Doc. No. 52. 39 Two impovements have been patented for the combined spring lancets, or scarificators, both presenting novel modes of operating the blades and regulating their depths. * * t Trusses.—A considerable number of trusses and abdominal supporters have been rejected for want of novelty. A very simple yet effective construction of truss has been patented, in which the truss pad moves back and forth upon a common screw attached to the main spring, which motion allows of its lateral adjustment, and the pressure is regulated by means of a nut moving on the same screw with the pad. s: Baths.—Several forms of bathing apparatus have been patented: one, a shower bath, is quite novel in one respect—the bather stands upon two small platforms, which are respectively connected with the pistons of pumps; and the bather, by resting alternately upon his right and left foot, works the pumps, and thus obtains a constant shower. - * WEARING APPAREL. ! . Number of applications, 16.-Number of patents granted, 16. Tailors’ shears.--An improved shears has been patented, in which one of the blades has a broad and flat back, designed to slide along evenly upon the table while cutting, the other blade being of the usual form. Ladies’ skirts.--An improvement has been patented for arranging the cords or springs of the skirts in such a manner as to break up the horizontal lines, thus giving elasticity to the garment longitudinally as well as laterally. DESIGNS. Number of applications, 67.-Number of patents granted, 59. A great number of designs have been patented under the new law, principally for stoves. The protection of this class of inventions, or productions, has operated favorably to improve the appearance of stoves, and other cast iron work, without adding much to the cost. The specimens presented to the office would seem to indicate that it had been the means of essentially improving the art of iron casting. The past year, eventful in many respects, has recorded for science and art more signal discoveries than perhaps any other in the history of man. Conspicuous above all others stands the planet Leverrier, revealed by the sublimest efforts of mind as one of the sisterhood of mother earth, while she has been lending us hitherto her feeble aid, accredited only as a “star of little magnitude.” It would not be appropriate to this report to notice the many discoveries of the past year of a purely scientific character; nor can I presume, in the haste with which the above review has been prepared, to have done justice to those discoveries and inventions of a practical nature which have come immediately under my own examination. The press and hurry of business in your department during the past year has not allowed such time to your examiners as they could wish for the thorough investigation and appreciation of the many inventions of importance and interest daily presented. Knowing that you are fully aware of their present embarrassments, and will do all in your power to facilitate their official labors, they abide in the hope that such assistance will be provided as will enable them to bestow as much time upon each invention as the merits of the case may justly demand. o, . . . . . . .30C The inquiry is frequently made, How is it that applications for patents multiply so fast? Is there so much room left for improvement in this or that 1, branch of art? Superficial observers are apt to be looking for consummation not only in individual branches of art, but in the whole range of human productions. They regard the wants of man as limitable, his mind as ex--haustible, and, with an air of sagacity, will point to a time when the overA grown wings of genius will retard and finally check his career. A look ... at the past would mirror in its true 'light this distorted view of things; but even this is not necessary. A liberal survey of the present, a glance at the depths of mind, and the restless workings of the inward man, all ... proclaim the command, “increase and mułtiply,” to be stamped upon his o intellectual as well as his physical nature. The multiplying products of | intelligence are no hindrance to his onward movement; and those seemlingly formidable accumulations of innovations offer no effective resistance to the wheels of invention. They are rather so many stepping stones, over which genius is striding up the hill of perfection, whose summit is beyond the confines of time. Respectfully submitted. - CHAS. G. PAGE, Ea'aminer of Patents. Hon. EDMUND Burke, - Commissioner of Patents. SIR: In reviewing the business which has been transacted at my desk during the current year, a few prominent facts of a general character present themselves, to which I have thought it proper to call your attention before entering upon the analysis of the patents which have been subjected to my examination. - t It appears, by your last report, that during the year 1844 the number of applications for patents suddenly increased nearly twenty-five per cent. above that of any former year, which, of course, required and produced a corresponding increase of exertion on the part of the examining corps. By reference to the records kept by examiners at that time, I find that at the desk which I now occupy the number of patents granted in 1844 Was - - - - - - 211 And the number of rejections was - - - - - 197 Making an aggregate of - - - - - 408 In 1845 the number of patents was - - - - - 215 And the number of rejections - - - - - 226 Making an aggregate of - - - - - 441 During the present year the number of patents is - - - 289 And the rejections - - - - - - - 385 Making an aggregate of - - - - - 674 By comparing these results, it will be perceived that the aggregate of patents and rejections at my desk for the current year exceeds those of * any former year by more than fifty per cent. It is hoped that this simple statement of facts will satisfy all who have complained of delays at the Patent Office that the cause of complaint is not to be found in a want of exertion on the part of the examining corps, but in an overwhelming increase of business, to which their powers and endurance are not equal. - It also appears, from the foregoing statement, that the number of patents does not increase in proportion to the number of applications, but that the number of rejections increases in a much greater ratio; and, by reference to your last report, it appears that in 1842, when there were only 761 applications, there were more patents granted than in 1844, when there were 1,045; and this occurred under the same Commissioner, and with the same examining corps. The causes which have produced this result still exist, and will probably continue to exert a steadily increasing influence throughout the future operations of this office. In every section of the country may be found worthy and ingenious men, whose energies are directed towards inventions and discoveries in the arts. Some of these are sufficiently informed of what has already been done, in the particular department to which their attention is direct a ed, to avoid, in some good degree, the beaten track; but the number and variety of inventions already made are so great that few can enter upon a carrer of invention with sufficient knowledge to avoid a succession of reinventions, which add nothing to the arts, and which it is the duty of this office to reject. Of course, the attention of the uninformed inventor is directed to discoveries of an elementary character. These are necessarily limited in their number, and the field has every where been preoccupied by thousands of every variety of mind ; and whatever he may fix upon is already public property, or has been appropriated by some one who has preceded him. As invention is rapidly progressing in every part of the civilized world, each year will trench still further upon the only department open to uninformed inventors; and as their number is likely to increase rather than diminish, rejections must inevitably be multiplied; and, unfortunate ly, the consequences have often fallen, and must continue to fall, upon men whose industry, talents, and perseverance deserve, and if well directed would be rewarded by, distinguished success. While the threshold is thus thronged by the multitudes who are tread ing upon each other, the field beyond, to the eye of those who can explore it, is almost limitless. Every discovery which is made appears to shed light upon others hitherto enveloped in obscurity: each furnishes , the key to a group, and the things to be discovered seem to multiply in proportion to those already discovered. I have stated, above, that 3S5 rejections have been made at my desk during the current year. It should not be understood that so large a number of applications have been finally rejected. The first examination of an application is intended to be as thorough as the condition of the papers and models will admit. If the claim cannot be allowed, the machine is carefully examined to discover whether it comprehends any other feature or combination which would justify the grant of letters patent. ... If any thing patentable is discovered, the papers are returned to the applicant, with such suggestions as will assist him in amending them and properly modifying his claim ; but if nothing patentable is discovered, the application is at once rejected, and the necessary references given; as it is deemed worse than useless to put the applicant to the trouble and expense of amending and perfecting his papers, when it is believed that no amendment could avoid a final rejection. But this office, from its reorganization, has been liberal in reconsidering rejected applications. The applicant is always permitted to amend his papers, and to present new or amended claims, which renders it necessary again to examine the applica. *tion as if it were new. If it is again rejected, this additional rejection is en tered upon the record kept by the examiner, and is counted as a rejection. There are instances in every year’s experience of cases being represented with different claims two or three times, each change raising questions entirely new, and requiring the same examinations and consideration as would be required by so many distinct applications. All experience of the examining corps has shown the importance of making these re-examinations, as it sometimes occurs that, owing to the imperfect manner in which the papers have been prepared, a patentable feature of the machine has escaped the notice of the examiner. From the foregoing facts it clearly appears that the number of rejec. tions is always greater than the number of rejected applications. The number of rejected applications probably amounts to more than three hun dred; which added to the patents, shows about six hundred applications to have been finally disposed of at my desk during the current year. On the first of January, 1846, there were about one hundred new applications upon my desk awaiting action. Since that time 624 more have been referred to me, of which ninety-nine are still unexamined ; but this does not give a full view of the business belonging to my desk which has been completed, or which is still pending. From the reorganization of the office down to the present time, applications have daily been partially examined, and returned to the applicant for such amendments as were necessary to a final examination. These applications are often retained by the applicant not only months, but years; and during the present year applications have been examined which were filed in 1837, and every year, from 1837 to the present, has furnished its quota of applications patented and rejected during the current year; and a part of the applications of every year since 1836 are still pending, and liable to be called up at any moment, though they are in such condition that this office is compelled to await the action of the applicant. There are nearly two hundred and fifty of these cases which belong to my desk alone, which are daily coming up in detail for examination. For delay in these cases the applicant is alone responsible. It will readily appear, from the foregoing statement, that the business of the examining corps for any year cannot be determined by the number of applications filed during that year, but is made up, to a considerable extent, of the unfinished business of all preceding years since the system of examinations was instituted. - i. The foregoing remarks I have considered necessary and sufficient for a full understanding of the progress and condition of the business confided to my charge. It affords me pleasure further to state that no appeal has been taken, and no bill in equity has been filed, for the reversal of any decision upon an application referred to my desk since I have been examiner of patents. Of the 22 classes into which applications for patents are divided, the following 11 are under my charge, no considerable change having been a made in the division of cases since 1845: 1st. Metallurgy and the manufacture of metals. 2d. Manufacture of fibrous and textile fabrics, and all machinery therefor. 3d. Steam and other gas engines. 4th. Navigation, comprehending naval architecture, propellers, marine implements, &c. - 5th. Civil engineering and architecture. 6th. Land conveyance, comprehending all kinds of vehicles and imple- ments of travel and transportation. 7th. Mills, comprehending all kinds of mills for grinding and crushing; horse powers, and other means of propelling them. - 8th. Machinery for working in lumber, comprehending saw-mills, with their implements, planing machines, stave machines, shingle machines, boring and mortising machines, veneering, &c. 9th. Fire-arms and implements of war. 10th. Hydraulics and pneumatics, comprehending water wheels, windmills, machinery for raising water, fire engines, filters, &c. 11th, Miscellaneous, consisting of such cases as cannot be placed in any other classes. ... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . - - |