88 



THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECT'S JOURNAL, 



fMARCH, 



traffic on the Indian rivers diminishes freifiht, and makes out a case 

 for the railways. 



Attaclied to this article is an enfcraving (Plate V.), showing the 

 class of vessels Mr. Albert Robinson has introduced on the Ganges, 

 and wliich are well calculated to promote traffic, and ensure the 

 comfort of the passengers. It will be seen that ample space is left 

 below, and the engines kept down, which allows of the upper deck 

 being built upon and appropriated to passengers, without making 

 the vessel topheavy. It is this combination of a large space for 

 luggage with spacious saloons that will make steam-vessels pay. 

 The boats built by Mr. Robinson draw very little water, and can 

 pass the shallows with facility. 



REMARKS ON PATENT INVENTIONS. 



[A very able article on the Progress of Mechanical Invention is 

 given in the last number of the Edinbaryh lieview. It is a valuable 

 exposition of the mania that has begotten many persons for taking 

 out patents for the most puerile inventions, founded upon gross 

 ignorance of the common ))rinciples of mechanics. VVe are in- 

 duced to transfer to our columns a lengthened abridgement of the 

 paper, in the hope that it will in some measure arrest the folly of 

 inventors, and prevent many artful scheming parties palming upon 

 the public pretended inventions, for the purpose of getting up a 

 company and duping the subscribers out of thousands, for a patent 

 that is not worth a straw.] 



The Reviewer very properly observes that — 



"The simple perusal of tlicir uwa specilicatioiis, aided by a very 

 moderate degree of scientific knowledge, will siiflice to prove that, uiiie 

 limes out of ten, all the labour and expense that have been lavished upon 

 the production of tliese cunningly devised engines could result in nothing 

 but total failure. Nor do the inventors appear to profit by example. In 

 spite (if the abundant warnings held out to them in the fate of their pre- 

 decessors, they persist in adopting the same inelficient menus, the same 

 defective coustruclion ; or in hopeless attempts to extort from some 

 natural agent the performance of tasks for which it is manifestly unfitted. 

 Nay, tlie identical mechanism, that has broken down a dozen times in 

 other hands, is once more made the subject of new patents, by men who 

 are not only ignorant of the simple scientific principles wliich would have 

 taught them their folly, but who do not know the fact that the selfsame 

 ideas have long since been worked out, and abandoned as impracticable. 

 Wuhout skill to shape their own course, they cannot perceive the scattei-ed 

 debris that might warn them of impending shipwreck. Is it credible that 

 ingenious men, who have seen or heard of the suspension tunnel, and the 

 electric telegraph, should still waste years in search for the perpetual 

 motion? Vet such is the fact; and one such machine, at least, may even 

 now be seen in London, by those who have more faith than knowledge, 

 pursuing its eternal revolutions. 



In the majority of instances, we apprehend that these inventors are hut 

 little acquainted with the practical details of the branches of art or manu- 

 facture whereon they exercise their ingenuity. They attempt to do better 

 than other men, things which they do not know how to do at all. And if, 

 perchance, some remark be hazarded as to their want of experience, they 

 consider it sufficient to reply, that Arkwright was a barber, and Cartwright 

 a clergyman ; that Sir William Herschel taught music before he became the 

 celebrated astronomer; and Sir Michael Furadiiy passed the earlier years of 

 life in practising the handicraft art of bookbinding. 



Considering that the state of the law renders the privilege of a patent 

 both expensive and difficult of attainment, and that the whole cost, in ad- 

 dition to that required for completing the invention, must he incurred before 

 any beneiit can possibly be derived ; — It becomes an inquiry of some interest 

 to trace the motives that lead men, many of whom are sufficiently needy and 

 busy already, to ernt>ark upon enterprises so hopeless. One chief cause may, 

 perhaps, be detected in that propensity to gamlding which is unfortunately 

 so prevalent in every stage of civilization. In literature, as in manufactures 

 — among members of the learned, the military, and even the clerical pro- 

 fessions, as among mechanical Inventors and meichant adventurers, — the re- 

 wards of Industry are divided into great prizes, and blanks. Success admits 

 the aspirant within the dazzling circles of wealth and fame ; failure con- 

 demns liliu to oblivion, and too often to penury. Whatever may be the 

 effect upun Individuals — and to him who has aimed high, even failure Is not 

 without lis consolations — there can be little djiibt, that In a national point 

 of view the results are advantageous. The general siandard of excellence 

 is raised. When more men " dare greatly," more will achieve greatly. A 

 larger amount of talent Is allured to engage in active careers, and to endure 

 in patience their inevitable fatigues and dlsappoliitnicuts; while from time 

 to time, discoveries and works of magnificent novelty and utility are contri- 

 buted as additions to the stores of national wealth. 



Abstract science, until within a comparatively recent period, was the 

 almost exclusive occupation of all men claiming to rank among the " sect 

 of the philosophers." With the brilliant personal exception of Watt, they 

 appear to have considered it beneath their dignity to carry out their learned 



theories into any practical or profitable employment. Great mechanical 

 ingenuity they no doubt displayed ; but it was devoted to the construction 

 of Instruments adapted to scientific research, some of which, it is true, have 

 since been found of utility to the general public. A few Investigation! 

 were diligently prosecuted which promised to be of national benefit, such as 

 those relating to the longitude, chronometers, and the lunar theory; but 

 they were entertained rather as favourite scientific puzzles, Inherited from 

 from past generations, than as problems whose solution would prove a vast 

 commercial good. Davy's safety lamp was almost an exception, at the time 

 it appeared : and people wondered to hear that Herschel had made anything 

 in the vulgar way of money by his telescopes, or WoUaston by his platinum. 

 The " curiosities of the Patent Rolls" would furnish materials for a 

 copious chapter in some work devoted to an exhibition of the eccentricities 

 of intellect. Even the titles affixed as labels to a multitude of inventions 

 suggest very curious reflections. In the list of patents registered during a 

 part of 1846-47, we find, along with a family of contrivances for personal 

 and household uses, one for an "anti-emergent rat-trap;" others for "im- 

 provements in bedsteads," — in pianofortes, saddles, and 4)en-holders; for 

 "a new fastening for shutters;" or securing corks in bottles; and for 

 " certain improvements in the manufacture of spoons." Articles of dress 

 supply their quota. We have improvements in " sewing and stitching ;" 

 " a new mode of applying springs to braces ;" improvements in " hats and 

 bonnets ;" an " improved apparatus to be attached to boots and shoes in 

 order to protect the wearer from splashes of mud in walking ;" and a long 

 list of inventions connected with the application of gutta percha. 



It is a theory rather in favour with inventors, that many of the most bril- 

 liant discoveries have been made by accident ; and indeed the examples are 

 sufficiently well-known, of apparently fortuitous occurrences giving birth to 

 very wonderful realities. But If we could inquire more accurately, we 

 should probably learn that the lucky accident had but set in motion a cer- 

 tain train of thought in an already prepared mind ; while by far the ma- 

 jority of cases exhibit to us the new discovery elaborated by reiterated trials 

 anil improvements from its rude original. A word dropped In casual con- 

 versation suggested an idea to the mind of a clergyman (Cartwright) of 

 practical and benevolent tendencies; which, under the influence of contra- 

 diction, became hot and strong enough to absorb all his energies for the 

 production of a powerdoom. On the other hand, we hear of a practical 

 manufacturer (Radclitfe) becoming convinced that it was possible and de- 

 sirable to effect a certain operation by machinery instead of manual labour; 

 and shutting himself up with workmen and tools for many months, until he 

 emerged from his seclusion with a warp-dresslog machine, to testify to the 

 success of their prolonged exertions. 



Even the simplest-looking contrivances require knowledge, especially ma- 

 thematical knowledge, of no ordinary degree at every step. The mere cal- 

 culation, for example, of the best form to be given to the teeth of wheels, 

 which are Intended to transmit motion reciprocally, requires a process of 

 analysis beyond the competence of ninety-nine in the hundred even of 

 educated men. In more primitive stages of the mechanical arts great nicety 

 was not required. The cogs were then rudely notched In the peripheries of 

 the wooden wheels by the saw or chisel. Uut now that more perfect work- 

 manship Is necessary, the mechanist must form the surfaces of the teeth 

 Into such a curve, that they shall roll Instead of rubbing on one another, as 

 they successively come in contact, and the friction and wear of material he 

 thus reduced to a minimum. It is true that many of these calculations are 

 already prepared and published In tabulated forms, and therefore the Inven- 

 tor Is not called upon to calculate them for himself. Hut few can hope to 

 become successful Improvers, who are not at least competent to understand 

 their nature, and able to determine the particular points of every new con- 

 trivance where such considerations become important. 



Were It not that no exerclbc of tyranny would be more fiercely resented 

 than any attempt to Interfere with the true-born Englishman's privilege to 

 throw away his time and money at his own pleasure, we could suggest the 

 appoliitiiieiit of certain hoards of examiners, whose approval should be first 

 seemed before any invention, purporting to he novel, could be admitted to 

 the expensive honours of a patent. 



A more popular suggestion has been made, that every patentee should be 

 required to deposit In some pulhllc museum an accurate model or specimen 

 of Ills Invention ; which would thus prove highly useful as an oljject of 

 Interest and Instruction to others, as well as by rendering more easy of de- 

 termination any litigated question of priority. We should anticipate this 

 further advantage from, — the attempt to construct his model would often 

 leave the Inventor self-convicted of the inutility of his scheme and save blm 

 much disappointment. Even the preparation of an accurate drawing often 

 has a salutary eti'ect. Mr. Babhage relates that in the construction of his 

 calculating machine, not one single portion ot the works, although these 

 were of extraordinary complication, required any alteration after It was once 

 made, owing to the admiraule care which had been bestowed upon the 

 drawings. 



The limitary principles (by which term we purpose to specify everything, 

 whether quality or accident, which tends to limit our progress towards per- 

 fection) may be divided Into two great categories, — Including, first, ttiose 

 derived from the natural properties of matter; aud secondly, those arising 

 from the construction or arrangement of the mechanism necessarily em- 

 pluyed. The higher importance of the former class Is at once manifest. 

 Diliiculties which arise from construction may be overcome or eluded ; but 

 the task la very ditficull where we fl.id that Nature herself talaes the hat- 



