z 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 ex

plore 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 385 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 anything 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 entered 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 ap-
plications 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 appli

cations 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. o -
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. **

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 ex

aminer 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 made in the division of cases since 1845: 1st. Metallurgy and the manufacture of metals. * 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. . . .” * - * * * * * * * -- *

I shall now proceed to review the improvements which have been patented during the current year in the above classes, under their appropri"ate subdivisions, commencing with

This class has many subdivisions, as may be inferred from the fact that it comprehends the various modes of obtaining the different metals from the ores, &c., together with the multifarious modes of preparing and ap! plying them to use in the arts. The subdivisions will be presented in * their order. The importance of improvements in this class cannot be overrated. The use of one of the metals—iron—exerts a controlling influence over '' the condition and advancement of society. No nation ever emerged from "barbarism without its use; and it is not claiming too much for it to say "that civilization would not long exist without it. Improvements in manufactures of iron have always kept pace with, and presents the surest * index to, the progress of man. In some branches of metallurgy inventions have been numerous, while others present but few improvements. Gold.—But one patent has been granted for separating gold from its "impurities. It is an operation involving but little difficulty, and that of a "simple mechanical character, and therefore improvements are but rarely to be expected. The following extract from the patent will fully explain the character of the invention: “By the ordinary and common processes of the separation of gold and 'silver from their ores, by washing with water and amalgamation with mercury, there has always been a loss of both gold and silver, as well as of the mercury. In the hand rocker and semi-circular, though usually worked by hand, the quantity of sand and gravel which these machines can work is small; consequently, when that contains but little gold or platinum it cannot be worked with profit; and in these machines there is a "great loss of both gold and platinum, as well as quicksilver, (when that is used,) because the motion is half the time in one direction and half the time in another, by which the gold, &c., is prevented from subsiding, and consequently passes off with the water and sand. In the Binke rocker there is yet a greater waste of quicksilver and the precious metals. In the Tyrolese bowls the sand and gravel subside too soon to the bottom, and prevent the contact of the gold and silver with the quicksilver. My machine, I believe, will obviate all these practical evils, which heretofore have attended the extraction of the precious metals from the ores and earthy or stony mixtures. These objects I effect in the way and manner following: o, * , a *“I form a frame of wood, or any suitable material of convenient proportions; near each end of this frame there is a vertical, shaft; these shafts have each two sunk cranks, and formed on them at right angles to each other, and at equal heights on both shafts to the lower cranks, an oblong rectangular horizontal frame is coupled, so as to partake of and describe circles in each and every part of the frame, equal to the circles described by the cranks when they are moved. To the cranks above there is a con. “necting rod which serves to secure the proper rotation of the lower cranks and frame in the same direction. The whole may be put in motion by

any convenient and proper motive power, transmitted through the intervention of an additional shaft, also vertical, and consequently parallel with those above described, the velocity being regulated by cones, connected by a band which is moved up and down at the will of an attendant, by

a lever or other contrivance, a device well known to mechanics. A band on the additional pulley connects it with the prime mover. The frame is .

kept in a horizontal position by means of chains, or any other convenient mode of suspension, attached to its corners and extending up to the stationary frame above. By thus suspending the frame it is evident that,

however much weight may be placed upon it, the cranks will not support ..

it, and thus leave them at liberty to convert all their received power into rotary motion without much friction. On this frame are placed any con

venient number of pans of circular form, with flat bottoms, or with bottoms. grooved in concentric rings. To the bottoms of these pans are affixed,

four (more or less) legs, which fit into holes let into the frame to receive

them. The legs on one side of the pans are made longer than those on . the other, so that the side which has the longer legs can be elevated by

inserting a block between it and the frame, to enable the operatives to

cleanse the pans speedily. The longer legs are opposite the gate; so that

when the sides of the pans are elevated, the amalgam, &c., will be readily

taken out. In each pan a gate or sliding piece is fitted, which can be made to slide down or up, so as to permit the water, sand, &c., to escape. “By the above description it will be seen that the motion effected by

my machine in the pans is precisely similar to that of a person panning by hand ; which motion, all who are iii the least acquainted with the operation of extracting gold, &c., know to be the only one which will save all the precious metals.” “In using this machine for extracting gold, silver, and platinum, it is necessary that the metals be disengaged from their matrix, and free to obey the law of gravity; therefore, ores that contain gold and silver must be ground to powder, so that these metals may be free to descend by their weight to the bottom of the pans.” r

Iron-But few improvements have been patented for improvements in the manufacture of iron and steel; but some of those have been regarded

as presenting great advantages. The problem of obtaining pure malleable

iron directly from the ore is still in progress of solution. Of the numer

ous processes heretofore resorted to, none seem to give entire satisfaction,

or command general confidence. The following extract from a patent.

this year presents a process possessing novelty and plausibility; but it is impossible, for reasons set forth in my last report, to determiné a priori what will be the practical results of any process, however well digested. Experience alone is the proper test; and even when perfectly successful

with one kind of ore, the process may wholly fail when applied to another. . . How far the following process may have succeeded I am not fully inform

ed; but its friends have appeared full of confidence in its merits: “My improved process is applicable to the treatment of oxides of iron only; and this I effect in reverberatory furnaces, although some parts of

the process may be applied in furnaces without the reverberatory feature. .

“It has long been essayed to reduce the oxides of iron directly into the metallic state by heating the ores mixed with carbonaceous matter, with the view to produce deoxidation, and then to transfer the mass thus, treated to the puddling process; but in all these, which have so far been

... I

unsuccessful, the upper stratum only of the mass of ore and carbon was exposed to the direct action of the heat and flame, instead of the whole mass; and to avoid this evil, it has been suggested to apply heat to the mass of ore and carbon below as well as above, by placing the fire grate directly under the furnace hearth or floor, and then reverberating the flame'and passing it over the charge. This modification, while it removes the leading objection of the process above indicated, introduces practical difficulties of such magnitude as to defeat the contemplated object.

“My improvements effectually avoid these difficulties, and consist in

exposing the mass of pulverized ore, mixed with carbonaceous matter, to
the combined action of a gentle flame or heat; and currents of heated
air passing through the mass, which in their passage not only agitate the
mass, to aid the mechanical liberation of the gases evolved, but aid in
evolving the gases from the oxide and carbon, which in their nascent
state combine and revive the metallic particles.
“The mass is then subjected to the combined action of a more intense
flame, and to highly heated currents of carburetted hydrogen gas, that
pass through the mass and take up the remaining oxygen of the ore, and
revive the metallic particles; and then the mass passes to the puddling
process, where it is subjected to a still more intense heat, and to the action

of jets of highly heated atmospheric air, to consume the carbonaceous.

matter, and free it from other impurities. For the application of my im-
proved process, I have made important modifications in the well known
reverberatory furnace, which for this purpose is made of much greater
length than those heretofore used.” .*
Letters patent have also been granted for an improvement in furnaces
for reducing iron ores, whose objects are to facilitate and economize fuel.
Two stacks are placed side by side, with a blast for each, which, as occa-
sion requires, may be diverted in such a manner that nearly the whole
blast may be directed to one of the stacks, while the charge in the other
preserves sufficient heat for its stage of the process. It is believed that
extracts from the patent are unnecessary.
Steel.—Two patents have been granted this year for improvements in the
manufacture of steel. The process resorted to by the first patentee is
simple, and the rationale obvious. He obtains iron of the quality of pig
iron directly from the ore, in the ordinary way, and preserves it in a melted
state. The liquid iron has a larger proportion of carbon than is contained
in steel. Knowing by experiment the relative proportion of the iron and
carbon in the melted mass, he dilutes it, if such a term may be used,
with pure malleable iron, which melts with the mass, until the iron and
carbon acquire the relative proportions which are found in steel. The
mass is then drawn off and allowed to cool.
The product of this process will doubtless possess in combination all
the elements of steel; but whether all parts of the mass will be equally
impregnated with carbon, or whether a portion of it will be steel and
other portions pig-iron variously carbonized, are questions which iron-
masters and others will not fail to ask, and the value of the alleged im-
provement will depend upon the answer. The foregoing invention was
made in England, and first patented there.
The particulars of the above process will be understood by the follow-
ing extract from the patent:
“The process now universally in use for making cast steel is to reduce