvements ....... 11 



Total 1,999 



The atove is the greatest number of patents, etc., ever issued in one year from the 

 office. 



Mr. J. S. Brown, of 'Washington, has recently published a catalogue of all the patents 

 granted by the United States Government up to the commencement of the year 1855. 

 From this we learn that the whole number of patents granted for Grain and Grass 

 Harvesters has been one hundred and eleven ; for Plows, three hundred and seventy-two ; 

 for Straw- Cutters, one hundred and fifty-three; for Smut machines, one hundred and 

 forty ; for Winnowing machines, one hundred and sixty -three, and for Thrashing ma- 

 chines, three hundred and seventy-eight. The highest numbers in classes belong to the 

 agricultural department, with the exception of Stoves, on which the enormous number 

 of six hundred and eighty-two patents have been issued, and four hundred and seventy- 

 eight for designs, making a total of one thousand one hundred and sixty patents on 

 Stoves. 



On Air Engines, not one of which is in use, no less than twenty-one patents have been 

 granted. No less than one hundred and forty-eight patents have been granted on Steam 

 Boilers; and yet, for all this, there are but few engineers who do not entertain the opin- 

 ion that many improvements have yet to be made on them. The manufacture of India- 

 rubber goods is but of recent date, and yet no less than forty-two patents have been ob- 

 tained on such manufactures. Sewing machines are of still more recent date, the first 

 patent having been obtained in 1846, only nine years since ; and yet no less than sixty 

 patents have been granted on such machines. This affords evidence of their popularity 

 and usefulness. The number of Water-wheel patents is somewhat high, being threo 

 hundred and twenty-seven, but that of Washing machines comes nearly up to it, being no 

 less than three hundred and nine. 



OBITUARY 



OF PERSOXS EMTNEXT IN SCIENCE. 1855. 



3L F. Bachmann, a German mineralogist, Professor in the University of Jena. 



Martin Barry, M.D., an English physiologist. 



Sir Henry de la Beche, the well known English geologist. 



Dr. T. Eorneyn Beck, of Albany, N. Y. 



