I I : 



/ ' 





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Figure 3. — Impron'ED water loom patented by Philo Clinton Curtis, November 17, 1810 (.restored patent 



1391X). 



minology of the patent schedules confirms the quest for 

 "domestic comfort" ' as a popular reasonfor invention. 

 The urge existed to produce something '•beautiful" as 

 well as the less idealistic motives that simply sought a 

 new way of doing things that would be "better, 

 quicker, and cheaper than by hard labor."'" Also, 

 the goal of "excellent quality and large quantity" 

 stimulated the American inventor." Finally, the 



' Frederick A. Fickardt, Easton, Pennsylvania, in patent 

 23 (furnace for warming buildings), .September 8, 1836. 



'" Thomas Bedwell, in patent for a method of obtaining a new 

 yellow color, April 20, 1796 (restored patent); and Thomas 

 Blanchard, New York, in patent 4 (a stock-shaving or rounding 

 machine), August 10, 1836. 



" Nathan Jacobs, Newark, Ohio, in patent 145 (improvement 

 in dressing millstones), March 11, 1837. 



records reveal that patriotism and Christian duty, 

 whether sincere or calculated, induced innovation, a 

 fact characterized by the calligraphic eagle and 

 Masonic eye that adorned the patent application 

 (fig. 1) of Emanuel Carpenter of Lancaster, Penn- 

 sylvania. 



No one can explore the patent schedules and ap- 

 plications and remain insensitive to the fact that 

 persons at all levels accepted the machine as a basic 

 part of American life; and, of the facts revealed, this 

 would seem to be the most constituent and lasting. 

 It makes little diflference whether a patent was for a 

 decorative steelyard (fig. 2) that weighed anything 

 from "gold coins to hogs heads of sugar," for a loom 

 (fig. 3) powered either manually or by "Horses, 

 Water, Wind or Steam," for a new method of ad- 



PAPER 48: UNITED STATES PATENTS NEW USES FOR OLD IDEAS 



113 



