INVENTIONS OF 1913.

Clutha Leader, Volume XL, Issue 71, 13 March 1914, Page 7

INVENTIONS OF 1913.

. a .„. ]DI3 has not been signalised • .neat progress of invention so by an, 'tiu> 'number of applications for !ar a * «I at the Patent Office, Lonl' ate " v land, is concerned. (,o jJ'«.ra°n formatio , ll v Upplie ? tO ! US by Hm'hes and Young, Loudon, we i r tliat 30,102 applications for pat- *'»;„ tie United Kingdom were made cl ■ 1013 '■l'' l ' s ' s I'iactically the same s of 1911- During recent years '? uTesi figures recorded were for fe\kn tne number did not reach Mrtio- while tho lngn : water mark was 2 'hi'd hi the succeeding year with apT , approaching 31,000. pll instigation into the nature of •Various "inventions shows that a 1110 nmiiiiiient position is occup:ed by very K as one would naturally ox*Ti„ " veiu- which has been largely 'i medio the conquest of the air, d uOO inventions in this direction Cfn" bwii brought forward. Loconio£non tcna firma however, is still 5 i wl in tho foremost place, more than «rtl •indications having been filed for "\tents relating to railways and motor !!'„d other road vehicles. . The internal combustion engine has rtPtt-Ue received a very great amount i ittontimi, the trend being still in t Vdirection of perfecting the m, tin' eii'dne, which will no dcubt one ,j°,v bo an accomplished fact. _ j 1,1 the uiimls of many people there is Vws some romance associated with Lention. as more than one fortune has L n built upon a simple idea. Ihe familiar Ulakev boot protector is a case n point However, we do not feel invnired to prophesy that any such simple invention of 1913 will produce so Llden a harvest. Among the urtcomn'icated inventions we note a paper S'lrdrobe, consisting of an airtight hag made of paper, in which wearing udpa'rel is enclosed. * Since tho early days when the camp; stool was invented, many collapsible articles have been invented, and during ](jl3 several device* of this kind were in evidence. For instance, a collapsible meat-safe appeared on the scene, in addition to a collapsible side-car, while that most accommodating article of furniture—a collapsible bedstead—is not missin? from the list. Tim most interesting invention' in this direction is an automatic collapsible escape-ladder niiidi in the case of emergency at sea provides a rapid, continuous and safe means of transferring passengers and crew from the vessel to boats or rafts. Among the- devices relating to mining, some 200 inventions have been- introduced with respect to cages, having for their object the ensuring of greater safety. Appalling miivng disasters have stimulated inventors to focus their attention upon means for preventing tne fatalities due to choke-damp. The most interesting appliance of this kind is a whistle which the state of the atmosphere causes automatically to warn miners of impending danger. Catastrophes at sea, such as that ot the Yolturno, have resulted in a crop of patents concerning life-saving devices. One of the most striking of thee© is an invention' by a princess who is already well known as a deviser of marine contrivances. This relates to the davits vhidi on ships are used for the purpose of lowering boats. The davits her Highness has invented are so constructed that the boats swing quite clear c'f | the vessel, This will obviate the destitution of the boats which is so often ■ caused by a rough sea dashing them against tiie side of the ship. Another feature of the princess' invention is that, when not swung out over the side of the vessel, the davits can be made to form a continuous rail hy moans of which the boats may be rapidly shiftedi to any part of the vessel that cireunisiances necessitate. The usefulness of this, arrangement is obvious; for the boats on' the windward side can in a in minutes) be brought to leeward, which, owing to its sheltered position, is usually more favorable for the launching of boats. Some clever inventions have appeared having for their object the production of 1 high rate of speed on eanalsi without causing the wash which is so injurious to the banks. This may tend to restore the popularity of the canal as a highway of transit. Inventors have devoted considerable attention as to the strengthening of ships, and a device has been patented by means of which the whole- of tire wilKjiead doors can ho controlled from t lie bridge, and in cases of emergency dosed with remarkable expedition. A complete departure in the method of propelling vessels has been introduced. Ine principle is that of drawing instead W driving, the moving force being in rent, whereas it has hitherto been beM<l the vessel. Both methods, however, may be used simultaneously. h regards house furniture, a num«r of ideas have been materialised, maSm S. <or the comfort and conveni«ko of the home. Speciai attention m been devoted to convertible and TOUipsib Q article*, rmch are extremely , < omn 3 to the limited space ~, ratmy h ousesi A raoriß these Mnnundating contrivances we note n ea&y chair which can be transformed ™»» cradle, a bouuwo that may be ™ m into a bed, and an ottoman S,™ can likewise in a few minu «* be adapted for sleeping purposes. ifle householder who is fearful of tho 2 ItOUS germ ' which at present oc--2r, S V nudv of tho attention of the oeaical .faculty, may now be accommo««W with iurniture that offers not the to the disease-dissem-,3 mic robe. The furniture in Im ! 5 Ramped out of compressed' Wth! i %" k no stuffi "g to harthe deadly bacillus. J sitting, one's comfort largely deOori 01 ' , COUC , h ' and a ver >" comm °- «De »«v '! a 8 bt ' en Patented whereby >S aS adiust the back to an 'y «n Se &" th ' cr enha,M ' cs the val ™ of uZITI desi g ned for ce^ ra P artl^nt S on one level. This 1 Whlh r olvln g, £l,ate > 60 that P'etiin, u ln ?" rooni ma y. b y a simSW to' a « ade .to present its genial An 1? ad ]0"""g bedroom. • '"g 1913 ! m , n ?, dev ' ico Patented dur- * ftßerTL t0 »e a f€ature G 'ty, IM,S? bltKms » suoh a s the White ca C a„ and d «aation of which »»T«of «S latln ? BUrfac « like *:-e vessels will V?^ 868 ' • °P° n this surface ir «»listio iiU, e, « ei r ,n 8 the Passengers als °. Proh.lii! c the owiui, and WBWvuSr»r i?"* 1 d 9 luer - Another "tentent fa . JV* lO66 Veat ex- ■ Jetton L railway with whiW n 5 of a PPar6nt obi threaten the cars with

goruous invention is a'workmen's timerecording machine, with whicE is incorporated a thumb-print arrangement xhat enables each workman to bo identified.

For naturalists, there has been invented a speciai bird-nesting box of such a nature that, one may observe the habits of birdo witiiout disturbing them. In view of the conspicuous part played l>y tenia*) agitators during the year now closed, it is interesting to note what woman has done in the realm of invention. The number of applications for patents in tne United Kingdom from women in 1913 approaches 400. Contrasted with the 30,102 inventions of "mere mau," this appears extremely suiail, but when one reflects that a few years ago only about 16 applications from women were tiled, it is evident that considerable progress has been made.

In conclusion, we remark that in this second decade of the 20th century it is natural to expect that the number of inventions would increase by leaps and bounds. How is it, then, that the figures are stationary? A feasible conjecture is that last year having been one of commercial prosperity, ■ ianufacturers, being busy, have felt less disposed to entertain the proposals of inventors than would have been the case had slack trade required a fillip.